Hart's Desire (Pirates & Petticoats Book 1) (4 page)

“Beyond this garden is a small spring-fed pond, which takes up most of the meadow bottom to the east of the main house. There’s another much larger lake on the plantation a few miles southwest.”

Conal O'Brien stepped through the arbor.
 

Oh no!
She caught her breath sharply.

This wouldn’t work at all. There was no way to exit her hiding place without exposing that she’d been eavesdropping. Why would Captain Hart and Mr. O'Brien agree to do a favor to someone who’d been spying on them? Curse her terrible luck. Now, she’d have to wait until they left then run to catch them before they made it to the front door. Her stomach dropped. She wouldn’t be able to accomplish that without the possibility of being seen by her uncle.

She was doomed.

Daniel and Captain Hart soon followed Mr. O'Brien. Keelan retreated further into the scratchy bushes behind the sweet blossoming limbs of the cherry tree. She winced as several branches poked the back of her head, legs, and arms.
 

“This is Mrs. Grey's pride,” Daniel said, only a few yards away.

Conal stated his approval, “Tis carefully tended, for sure. Pleasin’ to the eye.”

Landon agreed. “Mrs. Grey has cause to be proud. The cherry blossoms are especially magnificent,” he added loudly, sounding closer than Daniel.

Her heart thumped against the walls of her chest. She crouched lower into the shadows of the shrubs next to the cherry tree. Captain Hart was dangerously close to her hiding place. She dared not take a single breath.

“Look at this,” Conal said. “The detail on this bench is as fine as any I have ever seen.”
 

He walked straight ahead to the bench and ran his large hand over the ornate ironwork. The fragrance of a rose bush apparently caught his attention and he stepped over to sniff the flowers. Reaching down, he plucked a blossom, lifted it to his nose, and inhaled. Keelan’s pulse pounded frantically. Although Conal stood several yards away, if he happened to glance to his left, he would discover her. Why hadn’t she tried to intercept them earlier instead of just standing here pondering it?

Captain Hart coughed.

Conal jumped then grinned. “After five months at sea, ‘tis a relief ta have somethin’ nicer ta smell than salt water and eighty unbathed seamen.”

“Come,” Daniel said, laughing. “I’ll take you inside to meet Mr. Grey and the commodore.”

The conversation continued after the men walked from the garden, but Keelan couldn’t hear it clearly.

Were they gone? After a moment, Keelan leaned forward to peek around the branches, but froze at a sharp, painful tug on her hair. Reaching behind her head, she sought the cause of the entrapment and discovered her hair wildly snared in the branches. Oh dear. This kind of delay was not what she needed now. With a groan, she tugged harder, but succeeded in freeing only a few meager strands.
 

“Damn!” She tucked her chin to her chest and groped for more tangled curls. This was a fine mess. If Aunt Sarah caught sight of her now, she'd drop in a dead faint.

“That’s an understandable expletive for a young girl posing as a boy, however, as a young girl masquerading as foliage, it’s a bit disconcerting.”

Keelan ceased her struggle, mortified. A shadow fell over the ground at her feet, followed by black riding boots, lightly dusted from the road. She raised her gaze over fine black breeches and tapered waist. Raising her gaze higher, it stuttered at a white linen shirt untied at the neck, before she took in the broad shoulders, a strong jaw, a small scar on the chin and a straight, but haughty aquiline nose. Captain Hart stood in front of her, his crystalline blue eyes glittering with amusement. This was going to be trouble.

 “You can come out now. I’m afraid you’ve been discovered.”

With his black hair wild about his shoulders, Keelan could easily picture Landon Hart with a brace of pistols and a scabbard, standing at the helm of a dark pirate ship. When his white teeth flashed in a brilliant smile, she stopped breathing altogether.
 

The first impression which streaked through her mind was that he was beautiful. His azure eyes took on a mischievous glint, making her wonder if he’d just read her mind.

“I would gladly come out, but my hair is caught,” she muttered, unnerved again by her body’s response to the man. “And I am not a mere girl. I’ll have you know, Captain, I’m nineteen.” She clenched her teeth and fought harder to yank her hair from the branches. Drat. She had the most abominable luck.

