An Officer but No Gentleman (34 page)

“No, it happened in a brawl like I told you.  Only I didn’t tell you that there wasn’t just one of them.”

“Good heavens, Charlie.  I hope you don’t do that anymore.”

Charlie had the good grace to blush.  “Not normally
–today was the exception.  I spotted that man and just saw red.”

Jaxon covered her hand with his.  “You scared ten years off my life today, baby.”

“Mine, too,” Morty said and bumped his shoulder into hers.  It was a display of affection that Jax never seemed to object to.

40

Replete from love making, Jaxon pulled Charlie tightly into his embrace. Her back lay flush against his chest and he languidly ran his hands over her naked taut body.  He kissed the nape of her neck as his hands stilled upon her abdomen.

“I think it’s time for some changes,” he said softly and ran his tongue along the edge of her ear.

Charlie moaned softly at the sensation.  “What kind of changes?” she asked sleepily.

“I’m ready to put away my
Letter of Marque
.  I want to have the ship refitted for another vocation.  How do you feel about that?”

“Relieved.”

Jaxon, kissing her shoulder, stopped.  Her answer surprised him.  She had never given any indication she was not happy privateering.  “If that’s how you feel, why didn’t you say something before?”  Charlie had lived her life doing what she was told without complaint.  He didn’t want that for her.  Jax wanted her to feel free to express her opinions, but even after three years of marriage, he still sometimes had to draw them out of her.

“I knew who and what you were when we got married.  It didn’t seem right to try to change you.”  Charlie placed her hands on top of his.

“I was thinking we might even keep this the
Dragon’s Lair
, but commission another ship, one with enough room for the baby and maybe another half dozen more.”  He smiled at her sharp intake of breath.  “I’m tired of waiting for you to tell me.  These quarters are too small to hide your little secrets.  You’ve got to be at least three months along.”

“Almost four,” she admitted.  “I didn’t want you to take me home and leave me there alone.”

He knew why she hadn’t said anything.  It tipped his decision to quit privateering.

“Are you excited to finally become a parent?”

“More than you can imagine.  What about you?”

Charlie was slow to answer.  “I’m nervous mostly.  I’m worried that I won’t be a good mother.”

Jaxon lifted up on one elbow so he could see her face.  “Care for the children the way you care for your patients.  Show them the patience you showed Morty when you were teaching him his knots.  Love them like you love silk stockings.”

“You make it sound easy.”

“Easier than teaching Morty to tie knots, I bet.”  Jaxon smiled.  “If you can run a ship you can easily run a household full of children and servants.”

Jaxon splayed his hand and caressed the slight swell of her womb.  “Do you know what this baby is?  He will be the walking, talking proof of our extraordinary love.  Our children will be an amazing legacy of the love we share.”

Coming soon

For the Love of Pete

No Unspoken Promises

Blake Warner, with his dark unruly hair and vivid blue eyes, has the heart of every young socialite in Civil War Chicago, aflutter. But he has been nicknamed “Blake the Rake” because of his aversion to marriage and his reputation of breaking off all courtships if a woman expressed her affection for him. To combat his boredom with life, Blake works with the Union Intelligence Service as a less than successful spy. He has been asked to messenger a communiqué to Minnesota where the Dakota Sioux are increasingly violating the treaties.

When Blake meets a fiery little hellion, he is fascinated by her spunk and sense of humor. He finds himself attracted to the diminutive spitfire who is completely opposite of the cultured women he usually courts. A misunderstanding leads him to believe her husband has gone to war, so it’s not as if by sleeping with her he’d be breaking the cardinal rule of rogues—never take a young woman’s innocence. He mad
e sure she understood, he was offering no unspoken promises before he took her to bed.

Meredith Vande Linde knew she would die a spinster in her small Minnesota town after a scandal tarnished her reputation. So what harm could there be in letting Blake think she was married and allowing the handsome stranger to take her innocence. He would leave the next day and no one would know.

It never occurred to either of them, they might get caught, until it happened.

Meredith should have known when Blake vomited on the preacher’s shoes, he felt something worse than nerves. She had no idea his past held dark secrets he’d never revealed to anyone.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

M. Donice Byrd lives in a small town near Lubbock, Texas. She has been married to her husband William for 28 years. They have one daughter, Bailey, two grandsons, Rhys and Ethan.