explanation he wouldn’t have a chance of getting through to her.
He knew a quiet cove that was hidden from most casual observers and headed for it. The SandJack responded the way she always did, smoothly and instantly. They’d be anchored before dusk.
Once anchored in the cove, Jared would have Teri to himself and they’d learn so much about each other that she’d never want to leave.
That was as far ahead as he could look because if this didn’t work and Teri kept to her plan to return to her life, he had a long lonely future ahead of him. There’d never be another Teri. Not for him.
He’d settled once for a woman he thought suited him well. Had waited for the love between them to grow, but instead of growing, the mild affection they’d had slipped away, ground down by the rat race of corporate life.
His decision to pursue a life on the SandJack had killed the last of the marriage.
If this charge he felt with Teri was the real thing, she’d be more than happy to join him aboard the SandJack and would see the value in living free.
All he had to do was convince his tightly wound, tightly focused, tightly built piece of woman that life could be lived loose.
Jared MacKay was more than up for the challenge.
Chapter 8
Teri slid the hot baking pan onto the counter, pleased with how the brownies looked. She’d gone from memory with the recipe and had had her doubts about how they would turn out.
“What’s that incredible smell?” Jared’s head appeared in the rectangle of sky in the hatch.
“Fudge brownies. Would you like one?” She laughed at the speed of his descent into the galley. She’d learned some proper nautical terms in the two days she’d been onboard.
He grabbed a knife and let it hover over the cooling pan. “How soon can we cut them?”
“Do you want frosting or not?”
“Depends. If I say yes will that take longer?”
“They’ll have to cool completely before I frost them.”
“Then no. I have appetites that must be seen to.” He waggled an eyebrow and waved the knife with a pendulum’s accuracy.
She patted his behind then gave it a squeeze. “I thought we’d been doing a fine job of handling your appetites.” And hers. They’d only taken a break from exploring their incredible sexual connection because she was sore.
Besides, she’d become increasingly interested and curious about her pirate and he seemed quite happy to share everything about himself and his life. They’d agreed it was time to find out more about each other as people.
Her nerves had jumped at the idea of sharing some of her innermost thoughts and dreams, so she’d taken refuge in baking. It was an old remedy, comforting and relaxing and one she hadn’t indulged in for far too long.
Watching Jared’s impatience for the brownies to cool brought a secret joy back to life in her chest. His eagerness to sample the brownies delighted her and silly as it was, it warmed her to see his enthusiasm for something so simple.
She waved her hand over the pan to see how much heat remained. “They’re still too warm, but we could take them upstairs.”
“On deck.”
“On deck, we could take them on deck to cool faster. Hey, at least I know it’s a head and not a bathroom now. And this is the galley.” She waved her arms to encompass the compact cooking area.
He tested the side of the pan gingerly. She passed him two potholders, picked up the knife and followed him and her pan of brownies to the deck.
He held the pan out to the breeze and sniffed appreciatively. “How long?”
“Remind me to hide the next thing I bake until it’s ready.”
“No.” He tested the side of the pan again and dropped the potholders to the deck. “It’s cooler already.”
“You, Jared MacKay, are a baby.” But she’d found another reason to like him. “I haven’t baked for someone as greedy as you in a long time.”
“I can’t believe it. Every man in my family has a soft spot for women who bake. I thought all
He knew a quiet cove that was hidden from most casual observers and headed for it. The SandJack responded the way she always did, smoothly and instantly. They’d be anchored before dusk.
Once anchored in the cove, Jared would have Teri to himself and they’d learn so much about each other that she’d never want to leave.
That was as far ahead as he could look because if this didn’t work and Teri kept to her plan to return to her life, he had a long lonely future ahead of him. There’d never be another Teri. Not for him.
He’d settled once for a woman he thought suited him well. Had waited for the love between them to grow, but instead of growing, the mild affection they’d had slipped away, ground down by the rat race of corporate life.
His decision to pursue a life on the SandJack had killed the last of the marriage.
If this charge he felt with Teri was the real thing, she’d be more than happy to join him aboard the SandJack and would see the value in living free.
All he had to do was convince his tightly wound, tightly focused, tightly built piece of woman that life could be lived loose.
Jared MacKay was more than up for the challenge.
Chapter 8
Teri slid the hot baking pan onto the counter, pleased with how the brownies looked. She’d gone from memory with the recipe and had had her doubts about how they would turn out.
“What’s that incredible smell?” Jared’s head appeared in the rectangle of sky in the hatch.
“Fudge brownies. Would you like one?” She laughed at the speed of his descent into the galley. She’d learned some proper nautical terms in the two days she’d been onboard.
He grabbed a knife and let it hover over the cooling pan. “How soon can we cut them?”
“Do you want frosting or not?”
“Depends. If I say yes will that take longer?”
“They’ll have to cool completely before I frost them.”
“Then no. I have appetites that must be seen to.” He waggled an eyebrow and waved the knife with a pendulum’s accuracy.
She patted his behind then gave it a squeeze. “I thought we’d been doing a fine job of handling your appetites.” And hers. They’d only taken a break from exploring their incredible sexual connection because she was sore.
Besides, she’d become increasingly interested and curious about her pirate and he seemed quite happy to share everything about himself and his life. They’d agreed it was time to find out more about each other as people.
Her nerves had jumped at the idea of sharing some of her innermost thoughts and dreams, so she’d taken refuge in baking. It was an old remedy, comforting and relaxing and one she hadn’t indulged in for far too long.
Watching Jared’s impatience for the brownies to cool brought a secret joy back to life in her chest. His eagerness to sample the brownies delighted her and silly as it was, it warmed her to see his enthusiasm for something so simple.
She waved her hand over the pan to see how much heat remained. “They’re still too warm, but we could take them upstairs.”
“On deck.”
“On deck, we could take them on deck to cool faster. Hey, at least I know it’s a head and not a bathroom now. And this is the galley.” She waved her arms to encompass the compact cooking area.
He tested the side of the pan gingerly. She passed him two potholders, picked up the knife and followed him and her pan of brownies to the deck.
He held the pan out to the breeze and sniffed appreciatively. “How long?”
“Remind me to hide the next thing I bake until it’s ready.”
“No.” He tested the side of the pan again and dropped the potholders to the deck. “It’s cooler already.”
“You, Jared MacKay, are a baby.” But she’d found another reason to like him. “I haven’t baked for someone as greedy as you in a long time.”
“I can’t believe it. Every man in my family has a soft spot for women who bake. I thought all
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