ClaimedbytheCaptain Page 7

  She shook her head slowly as she set about unfastening the closures.

  “Your desire will accomplish that task.”

  She wriggled the garment past his hips and tugged it from his body. His fully engorged shaft sprang free, lying heavy and erect against the flat plane between his groin and his navel. A thatch of black hair nested around his cock. Naked, his arms bound in place over his head, he strained against the ribbon. A frustrated groan escaped his throat as the ribbon proved a surprisingly effective restraint.

  Cathy grazed her fingertips over his belly, trailing lightly to his cock. His arms stiffened as his low moan drifted through the chamber. She leaned over him. Her tongue swept a slow circle on the head of his cock. His body arched as though struck by a lightning bolt and he groaned again, the sound deeper, more intense. A gleaming drop of liquid pearled at the tip. Intrigued, she lapped at it with her tongue. His body shuddered at the contact, his hips arching in a silent plea. Emboldened by the intensity of his reaction, she brushed her tongue along the length of his shaft. Her hands cradled his sac, gently kneading, caressing the firm globes with an instinctive awareness that seemed to drive him to the brink of sanity.

  Writhing on the bed, he raised his hips. His lids closed, his mouth drawn tight in an expression of pleasure and pain, he desperately sought to intensify the contact between her lips and his swollen cock. “Good God, what are you doing to me?” His voice, throaty and raw, kindled a sweet warmth deep within her.

  She sat back on her heels, taking in the sight of him. Jason was magnificent. The thick cords of sleek muscle banding his shoulders and biceps tensed as he strained against the restraint. His hair was dark everywhere, from his head to the thick patch surrounding his manhood. She ran her fingers through the pelt on his chest and belly, easing her way back to the curly nest between his legs.

  His engorged shaft throbbed with need. Need for her, she thought with a surge of triumph. Cupping his balls in her hand, she took his shaft into her mouth. The scent of him, the aroma of pure male musk, surrounded her, spurring her on in her conquest.

  He nearly came off the bed as her mouth encased him. Hard, hot steel, captured between her lips, fully at her mercy. He was now her captive, not by virtue of the fragile binding she’d used to tie his hands, but by his desperate thirst for the pleasure she would bestow upon him.

  She kneaded his balls while sucking his shaft gently. His reaction to her touch told her the head was excruciatingly sensitive. Cathy rounded her mouth, taking the swollen head between her lips, tormenting him with the intimate caress.

  Every muscle in his body tensed wildly. A low roar of ecstasy rumbled from his throat, unrestrained. He thrashed against the bed, racked by powerful spasms of pleasure, until he lay spent and at her mercy.

  She untied the flimsy binding on his wrists, allowing the ribbon to fall to the floor. She rolled onto her side and her breaths came quietly. “Did I please you?”

  Jason’s low growl of satisfaction provided her answer. He rolled from his back to his stomach and stretched contentedly, viewing her with the heavy-lidded eyes of a well-satisfied male. “You required no instruction. Your instincts could enslave a man.”

  Cathy flushed under his gaze. “I wanted to bring you pleasure.”

  Lifting himself on his elbows, he looked away, fixing his gaze on the porthole. She stroked his back. The muscles flexed beneath her hands, warm steel melding to her touch. If only he’d turn to her. If only he’d take her in his arms and kiss her senseless. Yet, in her heart, she knew that wouldn’t be enough. She needed so much more.

  “Ancient mariners believed sea sirens would lure sailors from their course, leading them on a path to destruction.” He reached for her, drawing her to the lean length of his body. His mouth hitched, not quite a smile. “I am starting to believe I’ve captured such an enchantress.”

  She nestled against him, luxuriating in his heat. “You believe me capable of leading you astray?”

  Jason traced lazy circles over her back. He brushed his lips over hers, a lingering caress. Longing pierced her heart as delicious warmth spread through her body.

  He raised his gaze to lock with hers. Was it a trick of the light that his eyes seemed darker, a deep ebony hue? “I am not so weak,” he said in a whisper against her mouth. “But I’ve no doubt the temptation will be considerable.”

  * * * * *

  The shouts of the crew roused Cathy from a sound sleep.

