Enter The Brethren (The Brethren of the Coast) Read Online Free Page B

and Country.”
    “I see.”  In silence, she calculated.  There had to be a way out of her dilemma.  “And you knew Dalton when you were in service?”
    “Aye, and his elder brother Dirk.”
    Oh, dear.  That could complicate her plan.
    “Are you much acquainted with the Randolphs?”
    “No.” He lifted a pitcher and poured water into the basin.  “Not since I left the Navy.”
    Sweet relief.  “Well then, Captain, I will make you a bargain.”
    His face covered with shaving soap, he froze.  “Madame, you have my attention, unreservedly.”
    Desperate times necessitated desperate measures.
    And Caroline was a desperate woman.
    “I will be your mistress until we get to London provided that, once we arrive, we part ways, never to see each other again.”
    Was it her imagination, or wishful thinking, or did the charming seaman seem rather put out by her proposal?
    “Done.”  Well, maybe he was not so put out as she thought.
    “And one more thing.”
    “How much?”
    “I do not want your money, Captain.”
    Now she was positive she had surprised him.  “Then what do you want?”
    Inhaling a deep breath, she squared her shoulders.  “Your word that you will not force me to do anything until I am ready.”
    “What the deuce does that mean?”
    “It means that we begin with a kiss until I permit more.”
    How much harm could he do with such limits?
    With a sly smile that immediately had her rethinking her strategy, Trevor dropped his shaving brush into the basin, marched straight to her, wound an arm about her waist, hauled her against him, and planted his lips to hers.
    And Caroline could only pray that she made the voyage to London, virtue intact.
    #
    Desire was a potent intoxicant.
    Now Caroline understood why masters of the Renaissance wrote of it, why women lived for it, and why men killed for it.
    How unfair it was that the only man who wanted her, gentleman or otherwise, thought her a whore.
    Standing at the larboard rail, clothed in a shirt and breeches borrowed from a member of the crew, because the cabin boy’s togs were too small to accommodate her feminine curves, she inhaled the familiar and comforting scent of brine mixed with kelp.
    Before her, the sky was a lustrous blue canopy, reflected in the ocean surrounding the ship.  Sunlight frolicked on the ripples and swells, shimmering as countless shards of the finest crystal.  Beneath the surface, shadows danced an elegant waltz, allusive of the life thriving in the watery depths below.  Wind whipped the rigging, crackling the air as it filled the canvas, and waves crashed against the hull, sounding thunderous roars as the Hera swam the seas.
    Three days had passed since she enacted her bargain with Trevor.  Three days of stealthy attacks, some inexpressibly tender, others not so much, but always in obeisance of her terms.  Three days of assault on her senses and determination to avoid what he thought their inevitable fate.
    And although he had kept her off balance with his unconventional seduction, the remainder of their lives aboard ship had fallen into a reassuring routine.
    They shared every meal, sometimes hosting Mr. Loman, and the irrepressible captain played a wicked game of poker, in which they bartered kisses most often claimed in his lap, because she had yet to win a single round.  In the morning hours, while she bathed, he never interrupted her toilette, giving her complete privacy.  And while he insisted she share his bunk every night, he had not once taken advantage of her when she was most vulnerable.  When they climbed between his soft, silk sheets, he gave her his back, and she gave hers to him.
    So why was she frustrated?
    Two hands appeared on either side of hers, and she stiffened her spine before she could stop herself.
    “Relax,” Trevor said, with a rush of warm breath against the crook of her neck.  Slowly, maddeningly, he trailed feathery kisses up the back of her ear.
    Merciful heavens, the man could make