Loving Sarah (11 page)

“Maybe you should not have left the comforts of home in search of a non-adventure.” His gaze still watched as her foot rubbed along the length of his thigh.

At first, the look on his face was daring her to touch him. Now she was afraid if she removed her foot he would grasp it and bring it back to him. “Oh, but this
is
an adventure for me. You see, I’ve never been anywhere exciting.”

“London isn’t exciting enough for you?”

“Not at all.” She shook her head for emphasis. “Quite the contrary. It’s tedious and boring. With all the same people at all the same events, each night in a different location. Over and over, night after night.”

“Isn’t that what young ladies such as yourself are supposed to do during the season? Socialize and meet young men from whom to select a prospective husband?”

She wiggled her toes as he watched, then stretched her right leg out to join the other and wiggled all ten toes against his thigh. “Yes. And I have,” Sarah said, just before she heard a hitch in his breathing. “But there are no prospects I wish to have as a husband.”

“What’s wrong with the current crop of fops and dandies?”

When she placed her feet on the outside of his thigh, Sarah felt a shiver move through him, and she knew without a doubt he was as eager for this as she. “They’re just that. Fops and dandies. Most of them have no purpose in life save to socialize and marry well.”

“But isn’t that what the ladies of your set are encouraged to do as well?”

Sarah nodded. “We’re expected to latch onto a man with the most noble title and largest income available and convince him to marry us.” Then her voice lowered and she held his gaze boldly. “But that’s not what I want. You see, I already have both.”

She knew her life would take a drastic turn upon her return to Liverpool, and she had no idea what exactly that future held for her. But for tonight, she wanted this man to love her in the same manner as all of the depictions in that erotic little book. And while she might long for this type of attraction and arousal in a future husband, she doubted that would happen for someone like her because she could never be happy locked away in the country doing these things with someone she held no physical attraction for. Someone she had no chemistry with. Someone she didn’t desire.

She could very easily be persuaded to do this with Mr. Ross-Mackeever, her captain, on a nightly
and
daily basis. Oh, yes. This man she
would
marry if he’d ask. And she would give him as many children as he wished because suddenly she wanted them. With him.

Breaking her gaze, he tossed back his wine, swallowing hard. “What is it you want, my lady?”

She thought about it a moment, then replied honestly. “I want a man who wants
me
, not my dowry and inheritance or a political connection. I want a man who has dreams and ambitions, because I want to be a partner in his endeavors and dream along with him.” What she couldn’t tell him was more than all of that, she wanted love. Love such as that found by Lia and Elise.

But something so intense was sure to scare away most men.

Both her brother and brother-in-law had killed men for injuring their women because their love was so deep they could not imagine a life without their wives. From what she’d seen of
ton
marriages thus far, that type of devotion wasn’t common. Her friends’ marriages were lukewarm at best according to the gossips. Each one was a political or financial match with the men benefiting from the union far more than her friends. That was why she was still single. She wanted more than that.

“And here I thought you were merely a spoiled, inconsiderate, young…adventuress.”

“I can see why you’d think I deserve that.” She took another sip of the sweet wine. “Though I should like to defend myself, if I may.”

Sarah didn’t know why she bothered with an explanation to this man, except that for some reason she didn’t want him to think her vapid and empty-headed. That she didn’t always seek out adventure irresponsibly. And that she was also a well-educated lady who gave back to her community in ways that she could derive satisfaction, by teaching and patronizing causes.

“Please do.” He held up his glass in a sort of wave, as though giving permission to continue.

“Adventure runs in my blood,” she began. “My family was establishing trade with countries around the world for hundreds of years before I was born. Because I was born a female I am told I cannot share in those adventures. I cannot sail the oceans and climb the highest peaks. I am allowed an education, but no venue to practice it. That is not the world I want to live in.

“I did leave a note so my family would not worry. And though you may think me spoiled, dancing and parties is not all I do.” She was beginning to mellow now from the delicious wine. After taking another sip, she continued. “I’ll have you know that I devote a great deal of time to volunteering at the children’s hospital founded by my friend’s mother and her aunt. I also assisted in the formation of a lending library in our village, and I currently teach children to read at Haldenwood, our family seat.”

“Is this in between music and dancing lessons?”

“If you must know,” she replied indignantly. “My lessons were over four years ago. I’m going to be twenty-one years of age in just two months.”

“Hmmm…. So you’re nearly a spinster, aren’t you?”

Even with the thin veil of humor tinging his voice, she was offended by his comment. She knew that the clocked ticked louder for her to find a mate, having spent these past years more enjoying herself than finding a husband. She didn’t need her captain to remind her of this. So she tossed the slim volume of poetry, which had been under her leg, at him. In return, he grabbed her ankle with a firm grip and yanked her forward until her bottom rested against his thigh. With her legs over his lap, the heat of him radiated through the thin woolen material of her baggy trousers, and she became very aware of his hard-muscled leg against her buttocks. Bare under the trousers she wore, her breath caught in her chest as one of his big, calloused hands slid up a pant leg, burning a painfully slow trail up her bare calf to rest on her knee, as the other held her in place.

There was no turning back now. This was what she’d led him to, what she’d wanted. And more than likely what he wanted too, as he could turn down this unspoken invitation to a brief affair. The fact that he didn’t made her feel desirable and worthy of passion—yet aching inside with the fact that the love she desired probably wasn’t on this man’s agenda.

But at that moment she didn’t care.

“Stop me, Sarah.” The husky timber in his voice was pleading, almost begging.

His intent gaze held her mesmerized. She could hardly breathe, much less move away from him, but still she managed to shake her head as she mouthed, “No.”

