Kimberly Nee - The McKenzie Brothers (8 page)

He went still against her, his breath short and ragged. Her eyes closed at the amazing wonder of him so full inside her. Still, it seemed there should be something…
more
to making love than sharp pain and that fullness. Shouldn’t there?

“Drew?” she whispered.

He lifted his head, gazing at her with smoked amber eyes. “Yes?”

“Is that it?”

He smiled. “Hardly, love.”

With that, he began thrusting with almost lazy strokes. Pleasure — the most delicious pleasure she’d ever felt — built, swirling about, eddying until her head spun with the pure sweetness of it.

That ache deep within her grew, tightened, as he moved inside her. The tingles swelled up, bursting to shoot through her with all the heat of the sun on a summer day.

As he lowered himself against her, she swept her lips along his neck, over his shoulder. She sought out, and found, the sensitive spots on his body, discovering what places brought forth a sigh, a shiver, and what made him thrust harder into her.

It felt so wonderful, those driving thrusts, each one so different from the last. When she gently flicked her tongue over his nipple, he responded with a deep growl and another hard thrust. He increased his pace, gathering her close as he drove to her depths with a passion that left her head spinning and her body fighting for air.

Then it happened. A wave of fiery sensation blooming, taking on a life of its own as it crested and then broke to spiral flood her body with wave after wave of incredible, sweet pleasure. Her back arched, instinct taking over and her hips rising sharply in time to meet him. it was amazing, that explosion he created deep inside her, rendering her senseless with the glorious flash of her first climax.

He caught her lips in a deep kiss, swallowing her cry of delight as she erupted all around him. She wrapped herself around him, her legs grasping him and holding him as close as possible.

Drew arched into her with one last, powerful thrust. His body shuddered. His voice harsh as he groaned, “Oh, God…oh, God…”

Tears pricked her eyes as he sank into her. She threaded her fingers through his hair, feeling as though she’d just discovered something rare and wonderful, as if she’d just given Drew a gift. A very special part of herself. She sniffed, and he lifted his head.

His eyes were tender as he whispered, “Are you crying?”

Another sniff. “No.”

He leaned close to kiss her cheek, murmuring. “Try again, love. Did I hurt you?”

“No — well — a bit…At first, perhaps.”

“Then why are you crying?”

“I don’t know.”

He shifted to lie beside her, gathering her in his arms. “You are all right otherwise?”

The fullness inside her disappeared, but she felt wonderful just the same. Her tears were not those of sadness, she wanted to tell him. But she could think of no way to say what she was feeling without sounding silly. She gazed up at him. “I am fine, Drew. Really.”

His fingers trailed lightly up and down her arm, brushing the outer curve of her breast. He then pulled her against him, rolling to pin her beneath him once more.

She didn’t resist as his lips claimed hers. Instead, she surrendered fully, feeling no fear as she let him lead her down the path of sinfully sensual delight once more.

Chapter Twelve

The next morning when Heather awoke, she was alone. She yawned and stretched, smiling as her eyes fell on the blue negligee. It was on the floor beside the bed, where it landed when Drew whisked it from her body the night before.

She pulled the sheet up to her chin, snuggling into it as she thought about what had happened the previous evening. She felt like a new person, as if she had been reborn. She also felt a bit odd, not at all certain she’d be able to look Drew in the eye after the passion that raged between them. She’d never see him the same way again. Not after sharing the most beautiful night of her life with him.

But would he look at her differently now? Would everything change now that she was no longer a mystery? She hoped not. She wanted to share her sense of awe with him, her sense of being a part of something so much greater than herself.

But then she remembered. This was not something new for him. He was no stranger to a woman’s bed or the pleasures to be found there. A slight pall settled over her, sapping some of the happiness she’d been feeling. The thought of sharing him in that way did not sit well with her. She didn’t want to think of the others he’d known before her.

The cabin was chilly, so she tugged the sheet with her as she rose from the bed, wrapping it about her. She moved around to her trunk, where she dropped the sheet and donned a clean chemise and the first gown she could find — a soft muslin in robin’s egg blue.

“I really must thank Drew for insisting I return to Madam Cartwright’s that second time,” she mused, draping the wrinkled sheet over her arm.

As she approached the bed, her eyes fell to a dark splotch on the bottom sheet. Frowning, she leaned closer, her stomach lurching when she realized it was blood. Her blood. The proof of her innocence.