  Jason was gone. He’d left her side sometime during the night. She rolled over, inhaling his scent on the pillow. The sensation of his touch lingered on her flesh.

  He’d made love to her. He hadn’t claimed her…he’d loved her. She closed her eyes and savored the thought.

  The door swung open with a crash. His face taut with worry, Taylor didn’t bother with his usual formality. “You must dress quickly, Miss Catherine. I’ll be back for you in a few minutes.”

  He didn’t give her a chance to ask questions. The door slammed behind him as violently as it had opened. Cathy blinked as she sat up, tugging the sheet around her bare body. The bed swayed as the ship rocked wildly. The wind screamed in her ears like a crazed banshee.

  Clutching the sheet against her skin, she managed to find her dress flung over a chair. She slipped into the garment, widening her stance to brace herself against the relentless seesaw motion of the cabin floor. The slap of waves against the bow of the ship blended with the thundering footsteps and frantic shouts of the crewmen on deck.

  The door opened again and Taylor stepped inside. He pressed his large hands against a wall to steady himself.

  “What’s happening?” she asked.

  “There’s no reason to be alarmed, Miss Catherine,” he said in a tone that did little to reassure her. “A storm has arisen.”

  Seeing the worry etched on Taylor’s drawn features, she pressed for facts. “A hurricane?”

  “I don’t believe that is the case, but the waves are quite powerful. Gales have come up suddenly from the south. There will be rough seas and the winds will be far stronger than usual, but you have no need to worry. This ship has been put through far worse.”

  The floor lurched wildly beneath Cathy’s feet. She lost her balance, nearly careening into the quartermaster’s arms. She skidded back onto the bed, landing with an undignified thud.

  “I’m needed on deck with the captain. You’ll be safe in here.”

  She attempted to smooth her rumpled skirts without success. “I can see that.”

  One corner of his mouth lifted in a hint of a smile. “Only your dignity has been harmed.”

  She swallowed the unladylike reply that came to mind. “May I be of assistance?”

  Taylor’s lips flattened into a tense line. “Do not attempt to come on deck. It is far too dangerous. We can’t risk you being swept over by a rogue wave or blown off by a strong gust.”

  He placed his hand on the doorknob. “This is a dangerous storm, Miss Catherine. There’s no way to predict what these vicious winds will do.” He cast his gaze to the unsteady floor. “Since I’ve been aboard this ship, we’ve lost two men to the winds and tides. We cannot take a chance with your safety.”

  With that pronouncement, he closed the door. She struggled to ease the queasiness in her stomach as the ship continued to fight its way through the ocean’s lashing strength.

  Cathy stretched out on the bed and pulled the quilt to her shoulders. Huddled beneath the covers, she shivered as the vessel heaved against the waves.

  The cries of the crew echoed from the deck above the cabin. The men were consumed in a frenzy of activity. She threw off the bedclothes and got to her feet. The ship lurched back and forth beneath her. She made her way to the porthole and her gaze lit on the face of a young crewman, little more than a boy actually, his features pale, his mouth taut with what she took to be fear. He froze, as though aware she’d spotted him. Offering a shy smile, he squared his shoulders and returned to the task of securing equipment on deck wi
th a hank of thick rope.

  Taylor’s voice cut through the chaos. Harsh and demanding, stripped of its gentlemanly manner, but so familiar. “I need that rope now, boy. The captain’s in trouble.”

  His words ripped through her like a dagger. An image of Jason flashed in her mind. Swept over the side, fighting the battering tides. Life draining from his eyes. She pressed her knuckles to her mouth. “Dear God,” she whispered.

  She rushed to the door. The knob swiveled easily. Thank heavens Taylor had not secured it. She threw open the heavy barrier and peered down the galley way. Steadying herself with one hand pressed to the wall of the corridor, she made her way to the ladder that led to the quarterdeck.

  Maneuvering the steep, narrow ladder in her full skirts would have been difficult in the best of circumstances, but with the ship bobbing about, the feat seemed nearly impossible. Dispensing with modesty, she hiked her dress up past her knees and managed to navigate the rungs. A whoosh of breath expelled from her lungs as she reached the top and pulled herself onto the deck.

