In the Arms of a Pirate (A Sam Steele Romance Book 2) (13 page)

She’d never been more excited in her life!

*

The
Revenge
was
his. Aidan stroked the wheel, ran his palms over the smooth wood. He’d coveted the
Revenge
and the role of Sam Steele since Samantha had saved him from the plantation. He’d envisioned this moment, and hundreds of variations of it, ever since. This particular one he found himself in? It had not even been a blemish on his map.

But then how could he have foreseen that within days of becoming Steele he’d lose his ship, regain his memory, realize the man he’d sailed with for years was, in fact, his father? That he’d set out to kill his enemy only to be thwarted and then have said enemy’s daughter aboard his ship for the foreseeable future?

Suddenly he wished he had Luke’s penchant for rum.

He sighed because he knew even if he did, rum would not help him.

“Where are we going?”

Between the breeze and the struggle earlier this evening to get her in the cellar before her father arrived, her hair had completely fallen from its pins. Dark tresses cascaded over one shoulder and down her back. It made her look vulnerable despite the arms she’d crossed over her chest.

“Where I can find out what your father’s up to.”

“You said my father would have to think back fifteen years? What did he do? Is that where we’re going?”

Eyes on the darkness beyond the bowsprit, Aidan kept silent. The warm night air fluttered through his hair and coasted over his forearms. The hell of it was it also carried her scent to him. Innocence. Sweetness. Two things he couldn’t reconcile with when he thought of Roche or anything associated with him.

And yet they fit Sarah.

“I thought you promised never to lie to me.”

He slid her an icy look. “I did and I won’t. But not answering you is not lying.”

“You’re after killing my father and using me to do so. I should think that warrants an explanation.”

“I told you he came after my family.”

“Days ago, yes. But what happened fifteen years ago? Who did he go after then?”

“I notice you are no longer professing his innocence.”

Her arms fell to her sides. A gust of wind blew sections of her hair across her cheek. Inexplicably, he pictured himself curling it behind her ear the way she did.

“I’d be a fool to. I don’t want my father dead but between the fear I’ve witnessed in the staff, the coldness in his treatment toward me, and other oddities…”

“Such as the guard you never saw again,” he supplied.

“Yes. Clearly he is not the man I’ve believed him to be.”

“Of that you can be sure.”

Sarah stepped closer to the wheel. “Will you tell me? What he did to that boy and his mother?”

Aidan could have kissed Chunk when the large man tossed open the hatch on the captain’s cabin and climbed the steps to the quarterdeck.

“Everything’s ready,” he said.

“Excellent.” Aidan stepped from the wheel, motioned for Sarah to follow him.

She gave him an inquisitive look but did as he asked. She followed him into the small cabin, one he’d been in many times. He was grateful Roche’s men hadn’t had the ship long enough to do her damage or change her. A quick look around the cabin, on the shelves, and in the drawers of the table confirmed there was nothing Sarah could use as a weapon if she were to have such a thought. Chunk had set her bag next to the berth and unless she decided to light the ship on fire with the thick stump of a candle on the table, he was satisfied with the arrangement.

“You’ll be staying here until we find your father.”

Squawk.
“Staying here. Staying here.”

They both ignored the parrot.

“You’re holding me captive in this cabin?” she sputtered.

Aidan leaned against his table. “No. I would however caution you I have a crew of men and I can’t be everywhere at once. They’ve been ordered to leave you alone but it would be wise of you not to engage with them more than necessary.”

Her indignation fell as fast as it had risen. “Yes, I see the wisdom in that.”

“As this is also my cabin”—he nodded toward his bag, which sat on the heavy chest underneath the ladder—“I’ll have need of it as well but I will make use of it when you are above decks.”

She nodded, shifted her eyes about the cabin. “And the parrot?”

“Carracks,” Aidan said and passed the brightly colored bird a small nut to chew on. “He’s good company and smart, but beware as he repeats most everything he hears. You can spend time with him if you like, but he also enjoys being on deck.”

