waves to the sunrise. The light was rosy on her face, making her hair come alive with glints of gold.
He expelled a breath and then clenched his jaw closed as he realized he’d been holding it in. His view couldn’t be better, directly above her on the quarterdeck. It also afforded him a bird’s-eye view of his crew. As reality returned to him, the commotion she was causing with his men became evident. Anger flared into his cheeks. Get control, man. And get control of this ship!
His booted steps rang out on the wooden stairs as he marched down to her side. He came up behind her, leaned in, and rasped out in a quick staccato in a voice that never failed to cause his men to pale with fear and rush to obey. “I remember ordering you to remain in your cabin.” He took a firm grasp on her elbow.
She swung toward him, her violet gaze a rapier’s thrust. The nearness of her, the touch of the silky skin of her upper arm left him rolling, reeling, like a rowboat in the midst of rising thirty-foot waves. Her gaze narrowed at his tone. “But my dear captain, since you ignored my message last night I was forced to search you out myself and find the whereabouts of the mysterious disappearance of my trunks.” Her voice lowered to a soft purr. “It seems you only deem yourself worthy of their care.”
Dorian bit his tongue, shoved what he wanted to say back down inside, and took a step back. The woman was enough to make a saint curse. “If it’s only trunks that you seek, then by all means, we will fetch them this instant.”
He turned away to order the trunks delivered to her.
She stopped him with a hand on his arm. It was a mere brush of a touch but it seared his skin and his muscles jumped where her fingertips encountered his upper arm. It took him a moment to be able to concentrate on her tirade.
“Captain, let us come to an understanding. I will not be locked up in a stuffy cabin during the entire voyage. You cannot treat me like a prisoner. I am a paid passenger and expect a passenger’s rights.”
Dorian found himself gazing at her fast-moving lips, thinking how he would like to take her into his arms and kiss her silent. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the sensation that someone had stuffed his mind with wool. “This, Lady Townsend, is not a passenger ship. Therefore you have no rights. I am captain of this ship and you will obey my orders like the rest of this crew.” When she opened her mouth to argue, Dorian cut her off. “This is for your own good. Don’t tell me you didn’t notice the attention you are receiving from my men.” Her stunning eyes widened at the statement but he didn’t believe her. She must be aware of her feminine charms. “I will not have my men distracted from their duties to satisfy the vanity of a spoiled English lady .”
Kendra gasped as if she’d been slapped. “Your opinion is formed from your vast experience with the ton, I presume? Why, I’m quite certain a man like yourself”—she allowed her glance to flick down to his feet and then back up to his furious gaze with all the condescension she’d seen her uncle Andrew flay someone alive with—“has attended any number of social events with the aristocracy. Next, you’ll be telling me you are on excellent terms with the king. Ha. You’re little but a heathen and a-a American pirate!” As soon as the words flew from her mouth she stopped, eyes widening as shame filled her. Lord, forgive me. I don’t know what’s come over me!
It’s not My forgiveness that you need to seek. The words thundered in her ears as her face filled with heat. Taking a step back she bit her lower lip and peeked up at the captain’s face, which had turned ashen with shock and anger. “I’m sorry. That was ill played of me.” Kendra looked at the floor, at his boots, and thought she quite deserved to have to polish them. Maybe if she offered . . .
When he didn’t say anything, just stood there as one frozen with the shock
He expelled a breath and then clenched his jaw closed as he realized he’d been holding it in. His view couldn’t be better, directly above her on the quarterdeck. It also afforded him a bird’s-eye view of his crew. As reality returned to him, the commotion she was causing with his men became evident. Anger flared into his cheeks. Get control, man. And get control of this ship!
His booted steps rang out on the wooden stairs as he marched down to her side. He came up behind her, leaned in, and rasped out in a quick staccato in a voice that never failed to cause his men to pale with fear and rush to obey. “I remember ordering you to remain in your cabin.” He took a firm grasp on her elbow.
She swung toward him, her violet gaze a rapier’s thrust. The nearness of her, the touch of the silky skin of her upper arm left him rolling, reeling, like a rowboat in the midst of rising thirty-foot waves. Her gaze narrowed at his tone. “But my dear captain, since you ignored my message last night I was forced to search you out myself and find the whereabouts of the mysterious disappearance of my trunks.” Her voice lowered to a soft purr. “It seems you only deem yourself worthy of their care.”
Dorian bit his tongue, shoved what he wanted to say back down inside, and took a step back. The woman was enough to make a saint curse. “If it’s only trunks that you seek, then by all means, we will fetch them this instant.”
He turned away to order the trunks delivered to her.
She stopped him with a hand on his arm. It was a mere brush of a touch but it seared his skin and his muscles jumped where her fingertips encountered his upper arm. It took him a moment to be able to concentrate on her tirade.
“Captain, let us come to an understanding. I will not be locked up in a stuffy cabin during the entire voyage. You cannot treat me like a prisoner. I am a paid passenger and expect a passenger’s rights.”
Dorian found himself gazing at her fast-moving lips, thinking how he would like to take her into his arms and kiss her silent. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the sensation that someone had stuffed his mind with wool. “This, Lady Townsend, is not a passenger ship. Therefore you have no rights. I am captain of this ship and you will obey my orders like the rest of this crew.” When she opened her mouth to argue, Dorian cut her off. “This is for your own good. Don’t tell me you didn’t notice the attention you are receiving from my men.” Her stunning eyes widened at the statement but he didn’t believe her. She must be aware of her feminine charms. “I will not have my men distracted from their duties to satisfy the vanity of a spoiled English lady .”
Kendra gasped as if she’d been slapped. “Your opinion is formed from your vast experience with the ton, I presume? Why, I’m quite certain a man like yourself”—she allowed her glance to flick down to his feet and then back up to his furious gaze with all the condescension she’d seen her uncle Andrew flay someone alive with—“has attended any number of social events with the aristocracy. Next, you’ll be telling me you are on excellent terms with the king. Ha. You’re little but a heathen and a-a American pirate!” As soon as the words flew from her mouth she stopped, eyes widening as shame filled her. Lord, forgive me. I don’t know what’s come over me!
It’s not My forgiveness that you need to seek. The words thundered in her ears as her face filled with heat. Taking a step back she bit her lower lip and peeked up at the captain’s face, which had turned ashen with shock and anger. “I’m sorry. That was ill played of me.” Kendra looked at the floor, at his boots, and thought she quite deserved to have to polish them. Maybe if she offered . . .
When he didn’t say anything, just stood there as one frozen with the shock
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