Captain Hart stepped closer. “Perhaps I can be of some assistance and free you from your bushy captor.” He gave her a lazy grin followed by a long appraisal from head to toe.

His nearness had an adverse effect on her lungs and she found it difficult to draw a breath. She sensed a rakish quality in the captain. As if he knew she was flustered by his proximity, he stepped even closer. She wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if he was terribly conceited and prone to more than a little deceit, as well.

“No.” She pulled again and a sharper pain shot across the back of her head. “I can do it, really, Captain Hart.” Why didn't he just leave her alone?

“Nonsense.” He gently grasped her wrists to pull them away from her hair.

He was too close.
 

The scent of him mingled with leather and fresh spring air, which combined for a heady mix of danger and calm.
 

Her pulse jumped wildly beneath his fingers, and she was terrified he could feel it too.

 
“Hmmm.” Leaning over her shoulder, he studied the tangled web of curls. “It would seem you have a dilemma, my sweet. There is a large amount of hair and several branches involved.” He reached for his dagger. “I can cut you free—”

“Wait!” she squeaked, horrified. “Can’t you cut the branches, instead?” She took a short breath. The desire to save her hair and the strong urge to flee warred with each other in her mind. The dangerous aura surrounding Landon Hart sent her nerves into a frenzied dance, and she hated that she couldn’t keep calm and act nonchalant.
 

“It’ll take a great deal of effort to both free you and keep these silken strands of copper and gold intact,” he said, eyebrows raised.

It nipped at her pride to do so, but it was obvious she needed to ask for his help. How would she ever explain away a cropped head of hair
and
a sliced finger? Uncle Jared was already suspicious of her tendency to rise before the sun, unlike his family, who usually slept through breakfast. One more incident would likely push him past the limit of his patience.

“Captain Hart, can you take a moment to make an attempt?” She nudged away her pride and mumbled, “Please.”

Landon sighed dramatically and touched his palm to his chest. “How can I possibly refuse such a distressed and heartfelt plea from such a comely maiden?”

Keelan expelled a breath of tentative relief. Perhaps he could be a gentleman after all.

“However,” he continued in a serious tone; his gaze flicked from her eyes to the tangles and back again. “As a tradesman, my time and labor always come at a price.”

Her premature sense of relief quickly chilled. This couldn't possibly end well.

“A price?” she said in a tone that should have coated the garden with frost. “And what price would that be?”
 

His expression remained stoic while he scratched his neck. “The lowest price on my books for freeing a young lady from a barbaric bush is…” His gaze dropped to her mouth. “A kiss.”

A what? He can’t possibly be serious, the arrogant…

Keelan opened her mouth to rebuff him. Remind him of his place. And hers. He dare not… Try as she would, she could not spur her tongue into motion. It was as if he’d just uttered a spell paralyzing her mouth as well as her limbs.
 

He raised his hand and ran the outside of his fingers along her jaw before cupping her face. He leaned forward and barely touched her lips, feather soft, tasting. The pressure of his kiss intensified. The touch of his mouth, soft and hard all at once, consumed her sense of time and space. A soft sound escaped from her throat and he deepened the kiss, parting her lips with his tongue and drawing a quick intake of breath from her. A tingling sensation swirled low in her belly and drew her closer to him until his body pressed against hers. A low growl vibrated in his chest and he plunged his fingers into her hair. Her strength ebbed, and she numbly feared her legs wouldn’t hold. After a long moment, he pulled away.

“You taste of sweet, maple syrup.” The side of his mouth quirked up, but his voice was
 
oddly hoarse.

Her lids fluttered open. She didn’t remember closing them. Feeling a mixture of bewilderment and shocked desire, she struggled to find her tongue.
 

“That…that…” Her hands were gripping his forearms and she quickly released him.
 

“Was delicious,” he finished for her with a quick grin. “Your lips drive a man mad with the desire for another taste.”

Keelan fought to regain her composure, which at best lay in tattered fragments at her bare feet. Her reaction to his kiss both surprised and angered her.
 

Stupid girl, letting a man like Captain Hart get you flustered as a spring bird.

“Captain, you have no sense of propriety,” she managed to say out loud. At least her tongue was working again.