  Her gasp was lost in the swirl of noise. Desperation mingled with defiance in the crew’s hoarse shouts as the storm threatened to overwhelm the ship’s defenses.

  She spotted Jason. He stood tall, securing a length of rope around the mainmast. Cathy’s gaze trailed higher. The sturdy cord formed a tether on a rigger who’d gone aloft. Calmly barking orders, Jason seemed unfazed by the near chaos around him. Cathy flinched as he caught her in his sights. His stare bore into her.

  Jason motioned to Taylor, then crossed the quarterdeck with long, sure strides. “What are you doing here?” he demanded, taking hold of her shoulders. “You are to stay below in the cabin.”

  “I thought you were in danger.”

  An unfamiliar emotion flickered in his gaze. In the time it took to blink, the glimmer vanished, replaced by a look of stern determination. “This ship has persevered through far worse. In any case, there is nothing you can do. It’s too dangerous for you to be here.”

  She read the concern in his eyes. “I might be of assistance in some way.”

  Jason shook his head. Pressing one finger to her lips, he smiled. “You are a distraction to me as long as you are in my sight. Go back to the cabin.”

  The ship shuddered against brutal winds threatening to shred its sails. She nearly lost her footing, grasping a post to keep from crumpling against him.

  “Go back to the cabin, Cathy. I will not have you in danger.”

  She nodded, alarmed by his look of grim resolve.

  He seemed to read her thoughts. “We will save the ship,” he said. “But it will not be easy. This is no place for a woman. You’ll be safer below. I can’t take the chance you might be swept overboard.”

  He pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “The crew needs me here. Wait for me in my cabin.” When she began to protest, he silenced her with another kiss, quick and hard. “Wait for me.”

  Chapter Eight

  Catherine marveled that she was able to make it below deck without breaking her neck. Simply staying on her feet was a struggle. The ship tossed about wildly on the sea’s violent waves. The floor’s sudden lurch pitched her forward, nearly bringing her to her knees. She pressed her palms against the wall and inched her way back to the cabin.

  “Has he tired of you so soon?” A man’s voice, harsh and insolent, jarred her. The tiny hairs on the back of her neck prickled to attention. She didn’t recognize the voice, but the speaker’s contempt was clear. An insistent warning surged through her brain.

  She turned toward an unfamiliar face surrounded by a lank mop of dirty blond hair. “Who are you?”

  His mouth curved into a grotesque parody of a smile. He parted his lips to reveal a mouthful of teeth black with decay. Pale blue eyes raked over her as though she were a common trollop out to sell her wares.

  “Keeping a choice piece like you all for himself must’ve worn the cap’n out,” he mocked. “Pity the bastard tired of ye.”

  He fixed her with a ravenous stare. He moved toward her with lumbering steps and his unwavering gaze propelled a shiver along her spine. A large man, at least a head taller than herself, he reminded her of a foul giant in childhood fairy tales. He reeked of alcohol and unwashed skin. She backed away from him, keeping a hand against the wall to steady herself.

  “Don’t come near me.” She forced the alarm from her voice. “Don’t touch me.”

  Long, muscular arms seized her and dragged her against a body as powerful and unyielding as an oak. The foul-breathed ogre stared down at her, a sneer curving his thick mouth. She repressed the nearly overpowering urge to retch as his heavily calloused hands coiled around her upper arms.

  Cathy straightened her spine, summoning every ounce of dignity she possessed. “Take your hands off me.” She grated each word slowly between her teeth.

  His harsh laughter assailed her with the stench of his rotten teeth. “You won’t be so high and mighty after you’ve got me between your legs.”

  She wrenched herself from his hold. Retreating one step at a time, she wanted to scream in frustration when the wall pressed against her back, cutting her off from escape. He reached out to her, thrusting a meaty hand through her long curls. With one sudden, violent movement, he jerked her head up, forcing her to meet his gaze.

  “Kane’s whore, acting like a fine lady. Ain’t that rich?” He dragged her closer. “The cap’n shared you with that bastard Taylor. He won’t mind one more.”

