Raven Quest (11 page)

“I have been, my sweet. Have you?”

She swallowed her outrage. What he intimated was disgusting. She had not obtained this invitation to dine by selling herself.

Padre Fernando and Guillermo controlled the conversation as they vied for Rory's attention. She judged each word she spoke, not wanting to betray the truth. Certainly, Nathan must see that she was doing her best. This was not her world. She had never entered one of the fancy homes of Port Royal.

About halfway through the meal, Nathan interrupted to ask, “Padre, you have decided to help Rory in her quest? I'm certain she is delighted by your generosity, unless, of course, you've failed to mention the cost.”

“Nathan!” Rory cried. Why was he trying to ruin everything before it had begun?

The old man's eyes grew narrow. “Captain Lawler, I don't discuss business at dinner.”

“I only wished to assure you that Rory will prove she is worth everything you and your great-nephew ask of her.”

Rory glowered at him in outrage. How dare he suggest she was a harlot! She had spent her whole life in Port Royal trying to avoid a life in the brothel. She would not let anyone—not even Nathan Lawler—hint that she had failed. She started to rise, but a hand on her shoulder kept her in her chair. She looked up at Guillermo, who was coming to his feet.

“Señor,” he growled, “I ask you to refrain from speaking of Rory in such a coarse manner.”

With an indecipherable mumble, Nathan said nothing further, but Rory saw him exchange a glance with Ernest. She wondered what the final cost of this visit to Havana would be.

She picked at her food, no longer hungry. Luz was glaring at her, and Señora Fallas looked ill. When they rose at the end of the meal, she thought she might be able to excuse herself. Padre Fernando insisted they all join him in another room—the
sala,
as he called it. At his great-uncle's request, Guillermo took down a guitar from a shelf and began to play. Even Nathan leaned forward to watch his fingers fly across the strings.

Fascinated, Rory applauded when he finished. “That was wonderful!”

He bowed his head graciously. “I am pleased that you are pleased,
mi querida
.” He lifted her fingers to his lips for a lingering kiss.

Señora Fallas stared in open-mouthed shock at her son. Luz gasped and ran from the room. Nathan and Ernest also were on their feet. Only Padre Fernando seemed unmoved.

“What is it?” Rory asked, wondering what was wrong. Being unable to control those around her with a simple jest or a sharp word was frightening. She wished for her breeches and kerchief to hide behind.

“If you will excuse your guests, Padre Fernando,” Nathan said in a clipped tone, “I think we should retire.”

Guillermo put his guitar aside. “Shall I escort you to your room,
mi querida
?”

“That's unnecessary.” Nathan held out his hand in a silent order that his raised eyebrow dared her to protest.

Rage swept away her good sense. She had grown tired of Nathan Lawler's inconsiderate behavior tonight. If he could not admit that she was doing all she could to help
him,
then she wanted to be done with him. Tilting her chin, she said, “That is very kind of you, Guillermo. Thank you.”

“Good evening,” Guillermo said. Placing her hand on his arm, he led her out of the room.

Rory said nothing as she walked by Guillermo's side to her rooms. She must be insane! Why had she let Nathan provoke her into such ill-considered behavior? She did not want to be with Guillermo. She wanted to be with Nathan, healing the wounds between them with kisses. With his arms around her, she could ask him why he was angry at her. So deep was she in her thoughts, she would have walked past her door if Guillermo had not put out a hand to stop her.

He laughed. “It is good that I came with you,
mi querida
.”

“Thank you, Guillermo. I will see you in the morning.” She reached for the latch, but he drew her hand back.

“There's no reason to say good night so hastily.” His other hand slipped behind her head to slant her lips under his mouth.

She tried to pull away, but his arm curved around her, tugging her to him. The sound of her hand on his face echoed along the passageway.

He jerked back in shock. For a second, his face reddened with rage, then he said, “I am sorry,
mi querida
. I thought when you accepted my invitation that—”

“No!” She whirled and raced into her room before he could answer.

