Unexpected Treasure: A High Seas Adventure (6 page)

When he had them around her waist, he wrapped one arm underneath her and lifted her up. She pressed against him and he let out groan of pleasure. He kicked open the door to his sleeping quarters and crossed the room in a few strides. Without breaking the kiss, he laid her down on bed, and she was pressed between him and the mattress.

She let out another whimper, a beautiful little sound, and wrapped her legs around his waist. He nearly lost his senses. Dimly, he was aware that he had never wanted a woman like this. He was consumed, unable to stop the pulsing need.

His hand ran over her legs, her pantaloons keeping him from touching her skin. With a frustrated grunt, he grabbed the fabric at its opening and ripped them down the thigh. His hand touched the soft skin of her inner leg and he throbbed with need. In response, Sarah rubbed against him, the movement urging his hand toward her most intimate area.

From the moment he had seen Sarah, he had known he wanted her. But this, this he had never imagined. That she would be so bold, so heated under his touch. He wanted more.

Rex’s hand came to the juncture between her legs. It was swollen and dripping wet. Trembling slightly, like a damned school boy, he lightly touched her. She bucked against him, moaning. “I didn’t know it would be like this,” she muttered against his lips.

“Neither did I,” he ground out. He eased his finger into her tight space and it clamped around him. He wanted more. In that moment, he would make any deal to get it.

She moved against his hand. Rex pulled his face away from hers, to look in her eyes. They were half closed, her lips parted and swollen. He could take her, she wouldn’t protest and he wanted this so much. Then again, he could try to get her to talk now.

He took several deep breaths to try and get his own need back under control. It took every ounce of strength he had to do it.

Rex’s thumb came to the nub of her desire, as his finger moved inside of her. “What is your full name, Lady Sarah?”

Her eyes flew open, her mouth uttering a protest when he brought his lips back down on hers.

His tongue danced with hers as his fingers glibly moved and she rocked against him. “I can’t tell you,” she moaned when he finally set her lips free.

With every ounce of strength he had, he started to pull his fingers away but she bucked to keep him inside of her. “Then I can’t―“

“Don’t stop.” She tightening around him. Her fingers digging into his scalp.

“I was supposed to save a girl before I went to sea. She was being mistreated by her uncle and I was to rescue her and then marry her.”

Sarah stilled underneath him. Her lips eased back, her eyes wide. His finger was still inside of her. “Her uncle is stealing from the crown. The Prince Regent intended to find the girl a powerful husband, powerful enough to protect her and punish the uncle. The bastard was about to do something terrible to his poor niece and I was to swoop in and rescue her before that could happen.”

Sarah’s eyes seemed to take up half her face and her skin had gone pale. “Then what?” she whispered.

He gave her a smile. “Prinny hoped that she would be so happy I rescued her that she would agree to become my wife. I am the second son and with this match, I would have a chance to be part of an estate. I would have a legacy to leave my children.”

“What happened?” she pulled his hair and bit her lip. It made him throb but he ignored it.

“Just as I was about to rescue her, she disappeared. I thought her uncle might have killed her. But when I started to investigate, Prinny sent me to capture One Eye. I thought he was angry with me for failing on my first mission, but somehow, here you are.”

She pushed at his chest and he slipped his finger out of her and allowed her the space she needed. Sarah scrambled into a sitting position and backed up against the headboard, fear etched on her face. “You’re lying to me. You’ve been sent by my uncle to bring me back―“ Her hand clamped over her mouth.

Rex gave her a long look. This had been his fear in telling her the truth. But they weren’t going to get anywhere if one of them didn’t start talking. “I am not lying to you and I am most certainly not working for your uncle. He will get caught and you will take your rightful place as countess.”

Sarah stared at him unblinking. When she didn’t utter a word, he spoke again, “If you don’t trust me, then trust yourself. From the fist moment you met me, you were not afraid. Doesn’t that tell you something?”

She shook her head. “You know what he was going to do to me?”

Rex grimaced. “I do.”

He reached his hand out to her and she took it. “It was awful.”

“Tell me,” he pulled her into his arms, wrapping her up on his lap. She snuggled into him.

“They touched me, squeezed…” She took a breath. “He wanted me to suffer, though I don’t know why.”

“How did you get away?” he asked.

“As the bidding started, a fight broke out. I was right next to the door. I slipped out.” Sarah’s voice cracked on the last word and she stopped to take a deep breath.

Rex nodded. As difficult as it was to hear, he wanted her to share all of it so he could take some of the burden for her.

“I was so sure any second I would be caught and punished for running away, the way I had the first time when I had gone to my father’s friend. But, when I reached the back hall, my old driver was there. He and my father’s housekeeper were attempting a rescue. They took me to a hotel near the docks, where I hid for three days until they could collect enough money to put me on the Anna Claire. They gave up their life savings to put me on that boat. I saw the sailors that worked for my uncle pass by my window every day. We could have all been caught. They risked so much to save me.

His lips brushed her temple. “If you hadn’t slipped out the door, I would have whisked you off. We might be married right now.”

She tipped her head back to look at him. Her wide blue eyes met his, her swollen lips curved in a smile. Her eyebrows arched up as she gave him an assessing look. It made him hungry for her all over again. “We could be married?”

