Treasured (6 page)

Her sex fisted as she flashed over into sudden orgasm. “
James
.”

Again and again, she contracted tight. Still it left her aching, wanting.

Before she came down from the wild rush, he pushed a pearl into her anus. Utter shock made her body shudder. “Wha—”

“You wanted more, did you not?” Another pearl entered her ass. Then another.

“
Yes
.”

Then he worked the other end of the pearl rope into her backside. She felt them move against the other pearls and press against the walls of her channel. The strands still rubbed her breasts and pussy. Oh, God, the man was creative. And naughty. She moaned low, long, and deep in her throat.

She gasped when he shoved her away from him, the lack of his heat and the shift of the rounded gems inside her a sudden shock. He rolled her over and she arched her back, which pressed the pearls tighter within her, made her even more aware of their presence.

With his arms braced on either side of her hips, he thrust his long cock inside her. Hard and fast. She sobbed, twisting under the lash of sensation. “James! Oh, God.
James
.”

His fingers dug into her ass cheeks to pull them as far apart as possible. The stretch was amazing.

“Is this too painful?” His harsh breathing made the words rough, urgent. But he paused his movements and waited for her to decide if he’d gone too far, pushed too hard. She shuddered, and he shuddered with her.

Yes
. “No.” The sensations were too much. She wanted more. The pain was too great. She wanted more. More, more, more.

He pulled back and thrust back in. Not gentle. But she didn’t want him to be. The pearls moved over her clit and along the lips of her sex. They also rolled against his cock every time he thrust into her. All of that combined with the way they felt in her ass, filling her. Blood pounded in her veins, rushing so hot and fast she might burst into flames.

She was so full it was exquisite agony. A scream tore from her throat, and she curled her fingers into claws, scraping them down his back. He quivered and she knew he liked it, that sharp little prick of pain with his pleasure. She closed her eyes and smiled, her hips moving. His pelvis slammed into her, his cock riding deep inside her. The pearls stretched her anus to the point that she could feel his cock through the thin wall of flesh separating her two channels. She clamped her inner muscles down on him, increasing the friction. They moaned together.

“I can feel them,” he whispered.

“Me, too.” She chuckled and lifted her hips with his next thrust, clenching on his plunging cock. Sweat beaded on their bodies, glued them together everywhere they touched. She ran her fingertips down the muscles that bunched in his strong back. They flexed with each of his thrusts.

“Rebecca.” He groaned and she loved that she could push him, that he wasn’t all control all the time. Yes. The powerful rush of it made her sex contract. He bent forward and bit her shoulder. Hard.

That was all it took to shove her high, up and over the edge of orgasm. She cried out, her back arching and pussy fisting on the length of his cock.

He slammed his mouth over hers and caught the sound of her screams. His tongue pushed past her lips and she met his hard kiss. She tasted the coppery metallic tang of blood, but she didn’t know if it was his or hers. She bit him, letting the kiss go wild. His fingers dug into her hips as he rode her into the mattress. His hips pounded forward. One, two, three slapping thrusts and he shuddered over her, in her. His come filled her in a hot rush and her pussy clamped down on him again to milk his dick. They both groaned.

Dropping his forehead onto her shoulder, he panted. The muscles in his arms shook as he tried to hold himself up to keep from crushing her. Their breathing steadied slowly, the sweat cooling on their bodies. She shivered as he pulled out of her, and the pearls shifted deep inside her.

He gently pulled the strands from her anus. One at a time. He went slow. Excruciating. Exquisite. She bit her lip to stop from moaning at the feel of it. He tugged the pearls from around her neck and let them fall to the floor beside the bed.

He bent and sucked her nipple deep in his mouth, nipping at the tight tip. Her fingers lifted to fist in his long black hair. It had come free of the leather thong that usually held it back and the thick strands were soft against her palms.

“I do love those pearls on you. They bring out your…color.”

She felt a rush of blood heat her cheeks. “
James
.”

He just laughed down at her, and her heart tripped at the sight. His smile made his handsome face gorgeous, perfect. His white teeth flashed against his bronze skin, and his striking pale blue eyes danced with mirth. They even crinkled at the sides.

