Part 25 (2/2)
”But that was before the battle!” she interrupted.
”Aye.” He looked down at her. ” Twas your conviction, in every word you spoke, that set me to wondering. I found myself making sense of your logic, and I admit, la.s.s, 'twas unnerving to say the least. Yet with the dates you quoted, 'twas all far too accurate for any man to ignore.” He smiled into her smug face, fingering a raven lock, then absently bringing it to his nose and inhaling the scent of spiced flowers. ”You've a way about you, la.s.s, openly defiant. Even Ram noticed.” The brief darkening of his features said he didn't care for that observation. ”Coupled with your extraordinary physical abilities and that political discussion with my men - ” He paused. ”You know what is to come, that we will tax ourselves.” She nodded. ”And the Naval Forces?”
”In a few years,” she answered.
He was thoughtful for a few seconds, then suddenly grinned. ”We would have begun this discussion last eve, but you very rudely nodded off when I was about to question you further.”
She snuggled cozily. ”I'm sorry I did now.”
He held her gaze, his expression regretful. ”I confess I thought you insane, Tess. I did not want to believe 'twas possible and tried to find a reason for your peculiar behavior.”
”It's okay. I considered all this,” she waved absently at the cabin, ”and you, an eccentric on a fan- 264.
tasy pleasure cruise. So it took me a while to believe it, too. But why didn't you just write me off as some escapee from the loony bin?”
He chuckled at her choice of words. ”Because you, sweet witch-” he tapped her nose ” - are not a woman any man with but an ounce of feeling can ignore.” Compliments embarra.s.s her, he thought, enjoying her flus.h.i.+ng cheeks. She wore her desire like a sensual cloak over her body, and since she'd risen from the bed, he'd tried to ignore it. The woman has naught but to turn those smoke gray eyes on me and I am charred to cinders, he realized, s.h.i.+fting her on his lap and lowering his head. His lips brushed hers, and she moaned his name, leaping up to meet him. To h.e.l.l with it, he decided, giving up his meager battle. Her hands slid around his neck, and she blossomed beneath him, letting him taste her happiness.
Tongues dueled softly, and Tess leaned back, making him chase her. She laughed, deep and throaty, and he lifted a brow, accepting the challenge. Abruptly he drew her legs over the arms of the chair, imprisoning her in the circle of his embrace as he feasted on her mouth, his fingers loosening the ties to the robe. She curled toward him as his hand prowled beneath the velvet, stroking her bare ribs, then moving forward to smooth over her breast. Her skin was so soft. His thumb brushed her nipple, feeling it plump and harden beneath his touch. Gently he ma.s.saged, rotating her breast, and she whimpered against his lips, her fingers plowing into his hair, her body eager and warm for more. He separated the robe and pulled her tighter against him, enjoying the pleasure of her soft bosom pressed to his bare chest.
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She purred in his arms, panting his name into his ear as she licked and nibbled his lobe. A blast of fire ava-lanched down his body. His hand drifted to the deep curve of her waist; over her hip and down the smooth, pale thigh. He heard her breath catch and held her gaze as a callused hand slid between her legs, her look of antic.i.p.ation making him breathless.
A knock sounded.
”Go away!” they both shouted, the moment frozen, and footsteps rapidly retreated. Tess bubbled with quiet laughter as Dane cursed viciously, s.h.i.+fting uncomfortably beneath her.
Pa.s.sion cooled by the interruption, she sighed, dropping her legs from the arm of the chair and adjusting the robe. ”For once, I'd like to be with you without the entire s.h.i.+p knowing,” she muttered as she sat upright.
Her words sent a sharp thrill spearing into his chest. The confession was so matter-of-fact, Dane didn't dare question the depth of it, but 'twas a confession just the same. He suddenly needed to hear more of them.
She glanced meaningfully at the bag sitting on the desk. ”Sure you're ready for this?”
Dane closed his eyes briefly and nodded.