He kissed her again. In his wild imaginings, he would never have believed that this beautiful angel could be his. The way she kissed, she might be the devil. She was tempting him beyond reason. Now that he had her in his arms, he was never letting go. “We could be, still.”

***

Sarah blinked. Was he proposing? Her hand reached up to touch the column of his neck where his skin was exposed. It centered her reeling mind. He knew who she was, what had happened to her. What was more, he claimed to be her rescuer. By all intents and purposes, he seemed to be telling the truth.

But when she had been at her family friend’s home, he had received a letter stamped with the Prince Regent’s seal claiming that he was to send her back to her father’s brother. Lord Macy had been quick to comply and her uncle had punished her with public humiliation for her crimes. That was how she had ended up at the gentlemen’s club.

“When?” she slid open a button of his shirt. When had she gotten so brazen? He was right, she had never been afraid of him. Well, perhaps just that first second. But something in her instinctually trusted him; and he seemed to bring out her braveness.

His lips captured hers in what started as a light kiss. But both were panting by the time he raised his lips. “Today,” he said between kisses.

“Should…” she got out before his lips came down on hers, “We…” another kiss, “Wait?” she finally managed to get out.

“It will be our wedding day anyway,” his husky voice rasped as he laid her back down on the bed.

Sarah smiled. Truth be told, she could hardly wait for him to finish what he had started. His hand slipped under her gown and she spread her legs further apart to allow him access. With a searing kiss, his hand travelled up her leg but when he reached her thigh, a knock sounded at the door.

Sarah snapped her legs closed and sat up, a blush climbing up her cheeks. A lady shouldn’t be behaving like this. As she scrambled to climb off the bed, Rex easily caught her and pulled her back onto his lap. “Ignore it, they will go away.”

“I have forgotten myself. I shouldn’t have allowed this.” She started to push away again but he trapped her against himself with his strong arms.

“I won’t allow you to escape so easily.” His lips found hers again and she sighed into them. The pounding at the door became more insistent.

“Sir, you are needed below deck,” a voice called.

“Go away,” Rex barked then captured Sarah’s lips again.

“It’s One Eye, Captain. He says he was sent for Miss Sarah. Says he has information. I thought you would want to know.” Sanders’ voice called from the other side of the door.

Sarah went very still in Rex’s arms. How did a pirate know her name?

UNEXPECTED TREASURE

CHAPTER SEVEN

Rex’s arms tightened
around her. “I need to go talk to him.”

Sarah nodded her agreement. “I’m coming too.” She bounced off of his lap and headed to the mirror, pulling pins out of her hair to redo it. She began using the shaving mirror on the wall to give her hair some semblance of order.

“I’m not sure that is a good idea.” Rex came to stand behind her. His hands gathered up her hair, running his fingers through it.

Sarah closed her eyes. Rex was going to distract her. The feel of his fingers in her hair sent a little shiver running down her spine. “Please, I’ve been so afraid. I need to do this. I need to know what is happening.”

He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “All right. But you must promise if One Eye is inappropriate you will let Sanders--”

“I will be fine. He can’t touch me, I am strong enough to withstand his words.”

Rex gave her a glowing smile in the mirror. “That’s my girl.”

She quirked an eyebrow at him. Was she really his girl?  “All of this time, you were really plotting to save me? Why would the Prince Regent go so far to protect me?”

He sighed. “I would like to tell you that he cares deeply about all his subjects. But the truth is, you’re estate is strategically placed for military and shipping operations. It can be used for the Crown, or in the case of your uncle, against it. Prinny would prefer the former.”

Sarah gasped. The pieces were falling into place. “But my father’s friend, Lord Mercer? He said that he received a message from the Prince Regent demanding that I be sent back to my uncle.”

Rex grimaced, seeming to think on it. “I’m not entirely certain. Either Lord Mercer is in league with your uncle, and lied to you about Prinny’s letter, or your uncle has acquired the Prince Regent’s seal and faked the note. But the Prince Regent did not send Lord Mercer a missive. He is actively working to rid you, and himself, of your uncle.”

“And One Eye?”

“Well, let’s find out.” He reached for hand and Sarah placed her hand in is much larger one. The fear she had been carrying melted away.

One Eye was being held deep in the hull of the ship. Sarah has somehow expected an actual jail but instead he was locked in a small room. It did have a tiny window with bars, so it felt a little like visiting a prisoner.

There was a sailor stationed just outside the door. “Captain,” he barked as Rex approached.

One Eye instantly appeared in the barred window. “You’ve brought company.” His unpatched eye devoured her.

Rex was still holding her hand and he gave it a squeeze. Despite the situation, Sarah straightened her shoulders.

“I am curious to know why you were targeting the Anna Marie. It was a small ship, barely worth your time.”

One Eye’s gaze swung from her to Rex, his eye now weary. “I got information for you, but it comes at a price.”

“I’m listening.”

“I know what happens to captured pirates, hanged or worse. I want my life.” One Eye grabbed the bars with his hands.

Rex cocked his head to one side. “You’ve stolen directly from the crown. I don’t know that I can make that promise.”

“He was going to give her to us. Said she looked like an angel. All we had to do was make her disappear.” One Eye looked her up and down once again, a leer on his face.