Taste of the Devil (29 page)

It was a perfect torture; she shivered delicately.

Another wave of moisture soaked him as her nether lips slid over his length and surrounded his shaft like a velvet glove. The quivering walls of her canal begged to draw him in.

His body seemed to vibrate in response as he closed his eyes briefly and then exhaled slowly in an attempt to tamp down the overpowering urge to flip her over and mount her.

She leaned forward and nipped his chin.

Smiling secretly, he took advantage of the moment– as any pirate would– by lifting his hips slightly. Ginny gasped as she realized he had stepped up to the entrance, so to speak, without entering the premises. He was waiting for her.

Ginny froze. Was it going to be possible? Could she do this?

"Well, what's it to be?" he murmured, purposely chiding her. "Do you have the courage or not, my lady?"

It was against all that was acceptable for a woman to act the man. But... hadn't she already done that in her guise as Reggie Moore? If she wished to experience the freedom of being male what better way than this? Let him be the one to writhe beneath her!

Without hesitation, she sat back on him.

A low sound purred in his throat as her full weight came down on him. He reveled in the perfect sensation of–

A yank to his hair snapped his attention back.

"Do not get too used to this, Tyler; I shall not do all your work." A little smile softened her stern rhetoric.

"Oh, really," he drawled as he rolled his hips for her.

Her own eyes almost fluttered shut from the satisfying, full feeling between her legs. Delicious, she thought. Why had no one ever told her about this?

"Do not get too used to that, madam, as I have no intentions of further easing your plight."

She chuckled softly. "Behave Tyler, or I will pull your hair aga–" She slowly looked down between her legs.

His fingers were dangerously entangled in her nether hair.

He glanced up at her, amusement dancing in his eyes. "You were saying?"

She used her inner muscles to squeeze him.

He flexed inside her.

They both gasped and groaned.

His fingers splayed across her hips and buttocks.

Eyes dilated with passion, he looked up at her with a tiny, crooked smile. "Are you going to make me ask, love?"

As if this pirate ever would.

To belay that statement he suddenly lifted his hips, surging up into her, lifting them both off the bed.

Ginny clutched his shoulders. "Tyler!"

His palm cupped the back of her head. "Kiss me,” he breathed as he brought her lips to his. "And do with me what you will."

A tempting offer.

She moved on him the way he had moved in her.

Pumping him until he twitched and swelled inside her.

Until the veins in his neck and arms bulged as he tried to hold himself back.

Until a sheen of sweat bathed his flushed, golden skin.

She wanted to ride the rogue into the ground. Ride him until she found his breaking point and he could hold back no more. It was not for punishment– it was accrual. Accrual for making her agree to be his and then taking what was his. Accrual for making her want him despite her resolve to ignore him. Accrual for entering her life and adding a new complexion to the already strange brew that disguised itself as her life.

She showed him no mercy. He asked for no quarter.

The pirate growled when he reached his crest; grateful for the release, yet resentful of his capitulation to it. The hot flow of his seed inside set off her own tremors and she could no longer hold back from relief any more than he could.

Slick with exhaustion, she slid off him, collapsing at his side. As she tried to regain her breath, she was not surprised that his arms came around her and pulled her back against him. The room was quickly fading, and she was falling away. Just before she fell asleep he whispered in her ear.

"Did you get what you want, my lady?"

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Yes, I wanted him.

Wanted him more than I thought possible.

What was more, I knew without a doubt that this man would never let me travel to the colonies alone under any circumstances. Good God, the pirate would follow alongside me, standing on the bow of his ship, firing all canons.

Mabel had been right from the very beginning.

There was something considerable about him. He was more than I ever bargained for. What was I to do? I suddenly needed to know all his secrets. I am a writer and he was the book I had to read. Who was this multi-faceted man that I had married? What had caused him to take to a renegade life at sea?

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Chapter Twenty-Five

When Ginny awoke later that morning, Tyler was already topside.

She knew this because she heard his deep voice bellowing orders to his crew.

"Bring a spring upon her cable!"

"Aye, Aye, Capt'n."

"Cease your dreaming about cracking Jenny's teacup, Slash, and check that chain shot now!"

She wasn't sure what her husband had said to Slash, but by the sounds of the guffaws on deck it was ribald.

Had she dreamt what had happened between them in the middle of the night? The small bite mark on her shoulder said no.

Throwing the covers off, she threw open her trunk and after digging around found part of what she was looking for.

“Henley!” She bellowed in a most unladylike roar.

The door to her cabin crashed open and Henley, bless him, charged through in his stocking feet, coming to a screeching stop. He probably thought she was under an attack of some kind.

"Ginny!" he panted, out of breath, wig askew.

"Whatever is the matter?" Warily, he scanned the room, seeking out some hidden horrible.

Ginny squared her shoulders, put her hands on her hips, spread her feet, and tossed her head back. In a very good representation of her pirate lord. "Bring me your trunks! I have a mind to get dressed."

The fop's jaw dropped "Dressed?" he squeaked. "As in...?"

"Precisely. From now on no one will dictate to me what I will or will not wear. This is a bloody pirate ship!"

Henley swallowed, nervously. "B-but Ginny–"

"You need not worry, my dear Henley." A delightful, secretive expression curved her soft lips. "I am about to be born."

Her outfit was greatly altered from the fop Sir Reggie. This time Ginny donned a pair of Henley’s black pants. A full lace shirt and green silk brocade vest did nicely for her top. Her own black leather riding boots rounded out the outfit. And her breasts were gloriously unbound! In their honor, she decided her hair should be too. She let it flow freely down her back, its tips skimming the curve of her hips. Oh, freedom.

She left the cabin a happy woman and went up on deck into the bright sunshine.

