Romancing the Pirate 01.5 - Beneath The Water's Edge Read Online Free Page A

lesser man, he’d already have her stripped of her clothes. Damned moral restraints. Sometimes, just sometimes, he’d wished he could live up to the lecherous reputation and false tales bestowed upon him by the fearful. He wouldn’t of course. Never would he take from a woman’s virtue what she wouldn’t freely give. But her jewels and coin, well now, that’s another matter.
    “Besides, I’m not the merciful type.” His statement didn’t bring ease to her stiff posture. Wisely so. She was still prey.
    “What would you have me do, then? Can I prove to you my keep?” She realized all too late the implications of her suggestion.
    “Tantalizing offer.” He finally moved away, giving her breathing room before she fainted from lack of air.
    Quickly, she amended. “I can mend ropes and sails.”
    “Mending ropes and sail will not be nearly enough to remedy the serious position you have put me in, lass. No doubt the entire ship knows about you by now. Understand, I can’t let you leave this room. This is inconvenient, you see, because this cabin is also where I take my solitude…and sleep. So, dear girl, you have imposed upon me greatly.”
    Worry knitted her brow and she gnawed on her plump bottom lip. Ripe lips. Lips that beckoned to be kissed. Blazes! Back on task, man. You’ve more important matters to chaw over than her mouth.
    “I understand,” she said.
    “Nay, I don’t think you do.” He perched upon the edge of his table. “The moment you stepped into my quarters, you lost your freedom.” The more he thought about it, the more annoyed he became, sharing his cabin with a woman. One he wasn’t even bedding. Bah! And how the hell was he supposed to conduct business with her there? Ah yes, he was growing ever more agitated. “Consider yourself my prisoner.”
    “P-prisoner?”
    White teeth chewed upon her lip again . Look away. He didn’t, of course, and that rankled him further. “Aye, and as such, you will indulge to my whims. A fair trade for what would await you outside that door.” Nothing wrong with putting more fear into the lass lest she decide to do something rash.
    “But—”
    “Tut!” He walked around his desk and sat. Dipping his quill in the inkwell, he went back to cataloguing cargo in his log book. Without looking up, he gave his first instruction. “You may remove your binds now.”
    “Beg your pardon?”
    He pointed with his quill. “You’re bindings, remove them. You’ve no need for them any longer.” He went back to jotting on the paper. “I won’t have you pretending to be someone you’re not in my presence. You should be relieved.”
     
    Relieved? Elyssa was anything but relieved. She was trapped in this cabin with a pirate captain, one who wanted her to disrobe. He said he wouldn’t kill or rape her and, strangely, she believed him. Why, she did not know. Perhaps it was because he could’ve already done so. She’d heard tales of pirates keeping female prisoners for their enjoyment. Most of those stories ended with and she was never heard from again . Elyssa might find out firsthand if there was any truth to the stories.
    Captain Blackthorn looked up from his book and scowled. “That wasn’t a suggestion, lass. Remove your bindings.”
    “I can’t.”
    “Oh? Why is that?”
    “The knots are in the back.” Elyssa hated to say it. What a terrible mess this would lead to.
    The corner of his mouth twitched. “Remove your tunic,” he said, putting down his quill and rising.
    “Must I?”
    “Do you want to risk my good nature with fruitless questions? No? Remove the tunic or I shall do it for you.”
    In the last several months, Elyssa had faced monumental decisions. Though the choices were hers, they weren’t really choices at all. They had always been made for the good of another. So it seemed that way even now. She crossed her arms down, grabbed the hem of her shirt, and tugged the fabric up and over. The cool air landed upon her bare shoulders. Goose