Part 36 (2/2)
”Because you asking to fight him when you could have gotten your freedom was utter stupidity!”
”Too right! That's the last time I get my hair torn out for an ungrateful little-”
Sparrow slapped him hard, months of pent-up anger and hurt exploding in a loud crack of flesh on flesh.
His eyes widened, the imprint of her hand visible on his cheek. ”What the b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l was that for?”
”For your existence! For your stupidity and your lies! Any more questions?”
”Just one.” His teeth ground.
She lifted her chin. ”What?”
”How can I get you back?” He grasped her shoulders and kissed her.
Sparrow knew she should push him away, but the sensation of his lips against hers was too wonderful. When she'd left all those months ago, she thought she'd never see him again, but here he was, all pa.s.sionate words, long, sinewy limbs, and raw desire. Sparrow closed her eyes and clung to him, her mouth opening beneath the soft, moist pressure of his tongue. His fingers entwined in her hair as he deepened the kiss.
When they finally drew apart, both were slightly breathless.
”So will you come back to me?” he murmured. ”I swear to you, Sparrow, I'll never go back to pirating again. I've been working honest jobs while I've been searching for you. I've saved everything I've earned. I have enough to support you, and I figure in less than a year, I'll have enough to build a decent s.h.i.+p for fis.h.i.+ng and trade.”
Sparrow sighed and took his hand. She gazed at his long fingers and touched his callused palms. She often wondered how a man's hands could be hard and graceful at the same time. ”I can't go back to you, Lock. Not now.”
”When?”
”I don't know. I trusted you once, but I don't anymore. I'm only glad we never had a child.”
He didn't speak for a moment, and she looked up.
”I admit, I'm not the best breeder, but you seemed to like me well enough in your bed.” He stood and walked to the end of the fence.
Sparrow shook her head. ”I didn't mean that how it sounded.”
”So how did you mean it?”
”I just meant that it would have been bad for a child the way you were and the way I had to leave. It's not that I don't love you, Lock.”
”At least you're past hating me and back to love again. Think you could make up your mind?”
”Do you think you could make up yours?” she snapped, her temper rising. ”First you want to marry me, then you want to be a pirate, now you want to marry me again.”
”I always wanted to marry you, but I was completely selfish. Ilias helped me see that...and no, I didn't harm a hair on his head. He left the Lady Fire, too, and went back to his family.”
”Good.” Sparrow smiled. ”He was too nice for pirating.”
”Yes, he was.”
”You, on the other hand, seemed born for it.”
”I was.” He approached her and placed a fingertip under her chin, tilting her face to his. ”But you changed me, Sparrow. One thing I learned the hard way, I can live without pirating, but I can't live without you.”
”Yes you can.”
”I don't want to.”
”Lock.” She turned away. ”I can't marry you. Not now. Not until I'm sure I'm what you really want.”
”How can I prove it?”
She met his eyes. ”Keep living an honest life.”
”You won't marry me, so what about courting?”
”Courting?”
”That's what I've heard it's called. Didn't do much of it in the Archipelago.”
”You want to court me?” She looked skeptical.
”Is that a yes?”
Sparrow smiled. ”How can I say no to such politeness?”
”Good.” His eyes held hers. ”So we're courting. Seems a little funny since we've bedded already, but-”
”Lock,” she closed her eyes and pressed her hands to her temples, ”just don't ruin the moment, all right? I have to get back to the tavern.”
”You're still going to dance in there?” he demanded.
”Yes, unless you don't want to court a gypsy dancer?”
”You know that means I'll have to sit there every night and make sure no one touches you.”
”Cris does a fine job of keeping the peace-or at least he did until tonight.”
”From now on, he's got help.”
”I'm not sure they'll allow you back in there. You did break a chair, not to mention Cris's nose. And you kicked a patron.”
”I'll talk to the owner. See if I can pay for the chair. As for the two fools who attacked me, I acted in self-defense and they'll get no apology from me.”
Sparrow shook her head and smiled. ”Why am I not surprised?”
”One thing before you go back there.”
”What?”
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