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Authors: Jamie Carie
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smiled back at him with compressed lips and sparkling eyes. “That hardly seems fair, sir. Am I not to be included as a friend and an equal?”
“An equal? Why, my dear Kendra, no one is equal to the captain. If they were, chaos and anarchy would rule the high seas.”
The little minx flashed white teeth at him and bowed her head in acquiescence. “I see your point. Let us hope we don’t run into each other on land, as then I will expect to be told your given name.”
“Ah, yes. You travel to the countryside beyond Yorktown to nurse your aunt back to health?”
Kendra’s gaze snapped to his, confusion evident in her eyes. “To my knowledge, sir, my aunt is in perfect health.”
Dorian’s brows came together as he explained, “But your uncle told John that she is ill and in need of your care. We assumed that was the reason for your hasty departure and one of the reasons John agreed to taking on a passenger.”
Kendra looked away, but Dorian could see her rapidly batting lashes. That she was trying not to cry made him want to drive his fist into her uncle’s handsome face. “My uncle lied.” Her voice was shaky but angry too. “After my father died he tried to marry me off, and when that plan proved unsuccessful he made arrangements to ship me to my aunt, whom I have never met and know next to nothing about. You can see how badly he wanted rid of me.” A hiccup of sound came from her throat as she stared at something off in the distance.
Dorian’s arm strained to reach for her, but instead he kept it tight to his side. “The brute deserves to walk the plank,” he said in his best pirate voice, trying to distract her.
She made a choked little laugh and turned to look at him. Had anyone held her since her father’s death? Had anyone helped her with her grief? He thought of his large, happy family and found himself overcome with feelings of profound thankfulness and chagrin. He had so much love from family and friends, people who cared and doted on him . . . and he took it very much for granted. This brave, impish young woman seemed to have no one.
He took a step toward her, staring at the sunset with her. Her skirt brushed against his legs as he turned and looked down into her eyes. He smiled a slow smile. She was holding her breath and he could see her pulse throb at her throat. He lifted one hand and brushed his fingers against her cheek.
She swallowed hard, eyes wide. “Pirate.” She whispered.
Dorian’s grin deepened. “I can assure you, madam, that my business dealings are all above board. I’ve had fights with true pirates, though.” He lifted one brow and pressed his lips together in a grim smile. “Stories that would curl your toes.”
The motion of the waves caused the ship to dip. Kendra tumbled into his chest where his automatic response was to wrap his arms around her to keep her from falling. “Oh!” she yelped, and then sprang back with a gasp. She looked up at him with wide eyes, yanked her arms from his grasp. “I think I should retire now,” she rushed out. “Thank you for the walk, Captain.” She turned and fled from the deck, skirts swaying in her effort to take herself back to the cabin.
Dorian stood where she left him for a long time, gripping the rail and allowing the night air to cool his heated blood. She’d bewitched him. He barked out a laugh and turned to stare out at the cresting waves of endless sea. He’d been wrong to withhold his name from her.
After this night, perhaps he should be calling her captain.
Chapter Six
P erhaps avoiding her would help him regain his sanity.
At least that’s what he’d thought when he came up with the brilliant plan of commanding John to take over the duty of escorting Kendra on her twice daily turn around deck.
Dorian leaned over the quarterdeck rail and watched the two of them laughing as they came around the corner, Kendra’s hand tucked in the crook of John’s arm. She didn’t seem to miss him at all. No, she
“An equal? Why, my dear Kendra, no one is equal to the captain. If they were, chaos and anarchy would rule the high seas.”
The little minx flashed white teeth at him and bowed her head in acquiescence. “I see your point. Let us hope we don’t run into each other on land, as then I will expect to be told your given name.”
“Ah, yes. You travel to the countryside beyond Yorktown to nurse your aunt back to health?”
Kendra’s gaze snapped to his, confusion evident in her eyes. “To my knowledge, sir, my aunt is in perfect health.”
Dorian’s brows came together as he explained, “But your uncle told John that she is ill and in need of your care. We assumed that was the reason for your hasty departure and one of the reasons John agreed to taking on a passenger.”
Kendra looked away, but Dorian could see her rapidly batting lashes. That she was trying not to cry made him want to drive his fist into her uncle’s handsome face. “My uncle lied.” Her voice was shaky but angry too. “After my father died he tried to marry me off, and when that plan proved unsuccessful he made arrangements to ship me to my aunt, whom I have never met and know next to nothing about. You can see how badly he wanted rid of me.” A hiccup of sound came from her throat as she stared at something off in the distance.
Dorian’s arm strained to reach for her, but instead he kept it tight to his side. “The brute deserves to walk the plank,” he said in his best pirate voice, trying to distract her.
She made a choked little laugh and turned to look at him. Had anyone held her since her father’s death? Had anyone helped her with her grief? He thought of his large, happy family and found himself overcome with feelings of profound thankfulness and chagrin. He had so much love from family and friends, people who cared and doted on him . . . and he took it very much for granted. This brave, impish young woman seemed to have no one.
He took a step toward her, staring at the sunset with her. Her skirt brushed against his legs as he turned and looked down into her eyes. He smiled a slow smile. She was holding her breath and he could see her pulse throb at her throat. He lifted one hand and brushed his fingers against her cheek.
She swallowed hard, eyes wide. “Pirate.” She whispered.
Dorian’s grin deepened. “I can assure you, madam, that my business dealings are all above board. I’ve had fights with true pirates, though.” He lifted one brow and pressed his lips together in a grim smile. “Stories that would curl your toes.”
The motion of the waves caused the ship to dip. Kendra tumbled into his chest where his automatic response was to wrap his arms around her to keep her from falling. “Oh!” she yelped, and then sprang back with a gasp. She looked up at him with wide eyes, yanked her arms from his grasp. “I think I should retire now,” she rushed out. “Thank you for the walk, Captain.” She turned and fled from the deck, skirts swaying in her effort to take herself back to the cabin.
Dorian stood where she left him for a long time, gripping the rail and allowing the night air to cool his heated blood. She’d bewitched him. He barked out a laugh and turned to stare out at the cresting waves of endless sea. He’d been wrong to withhold his name from her.
After this night, perhaps he should be calling her captain.
Chapter Six
P erhaps avoiding her would help him regain his sanity.
At least that’s what he’d thought when he came up with the brilliant plan of commanding John to take over the duty of escorting Kendra on her twice daily turn around deck.
Dorian leaned over the quarterdeck rail and watched the two of them laughing as they came around the corner, Kendra’s hand tucked in the crook of John’s arm. She didn’t seem to miss him at all. No, she
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