Don't Tempt Me (21 page)

Shaking his head, Ti nodded toward Adrian. "Looks like you not da only one with trouble sleeping."

Her cheeks heated. "Maybe the motion of the ship's bothering him."

Ti made a humming sound that told her he knew something was going on.

Pretending to look at the jib sails, she watched Adrian climb the steps to the forecastle and move to the bow, as far as he could get from her and still be on the same ship. He stood for a long time facing into the wind, not holding the rail as most landlubbers did, just standing there with his feet braced, gazing straight ahead. Then he kicked off his running shoes and started to move, first rolling his head as if to loosen a kink in his neck. He raised his arms, palms together, and bent forward at the hips, until his hands were flat against the deck. Lord, he was limber!

Her brows snapped together as he continued through a series of graceful moves that mesmerized her.

"Is he doing yoga?" she asked rhetorically, amazed that any man, even one as self-assured as Adrian St. Claire, would do yoga in public; most of the men she knew would consider it too sissy. But the moves were intriguingly masculine when he did them. They also required tremendous strength and balance, yet he made them look effortless.

"I don't think da motion of da ship bother him," Ti said.

"Guess not," she said absently, agonizing over what she should do. She needed to make peace with him, but how? Normally, if she made a man mad, she left him alone to stew. She had too much at stake in this case, though. And not just her ship. This tension between them made her feel ill. She wanted back the friendship they'd enjoyed the last few months. Dammit, though, why did she have to be the one to make the first move?

Because,
her common sense pointed out,
you have the most to lose.

Yeah, but two apologies in two days?

Oh, just gut it up and do it!

With a sigh of resignation, she asked Ti to excuse her and headed down the steps. She crossed the main deck slowly, checking lines as much out of habit as a delaying tactic. By the time she reached the foredeck, Adrian was sitting cross-legged, his hands resting on his knees, his eyes closed. She waited for him to open his eyes, but several very long seconds passed without him moving at all.

The coward in her whispered for her to make a tactical retreat. She glanced toward the stairs.

"Did you want something?" he asked, making her jump.

She looked back at him and found his eyes still closed. "Not if I'm interrupting."

"You're not." He opened his eyes but his voice remained cool.

"Actually, we can talk later, when you're in a better mood."

A scowl darkened his brow. "There's nothing wrong with my mood."

"Pardon me for pointing this out, but you're obviously still pouting."

"I'm not pouting. I'm meditating. Or at least I was trying to."

"Well then, I should definitely leave. We can talk later." She started for the steps.

"Jackie," he sighed. "Have a seat."

"No, really, I ---"

"Sit! Geez, you're stubborn."

"I am not!"

He gave her a pointed look over his shoulder.

She stomped back and sat cross-legged with her arms wrapped around her knees. "You don't have to insult me, considering I came up here to apologize."

"Actually" ---he wiped a hand over his face, looking as tired as she felt ---"I think it's my turn."

"Oh?" Her resentment gave way to surprise.

"I won't apologize for what we did together, because that would imply I took advantage of you, which I didn't, or that I regret it, which I don't."

Her face flamed as memories flashed through her mind and still-tender parts of her body pulsed in response.

"I am sorry, though, for how I reacted afterward. It's just that ..." He lowered his voice. "I've never had that happen before, and I'm afraid I handled it badly."

"Had what happen?"

"Had a woman kick me out of her bed." He blushed. "I don't mean that to sound egotistical, and I swear, I'm not bragging, it's just ... women usually try to talk me into staying."

She stared at him, not knowing what to say.

He shook his head, laughing in embarrassment. "I've pretty much memorized the 'let's be friends' speech, I've said it so many times, but I've never been on the receiving end of it. Yet, since I've known you, you've given it to me at least three times. I have to say, it feels different hearing it instead of saying it."

"So you're saying I hurt your feelings?"

He frowned at her choice of words. "Let's just say you threw me."

"I didn't mean to," she assured him. "I really do want to be friends. And not just because of the cruises. The thing is, other than Ti, I don't really have any. I used to, when I crewed on the
Sea Star
, but ---"

"They all dumped you when they heard about your father."

She shrugged, pretending it didn't still hurt.

"You know," he said, "I've been thinking about that, and I hope you told them all to go to hell before you left the ship."

"Why would I do that? I was hardly innocent."

"Jackie, let me clue you in to something. If you act like a whipped dog, people are going to kick you. It's human nature. If you look them in the eyes and say 'Yeah, I've made some mistakes in life, what's your point?' they'll not only back off, they'll treat you with respect."

"I don't want simple respect. I get that from my crew."

"I imagine that's pretty lonely."

She dropped her gaze. "Which is why I'm really hoping we can get past what happened last night. If you think that's possible."

"It is, but on one condition." He ducked his head to see her eyes. "That you learn to lighten up a bit. You really are way too serious about everything."

"I know," she admitted. "It's just that I've had to be."

"You've never had anyone you can count on, have you?"

"I'm more comfortable counting on myself."

"Understandable, considering the life you've led."

"I would like to learn, though."

"What? To count on others?"

She let out a dry laugh. "I don't think I'll ever be ready to do that, but I would like to, you know, lighten up, learn to have fun and enjoy myself more. Do you think ... what I mean is ... do you think you could teach me?"