“No,” he agreed. “But then, I never claimed I did. Now then—” He leaned forward again.
 

“Don’t you dare!” She narrowed her eyes, unsure she’d be able to keep her dignity if he kissed her again. Heaven knows she'd almost melted from the first one.

“You’ve paid my price. I’m honor-bound to fulfill my duties.” He chuckled and began untangling her hair from the branches.

“I doubt you understand the meaning of honor. You deserve to be slapped soundly,” she said. “No gentleman would take such liberties.” He certainly was no gentleman. Pointing out that fact would undoubtedly come as no surprise to the scoundrel. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise her if he was proud of it.

He paused. “Liberties? I seized no liberties, only fair payment for services soon rendered.”
 

“It gives me cause to wonder how many other ladies you have seduced into a kiss with your silver tongue and roguish charm,” she retorted.
 

“A gentleman never tells, my dear. Suffice it to say none were unwilling and not all were ladies.” He gave her a wink and lowered his voice to almost a whisper. “I doubt I was the only one who enjoyed our kiss, my sweet.”
 

“I am not your…augh!” Her cheeks grew warm. This arrogant merchant captain must be accustomed to women falling all over themselves for a chance to enjoy his charms. Did he see her as one of them? If he thought to place her in the same category, he'd a thing or two to learn about Keelan Grey. She just needed to pull a veil of nonchalance over her demeanor. Why was that so hard for her to do in front of this man? Damned if dragging her gaze from the deep blue eyes of Landon Hart almost demanded more strength than she could muster.
 

Hart changed the topic. “What’s a beautiful woman like you doing dressed as a street urchin and playing with blades?”

Keelan paused a moment before answering. Here was her opportunity to prevent the captain from mentioning the swordplay to her uncle. Perhaps she could still salvage the day.

“Daniel mentioned earlier that my father demanded I be trained to defend myself…” She fiddled with a small branch.
 

“It appears he’s been doing it very well,” Captain Hart said.
 

She could hear the smile in his voice. Perhaps this was a game for him, but to Daniel it was not. She wanted to shake him. Perhaps curling her hands into fists would prevent them from going for his neck. Take a breath. Speak calmly.

“Since it upsets my Aunt Sarah, my uncle has forbidden me to continue,” she went on, pretending he hadn’t spoken.

He laughed softly. Now
that
was a dangerous sound.

“Ah, so I see. The prohibited exercises continue in
secret
now,” he said.

She nodded and studied the branch’s leaves. It seemed safer than looking directly into his eyes again. Might as well just say it. Taking a deep breath she plunged ahead. “Captain Hart, I would sincerely appreciate it if you would keep the knowledge to yourself. For Daniel’s sake,” she added quickly.
 

“For Daniel’s sake?”

She nodded. “My uncle will have him disciplined severely if he finds out we defied his orders.” She held her breath and awaited his answer.

“But what about
your
sake?” he said, eyebrows raised.

“I can deal with any repercussions which affect only me,” she replied, clenching her jaw. He didn’t understand her plea. This wasn’t about her, it was about protecting Daniel. “I don’t want Daniel in trouble with my uncle.”

Hart glanced up and appeared to ponder her request.

What a truly arrogant, conceited, horse’s ass.
 

She had to bite her lower lip to prevent herself from saying it out loud.

After a couple more moments of torture, Hart smiled. “Of course. Your secret is safe with me,” he said.
 

Her quiet sigh of relief was short-lived, however, as he continued to smile broadly. She now noticed he had a slight dimple in his left cheek, which was distracting.

“My terms for keeping a lady’s charade a secret…are…”

“You wouldn’t!” she whispered. Would he? Another one of Captain Hart’s kisses would surely be her undoing.
 

Worse, what if another kiss wasn’t enough to buy his silence? What if he wanted more? A strange thrill rippled up her spine and she fought to squelch it. She’d not jeopardize her future any more than she already had. They were lucky no one had seen them. Her family would spare no time dragging Hart before a man of the cloth at gunpoint and forcing him to take her as his bride.
 

She’d become the lonely wife of a man who was, in truth, married to the sea. She could not let that happen.