Time for Love (5 page)

“So you snuck out? Well, your parents will probably be upset about that, but when you tell them what happened, they’ll be happy you weren’t hurt.”

The girl clutched Alex’s arm with surprising strength. “I cannot possibly tell them what almost happened. They would be furious! Please, you musn’t say anything to them!”

Alex brushed off the girl’s clinging grip. “Fine. Fine. How could I say anything? I’m not taking you home.”

The girl dropped her arm. “You are not going to accompany me?”

“‘Course not. Why would I do that?”

“I believe she prefers you as a companion to me,” Nicholas said.

Alex jumped as his large hand engulfed her shoulder. “I didn’t hear you approach. Damn, for such a big fellow, you’re really quiet.”

His frown turned to a grin, and her heart skipped a beat. If she’d thought he looked sexy when he was all fierce and scowling, it was nothing compared to his smile. She turned away as the clip-clop of horses’ hooves echoed down the alley, and a carriage came to a stop a few feet away.

“If you’ll allow me?” Nicholas held out his arm to the girl, and she placed her trembling hand on it.

Unsure whether he intended to escort the girl home or to the carriage waiting only a few feet away, Alex turned back toward the pub entrance. Nicholas could return any moment, and it was probably wiser not to be alone with him. He was bound to notice her interest in him without the distraction of a cowering girl nearby. She couldn’t afford to let that happen.

She ignored a pang of regret and pulled open the door.

****

A wall of smoke and the reek of dozens of unwashed men hit her like a roundhouse kick to the face. She blinked watery eyes as she made her way to the bar. She tried to keep her expression neutral, it wouldn’t be wise to look as disgusted as she felt.

The barman was serving a round at the far end of the bar, so she took a few minutes to look around. She needed the time to steady her nerves.

Men crowded around the tables, laughing and downing drink after drink in an all too familiar frat-boy style. Alex grimaced when one of the men reached out and grabbed the waitress around the waist, bringing her in close and spilling a drink down his shirt. The waitress smacked him in the head, and his friends all laughed.

Exactly like the bars she’d worked in.

Except, in the far corner, sitting alone with his back to the wall was the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. His short, blond hair was slightly tousled but looked perfect on him. She had the impression he had carefully arranged it that way. She couldn’t help comparing him to Nicholas and found him lacking, despite his flawless appearance. He didn’t seem real, where Nicholas felt entirely too real.

She seriously needed to get her mind off that man.

She watched with amusement as all the waitresses found reasons to walk past or stop at his table so they could swing their hips or show off their cleavage. He appeared to enjoy the show but made no move to leave his solitary table.

Two men took the empty chairs across from the Adonis, blocking her view. But not for long. They left after only a short while and didn’t appear too happy.

“Watcha need?”

Alex jumped and turned her attention back toward the barman, who had come over while she watched the stranger.

“I’m looking for the first mate of
The Reliant
. I heard he would be here tonight.”

The barman pointed to the handsome stranger. “That’s him.” He looked Alex up and down with a derogatory sneer. “You don’t look like no sailor.”

Alex smiled tightly. “Not yet. Anyway, can I have two of whatever he’s drinking, please?”

The barman looked slightly mollified now he saw she was to be a paying customer and brought her the drinks. Her money disappeared into his pocket, and he said, “Ain’t gonna be easy signing up with that lot. They don’t hire just anyone on
The Reliant
. Most of the crew’s been with them for years.”

He picked up a glass and started drying it with a dirty rag he un-tucked from the front of his pants. Alex repressed her shudder and decided not to look at her glass too closely.

“Only seen the captain once m’self. Keeps away from most folk around here, don’t want to be seen much. Lets Mr. Grayson over there act for him.” He looked like he was waiting for her to show some interest so he could share the latest gossip with a newcomer.

She was only too happy to oblige. She leaned forward and gave him an encouraging smile. “Why’s that?”

“Scary devil, he is. Only got the one glimpse of him m’self, but heard tell one whole side of his body ain’t nothin’ but scars. He were caught in some ship explosion in their war with France a few years back. Saved a dozen men, but got caught in the explosion. Most o’ his crew were those ones he saved. I heard tell he has a hard time getting new crew members because they’re too afraid to work for him.”

“Really? How sad.” Alex couldn’t help but think of Nicholas. Was it a coincidence she’d met a man that fit that description? She could see him as a hero. After all, he’d just saved her ass.

“Sad? I don’t know ’bout that, but we won’t have to worry ’bout him much longer. This is his last trip.”

“Oh? Why?”

“I hear as how he’s some type o’ titled English lord, probably came into some money and figures he don’t have to work no more.” Someone called for his attention from the other side of the bar. “Good luck,” he said before turning away.

Alex picked up the drinks and walked to the first mate’s table. He was talking loudly to some sailors at the next table, so she waited for him to finish his conversation.

Luckily, he was busy—she needed a moment to stare. Despite all the smoke clouding her vision, she stood almost awestruck at blue eyes so clear and bright she would have sworn they were contacts if she hadn’t known that was impossible.

She blinked a few times before surreptitiously observing the rest of him. Now that she had the chance to get a better look, she thought he was a bit too pretty for her tastes. Men should be more rugged looking. Like Nicholas. A woman shouldn’t feel like she was competing to see who was prettiest.

When he stopped talking and his gaze raked her from top to bottom, she gave him a friendly smile, holding out one of the drinks.

“Care for a drink?”

He smiled back and gestured to an empty chair as he took the offered drink. “Don’t mind if I do. Jonathan Grayson, First Mate of
The Reliant
. I don’t believe we’ve met?” He took a healthy drink from the glass and sighed appreciatively.

She took a gulp from her own glass for courage and gasped as fire raced to her stomach and pungent whisky fumes seared her nose hairs.

Working at the bar, she had preferred to keep her wits about her and had never developed a head for strong drink. Besides which, beer and tequila shots were more in the college style than whisky.

She coughed to cover her reaction, but he laughed, obviously not fooled for a minute. He seemed remarkably alert given how much of the vile stuff she’d seen him down from her post at the bar. Had she been bartending, she would have had some serious qualms about continuing to serve him, even though the whisky could have been tap water for all the effect it seemed to have on him.

“My name’s Alex Turner. I’m interested in booking passage on your ship. I need to get to London quickly, and the next ship doesn’t leave for a few weeks.”

“We don’t take passengers. No space for them. Crew and cargo only. Sorry.” He gestured to a pretty waitress walking by, and she changed direction immediately.

She exaggerated the swing of her hips as she hurried toward them, flipping her hair out of her face and smiling suggestively.

Before he could say anything, Alex handed her their empty glasses. “Two more, please.” Looking disappointed that drinks were the only thing ordered, the waitress nodded and walked away.

The Adonis turned back to Alex after watching the waitress sashay out of sight. “I’ll take the whisky, and you’re welcome to stay and keep me company, but I’m afraid our business is done.”

“I heard you’re hiring. Anything entry level available?”

He looked confused for a second, but realizing she was asking for work said, “We only need two more people, so unless you’re a carpenter or a sailor, I can’t help you.”

“Please, I’m desperate. I don’t know anything about sailing, but I work hard and I learn quickly.” He still looked unconvinced so she burst out, “I’ll work for free.” She held her breath and waited.

He stared at her a moment, tapping a finger on his chin. “It must be a pretty important reason, so I’ll give you the chance.” His face hardened, and his look sent a chill of fear down her spine. “I better not have any reason to regret my generosity, or you won’t make it all the way.”

****

The next morning, Alex left the hotel just as the sun peeked above the horizon. She wasn’t taking any chances on screwing this up. She’d bought some extra food the night before and figured she’d just hang out on the dock and eat her breakfast while she waited for the crew of
The Reliant
to wake up. Before she even reached the end of the street, she knew she’d made a huge mistake.

The peaceful, pre-dawn she’d expected was punctuated with the shouts of men calling out orders in some kind of sailor speak she didn’t understand, while others waved goodbye to families lined up along the dock.

Her stomach churned with anxiety as she watched a ship getting smaller and smaller in the distance.

She’d missed it.

Women with small children in tow slowly turned and made their way away from the docks, chatting with each other as they walked. Alex stood still and ignored their curious gazes as they walked around her.

She couldn’t take her eyes off the tiny, white sails that seemed to her a sign of defeat. She’d failed already. She couldn’t even manage to get on a freakin’ ship that was supposedly expecting her. Why had she ever thought she could do this?

A woman with a kind face, a baby cuddled in her arms and two toddlers clutching her skirts, approached. “Don’t worry child, it’s a short trip they’re taking. Is it your father or brother on
The Lamprey
?”

Alex tore her gaze away from those mocking sails. “Excuse me?”

The two little ones peeked at her from behind either side of their mother’s skirt, their nearly identical faces reminding Alex of Charlotte. The knot in her stomach spread upwards and wrapped around her heart. She pressed the heel of her hand against her sternum and tried to concentrate on the mother’s voice.

“Is it your father or brother that sails on board
The Lamprey?
Is this their first time? You’ll miss them terribly, but you’ll get used to it. My Louis is gone more often than not—”

“
The Lamprey?
You mean that wasn’t
The Reliant?”
Alex’s heart leapt with excitement.
Please say no!

The woman shook her head, and Alex felt like hugging her. “Thank you! Thank you! I thought I was so screwed.” She ignored the woman’s look of surprise and rushed away. The relief was immense, but she wouldn’t be able to relax until she found the right ship.

The sky had lightened considerably by the time she found someone to point her in the right direction.

The Reliant,
eerily quiet next to the commotion of the ship in the next berth over, floated safely in the harbor. She muttered a brief thanks under her breath at the sight and hurried down the dock toward it.

She didn’t see any means of boarding the ship, so she walked to a barrel and sat to eat her breakfast while she waited for someone to show up.

She wondered whether she should try calling out to the ship when a deep voice with an incredibly sexy English accent reached her ears, sending a shiver up her spine. She hadn’t thought to hear that voice again and tried to ignore the rush of pleasure it gave her.

“He’s not back yet? Does anyone know where he spent the night?” Alex didn’t hear the response, but a minute later a gangplank was lowered, and Nicholas appeared at the top. He made his way down to the dock with the easy stride of a man well used to the sea.

She knew the moment he spotted her. Their gazes connected, and she was caught like a deer in headlights as he walked straight to her. Her mind went blank. The man was going to think she was an idiot. Somehow, she lost the power of speech whenever she laid eyes on him.

His eyes did it this time. She’d always been a sucker for hazel eyes. She could get lost in the complex mix of green, brown, and gold. And those lashes. Women would kill for lashes like that. It must be a sin for a man to be blessed with them. She hadn’t been able to see them last night in the darkness of that alley. Alex’s body heated, and she just managed to speak before making a complete fool of herself.

“Oh, you must be the captain. Do you remember me? I’m Alex Turner. We met last night.” He looked annoyed, but she couldn’t figure out why, so she kept talking.
Yeah, he’s definitely going to question whether there’s something wrong with me.
“Mr. Grayson hired me for your trip to London.” She was pleased her voice was only slightly breathless and didn’t quaver even as her insides melted.

His expression cleared somewhat, though she sensed he was still annoyed for some reason. “So that’s where you went last night. I returned, and you were gone.”

He was annoyed she’d left last night?

“Come with me. I am off to fetch Mr. Grayson. It may be useful to have some assistance.”

Her gaze drifted to his mouth as he spoke, fascinated by the way the scar pulled slightly at the corner. She felt a strong urge to kiss that corner, to run her tongue along the seam and dip between his lips, along his teeth.

He turned away, and she blinked herself back to reality. She couldn’t believe the thoughts that kept popping into her head when she looked at him.

And she was going to be stuck on a ship with him for almost a month.

Dressed like a boy.

Wonderful.

He set off, and she rushed after him, thankful he couldn’t see the blush heating her cheeks. It was going to be a long month.

She caught up, practically jogging to keep pace with his long strides.