The True One (One and Only Series Book 2) Page 10

  The bulge poking her bottom had made it perfectly clear she’d aroused him.

  “Um . . . I know you . . . that is, I felt . . .”

  “You felt my rabid lust. Ah, you blush so prettily.” His warm fingers rubbed her knuckles. “How are we going to have this conversation if your tongue hides behind your pretty teeth?”

  He pulled her, coaxing her to rise, then held her hand while she slid around the table and onto his knees. He cupped her jaw, his gaze locked onto her lips. The magnetic pull intense. She lifted her hands and pressed against his shoulders.

  “You seduced me into kissing you last night. I’ll not allow you to do so again.” No matter how much I want you to.

  “Then why did you bring up the subject of what happened when you were on my lap the last time?”

  Motivated by anger, and embarrassment, she struggled to rise—but he held her firm in his grip.

  “Now settle down.” His voice low and husky. “You like being here just as much as I like having you in my arms. I’m lonely too.”

  “I’m not . . .” She couldn’t deny it. Sometimes the solitary confinement of her home made her feel abandoned. There were days she’d been so forlorn she’d been desperate for another human being. Someone to talk to. Someone to eat with, walk with, share things.

  Someone to hold her.

  Until he brushed her cheek with his thumb, she hadn’t known a tear escaped. With his urging, she leaned her head on his shoulder. Her own vulnerability made her nuzzle into his neck. Soap wafted, but the essence of Stephen assaulted her senses. His very own scent. Stephen the man.

  His hands roamed her back with soothing caresses sending tingling warmth throughout her body. She leaned into his comfort, her muscles relaxed and slipped into tranquility. Her chest rose and fell in a deep sigh.

  Heaven.

  A land of dreams.

  A dream where he could be her husband. He would keep her safe. Protected. Loved.

  A heated kiss on her breast brought her from her doldrums. My Lord, when had he unbuttoned her dress? As the previous evening, the sight of his head against her bare flesh exhilarated her. Oh how she wanted to enjoy the same sensation he’d awakened in her last night. She was a loose woman. Wicked, indeed.

  When she felt a bulge brush her hip, she pushed out of his arms and scooted off his lap. Breathing heavily, she darted out of reach.

  “I’m sorry,” she said.

  “No need to apologize.”

  “I . . .” She heard a shuffle and realized he stood. Before he could touch her, she bid a hasty goodnight and hurried through the door to her little room. Two weeks ago, he’d insisted she return to her bed while he made a pallet on the floor in the main room. As she pulled down the coverlet, in her mind she saw Stephen sprawled upon the sheet. She secretly yearned for him to join her.

  What would it be like to make love with him? Johnny may have been her husband, but he was a boy compared to Stephen. Goosebumps covered her flesh just thinking about the man in the next room. She wondered what he looked like before he came to her home. A ship’s captain, strong and well built. Muscles covering his chest, his arms, his thighs. He must have been a large man once. Judging from the day the sheet stood up, his man-thing was certainly big.

  She jumped into bed, still in her smock, and pulled the covers to her chin. She cursed her weakness and her wayward thoughts. Johnny had made promises and he deserted her. She would not fall victim to another man. She could take care of herself.

  Chapter 11

  Jennifer swiped an errant curl behind her ear. Her attempt to confine her long tresses into a knot only drew his attention to the mass of raven waves gleaming in the sunlight. Stephen swallowed, while leaning his shoulder against the rough wood, one knee propped at an angle on her tiny porch. Normally, he rose every morning at the crack of dawn. He loved watching the sunrise, red and gold hovering on the horizon. Now he had another reason.

  Jennifer.

  He looked forward to her soft voice. Her flashing eyes. Every time he saw her he wanted to run his fingers through her silky strands, caress her bold curves, and lose himself in her softness. She should be like any other woman. But damned if she didn’t put him on edge.

  Heaven knows he’d had his share of enticing women. Some had tried every wile imaginable. Even though the land had made Jennifer tough, she had an air of natural grace. He’d grown more than fond of her and felt a bond of sorts had grown between them. Her beauty and responsiveness distracted him.

  She’d slapped a crude covering on her head and starred into the distance. Her facial expression gave nothing away. He continued to observe her, without her knowledge. Long sooty lashes adorned her sun bronzed cheeks. A peculiar hitch stirred in his chest.

  He shuffled over to lean against the rail of the fence. “Good Morning.”

  “Morning,” she replied.

  “You’re out early.” He stared ahead, same as she.

  “I’m no slugabed.”

  “So I’ve noticed,” he said with a smile.

  Quiet surrounded them.

  “You’re stronger,” she said.

  “Is that your subtle attempt to tell me I’ve outstayed my welcome?”

  Jennifer spun around. “No. I—” She stopped when she saw his grin.

  “Glad to hear it.”

  She turned from him and gazed in the direction she had earlier.