“Oh, my,” she whispered as she realized exactly what she had done, what had happened between them. Her knees wobbled as the enormity of that one event seeped into her. Most of her life, she knew that her virginity was integral to her ever making a successful marriage — or
any
marriage for that matter. She was ruined now, would forever be relegated to the status of mistress, should she return to London.

She pushed the thought from her mind as she tossed the top sheet onto the bed, covering the streaks. Hiding them didn’t help. She crossed that bridge and there was no returning to the other side. Still, she didn’t regret it. Not one bit.

“Ah, you’re awake.”

She spun about to see Drew standing in the doorway. As she’d suspected would happen, heat flooded her face and she had a most difficult time making eye contact with him as she remembered the feel of his hands on her body, the way his lips caressed hers, the feel of his —

A sudden shyness surged through her as she tried to force those thoughts from her mind. She stared at the floor. “Yes. I’m awake.”

He closed the door behind him as he stepped into the cabin. “Feeling a bit odd this morning, love?”

“How did you guess?”

“Just a hunch.” He took another step toward her. “Heather, if you just look at me, that awkwardness just might go away. I haven’t grown another head or a third eye, you realize.”

He was trying to put her at ease, but she wasn’t quite so sure she’d be able to meet his gaze. Doing so took some effort, but she managed to lift her head, to meet his amused look.

He cocked his head slightly. “Well? Do I still look the same as I did yesterday?”

She couldn’t help but laugh. He was the same as he’d been the day before. He was still charming, still handsome. It was she who had changed, not him.

“Still feeling shy, are you?” he asked, his voice playful.

“Perhaps a bit.”

“There’s no reason to feel that way. Understandable, perhaps, but unnecessary.” He closed the gap between them, reaching out to lift a wayward curl from her shoulder, his eyes still holding hers. “Are you hungry?”

Food had been the furthest thing from her mind until he mentioned it. Then her stomach rumbled, loudly enough for him to hear as well.

He grinned. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

“I’m afraid I’ve been caught.” she said with a smile.

“So I hear. Well, I’ve already taken the liberty of asking Nick to bring us breakfast.”

“You mean, you’ve not eaten yet? How long have you been awake?”

“I’m usually up with the sun, even when I deserve to sleep in.” He winked. “As for not eating, I thought I’d make the sacrifice and share your morning meal with you, especially since you woke up alone this morning.” He released the curl to touch her face lightly, murmuring, “You should not have been alone this morning, love.”

She shook her head. “It was not a problem. I did not expect you to be here. You’ve a ship to captain.”

“A twenty-four hour a day job, I’m afraid,” he sighed, combing his fingers through his hair. “Makes me look forward to returning to Brunswick. I deserve a long rest.”

“Have you a house there?”

“Not yet. Over the last few years, I’ve spent more time on this ship than I have on land. I sail here, France, the West Indies. I’m back and forth so often that it makes no sense to keep a house of my own. I stay at Stonebridge when I’m in Brunswick. Of course, I may not be so welcome there when I show my face.”

Because of her, no doubt. Somehow, she didn’t think they would be overjoyed to learn their son bought a woman. She pressed her lips together, looking over his shoulder at the opened window. “Really now?”

Drew reached for her hand. “It has nothing to do with you, Heather. It has nothing to do with you at all.”

Her raised brows told him otherwise. “How can that be?”

“Because, I had a life before you came along,” he replied gently. “This concerns something that happened before I left America, and has absolutely nothing to do with you.”

Heather cleared her throat. “I am well aware of the fact that you did not come into being ten minutes before you walked through that door at Mr. Coal’s,” she replied crisply, turning to give him her back.

The feathers in the tick made a soft crushing noise as he shifted, and she started when his hand came to rest on her shoulder. His thumb brushed along where her neck curved into her shoulder. It was barely a touch, but was enough to ease her tension.

“Heather, I left New Jersey almost a year ago and have had no contact with my family since leaving. When Adam appeared in London that last week, it was the first time I’ve spoken to anyone associated with the McKenzie family.”

“You mean to tell me that you ran away from home?”

“In a manner of speaking, I suppose.” Drew clasped his hands, letting them dangle between his knees as he said, “There was a woman — ”

Heather’s ears pricked up, her stomach tightening as she peered at him over her shoulder. “You don’t have to tell me this.”

“Yes, I do. Now, be quiet and listen. I’ll keep it short and sweet. I was to be married, it didn’t come to pass, and I left to sort a few things out. I didn’t want any of the distractions that come with being surrounded by family. I wanted the time solely to myself, with no interruptions.”