Nicte came running as the door slammed.

“I will be fine, Nicte.” She sighed. “Don't worry about me.”

The maid took her hand and led her to a dressing room, where her few possessions had been unpacked. If Nathan did not want them to stay here, why had he sent for her things? Then fear choked her—someone else could have used his name to send for her things. Her life was whirling out of control.

Telling Nicte to go to bed and repeating the words with pantomime, Rory braided her hair. She was not tired. Too many thoughts spun in her head. She had to figure out what to do—she could not let these men decide for her. For too many years, she had depended only on herself. That had been so much easier in Port Royal, where she knew the rules. Here in Havana.… She wondered if there
were
any rules.

She went out onto the balcony for some fresh air. She missed the delicious sea breezes. Not until her fingers cramped did she realize how tightly she was gripping the railing.

From somewhere in the house came laughter. Strange that others could be happy when she was so miserable. Nathan's cutting comments tonight had hurt. Was this his way of keeping her away? Maybe he was right. She had only herself to blame for thinking that he cared about anything but the
Raven
's gold.

Hands on her upper arms turned her against a body which was instantly familiar. She clutched onto Nathan as tightly as she had to the rail. His lips pressed to her hair.

“I'm sorry, Rory,” he whispered. “I acted beastly tonight after dinner.”

“And during dinner?”

His thumbs tipped her face up toward his. “I meant every word there. I couldn't think of another way to determine what our hosts expect. I wanted them to know I'm aware of their insidious plans to seduce you to Guillermo's bed.”

“You didn't need to do that.” She stepped away and ran her fingers along the metal railing. “I already knew. Guillermo hasn't made any effort to keep that a secret.”

“What has he done?”

“Nothing.” Turning, she took his hands. “And neither have I. I did nothing to encourage this invitation. In fact, I tried to refuse it.”

“Ernest told me that you would.” He smiled and kissed her cheek before glancing back into her room. “You are living in grand style, Rory.”

“Don't you and Ernest have nice rooms?”

He held up a single finger. “Room, Rory. The room we are sharing is no bigger than this balcony. Do you think they hope to convince Ernest and me to go back to the
Vengeance
and leave you here?”

“They're wasting their time. When you leave, I do, too.” Her fingers behind his head brought his lips to hers. All fear, all anger, all the loneliness dissolved into the heat of his touch.

His lips moved along her face before settling once more on her mouth. His kiss became a demand to give herself to him as her fingers dipped into the back of his collar to stroke his sweaty skin. With a smile, she drew him into her room and closed the door.

“Rory—”

She put her finger to his lips. “Don't speak. Show me what you want.”

His hands framed her face as he whispered, “I want you.”

She moaned in eager desire as his tongue slid along her throat in search of the delights hidden there. He reached for the hooks on her gown, pausing only to give her a chance to protest. Looking up into his sparkling eyes, she pressed his hand against her in a silent entreaty for the love she wanted.

His voice was husky as he whispered her name before his lips tantalized hers, and he released the hooks beneath the lace. She had thought of this moment from the first time she fastened the dress into place. Then, she had not known how strong her yearning for him would grow. The dress slipped unnoticed to the floor. His hands curved around her waist and untied her petticoats, pushing them over her hips.

She gasped at his fervor as his tongue led hers in a merry chase and his arms folded her to him. A shiver raced along her skin when it brushed his. He scooped her up into his arms. As if she was made of the finest crystal, he placed her carefully on the bed.

“You're so beautiful, Aurora Raven Mullins,” he breathed.

“Rory,” she whispered with a smile. “Just Rory.”

“Always my Rory.”

When she held her arms out to him, he leaned over her and brought her into his arms again. Eagerly, she undid the buttons on his shirt and pulled it off to toss on the floor. She chuckled as he gasped when she touched the broad muscles of his chest.

Her laughter vanished beneath his mouth as he pressed her to the bed. When his fingers encircled her breast, she quivered.
This
she could not control.
This
she did not want to control. She wanted the rapture to take control of her, of him, of all they could share. She pulled his mouth down onto hers.

