much more vivid image of the towel, as well as a flush of heat to her face.
She pondered, for a moment, how she might gather her clothes, she still seemed to be wearing her underthings, at least, and escape without waking …
Oh … my … did I ever learn his name, at least?
“Awake, lass?”
Alexis clenched her jaw and swallowed as the blood drained from her face. So much for that, then . Now all she had to do was decide if she’d be less likely to die of embarrassment by sitting up and looking him in the eye, or staying where she was. The man shifted position and the blanket started to slide down his waist. Alexis bolted upright, spinning her legs around to face the wall behind the bed’s headboard. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open at the sight of the man’s face.
Black, curly hair framed a rugged face with a strong chin. For a moment, she focused on his eyes, a deep, brilliant blue that drew her in, until he smiled and her gaze dropped to his mouth and his even, white teeth surrounded by full lips.
He raised an eyebrow. “Something, lass?”
Alexis felt herself blushing again. “Um, yes, last night …”
“A bit muddle-headed aboot things, are ye?”
Alexis nodded.
The man smiled again. “It were a bit awkward at the first, I’ll admit, but after the cryin’ and the carryin’ on were over, it’s settle in to a fine evening, we did, lass.”
Alexis felt herself blanch, the blood draining from her face. And if it would only pick a place and stay there, instead of ever moving about, I might find a way through this.
“I … that is to say, we … and, by that, I mean you …”
The man threw his head back and laughed. “We talked, lass. After you explained yer … misunderstandin’.”
Alexis swallowed again. For as dry as her mouth was, she seemed to be doing a lot of that. “Talked?”
“Well and it’s you who did the talkin’, fer the most part, and me the listenin’. We’re right good at that bit, we are.”
“We?”
“Us who work the houses.”
Alexis flushed again. Oh, sweet heavens, he said it. I spent the night in a house, there’s no denying now. But talking?
“What … did I …” She couldn’t imagine what she might have said, about Captain Neals or Hermione, perhaps, and what might happen if anyone found out.
“A bit o’ this and a bit o’ that. It’s nae a happy ship yer aboard, an’ that’s the truth.” He brought his arms up and laced his fingers behind his head and Alexis found her eyes drawn from his face to the very interesting things this did to his chest muscles. “Lass?”
Alexis shook her head, tearing her eyes away. She bit her lip. “I … should not have spoken so, I think.”
He reached out and wrapped his hand around one of hers. “Nae fear, lass. Were us in the houses to speak aught o’ what were cried into our bosoms, the Navy’d come a’screechin’ to a halt, an’ that’s no lie.” He smiled as her eyes widened. “What? And it’s thinkin’ yer the first midshipman to find a bit o’ comfort an naught else? Nor lieutenant nor captain, neither, come to that.”
Alexis glanced sideways at the bosom in question. And was that a fancy or is there aught I’ll wish I could remember clearer?
“So …” Alexis cleared her throat and glanced away. “So, we didn’t …”
“Nae, lass, yer Philip-lad’s nae to worry aboot.”
Alexis froze, eyes wide again. What on earth else did I say last night? Philip Easley from Merlin was a friend and nothing more. Yes, there’d been a moment or two and a bit of thought, but they’d never so much as spoken about anything more. He was far away, on another ship — and if they ever did again serve on the same ship, well, nothing could come of any feelings that might exist, for such things were forbidden between officers serving together.
A chime started sounding, gradually increasing in volume.
“That’s my tablet.” Alexis slid off the bed and dug through her uniform for the
She pondered, for a moment, how she might gather her clothes, she still seemed to be wearing her underthings, at least, and escape without waking …
Oh … my … did I ever learn his name, at least?
“Awake, lass?”
Alexis clenched her jaw and swallowed as the blood drained from her face. So much for that, then . Now all she had to do was decide if she’d be less likely to die of embarrassment by sitting up and looking him in the eye, or staying where she was. The man shifted position and the blanket started to slide down his waist. Alexis bolted upright, spinning her legs around to face the wall behind the bed’s headboard. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open at the sight of the man’s face.
Black, curly hair framed a rugged face with a strong chin. For a moment, she focused on his eyes, a deep, brilliant blue that drew her in, until he smiled and her gaze dropped to his mouth and his even, white teeth surrounded by full lips.
He raised an eyebrow. “Something, lass?”
Alexis felt herself blushing again. “Um, yes, last night …”
“A bit muddle-headed aboot things, are ye?”
Alexis nodded.
The man smiled again. “It were a bit awkward at the first, I’ll admit, but after the cryin’ and the carryin’ on were over, it’s settle in to a fine evening, we did, lass.”
Alexis felt herself blanch, the blood draining from her face. And if it would only pick a place and stay there, instead of ever moving about, I might find a way through this.
“I … that is to say, we … and, by that, I mean you …”
The man threw his head back and laughed. “We talked, lass. After you explained yer … misunderstandin’.”
Alexis swallowed again. For as dry as her mouth was, she seemed to be doing a lot of that. “Talked?”
“Well and it’s you who did the talkin’, fer the most part, and me the listenin’. We’re right good at that bit, we are.”
“We?”
“Us who work the houses.”
Alexis flushed again. Oh, sweet heavens, he said it. I spent the night in a house, there’s no denying now. But talking?
“What … did I …” She couldn’t imagine what she might have said, about Captain Neals or Hermione, perhaps, and what might happen if anyone found out.
“A bit o’ this and a bit o’ that. It’s nae a happy ship yer aboard, an’ that’s the truth.” He brought his arms up and laced his fingers behind his head and Alexis found her eyes drawn from his face to the very interesting things this did to his chest muscles. “Lass?”
Alexis shook her head, tearing her eyes away. She bit her lip. “I … should not have spoken so, I think.”
He reached out and wrapped his hand around one of hers. “Nae fear, lass. Were us in the houses to speak aught o’ what were cried into our bosoms, the Navy’d come a’screechin’ to a halt, an’ that’s no lie.” He smiled as her eyes widened. “What? And it’s thinkin’ yer the first midshipman to find a bit o’ comfort an naught else? Nor lieutenant nor captain, neither, come to that.”
Alexis glanced sideways at the bosom in question. And was that a fancy or is there aught I’ll wish I could remember clearer?
“So …” Alexis cleared her throat and glanced away. “So, we didn’t …”
“Nae, lass, yer Philip-lad’s nae to worry aboot.”
Alexis froze, eyes wide again. What on earth else did I say last night? Philip Easley from Merlin was a friend and nothing more. Yes, there’d been a moment or two and a bit of thought, but they’d never so much as spoken about anything more. He was far away, on another ship — and if they ever did again serve on the same ship, well, nothing could come of any feelings that might exist, for such things were forbidden between officers serving together.
A chime started sounding, gradually increasing in volume.
“That’s my tablet.” Alexis slid off the bed and dug through her uniform for the
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