Tess left his lap and perched herself on the edge of the desk. Tossing her hair back over her shoulder, she unzipped the bag. The sound made Dane flinch, and he reached out to examine the sack more closely, moving the slide back and forth.
”Ingenious,” he whispered, then, satisfied with his perusal, sat back to allow her to continue. An odd sensation swept rapidly down his back as she over- 266.
turned the bag on his desk. Quickly she started stuffing garments back inside.
”Wait,” he said, lifting a small odd-shaped sc.r.a.p. He held it by the silk ribbons, turning it this way and that, then lifted his puzzled gaze to Tess.
”It's a bra,” she explained, s.n.a.t.c.hing it up and placing it against her chest.
His brows rose, then a devilish smile grazed his lips. ” Tis a garment I would like to see properly worn,” he commented, watching her blush.
”In your dreams, pirate,” she teased, dropping it into the bag, then handed him her wallet. ”My identification,” she said, and at his frown, told him that everyone carried something like it in her time. ”It gets you in places, proves who you are. That's a driver's license,” she added when he slipped the plastic-coated card free, deciding not to go into the subject of cars just yet.
Dane rubbed his fingertip over the likeness of her, marveling at the clarity. 'Twas amazing, he thought, as she explained the way to capture the images on paper through something called a camera. Then to his astonishment, she showed him ones of her parents and friends.
”Who is this?” he said curtly, gesturing to the photo of a blond young man.
”Just an old college friend,” she replied, her eyes twinkling at the spark of jealousy. He tossed the photo aside, then fished in his pocket.
”Have you more like this?” he asked, holding out the silver coin. Her eyes widened, then narrowed sharply.
”So-you believed me before-!” She made a wild 267.
grab for the quarter, but his hand jerked back out of her reach, her angry momentum causing her to slip off the desk. He stood, his arm shooting out to catch her and pull her flush against him.
”Aye, Tess.” He cupped the curve of her jaw with a warm palm, his eyes intense, penetrating. ”I swear by the blood of my sister, la.s.s, I have always known you had come to me by a sweep of G.o.d's hand.”
Tess was still. ”Please don't lie to me about this, Dane.”
Silver gray eyes begged for the truth. She looked so vulnerable, so fragile, and Dane understood how much it meant to her that he had believed before he'd seen the proof. ”Never, love. She softened against him in a way that drove him wild.
”Thank you,” she whispered, closing her eyes, her hand covering the one that held her jaw. The coin must have been the clincher, she thought, then looked up. ”That's a fourth of a dollar,” she told him, giving him a quick, hard kiss, then hopping back onto the desk.
He shook his head as he took his seat, constantly amazed at her resilience.
Tess opened the change purse to her wallet and dumped the contents on the desk, letting him investigate at his leisure, answering his questions about the coinage, its value. He chuckled secretly to himself when he viewed the face of Thomas Jefferson on a nickel, then tossed it aside, but went still as granite when she slipped a dollar bill out. Dane gaped at the likeness of his president.
”The father of our country,” she said, watching him carefully.
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He would be most pleased at that, Dane thought, looking over the paper currency embellished with future presidents. Later he would discuss them with her and why they were honored on scrip.
Her wallet in a pile of money, ID's, and old receipts, Tess simply folded her arms and watched. He scrutinized each item, opening travel-sized bottles of shampoo, conditioner, deodorant; sniffing; reading the labels; and she had to stop him when he went to taste the cherry-scented shampoo. He relaxed back into the chair with the travel brochure, his brows furrowed tightly as he studied the miniature map. He opened another fold, then lifted wide eyes to her, straightening.
”This woman is naked!” He shook the pamphlet in her face.
The corner of her mouth quirked. ”Not quite. She has on a swimsuit. What one wears to frolic in the water,” she defined dryly. G.o.d, he looked ready to pop. ”A bikini,” she added without mercy.
”Ah, Tess, you -ah, you - ” He swallowed, unable to ask for fear of the answer.
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