“You should laugh more often.” Where had that come from? Regret sliced through her when the smile slid off his face.

“There’s not much to laugh about.”

“Life is ridiculous sometimes. That’s worth laughing at. I don’t know.” She glanced away, feeling foolish for saying anything. What was she thinking telling a man who lived through a war only to be literally
branded
a pirate that he should look on the bright side? She shifted on the mattress, rolling onto her side to face away from him. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. I just…like it when you laugh.”

“Mmmm…” He made a non-committal sound in the back of his throat and brushed a light kiss on her shoulder. His big body curled around hers, enveloping her in his heat. She sighed and closed her eyes, snuggling back into him. It felt so good just to lie with him. Too good. Her eyes opened again. She should examine that thought, analyze it like she usually did. But she couldn’t. Her mind went hazy and soft when he stroked her body from shoulder to hip. Soothing. Sweet. Perfect.

Exhaustion washed over her. She couldn’t fight it, and her eyes slid closed. A pang hit her chest. When she woke up, she would be back at the museum with nothing but a painting to remind her of her amazing time with him.

Chapter 3

Almost a fortnight had passed since she’d saved him from being stabbed in the back. In that time she’d showed more passion than he’d ever seen in her. He scanned the horizon with his spyglass and saw nothing but clear blue sky meeting clear blue water. Excellent. He frowned, turning the glass to watch Rebecca spar with Willy.

“Enjoyin’ the view, Cap’n?” Boyd’s voice came out flat and even, but James felt the back of his neck heat just the same.

Damn. Caught staring at a woman like a foolish boy after his first bit of skirt. And she was his
wife
. He lowered the spyglass and met Boyd’s smirk with a glare. Boyd cleared his throat and focused on his duties at the helm. The sun beat down on them, and James swiped the back of his hand across his forehead. They weren’t enjoying much of a breeze today, but Boyd’s experience in these waters kept
The Dark Fortune
moving in the right direction. James’s gaze snagged on his wife again.

She confounded him. Nothing about her made sense at all. She’d become almost a different woman overnight. As a pirate, he wasn’t a man to give trust lightly. Ever. It had kept him and his men alive on more than one occasion. He’d expected Rebecca to be the harpy she’d always been—her tongue only sharpening with the passage of time. And he’d been correct for the first weeks she’d been on board. But now…now was a different tale. He found himself seeking her out during the day, turning to her to ask an opinion, reaching for her at night so often he was amazed either of them still walked upright. She responded to him every time, no matter what he did or how dark his desires were. He shuddered as he recalled the sweet heat of her wrapped tight around his thrusting cock. Sweat broke out on his brow for a different reason. His cock hardened at the mere thought of having her. It had never been this way between them. If he were honest with himself, it had never been this way with
any
woman. Except her. Rebecca. His wife.

His plan to push her into giving up her little charade had come crashing down around his ears. He craved her in a way he’d never craved a woman before. He shook his head. It was temporary. It had to be. He had no time for a wife, and his profession didn’t make it possible to have a wife nearby. His cock throbbed at the mere thought of having her within easy reach forever.

No
.

He’d become a pirate to protect his men, to keep them together. It was a fool’s fancy to think a woman like Rebecca could remain on board. What would happen if they were boarded in the middle of the night? His gut clenched. A part of him was amazed he felt…
concerned
for her. He would have happily fed her to the sharks but weeks ago. Now the thought of even a small bruise on the woman turned his stomach. Unless, of course, he’d been the one to bruise her. Bloody hell.

She’d done it. She had gotten precisely what she wanted from him. He was putty in her hands. His eyes narrowed on her. Had she played him so easily? Was he so transparent that she could sense the perfect woman for him? How could he trust that this new Rebecca would remain? He couldn’t. A band tightened around his chest as the realization came to him. He couldn’t trust her. Couldn’t trust what she’d become so quickly, so seamlessly. A plantation mistress couldn’t be as content on board a pirate ship as Rebecca now seemed.

Willy tumbled across the deck as Rebecca divested him of his sword. She knelt beside the boy to be certain he was unharmed, but she let him regain his feet on his own. He grunted in approval. Good. She let the boy keep his pride.

