Lost Honor by Loreen Augeri

than usual, he could not shove her from his mind.
    Was she safe?
    Mark worked with her. Nothing would happen without him knowing about it, but still his thoughts drifted to the hold.
    Where they shouldn’t be.
    Susan. The images he conjured should only be of her. After all, they would wed as soon as he returned. They would be joined now if he hadn’t needed to rescue his reckless brother. Morgan didn’t love her, but their families had been friends for as long as he could remember, and on her deathbed, his mother had made them both promise they would marry each other. And he always kept his promises, especially to his mother.
    He didn’t hold a special affection for anyone else. His business, sisters, brother, and mother before she died captured his time. Women fulfilled his needs when the urge struck, but no emotions other than momentary pleasure accompanied the act. And he would have to marry at some point. So why not Susan? A woman he knew well and respected.
    And the sister of his closest friend, Andrew.
    Her dark brown hair, green eyes, and pleasing nature contrasted sharply with the virago below. Susan would manage his house, bear his children, and attend to his every need. What more could a man desire? In return, he would protect her and make sure she wanted for nothing. And he would never betray her as his father had his family. Love need not enter into the matter. It would only complicate things. Relationships worked best if they remained simple.
    The sun dipped lower. Arianna should be done by now. She must work faster if she wanted to be a seaman.
    He would remind her of that fact.
    Now.
    As he descended into the hold he didn’t see either Arianna or Mark, but he knew they were there. Their loud voices called back and forth, their tone serious and intent. And then she appeared before him. On top of a crate with a number of them stacked below. His heart leaped into his throat. She would break her bloody neck.
    He rushed to the spot where Arianna precariously balanced. With the racket they made, apparently she didn’t hear him because she didn’t turn. Or she ignored him, which he wouldn’t put pass the impudent woman. Standing below her, he angled his head up. “What the bloody hell are you doing?”
    She jumped as his voice boomed out, louder than he had intended. Fear for her safety gripped him. She teetered on the edge, swinging her arms, attempting to catch her balance, first tipping one way and then the other.
    She almost righted herself. Or so he thought. Until she fell with a cry of dismay. He positioned himself and held out his arms, refusing to allow her to crash to the floor, even though she deserved it.
    The light weight dropped into his arms with a soft flop and an expulsion of air. Fiery blue eyes stared at him.
    “Why did you do that?” she shot out once she caught her breath.
    “Do what? I saved your life.”
    “Crept up on me, startled me, and made me fall.”
    He shifted her in his arm, cradling her warm body closer to his. “You shouldn’t have been up there in the first place.”
    “I was only following…” Her lovely eyes grew wide, lighting the darkness. “Put me down this instant.”
    He liked her exactly where she was. “I don’t think so. You are safer in my arms.”
    Arianna kicked her legs. “It’s unseemly for a seaman or me to be in your arms. Put me down.”
    “Are you issuing orders, again? I could have you flogged for disobedience.”
    He would never harm a woman, but she didn’t know that. Females were called the weaker sex, but in her case, he wondered.
    “You wouldn’t do that.” Her voice grew small. “Would you?”
    He smiled inwardly with satisfaction. Fear. It might help to manage her wild behavior. He set her on her feet with regret, his cold arms empty and forlorn. “You want to be a seaman, don’t you?”
    “Yes.”
    “Yes, what?”
    “Yes.” She frowned. “Captain.”
    “Then that encompasses every aspect.”
    “She really wasn’t…”