Drew had been betrothed at one point? Heather felt the same pang she felt earlier, when she thought of the beds he’d probably shared. Thinking he’d been in love with another woman made her uncomfortable. What if he still carried a flame for her?

Where had
that
come from? She blinked the thought away, asking, “Have you such a large family that you needed to run all the way across the ocean?”

“An older brother and two younger sisters.”

“That must be nice. I’ve always wanted a sister.”

He grinned. “Spoken like a woman who was an only child. Trust me, there are times when I wish I were in your shoes. A large family is nice, but it doesn’t leave a body much privacy.”

“What happened?”

“I spent the last year in Europe.”

“No.” She shook her head, forcing herself to speak the words clanging about inside it. “What happened with the woman you were going to marry?”

He reached both arms straight up overhead, left hand clasped about his right wrist, and arched his back to stretch. “Let’s simply leave it at not working out, shall we? Now — ” He slapped his palms against his thighs. “I hope you’re hungry. Nick should be here soon with breakfast.”

She wanted to ask him again, but the glint in his eye warned her not to press the issue. Did that mean he
did
still carry a flame for this nameless, faceless woman? Her front teeth bit into her lip as she pressed them together. She didn’t know who this woman was, but Heather didn’t like her very much. With that, there came a sharp rap at the door.

“Captain McKenzie?” A deep voice floated through the oak door. “Breakfast, sir.”

“Ah, perfect timing,” Drew said, rising to his feet and crossing over to the door. He pulled it open and smiled down at Nick. “Just put it on the table.”

Nick nodded. “Aye, Captain. Fetch you anything else?”

“That will do for now, Nick.”

“Aye, then.” Nick turned to Heather, his serious dark eyes warm and friendly. “A good day to you, Miss Morgan.”

She was surprised he knew her name, but then remembered Drew’s announcement before the crew. By now, everyone must have known who she was. Still, it came as a relief to see one man who didn’t look at her with either disdain or interest.

“A good day to you.” She bobbed her head at him.

Drew scowled and cleared his throat. “That will be all, Nick.”

Nick’s swarthy cheeks flushed as he said, “Of course, Captain,” and hurried to the door.

Why on earth was Drew scowling at Nick? It was as if he disapproved of Nick’s friendliness toward her. As if he was jealous. But that was silly, wasn’t it? What cause did he have to be jealous over a bit of friendliness?

She went to the table, where Nick placed the tray. Breakfast on board a ship wasn’t quite what she was used to — eggs and bacon and a pot of rich-smelling coffee. That was all.

She frowned. Coffee, not tea. And neither cream nor sugar to make any coffee sweeter. How the deuce was she to get something so bitter down?

“Is something wrong?”

If Drew had been angry, it was gone now, replaced by concern as he joined her at the table.

Forcing a smile to her lips, she shook her head. “No. everything is fine. Shall we?”

“Of course.” He pulled out her chair. “After breakfast, I’ll give you the grand tour.”

When they’d finished eating, Drew said, “Would you care to see the ocean?”

She twisted toward the small window at the rear of the cabin, but saw only sky in the distance. “You mean to say we have left land behind completely?”

“We have. We are now out beyond the Channel and into the open sea.” He took in the thin muslin gown she wore and added, “You might wish to don a wrap. The winds blowing in are quite brisk.”

After selecting a light shawl to toss over her shoulders, she slipped her arm through his and they left the cabin.

Topside, the sun was brilliant, bouncing off the surface of the waves and making them sparkle like gems. Heather had to shield her eyes from the glare as she caught her first glimpse of the massive Atlantic Ocean.

How unsettling, seeing only mile after mile of water. No birds. No land masses. Nothing but the foamy whitecaps of cresting waves. She couldn’t even see a hint of another ship. The
Triton
was the only dry place on Earth and her crew the only people left.

She turned to Drew, only to find him gazing out over the water with a faraway look in his eyes. The wind ruffled his hair, tumbling a wayward lock over his forehead. He had shed his London attire for more comfortable clothes, dressed in black trousers and white cambric shirt, cuffs opened and rolled back to just below his elbows. He’d gone from being the proper gentleman to the dashing sea captain as easily as he’d changed his clothes.

He stood beside her at the quarterdeck railing, hands braced against the gleaming wood as he studied the water, apparently lost in his thoughts. She wondered if he was thinking about his former fiancée, and wished he’d never mentioned having one. Still, a broken engagement explained why he was at Coal’s. Most likely to put the woman he’d lost from his mind.