  She raised her hands, wielding her nails like talons. She raked his bloated face. He recoiled, releasing her long enough to wipe the blood from his face with the back of his hand. “You little bitch,” he snarled. “You’re goin’ to regret that.”

  Cathy lashed out at him again. Howling in pain, he trapped her wrists within the unyielding shackle of his fingers. He tightened his grip until she squirmed and cried out against the crushing pressure. His ravenous gaze roamed her body from head to toe. “The cap’n needs to share a little of his bounty with his men.”

  She writhed to escape his control but her struggles were useless. The hulk’s strength overwhelmed her. He pinned her wrists over her head, his free hand roaming her body in unfettered exploration.

  The sounds of the storm and the crew’s frenzied efforts on the deck above drummed in her ears. No one could hear what was happening. No one would see them.

  He stared down at her for a moment, a look of ugly triumph on his face. “Ain’t no one coming to stop me. Cap’n Kane’s got his hands full trying to keep this ship from goin’ down. It’s a hell of a storm. If this is goin’ to be my last day, I ain’t planning to spend it taking more orders from that son-of-a-bitch. I’ll be spendin’ my last hours with my cock inside his doxy.”

  The sour aroma of stale alcohol on his breath sickened her. She gulped and pressed her lips together in a tight line as she averted her face. His mouth curled in an angry sneer as he dug his fingers into her flesh, cupping her chin in a merciless grip.

  “What’s the matter? Ain’t I as handsome as Kane? You won’t be worrying about my face when I’m moving inside you.”

  He released his hold on her chin and tore at the fastenings of his trousers. Cathy fought wildly for escape, levering her elbow into his belly. He grunted a curse and pulled her tighter with punishing force.

  Trapped against the length of his body, Cathy wrenched against his control. His brutal hold intensified while he dragged her down the galley way. A scream of fear and desperation tore from her lungs. “Jason!” As if in a nightmare, it didn’t seem possible the terrified sound had actually come from her throat.

  The giant’s hand clamped over her mouth. “Shut up before I knock your teeth down your throat. He’s not coming.”

  He dragged her inside an unfamiliar cabin, his hand pressed firmly over her mouth. He bolted the door and shoved her onto a cot. His eyes gleamed, his gaze darting about, as though he expected to see Jason Kane lying in wait.

  “You’re afraid,” Catherine c
hallenged him. “You know he’ll kill you.”

  He shot her an angry glare. “No chance in hell he’d hear anything above the racket on deck. Even if he did, what makes you think he’d care?”

  His tone mocked her, though his wary expression contradicted his swagger. She fixed him with a look of pure contempt.

  “You are afraid of him,” she taunted. “You’ll be a dead man when he learns what you’ve done.”

  He watched her without speaking. A flicker of amusement marked his lusterless blue eyes.

  “What makes you think you’ll be around to tell him?” His voice was raw and cold. “A lot of things could happen to a curious doxy who likes to roam around a ship in a storm. Hell, you might even go overboard.”

  “You intend to kill me?” Her voice quivered despite her struggle to control the fear surging through her veins. “If that’s the case, you might as well do it now.”

  He smiled and advanced on her. “Now what fun would that be?” His malicious tone chilled her.

  Cathy surveyed the sparsely furnished room for anything she could use as a weapon. She spied a brass candlestick on a small table. Stretching her arm, she strained to grasp the object. “Stay away from me,” she gritted the words.

  “I’ll take that pretty piece of brass and beat your brains in with it. But not quite yet. You’re not much use to me dead.”

  He didn’t think she’d dare to use the makeshift weapon. The truth glimmered in his malicious gaze. He’ll soon find out he’s wrong. She swung around, wielding the heavy brass candlestick as a bludgeon. Undeterred, he came toward her. The candlestick carved an arc through the air, connecting with his shoulder. He didn’t stop. His face contorted into a rage-filled mask, he tore the weapon from her hands and took hold of her. “Enough,” he bellowed. Flattening her to his torso, the steely length of his erect cock pulsed against her belly.

  “Touch it,” he breathed against her mouth.

  Gritting her teeth against the sickening terror, she shook her head.