Sarah’s eyes shifted from the parrot to Aidan. “You haven’t harmed me. In fact, you’ve been kind. Why? If everything you say about my father is true, why would you be kind to me?”

He frowned. “I don’t believe in punishing the innocent.”

“The boy and his mother? They were innocent as well, weren’t they?”

Aidan shoved away from the table. “I’ve got duties to see to.” He marched the short distance to the ladder, took the rungs two at a time. He took the steps to the quarterdeck as quickly.

“Everything all right, Cap’n?”

“Fine. Are we still on course?”

“Aye.”

“Thank you, I’ve got the helm.”

Stepping back, Chunk relinquished the wheel. Aidan caught the man’s smile as he passed. Because he suspected Chunk would once again tease him about every Steele falling in love before making port it put an edge in his voice when he asked, “Did I say something amusing?”

Chunk stopped part way down the stairs, crossed his forearms over the rail. His words weren’t of love when he answered, “Steele was never afraid of taking risks. I’m glad to see that hasn’t changed.”

“You thought it would?”

“We thought it possible.”

He couldn’t blame the crew for talking about their new captain but he didn’t like it either. He was younger than most of them, a fact they could take umbrage to, but most of them had also known him for years, knew what kind of sailor he was, knew he’d worked toward being worthy of Steele.

“Steele has never been afraid to go after what he wants.”

Chunk nodded. “Tortuga, then?”

Aidan grinned in return. “Tortuga.”

T
here wasn’t a
cloud in sight. A thick carpet of winking stars spread around the plump moon. Aidan strolled the deck. He acknowledged a few of his men when they lifted their sleepy heads as he passed. The wind was light and the
Revenge
was sailing easily. Until they were needed, Aidan would let them sleep. He hoped it wouldn’t be for hours.

Unlike Cale, and Nate before him, Aidan enjoyed being around people. Conversation and company was usually welcomed and appreciated. Yet there were still times he treasured this late hour and the peace that came with it. Tonight when his mind would not rest, he needed the silence and serenity.

Curling an arm around the bowsprit, Aidan leaned over the bow. There was something about the sight of the hull cutting through the water that always fortified him. When he’d first come to be on Samantha’s ship, he’d spent hours in this exact position and used to imagine that he was the ship and life the water. He’d survived the worst and, like the ship, he was not going to let anything stop him from moving forward. Whatever obstacles came, he’d cut through them the way the ship sliced through the sea. Sometimes that had come easy, sometimes it had been a struggle, but in the end he’d persevered.

“As I will again,” he murmured.

Slapping the bowsprit he ducked underneath it and strolled toward the quarterdeck. The hatch to his cabin opened as he approached. Aidan’s silence and serenity disappeared in an imagined puff of smoke when Sarah stepped out.

“It’s late,” he stated as he skirted around her and took the steps to the quarterdeck.

The hatch closed behind him and with resignation he heard her footsteps on the stairs. He tossed aside the looped rope he’d kept on the wheel to keep the ship straight and stared over the darkened deck to the sea ahead. Her skirts swished as she moved beside him and rested her hands on the rail overlooking the main deck. Small hands with slim fingers and delicate wrists he could easily encircle with his own.
Remember who she is
. Aidan yanked his attention back to steering his ship.

“You’re lucky.”

At the moment it was the last thing he felt. “How’s that?”

“You have all this,” she gestured with a sweep of her arm. “The ship, the open water, the wind on your face. You can go wherever you please, whenever you please. I’ve yearned for such freedom.”

Once upon a time he had as well and he’d never forgotten what it felt like to be without. “I know what I have, Sarah, and I’m thankful for it every day.”

“Then why risk it to go after my father? You said yourself he’s violent and heartless. Why would you endanger yourself in such a way?”

“He needs to be punished for what he’s done and if I need to give my life for that to happen, so be it.”

“It was so awful? What he did?”

“Sarah,” Aidan sighed. “Go to sleep.”