Slowly, he drew the sleeve of her chemise down her arm. He did not hurry as his mouth mounted the slope of her breast. Trembling, she teased his ear with her tongue until his breath etched her skin with luscious fire.

He undid the ribbons on her chemise and drew it from her as he kicked off his breeches. Her breath exploded in a gasp at the incredible sensation of her body against his. Boldly, she traced his hard body with her fingertips. So many textures—rough and silky, each a separate delight.

With a ragged chuckle, he pushed her back onto the pillows. His mouth journeyed along her, leaving a trail of heat across her abdomen. She could not control her writhing body as she became an unquenchable flame that blazed most fiercely where his fingers ran along her legs to tantalize her. He captured her lips as he brought them together.

Closing her eyes, she followed his rhythm. Her breath was frayed against his mouth until, with a pulse of exquisite ecstasy, she melted into him.

“Rory? Rory? Where are you, sweetheart?”

Her eyes opened to see Nathan gazing down at her with a smile. “I was in paradise, and you were the one who took me there.”

“We went there together.”

He drew her head onto his shoulder as he rested beside her. Her fingers wandered in an abstract pattern across his broad chest.

They clenched when he murmured, “Tomorrow Ernest and I are going to the marketplace to ask a few questions of a sailor named Simon. I think you should stay here.”

“No.”

“Rory, this isn't Port Royal.”

She laughed and leaned across him. Smiling down at his frown, she said, “No, it isn't. Don't you think if I could survive in that city all alone, I can take care of myself here?”

“I wish we could have devised another lie that didn't include the
Raven
's name.” He sat and swung his legs over the side of the bed.

She ran her fingers down his back and smiled softly when his breath caught. Resting her cheek against his shoulder, she whispered, “You sound as if you're worried about me.”

He turned and caught her by the shoulders. “How can you think otherwise?”

“You have made it pretty clear that you wish you could put me off the
Vengeance
.”

“You're right about that.” His fingers bit into her arms as she choked back her horror. “By all the saints, Rory, don't you understand it's because I don't want anyone to hurt you? Not Yellow Hal, not this priest and his lecherous great-nephew.” His hand stroked her cheek. “Not me.”

She swallowed hard. There was only one way he could hurt her—by abandoning her as she once had believed her father had abandoned her mother. Closing her eyes, she knew she had been foolish to think there might be a life together for them at the end of this quest. He would be returning north to his home, a place where no one would accept a woman who had pretended to be a boy in a brothel. He would never let his dreams go, so she must hold onto hers. A small house and a garden, which she could buy only if she had a share of the gold.

“Then don't shut me out of your quest, Nathan.” She took a deep breath and whispered, “It's mine too, now.”

“Tonight,” he answered as softly, “all I care about is that you are mine.”

She knew she should turn her face from his kiss. She knew she should tell him that this had been a mistake. She knew she should tell him that she had fallen in love with him.

Instead, she wrapped her arms around him and let him lure her back into the enchantment. She would enjoy this fleeting happiness as long as she could.

Nine

The next day dawned cloudless and hot, as it had for months in Jamaica. Lying in her bed, Rory held Nathan's pillow close to her. He had left before sunrise, urging her to get some sleep before their trip to the marketplace. How could she when he had made her dreams come true last night? She wanted to revel in every moment she could with him. Maybe he felt the same, because he had agreed that she could join them. Or maybe he simply feared what might happen to her if he did not watch over her. He had dismissed all her assertions that she could take care of herself.

Rory drank the chocolate Nicte brought but was too excited to sample the fried bananas. She dressed and ran down the stairs. At the bottom, Luz and Señora Fallas watched with disapproval before gliding away.

Today she refused to let their condemning expression bother her. She was set for an adventure in this foreign city, and she wanted to enjoy every minute of it.

Her steps faltered when she saw three men waiting for her.
Why was Guillermo here?