  Stephen filled his lungs with fresh air. No matter what country one resided, being outdoors sustained the soul. He looked toward the clear blue sky, a cloud of white here and there. Amazing how much more he appreciated the beauty of nature since death had looked him in the eye. The grass seemed greener, the trees swayed with the wind displaying they too were a creation of life. Things everyone took for granted.

  Each day he pushed his muscles to their limits. Who knew being able to stand on his own two legs would be so gratifying? And having a beautiful woman cling to him so sweetly, be so appeasing.

  “Thought maybe you were avoiding me.”

  “No, Captain, I am not avoiding you.”

  “Captain, is it? You must be upset with me, then.”

  “No Stephen, I’m not upset with you.” She gave a little sigh.

  “Then would you mind telling me what’s on your mind?” The silence stretched between them.

  “May I ask you something?”

  “Ask away.”

  “Why did you come to India?”

  Bloody hell. Where had that come from? He was silent so long, she continued.

  “Johnny followed rainbows. Blinded by dreams, he believed the rumors India was a place to make his fortune. Instead of jewels, he foolishly found his way to a bottle.”

  Stephen had convinced himself he needed adventure. Had he been any different? He risked the lives of his crew the moment his affiliate unwrapped the glowing jewel the size of an egg.

  “I did not come here to find a fortune.”

  Her shoulders dropped with a heavy sigh. “I don’t want to pry, and you may not want to talk about it.”

  “My ship was headed to India’s English trading dock. A storm hit us pretty hard, knocking us off course. We were sailing along the coast line when another ship came out of nowhere firing cannons. We also took fire from the beach. My crew had to abandon ship, and when we got to shore, men with guns were waiting for us.”

  He wouldn’t go into detail. His men in chains, shot before his eyes. She already knew he’d been tortured.

  “I don’t believe they were rebels,” she said. “There are others who refuse to accept the British influence.”

  “You are correct. The leader was a Rajput prince. He thought I encroached on his private beach.”

  “He did this to you?”

  Anguish filled eyes
beseeched him. What a woman of compassion. She didn’t know him, yet she fretted for him.

  “The prince would not accept my word that I found the cove by accident.”

  “What of your crew?”

  Stephen turned away in torment. Bored at the time, he’d thought to give his crew adventure. All he’d done was condemn them to their deaths.

  “He killed them.” His hands tightened on the fence.

  “No.” She grasped his arm and pressed her cheek to his sleeve. “I’m so sorry.”

  He put his arm around her and drew her close. “You know the rest. An angel of mercy nursed me back to health.”

  They stood in silence, her snug against him. With a knuckle under her chin, he lifted her face. He glowered down at her, transfixed at how lovely she was. Uncertainty showed in her eyes. Damn, he didn’t want to hurt her.

  He brushed a fingertip over her bottom lip, sucking in his breath when her tongue touched the tip. He should release her. But the pull she had on him was too strong. She didn’t know it, but she’d cast a spell on his sanity. He couldn’t stop himself from leaning down and pressing his lips to hers.

  Angel. Heaven sent.

  He held her with tenderness and warmth. When he eased his tongue over her lips seeking entrance, she opened to him like a flower opening for a bee, surrendering its nectar.

  Sweet. The sweetest woman he’d ever tasted. She yielded. He drank greedily. A moan tore from her throat enticing him to the point of delirium.

  His heart thundered. He wanted her here—now.

  He pressed her back into the fence.

  Lost in his desire, her soft cry pierced his ardor. Good God, he’d injured her. “I’m sorry.”

  “I’m alright.” She breathed heavily unaware of the desperation in her voice.

  Collecting himself from his near loss of restraint, he stepped back, emotions clawing through him. Shaking off his frustration, he gave her a rakish smile.

  “That’s some good morning, Jenny.”

  The devil was pure temptation. Stephen proved perilous and he grew more dangerous every day. Denying her desire last night had been deceptive. A false illusion. An attempt at doing the appropriate thing.

  But when had she ever made the reasonable choice?

  Her alarm mounted. Not at his attentions, but at her own wanton thoughts. Desire swamped her belly. He’d created a passion in her she never knew existed. She hungered for more. More of his kisses. More of his caresses. And she would surely burn in hell for she craved to know what it would be like to make love with him.

  Stephen was a real man. There’d be no fumbling under the sheets. No quick entry that left her empty with longing. For she now knew what she’d been longing for. She now knew what ecstasy meant. Stephen’s caresses had been tender but with a burning need, as though he truly craved her. What a boon to her woman’s self-esteem. He made her feel beautiful. He made her feel desirable. Her heart skipped a beat at the thought of him taking her to bed.

  She glanced down at her body clad in her husband’s clothes and immediately thought of the lovely blue gown packed away in her chest.

  Her gaze leaped to his. Even wearing breeches he wanted her. Her confusion must have mirrored in her eyes, for his clouded and a frown etched his brow.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I was merely thinking.”

  “Of what?”

  She shook her head. “How in the world can I appeal to you looking like this?”

  He laughed. “Ah, sweet Jenny. You have no idea how beautiful you are.”