“If I could I would still be in your cabin.”

He frowned. “Is something wrong? If Carracks is too loud, you’ve only to drop a cloth over his cage.”

“There’s nothing wrong with your cabin, it is quite lovely, in fact. And Carracks is good company, as you said he’d be. It’s my thoughts.” She peered at him. “Do you ever have times when your mind won’t stop? When your thoughts keep racing and churning no matter how tired you are?”

He’d been living exactly that since remembering Cale was his father. “On occasion,” he replied.

“What do you do?”

“What you’re doing, I suppose. I walk, I get some air.” He looked at her. “A glass of rum doesn’t hurt.”

“I’ve never had rum.”

“Never?”

She shook her head. “I’ve only ever drunk wine and that wasn’t until…”

“Until?”

“The night you arrived.”

“The very night you were trying to escape.”

She looked away. “Yes.”

When she’d mentioned she’d planned to escape he’d been intrigued, but he’d had little time to think on it since. There was no point in asking why she’d attempt it as it was clear she’d been trying to flee her own prison, but it was the how that amused him.

“And plying your maid with wine and dressing as her was part of your plan?”

“I convinced her to help me celebrate my birthday. It wasn’t so difficult really, as I mostly told her the truth.”

When she glanced at him he encouraged her to explain.

“I’d never had wine, never had an evening with someone I considered a friend. I told her I feared I’d spend the rest of my life having never really experienced it. She was afraid at first.” She met his gaze. “Both of my father and of Mrs. Bingham.”

“But you convinced her?”

“I told her I knew of her affair with Jacob.”

“And you blackmailed her? Told her if she didn’t go along with your plan you’d tell your father about them?” So she wasn’t so very different from Roche after all. His disappointment should have been a relief-now this attraction to her would surely wither. Instead it made him angry.

“Of course not! She’s in love with a man who makes her feel cherished and beautiful, someone she clearly feels passionate about. All I wanted was to know what that felt like, just once.”

He didn’t doubt the truth of her words and while it would be simpler if she were heartless like her father, he was glad she wasn’t. It eased his conscience to know he wasn’t simply drawn to her beauty.

“And did you?” He couldn’t help but wonder. “Learn what it felt like?”

Sarah tipped her chin to her chest. He was certain had it been daylight he would have seen embarrassment burning her cheeks. He had to strain to hear her words and was charmed when she refused to look at him.

“I did.”

Hunger rushed through him as he envisioned showing her what passion felt like. Nothing, he’d learned, compared to feeling warm skin sliding against warm skin, to hearing the rushed breath of a lover to—

Aidan reached out and grabbed her arm, pulled her toward him. “Take the wheel.”

“Have you gone mad? I know nothing of sailing; this is my first time on a ship!”

He positioned her in front of him, placed her hands on the wheel. Having her nestled between him and the wheel, her silky hair tickling his chin was not his wisest move considering his already lustful thoughts.

“See that bright star to the left of the moon?” He pointed to the right of the mainmast.

“Yes.”

“Notice how close it is to the mast?”

“Yes.”

“Keep it just that way and you’ll be fine.” Before he could step away she turned her head, looked up at him. She was taller than most women he knew and her mouth was close, much too close for him to breathe properly.

“You won’t leave me for long, will you?” she asked, her breath a soft brush across his jaw.

Bloody hell he needed that rum! “I’ll be back soon.” Cringing at the gruffness in his voice, at the desire simmering through him, Aidan tromped down the stairs to the main deck then through the hatch and down more stairs to the galley.

Because it had been dark above as well his eyes didn’t need any time to adjust to the dimness. Yet he stopped, leaned against the wall and tipped his head back until it thudded against the wood. Deliberately, he drew in one deep breath after another until he could only smell the dampness of the ship rather than the sweetness of Sarah. Ridding himself of the memory of how she felt pressed against him wasn’t so easily done but he suspected rum would help. With that in mind and knowing every plank and corner of the
Revenge
, Aidan made his way to the galley.