but rough.
Eden felt a surge of heat flood over her at his touch. He tied the cloth that remained in his other hand around his wounded shoulder, studying Eden as if he had never before seen her. Why was his mouth curled up in a smile? For goodness’ sake, why wasn't he upset with her?
****
Why had the dear woman even considered the thought he would strike her? Egad, he could never do anything even remotely near striking her. Caspian now had confirmation where that garish, black bruise had come from. But who had done it to her? Who would have the gall to harm such a precious creature? He certainly should not ask her now. Now, she was too vulnerable, too fragile, and somehow, too fearless.
Even now, she cowered against the bulkhead, her lower lip trembling.
"Faith, woman, you are quite brave to shoot me like that." He felt one side of his mouth curl up in a smile.
Eden shook her head repeatedly. “You would never say such a thing if you had seen what I did in my nightmare. How terrified I was. How I ran away." She chewed on her quivering, plump bottom lip and gazed intently at the ground.
"Ha! I daresay I have never seen a woman with enough daring to simply point a gun at a man, nonetheless shoot him. A pirate captain, even so." He chuckled.
Eden trembled and leaned back against the bulkhead. She swayed.
Caspian leapt to her side and engulfed her in his arms. He winced, but the pain from his wound did not last long with an adorable woman in his embrace. A sweet scent of vanilla and coconut teased his nose. Had he truly just met this girl? By the urge deep in his gut to protect her, it almost seemed as though he had known her for years.
She was as stiff in his arms as a bowline caught in the wind until he set her down next to him on one of the leather armchairs. The poor girl melted against him and onto his lap, and then she began to sob.
"Milady, will you please tell me about your dream… your nightmare? Who is it who hurt you, sweetheart? What did they do to you? I want to know who struck you and gave you that bruise on your shoulder." He gently touched her delicate shoulder. The heat of her skin bore through the thin silk of the nightgown she wore.
She shook her head and covered her face with both of her hands. "It matters not, Captain. As long as we do not return to London, I shall be safe from him. I have vowed it will never happen again."
Tears pooled in her doe-like eyes and soon began to pour down her face in little rivulets. Caspian felt a sudden surge of protectiveness and anger sweep through his body. By all that is great and good, if he ever laid his eyes on the man who had done this to the poor woman, gave her these terrible nightmares, he would kill him. By all that was right, he must make certain the lady was safe from this monster and others like him. He would see for certain that once in Port Royal, she had a safe place to go with as much money as she needed to survive.
Perhaps she was thinking similarly.
"Can I get you anything, Lady Trenton? Is there anything I can help you with once we reach Port Royal?" Caspian inquired, longing to remove those dreadful tears from her pretty eyes.
She nestled her head against his chest and remained silent so long that for a moment, he wondered if she had fallen asleep. Finally, she answered, "No, thank you." She released a shaky breath.
Caspian stroked her umber curls, relishing the fact she didn't stop him, didn't recoil from his touch like he had expected from the lady and her skittish ways. He was enjoying how soft and silky her locks felt beneath his fingertips.
After a few moments, the lady’s breathing altered from ragged sobs to quiet, even snoring. Caspian could not hold back a grin at the sight of such a pretty little thing snoring. He scooped her up in his arms and laid her down on the bed before going up on deck to retrieve his curious son.
Chapter Five
Caspian gazed out at the sea. Oh, how wonderful it felt to be at sea again, to smell the
Eden felt a surge of heat flood over her at his touch. He tied the cloth that remained in his other hand around his wounded shoulder, studying Eden as if he had never before seen her. Why was his mouth curled up in a smile? For goodness’ sake, why wasn't he upset with her?
****
Why had the dear woman even considered the thought he would strike her? Egad, he could never do anything even remotely near striking her. Caspian now had confirmation where that garish, black bruise had come from. But who had done it to her? Who would have the gall to harm such a precious creature? He certainly should not ask her now. Now, she was too vulnerable, too fragile, and somehow, too fearless.
Even now, she cowered against the bulkhead, her lower lip trembling.
"Faith, woman, you are quite brave to shoot me like that." He felt one side of his mouth curl up in a smile.
Eden shook her head repeatedly. “You would never say such a thing if you had seen what I did in my nightmare. How terrified I was. How I ran away." She chewed on her quivering, plump bottom lip and gazed intently at the ground.
"Ha! I daresay I have never seen a woman with enough daring to simply point a gun at a man, nonetheless shoot him. A pirate captain, even so." He chuckled.
Eden trembled and leaned back against the bulkhead. She swayed.
Caspian leapt to her side and engulfed her in his arms. He winced, but the pain from his wound did not last long with an adorable woman in his embrace. A sweet scent of vanilla and coconut teased his nose. Had he truly just met this girl? By the urge deep in his gut to protect her, it almost seemed as though he had known her for years.
She was as stiff in his arms as a bowline caught in the wind until he set her down next to him on one of the leather armchairs. The poor girl melted against him and onto his lap, and then she began to sob.
"Milady, will you please tell me about your dream… your nightmare? Who is it who hurt you, sweetheart? What did they do to you? I want to know who struck you and gave you that bruise on your shoulder." He gently touched her delicate shoulder. The heat of her skin bore through the thin silk of the nightgown she wore.
She shook her head and covered her face with both of her hands. "It matters not, Captain. As long as we do not return to London, I shall be safe from him. I have vowed it will never happen again."
Tears pooled in her doe-like eyes and soon began to pour down her face in little rivulets. Caspian felt a sudden surge of protectiveness and anger sweep through his body. By all that is great and good, if he ever laid his eyes on the man who had done this to the poor woman, gave her these terrible nightmares, he would kill him. By all that was right, he must make certain the lady was safe from this monster and others like him. He would see for certain that once in Port Royal, she had a safe place to go with as much money as she needed to survive.
Perhaps she was thinking similarly.
"Can I get you anything, Lady Trenton? Is there anything I can help you with once we reach Port Royal?" Caspian inquired, longing to remove those dreadful tears from her pretty eyes.
She nestled her head against his chest and remained silent so long that for a moment, he wondered if she had fallen asleep. Finally, she answered, "No, thank you." She released a shaky breath.
Caspian stroked her umber curls, relishing the fact she didn't stop him, didn't recoil from his touch like he had expected from the lady and her skittish ways. He was enjoying how soft and silky her locks felt beneath his fingertips.
After a few moments, the lady’s breathing altered from ragged sobs to quiet, even snoring. Caspian could not hold back a grin at the sight of such a pretty little thing snoring. He scooped her up in his arms and laid her down on the bed before going up on deck to retrieve his curious son.
Chapter Five
Caspian gazed out at the sea. Oh, how wonderful it felt to be at sea again, to smell the
Similar Books