As though she sensed his thoughts, she turned to him and met his gaze. Her brown eyes warmed and a sweet smile curled her full lips. God, she was lovely. She wasn’t beautiful or stunning. Her allure was more subtle than that, more intriguing. She warranted a second glance, and then a third. Her hair flowed down her back like liquid silk, but she’d taken to leaving it in a long plait in the last fortnight. He liked that. He liked watching her take it down at night, or during the day if he didn’t wish to wait to have her. The band around his chest tightened. She was everything he wanted, and it was all a lie. It had to be. No woman was so perfectly fashioned for him, and that was the damnable truth of it all. He
knew
this woman.

She took a step towards him, but he turned away to present her with his back. No. He wasn’t in control of himself here. He needed to decide how to respond to her. His body wanted what his mind knew was a trap. The bait was too sweet.

“Is something wrong, James?”

Her arms closed around his waist from behind, and his cock twitched at the light contact. He wanted her naked on her knees before him, begging to be allowed to suck him. Or her bottom over his lap, warm and rosy under his palm. Or her curves bared and arched across his bed, bound and waiting for what he would do to her, hunger bright in her dark eyes as she gazed at him. And he could do anything he wanted and she couldn’t stop him, would beg him for more. Another shudder wracked his body.

God, he wasn’t strong enough to resist her now. He’d leave her on Barbados as planned, but for now…while he had her, he would enjoy her. He ignored the roiling in his gut at the thought of depositing her on his plantation and sailing away. He’d made difficult decisions before and lived with the consequences. This was what she wanted, what was best for her. For now, she was here and his for the taking. That decision made, he turned in her embrace. Her left sleeve was sliced from shoulder to elbow, leaving her arm bared.

He cocked an eyebrow. “Willy caught you here.”

“I let him.” Her eyes twinkled up at him, her full lips stretching into a wide smile.

“We’ll be in Port Royal tomorrow. You can test your land legs again.” Reaching into the cut in her shirt—
his
shirt—he stroked his fingers down her arm.

Her eyes shuttered for a moment, and she glanced away. She cleared her throat. “Where were we last?”

He frowned. The occasional lapses of memory had seemed odd of late, and now the differences between the woman he’d married and the one in his arms sharpened. It began two weeks ago, he could mark the day. He tensed for a moment, then forced himself to relax. He’d already made his decision. There was no use dwelling upon it. He brushed at the wisps of hair that had escaped her braid. “Havana. And before that
The Fortune
retrieved you from the Tidewaters. Hampton Roads.”

Hampton Roads. The Tidewater region of Virginia. Becca had grown up there too, and the museum she interned at was there. James’s wife had far too much in common with her. She shivered.

“Are you certain you’re well?” A grin quirked James’s lips, and his gaze heated with familiar passion.

“I don’t know. Perhaps I should lie down.”

“Well, I’ll make sure you get to your bed safely.”

Excitement hummed through her body. The rough fabric of her shirt scraped over her nipples when she dragged in a deep breath. Lifting her palms to rest against his chest, she stroked her fingertips over his shirt. Exploring the hard wall of muscle beneath the cloth, she flicked her nails over his flat nipples. He jerked, and his big hands dropped to cup her ass. She swallowed hard, but met his gaze and let her desire for him show on her face. A muscle in his jaw ticked and he got the intense look in his eyes that promised hot, wild sex. His thick cock rode against her lower belly. Her pussy flashed hot, moisture flooding her core. She leaned into him, pressing her breasts to his chest. His arms crushed her to him, and his thigh pressed between hers.

A low whistle echoed up from one of the men on the main deck. Becca wrinkled her nose, but didn’t pull away. James dipped forward and brushed his mouth over hers, coaxing, sweet. Chills shivered over her skin and heat followed in its wake.

“Sails! Captain Morrow, sails to port!” A cry rose from the crow’s nest.

They groaned and broke apart. Boyd handed James a telescope and he lifted it to his eye to pinpoint the ship on the horizon. He stopped moving and every muscle in his body went rigid.

“What’s wrong?” She lifted her hand to shield her eyes, but she couldn’t see more than a tiny dark speck on the horizon. “James?”