His bare hand rested on her knee while his thumb gently stroked the sensitive skin on the inside of it. Her other leg fell open, and Sarah felt his hardened manhood beneath her thigh. Shocked, she sucked in a breath. Yes. This was what she wanted. With the sensations his touch caused and the desire pooling at her core, how could she stop? The man was insane. Pressure was already building within her to hurry him along.

She wanted his engorged member inside her, claiming her and bringing her to the ecstasy purported to occur after he joined with her. She was ready for this.

“You’re playing a dangerous game, my lady.” His voice was soft and raspy, yet filled with passion. “And with a man who has not had a woman in months.” His fingers caressed the inside of her knee and up a few inches higher. She saw the determined look in his eye, and the tight curve to his lips. “Be sure this is what you want. Once I start, I won’t stop until I’m satisfied.”

She met his carnal stare with one of her own and wet her lips with the tip of her tongue. “I want….”

His large warm hand crept up her thigh slowly. Her breathing hitched. His look told her she had one last opportunity to stop him if she chose. But the aching void in the vicinity of her womb decided for her. “I want satisfaction…as well, Captain.” His hand squeezed the flesh of her inner thigh, just below her moist curls, and a moan escaped her. If she never married, or if she did, this was the moment she would always remember. When Ian asked and she replied.

“I want you, Ian.”

C
HAPTER
F
IVE

I
an slid his hand up her soft, curved inner thigh until he reached the downy curls he sought. The trousers she wore prevented him from cupping her and feeling her the way he wanted, but his fingers still found what he was looking for.

She was wet and ready for him.

Bringing his hand back down and out of her pant leg, he laid his palm over her soft, flat belly, before unbuttoning several of her trouser fastenings.

A knock on the door broke the spell cast over them, and he barked out, “What?”

“Cap’n, I got yer dinner tray,” Cook said.

“Bring it back in an hour.” Ian’s gaze never left her hungry, ocean-blue eyes.

“It’ll get cold, Cap’n.”

It was his own fault that he’d forgotten that he’d asked the man to bring him the tray, though at the time he’d spoken to Seamus, he didn’t think Sarah would be in his cabin, setting the scene for an evening of carnal pleasures. And right now his cock told him food could wait. “Bring it in one hour, I said!”

“Aye, Cap’n.” The old salt walked away from the door.

With a slow hand, he grasped her waistband and began to slide the trousers down her hips and off over her bare feet. As he did so, he savored the beauty of her smooth alabaster skin. Pale and nearly naked, Sarah lay there on the bench next to him, wearing only the softly worn white linen shirt and a seductive smile.

“Are you certain this is what you wish?” He had to give her one last opportunity to back out of this game she played, but she never flinched.

Her next word caused his cock to stiffen uncomfortably in his breeks. “Very,” she replied in a husky voice that held no quaver. It wasn’t just her looks that aroused him, it was also her initiative to take what she wanted. She was no meek lamb, this woman. She was an adventurer at heart, willing to brave the night to stow away on his ship, and a beautiful seductress, inviting him to her bed. And only a fool would say no to her.

Before this very moment, he would have made the assumption she was an untried virgin, but no virgin he knew could allure and fascinate a man such as this one did him. Sarah impressed him as a woman who knew what she wanted and needed. And she wanted and needed relief as much as he.

His fingers went back to her mound to explore more deeply. Her legs parted for him, allowing him access to her silky-wet inner depths, and he dipped inside her to find her slick and tight. She made encouraging little mewling sounds while his thumb played over her sensitive nub, her inner muscles clenched, drawing him in further, and she moaned deeply as her thighs quivered. She gave a keening little cry as she arched into his hand, just as the brink of her first climax of the night came upon her. Within seconds she shattered, flooding his fingers with more of her sweet juices.

God, it had been so long since he’d had a woman. He had to get inside her and relieve his need quickly, then he could fuck her properly after dinner. Standing, he pushed aside her corn silk-colored curls at her temple, as he looked onto her ethereally beautiful face. She smiled that sleepy, satisfied grin one feels after experiencing an orgasm, and he did the same knowing he was about to join her. Ian turned away from her for a moment to yank the blanket back on the bed before taking Sarah’s hand and lifting her to her feet before him.

“Raise your arms,” he said so he could remove the boy’s shirt from her. Once that was gone, he brought his lips down on hers and reached down and lifted her, placing her onto the bed before stepping away to gaze down onto her nakedness. He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t turn away from her. She was like a mythical goddess come to life to render him senseless. Slender and curvy with high small breasts coming to hard, dark-rosy peaks.

She boldly watched him undress, making his cock even harder, if that were possible. She slid one hand down to cover her woman’s curls, and the other up to cover her breasts. He wondered at her sudden shyness. He’d just fingered her depths to orgasm, and now she covers herself?

“Don’t hide yourself from me,” he whispered as he hurriedly shucked off his shirt.

“I’m not accustomed to being so…naked,” she whispered, and Ian realized he’d never seen this side of her before. The Sarah he’d met the week before was nothing if not bold and adventurous. Yet just now, something—a look in her eyes or the way she tilted her head as her smile faded—told him she was, at the heart of it all, a shy, uncertain young woman. One who’d never had a lover with the candles lit.

Finally as naked as she, he slid onto the bed next to her, his eyes never leaving hers. Reaching out with a finger, he brushed a stray strand of hair off her face. Something compelled him to ask again—whether it was his relationship with her brother, Lucky, or a well-honed instinct that told him when something was too good to be true and about to go so wrong. “You’re sure?”

“I am very sure, Captain.”

The taut tips of her breasts begged to be suckled, Ian ran his tongue over first one rosy peak, then the other before drawing one into his mouth. Releasing the tip, he slid over her and traced a path down the valley of her abdomen with his tongue, until he reached the wet core his fingers had ministered to just moments ago. He parted her nether lips, he swiped his tongue over her tight nub, and she bucked under him.