her correctly. “You intended to go . . . home?”
She nodded.
“To India?” he exclaimed.
“Well, no. The United States.”
A choked laugh escaped him.
“I was in the ocean when you found me,” she said in a rush of words. “So I thought that maybe . . .”
Seeing him tighten his jaw, Carly quickly summed up her position. “I hoped I’d go back to where I started. But it didn’t work, so I’ll have to try something else.”
He grabbed her upper arms, hauling her toward him. “I thought your odd behavior was because you were reacting badly to your captivity. After all, you’ve known so little hardship in your short, privileged life.”
“My life’s been a lot of things,” she snapped, “short and privileged not among them.”
He leaned closer, his voice dropping. “But now you tell me that you intended to swim home. I hereby reconsider. Would you like to know why?”
“Not particularly.”
“Not only are you daft,” he informed her glibly, “but you are dimwitted, as well.”
Something close to a growl escaped her, and he laughed, actually laughed, pure delight dancing in his eyes.
Whatever gratitude she’d felt toward him dissolved. “What I did was impulsive and stupid. I put you in danger, and I’m sorry. But you’ve rubbed my nose in it long enough.” She squirmed to put more distance between them, but he gripped her firmly. “Let me go.”
“Hell, no.” He brought his lips to within inches of hers. “I rather like this.”
She froze. Her gaze flew from his lips to his eyes, which he’d focused securely on her mouth.
“Have you ever been kissed, I wonder? Properly kissed.”
She reared back as he leaned toward her.
“Ah, but I suppose I mustn’t toy with the merchandise,” he drawled, releasing her. “Else the duke may balk at the high price I’ve set on your head. We’d be reduced to bargaining.”
“Good luck,” she said sullenly. “The minute he finds out I’m not Amanda, you won’t get a nickel.”
“Haven’t let go of
that
bone, eh? A regular spitfire, you are, and as mad as a snowstorm in July.” He rolled one shoulder, then the other, as though to relieve stiffness pooling there. “But I do enjoy your feisty banter. It invigorates me.”
Heat rushed to her cheeks. The man was playing with her, had been all along. But it was more than that. He was regarding her with blatant interest, making it clear that her totally inappropriate, utterly misplaced attraction was mutual. Oddly, exhilaration shot through her. But she used her discovery to her advantage,instinctively, the way she would in a dogfight upon uncovering an opponent’s weakness.
If anyone needed to be put in his place, it was him.
She smiled sweetly, and sighed for added effect. “You are so selfless, so brave. You’ve saved my life twice now. I want to thank you.”
He preened. “No need.”
“No, I must. And
properly,
too.”
Wary of the glimmer in her eyes, Andrew folded his arms across his chest. She seized his shoulders. Standing on her toes, she brought her face to his. Her zeal ignited a sharp rush of desire that buried its heat deep in his groin. He tried to push her away, but she pressed her soft belly to his. “Milady, shouldn’t you go inside and change into dry clothes?” he asked weakly.
Her lips curved into a mischievous smile. “Hell no. I rather like this.”
With that, she planted a firm, closemouthed kiss on his lips and marched off. He gazed after her, stupefied.
Blast. He’d been thoroughly trounced.
“Well done,” he muttered, adjusting his collar. Then he picked up his boots, slung his coat over one shoulder, and followed the little spitfire to the main deck.
It took a week for Carly’s palms to heal. The day her bandages came off, she gathered most of her possessions, save her handgun, gloves, watch, and pocketknife, and stuffed them into a sack. Then she waited until late afternoon before making her way to the bow of the ship.
She’d decided
She nodded.
“To India?” he exclaimed.
“Well, no. The United States.”
A choked laugh escaped him.
“I was in the ocean when you found me,” she said in a rush of words. “So I thought that maybe . . .”
Seeing him tighten his jaw, Carly quickly summed up her position. “I hoped I’d go back to where I started. But it didn’t work, so I’ll have to try something else.”
He grabbed her upper arms, hauling her toward him. “I thought your odd behavior was because you were reacting badly to your captivity. After all, you’ve known so little hardship in your short, privileged life.”
“My life’s been a lot of things,” she snapped, “short and privileged not among them.”
He leaned closer, his voice dropping. “But now you tell me that you intended to swim home. I hereby reconsider. Would you like to know why?”
“Not particularly.”
“Not only are you daft,” he informed her glibly, “but you are dimwitted, as well.”
Something close to a growl escaped her, and he laughed, actually laughed, pure delight dancing in his eyes.
Whatever gratitude she’d felt toward him dissolved. “What I did was impulsive and stupid. I put you in danger, and I’m sorry. But you’ve rubbed my nose in it long enough.” She squirmed to put more distance between them, but he gripped her firmly. “Let me go.”
“Hell, no.” He brought his lips to within inches of hers. “I rather like this.”
She froze. Her gaze flew from his lips to his eyes, which he’d focused securely on her mouth.
“Have you ever been kissed, I wonder? Properly kissed.”
She reared back as he leaned toward her.
“Ah, but I suppose I mustn’t toy with the merchandise,” he drawled, releasing her. “Else the duke may balk at the high price I’ve set on your head. We’d be reduced to bargaining.”
“Good luck,” she said sullenly. “The minute he finds out I’m not Amanda, you won’t get a nickel.”
“Haven’t let go of
that
bone, eh? A regular spitfire, you are, and as mad as a snowstorm in July.” He rolled one shoulder, then the other, as though to relieve stiffness pooling there. “But I do enjoy your feisty banter. It invigorates me.”
Heat rushed to her cheeks. The man was playing with her, had been all along. But it was more than that. He was regarding her with blatant interest, making it clear that her totally inappropriate, utterly misplaced attraction was mutual. Oddly, exhilaration shot through her. But she used her discovery to her advantage,instinctively, the way she would in a dogfight upon uncovering an opponent’s weakness.
If anyone needed to be put in his place, it was him.
She smiled sweetly, and sighed for added effect. “You are so selfless, so brave. You’ve saved my life twice now. I want to thank you.”
He preened. “No need.”
“No, I must. And
properly,
too.”
Wary of the glimmer in her eyes, Andrew folded his arms across his chest. She seized his shoulders. Standing on her toes, she brought her face to his. Her zeal ignited a sharp rush of desire that buried its heat deep in his groin. He tried to push her away, but she pressed her soft belly to his. “Milady, shouldn’t you go inside and change into dry clothes?” he asked weakly.
Her lips curved into a mischievous smile. “Hell no. I rather like this.”
With that, she planted a firm, closemouthed kiss on his lips and marched off. He gazed after her, stupefied.
Blast. He’d been thoroughly trounced.
“Well done,” he muttered, adjusting his collar. Then he picked up his boots, slung his coat over one shoulder, and followed the little spitfire to the main deck.
It took a week for Carly’s palms to heal. The day her bandages came off, she gathered most of her possessions, save her handgun, gloves, watch, and pocketknife, and stuffed them into a sack. Then she waited until late afternoon before making her way to the bow of the ship.
She’d decided
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