Tyler was overseeing a few sailors who were checking the sails. He glanced over at her briefly before returning to the task at hand. The sun was in her eyes, but she could have sworn his expression narrowed as he gazed at her attire.

She frowned.

"It’s too lovely a morn to be hanging the jib, lass."

Ginny spun about somewhat surprised to see the Lion still on board. She crossed her arms over her chest.

“Hanging the jib?”

The bonny pirate mimicked her frown at Tyler, slightly exaggerating it. She laughed.

He gave her a saucy wink.

What a charmer, she thought as she became slightly breathless from the comely pirate captain’s attentions.

Embarrassed by her mild attraction, she leaned against the rail and gazed out to sea. He took up the space next to her, leaning on his side against the ship to watch her.

Ginny’s brow furrowed. "Where is your ship, Captain Lion?"

"The Chimera’s gone for a much needed outfitting; she’s being careened off Port Rouge, so I've decided to sail with you for the time being, having no love of being a landlubber. But don’t concern yourself, gel, I won’t be with you too long; the Panther's promised to put me off near King’s Bay so I can reunite with my brethren and my ship. Do you think you can bear my company for the voyage?" His arm hooked over the rail, and he cocked his head to the side as he examined her new garb. The glint in his eye gave away his amusement.

Ginny returned the favor, scanning him. "Of course not; especially since I don't know what the voyage is," she drolly replied.

He snorted. "He hasn't told you? That scalawag. You shouldn't stay with him, mate. You'd be much better off with a finer gentleman to see to your needs." The obvious husky timber along with the grin made it clear that he was teasing her.

She laughed at his suggestion. "And that would be you, I suppose?"

He rubbed his ear. "Actually, I was thinking of our dear Cappy. Has quite a way with the fairer sex, I'm told. Are you partial to boney elbows, eh?”

Ginny nodded to the stern where the little quartermaster was talking animatedly with Mabel. "Sorry to disappoint, but it appears he is otherwise engaged."

"Pity."

The droll, aristocratic way he said the word just made her chuckle. The pirate jumped between accents and speech patterns with an ease that was extraordinary.

She was not surprised the authorities couldn’t capture him. He was definitely the elusive type.

He flashed her a roguish grin.

On the other side of the ship, Tyler obviously noticed them talking together. He shook his head and made his way over to the fo’c’sle where his attention was needed.

"He watches you like a hawk," Lion observed.

Ginny’s gaze followed her husband’s path across the deck. "I know, I know, you’re going to say he doesn't deserve me."

"Actually, I was about to say you deserved him. I can already tell you are quite bad. Maybe even too bad for him, me heartie."

"Not yet; but I might be," she whispered more to herself as she continued to watch Tyler.

"Mmm." Julian watched her speculatively. Leaning back with both arms hooked over the rail behind him, he arched his back and looked up at some passing clouds.

"It can be dangerous on a renegade ship. I see you have dressed for the experience– but can you live it, I wonder?"

Ginny's focus swiveled to the infamous marauder.

"What do you mean?"

He faced her. "This is not a civilized game of hazard on the baize tables of Frock's, matey. There's real dangers to face... And real rewards too. If you have the stomach for it." He let his suggestion hang in the air between them.

Ginny bit her lip. "Become one of you? For real?"

He glanced coyly at her from under lowered lids.

"It's a life of freedom like no other. For them that can't stand to answer for themselves to others, it is the only life. I've a mind that you have a wild heart, Mistress Ginny. Am I right?"

She straightened up, lifting her chin in challenge.

The man was too astute by half.

He nodded toward Tyler. "Let him know who you really are."

"Why would I do that?"

"He still thinks he needs to coddle you in the cushy parlors of the ton. He's setting himself up for a fall that is unnecessary. You see, he doesn't understand that will not ever be for you."

With a shaky hand, she tried to push back a lock of hair that would not stay in place. "How do you know this?"

He shrugged nonchalantly.

"You seem to have something on your mind; what do you propose, Captain Lion?"

His hand reached up and caught the flyaway strand for himself. Sliding it between his thumb and forefinger, he stared directly at her as he tested the texture. His seafoam green eyes were wise and intent and brighter than the surrounding sea.

After several moments of tense silence, he released the lock of hair. Decision made, he grabbed the cutlass at his own waistband and tossed it to her.

Ginny gave him a quizzical look as she caught the hefty weapon. She felt the weight of it, studying its detailed hilt. But, in truth, she measured more than the sword in her hand; she weighed her future.

“What’s it going to be, love?” The Lion was clearly indicating his intentions.

And just like that, she knew who she was and what she really wanted.

The captivating ex-lord knew the instant she had made her decision. His green eyes flashed approval.

"He taught you to be a wife," his glance flicked Tyler’s way. Then he sauntered intently towards her.

"I'll teach you to be a pirate."

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The Lion did his work well.

The handsome pirate lord proved to be most illuminating.

He forced me to acknowledge a deeper truth. He relentlessly honed what little skills I had with the blade into something sharper. But, his tutelage did not end with the cutlass. He shared with me his knowledge on many things: his survival tricks of the brethren trade.

His only philosophy in life– imparted to me with that ever-present twinkle in his eye– was to stay alive.

He encouraged me to adopt that goal as well.

Excellent advice, if you ask me.

The days became longer and the nights more beautiful as we sailed across the sea to warmer waters, mango-covered islands laden with the scent of tropical flowers, and whatever mysteries awaited us. We sailed, having little idea of the breathtaking adventures and untold rewards that might soon be ours. If we survived.

Aye, we sailed. Mabel, Henley, Charles, Lord Lion, the crew of the Chameleon, the Panther– and yours faithfully, Plucky Blade Jenny.

Pirates, all.

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Table of Contents

Contents

Synopsis

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight