Read Online Care and Feeding of Pirates by Jennifer Ashley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jennifer Ashley
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through the fierce longing he'd stirred. "You rush me into things
every time. I never have a chance to think about what I want, or
how I feel. We never talk about what we feel."
Christopher lifted a loose curl from her
cheek. "No, we act on what we feel."
"But what if it's the wrong thing to
feel?"
His eyes glinted. "You like to talk things to
death, my wife. We feel instinct. We can't keep our hands off each
other. Nothing more to be said."
He was already driving her mad. Instinct , he said. Instinct was killing her. "But, we really
should discuss--"
Christopher growled and kissed her,
effectively silencing her. He slid his hand beneath her costume
again, across her bare flesh.
"Rest, love. I want you well to get on my
ship."
Christopher pulled the blanket back over her
and started to rise, but Honoria caught his arm. Words welled up in
her throat, and none came out.
Christopher waited, his eyes watchful, though
his face was calm. She traced the muscle of his forearm. "Stay,"
she whispered.
Honoria thought he'd shake his head and leave
her cold and forlorn, but Christopher lay down beside her again.
The bed sagged with his weight, rolling her against him.
She could not explain that she needed time to
savor him, to become used to the idea that he was alive and whole.
"I'm not ready, yet," she whispered.
Christopher obviously did not understand, but
he didn't argue. He drew her back against him, his chest to her
back, and draped his arm over her side. Honoria snuggled into him,
feeling oddly contented.
Her sleepless night, the dancing, the
dreadful day, and the shock of seeing Christopher again dissolved
against his warmth. The hardness pressing into her hip was
unmistakable, and warming. Christopher wanted her, but he'd hold it
at bay. For now.
Honoria's limbs loosened, and she slept.
When she awoke again, the room was full of
people. Christopher lay behind her, his hand heavy on the curve of
her waist.
Honoria started up, clutching her sagging
costume, and met the gazes of a shocked Alexandra, a surprised
Diana, a grinning Grayson, and a furious Mr. Henderson.
*****
Chapter Seven
It was over. Honoria was alone again, sitting
on the bed in Alexandra's chamber. The cheval mirror at the foot of
the bed told her she'd stood before her friends and family
confessing her sins with one layer of her costume loose. The dark
areola of her right breast pressed the thin fabric beneath. No
wonder Christopher had looked amused.
The others had not. The news that Honoria was
married to Christopher had come as a great surprise to all except,
of course, Diana.
Mr. Templeton had behaved very well. He
accepted Honoria's apology with dignity, and promised that the
engagement would end quietly. He would not ask for compensation for
breach of contract--after all, he'd wanted to marry for
companionship, not Honoria's money. He'd been so reasonable that
Honoria had almost grown angry at him.
Now Christopher and Grayson were off talking
about other matters, as though relieved all the nonsense was over. Men.
Diana entered the room, followed by
Alexandra. Diana's sweet perfume engulfed Honoria as she enfolded
her sister-in-law in her arms. "That was brave of you,
dearest."
"Indeed," Alexandra said. She sank onto the
bed and gave Honoria her kind smile. "It is most difficult to
explain to your friends that you've fallen in love with a roguish
pirate. Believe me."
Honoria leaned into the comfort of Diana's
embrace. She said to Alexandra, "At least yours is a viscount."
"In name," Alexandra said, her smile
widening. "Not in spirit."
"And mine is an out-and-out villain," Diana
said. "Wanted by the English Admiralty who long to hang him. Not an
easy thing to explain to your great aunt in Coombe St. Mary." She
smoothed Honoria's hair. "Would you like me to break the news to
James for you?"
"No, I will do it. I am not afraid of
James."
"He will have much to say," Diana warned.
"Then let him say it," Honoria said
through the fierce longing he'd stirred. "You rush me into things
every time. I never have a chance to think about what I want, or
how I feel. We never talk about what we feel."
Christopher lifted a loose curl from her
cheek. "No, we act on what we feel."
"But what if it's the wrong thing to
feel?"
His eyes glinted. "You like to talk things to
death, my wife. We feel instinct. We can't keep our hands off each
other. Nothing more to be said."
He was already driving her mad. Instinct , he said. Instinct was killing her. "But, we really
should discuss--"
Christopher growled and kissed her,
effectively silencing her. He slid his hand beneath her costume
again, across her bare flesh.
"Rest, love. I want you well to get on my
ship."
Christopher pulled the blanket back over her
and started to rise, but Honoria caught his arm. Words welled up in
her throat, and none came out.
Christopher waited, his eyes watchful, though
his face was calm. She traced the muscle of his forearm. "Stay,"
she whispered.
Honoria thought he'd shake his head and leave
her cold and forlorn, but Christopher lay down beside her again.
The bed sagged with his weight, rolling her against him.
She could not explain that she needed time to
savor him, to become used to the idea that he was alive and whole.
"I'm not ready, yet," she whispered.
Christopher obviously did not understand, but
he didn't argue. He drew her back against him, his chest to her
back, and draped his arm over her side. Honoria snuggled into him,
feeling oddly contented.
Her sleepless night, the dancing, the
dreadful day, and the shock of seeing Christopher again dissolved
against his warmth. The hardness pressing into her hip was
unmistakable, and warming. Christopher wanted her, but he'd hold it
at bay. For now.
Honoria's limbs loosened, and she slept.
When she awoke again, the room was full of
people. Christopher lay behind her, his hand heavy on the curve of
her waist.
Honoria started up, clutching her sagging
costume, and met the gazes of a shocked Alexandra, a surprised
Diana, a grinning Grayson, and a furious Mr. Henderson.
*****
Chapter Seven
It was over. Honoria was alone again, sitting
on the bed in Alexandra's chamber. The cheval mirror at the foot of
the bed told her she'd stood before her friends and family
confessing her sins with one layer of her costume loose. The dark
areola of her right breast pressed the thin fabric beneath. No
wonder Christopher had looked amused.
The others had not. The news that Honoria was
married to Christopher had come as a great surprise to all except,
of course, Diana.
Mr. Templeton had behaved very well. He
accepted Honoria's apology with dignity, and promised that the
engagement would end quietly. He would not ask for compensation for
breach of contract--after all, he'd wanted to marry for
companionship, not Honoria's money. He'd been so reasonable that
Honoria had almost grown angry at him.
Now Christopher and Grayson were off talking
about other matters, as though relieved all the nonsense was over. Men.
Diana entered the room, followed by
Alexandra. Diana's sweet perfume engulfed Honoria as she enfolded
her sister-in-law in her arms. "That was brave of you,
dearest."
"Indeed," Alexandra said. She sank onto the
bed and gave Honoria her kind smile. "It is most difficult to
explain to your friends that you've fallen in love with a roguish
pirate. Believe me."
Honoria leaned into the comfort of Diana's
embrace. She said to Alexandra, "At least yours is a viscount."
"In name," Alexandra said, her smile
widening. "Not in spirit."
"And mine is an out-and-out villain," Diana
said. "Wanted by the English Admiralty who long to hang him. Not an
easy thing to explain to your great aunt in Coombe St. Mary." She
smoothed Honoria's hair. "Would you like me to break the news to
James for you?"
"No, I will do it. I am not afraid of
James."
"He will have much to say," Diana warned.
"Then let him say it," Honoria said
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