  Jenny. She loved the way he said her name. When he reached for her, she quickly stepped around him. “You must be hungry.”

  “Ravished.” The curve of his rakish smile deepened.

  “Come inside then, and I’ll feed you.”

  “I hope that’s a promise.” His brows jumped vigorously with excitement.

  She loved his playful bantering, now that she’d gotten to know him. “Pork and bread is what I’ll be feeding you.”

  “Ah, Jenny. Have a heart.” He placed his palm over his chest in a dramatic gesture.

  Ignoring him, she linked her arm with his. “Why Captain, have I not shared my lodging with you? Have I not treated your wounds? I believe I’ve shown you in several ways that a heart does indeed beat within my chest.”

  “Tis true. For I was just a shell of a man when I landed on your doorstep. I’ll accept your offer of food, woman, for you never know when I may need my strength.” He wiggled those bushy red brows again.

  With one leg propped out, Stephen sat at the small table. His elbow braced on the corner, he studied Jennifer’s backside. A perfectly rounded bottom in a pair of man’s breeches. More fetching, possibly, than in woman’s finery. She placed a steaming bowl of stew on the table and took a seat across from him. Her well-curved breasts filled out her shirt quite nicely.

  Blinking, he took a bite and chewed, spices trickled across his tongue. His jaw still tender, at least now he could eat solid food. He never knew how much joy could be found in chewing.

  With hooded eyes, he hid the fact he watched her. When she spoke he listened with half a mind. The other half wondered how fast he could get her out of her clothes.

  Hang it all. He ogled her boldly. When she turned to him her eyes flew wide. For a second, she resembled a frightened hare. But then, she latched onto his glare with blatant interest and then her mouth fell slightly open. His gaze dropped to her full lips, then lowered to her swan-like neck. She swallowed. His breathing thickened.

  Tin clattered against glass, sounding like a crack of thunder in the still room.

  She jumped.

  He couldn’t hold back the grin that sprang to his lips.

  “You may remove that leering smirk from your face.”

  “Leering, am I? Why I’ll have you know I was enjoying my food.”

  “Humph.” She grabbed her fork.

  “What an unladylike sound.”

  He regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth. Jenny looked down at her shabby clothes and the light went right out of her eyes. She placed her fork carefully beside her plate and her hands worked together in her lap.

  “You must think I’m quite plain.”

  Conscience-stricken, he hurried to lift her spirits. “Fishing for compliments, Jenny?”

  She glared in surprise, then a smile flitted across her lips and danced right up to her eyes.

  “Want to know what I’m thinkin’?”

  “Do you think of anything else?”

  Brazen. His Jenny had come out of her shell and given him tit for tat.

  “I’m a man. Men crave women no matter what they be wearing.”

  Her mouth fell open.

  Even if the thought of bedding a woman was a constant in his mind, no need to concede the fact.

  Stephen dried the last plate and hung the cloth over the wooden peg. With the meal finished, he’d offered to clear the table so Jenny could rest or carry out some womanly thing like knit or whatever she did in this tiny cabin. He had to do something to drag his thoughts away from ravishing her.

  For all the good it did.

  She’d carted in a huge tub for bathing. Ignoring her protests, he insisted he carry the water to fill it. Now his imagination ran rampant with visions of the blasted woman in her bath. Long silky legs, lathered with soap. Voluptuous breasts with beads of water on her puckered nipples. Christ! How was he to remain sane?

  He thrust his hand through his wild locks and forced images of naked limbs from his mind. He glared at the lighted lamp, watching the flame create shadows on the bare wall. How the hell she lived in this shack astounded him to no end. Being alone would drive him to seek companionship of some sort, even if it was with a b
loody bear. Good God. How could she stand it? Day after long aimless day. In a country not her own.

  She’d come close to getting under his skin.

  Face it man, she already has.

  He shook his head at the thought. He hadn’t even toppled her, for God’s sake.

  A rustle sounded from behind. He shifted in that direction.

  The breath left his lungs.

  There in the doorway stood the loveliest bit of fluff that ever tempted a man’s eye. Jennifer. Dressed in a creation of sparkling blue satin. Jeweled combs held back the sides of her ebony waves. Strands fell forward resting on a generous amount of exposed flesh above her bodice.

  After feasting his eyes on her full bosom, his gaze dropped to the curve of her waist. His fingers flexed. The blue evening gown draped over round hips and slithered to the rough floor.

  Every drop of moisture left his throat at his attempt to swallow.

  Jennifer boggled his mind. She didn’t do any of the predictable things a woman did to entice a man. He thought to close his eyes and open them again in case he was dreaming. Fearing she would disappear, he doused the idea. Speechless, he stared, devouring every luscious inch of her curves.

  His hunger grew leaps and bounds.

  “Will you please say something?” Her voice so soft he might have imagined it.

  Gathering any sense he might have left, Stephen cleared his throat. “You are exquisite.”

  “You don’t need to use flattery. Just talk to me.”

  “There are no words to describe how lovely you are.” He took a step closer.