Adrian felt his chest melt as he studied her. If ever in his life he'd met someone who needed some playtime it was Jackie. "I don't know ... " He kept his expression grave.

"I'm not hopeless. I can learn anything I set my mind to."

"Let's see about that. Come here." He patted the deck beside him. "Sit closer."

"Why?"

"Suspicious thing, aren't you? Just sit beside me. Like this. " He rested his hands on his knees, his back straight.

She glanced around, looking horrified. "I'm not going to meditate right here on deck."

"What, are you afraid of what your crew might think?"

"And the passengers."

He sighed heavily. "Why don't you just once say, 'Screw what people think'? I dare you."

She started to speak, but snapped her mouth shut.

"If it helps, no, we're not going to meditate, because quite frankly, you are light-years away from letting go enough to do that."

"Then ... what are we going to do?"

"Learn to be still and let go just a little, rather than having to be in charge all the time."

"I can sit still."

"I said
be
still, inside as well as out. Now, sit like this." He waited as she moved beside him and copied his posture. "Close your eyes," he said in a soothing voice. "Relax. Listen to the world around you." He watched for any signs of the tension leaving her shoulders. "Relax."

"I'm trying!" she said through clenched teeth.

"Well, stop 'trying.' That's the point. Stop doing and just be."

If anything, she became more stiff, focusing all her energy on following his instructions.

He scooted behind her and sat with his legs to either side of her. "Here, let's get rid of this." He helped her off with her coat, then placed his hands on her shoulders, massaging. "Now, relax  ... listen to the water ... feel the wind ... breathe deep ..." Just as her muscles started to loosen, he felt her tense and she started to turn. "What are you doing?"

"I need to check that."

"Check what?" he asked in exasperation.

"Can't you hear it?"

"What?"

"That fluttering sound. One of the sails is luffing."

"So?"

"So, I want to see which one and what needs to be done about it."

"Isn't Ti capable of doing that?"

"Of course he is. But when I'm on deck, he always defers to me."

"Not this time." He took her head in his hands and turned her face forward. "Leave the man alone and let him do his job."

"Okay." She glanced back at him. "But I'm on watch in a few minutes, so let's get this relaxing stuff over with so I can get to work."

He burst out laughing. "You are hopeless."

As if hearing what she'd just said, her face lined with worry. "Maybe you're right." The lines deepened. "Can we be friends anyway?"

"We can try."

"Don't give up on me, okay?" A rare vulnerability softened her eyes and she suddenly looked very young. "I really want you to teach me how to have fun."

"Hmm ..." He shook his head with mock graveness even as his heart melted. Had she really had so little fun in her life? "That's a pretty big challenge."

"You're a big guy." She flashed him a cocky grin.

"You would know."

"Adrian!" She laughed, and he drank in the sound. He did love that throaty, earthy laugh of hers.

"Hey, just because we can't have sex doesn't mean we can't joke about it. In fact, maybe that should be one of your lessons: Joking Around 101."

"I have a better idea." She turned serious again.

"Oh?"

"Cooking." Her brow dimpled. "I've always wanted to learn and you make it look fun."

A vivid image popped in his mind of Jackie and him in the kitchen together. "Can we do it naked?"

A laugh escaped her before she shoved his chest. "You're the one who's hopeless!"

"Okay, okay." He fell onto his forearms. "I'll teach you how to cook in exchange for more sailing lessons."

"Deal." She started to hold out her hand, thought better of it and pulled it back.

"Chicken." He teased her with a grin.

"Better a wise chicken than a dead duck." She smiled back.

"I dare ya."

She hesitated a long moment, then held out her hand. He took it slowly, held it, feeling the unusual combination of calluses and soft skin. Small hands that possessed the strength to command and the skill to excite. "Deal."

When he released her hand, she stood and retrieved her coat. "Okay, well, I, um, need to get to work."

"Business before pleasure, eh?"

"That's me." She grinned walking backward before she turned and strode across the deck.

The minute she turned, he flopped onto his back, staring up at the sky. What had he gotten himself into now?

Chapter 16

"Dolphins!" someone cried near the bow.

Jackie looked up from the chart she had spread on the roof of the pilothouse to see passengers hurrying to the portside rail. Dolphins? How could that be? They'd entered Galveston Bay already and were winding their way through oil tankers and cargo barges. There hadn't been dolphins in these waters for decades.

Stowing the chart, she turned to the second mate, who stood at the wheel. "Mr. Jamison, she's all yours."

"Aye, Captain." The man kept his attention on their course. Now that they'd left the open waters of the Gulf, they had little room to maneuver and no room for error.

She headed for the steps to the main deck just as Adrian hurried up. "Do you see them?"

"Not yet."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her to the rail of the quarterdeck, as excited as a little boy. Nearly stumbling in his wake, she laughed at his enthusiasm.

"Look!" He pointed. "There must be a dozen, at least."

"When did dolphins return to Galveston Bay?" She stared in disbelief at the sleek gray bodies leaping and racing alongside the ship. "I thought the water was too polluted."

"It was! The state's been working to clean it up, though. A few years ago, people started spotting dolphins again, but only one or two. Never this many."

The ship came alongside a slow-moving tug bullying a barge toward the Houston shipping channel, but the finned escort stuck with the
Pirate's Pleasure
, playing among the white-capped wakes that spread outward from the wooden hull.