Master of Seduction (19 page)

Trying to look innocent and praying she was carrying it off, Lorelei shrugged. “He must have had something else before I arrived then, because you can see he’s quite asleep.”

Tarik approached the bed skeptically. Once he assured himself Jack was still breathing, he shook his head. “All right, Miss Lorelei. I’ll tend him. You go on back to your room.”

Turning around, she quickly retreated.

As soon as the door closed behind her, Tarik moved to undress Jack.

“You so much as touch a button and I’ll have you gutted.”

Tarik froze as Jack opened his eyes and gave him a heated glare. “I thought you were unconscious,” Tarik said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“You know me better than that.” Jack sat up and ran his hand over his jaw as if he could still feel Lorelei’s touch. “Let’s just say I’m having a bit of fun with our guest.”

Tarik laughed. “All right then, I’ll be off.”

As soon as he was alone, Jack quickly disrobed and returned to his bed. His little vixen had wanted him undressed for some reason, and by God, he was going to lie here for her if it killed him.

And it bloody well might.

L
orelei waited quietly in her room until she was sure Tarik had had enough time to undress Jack and return to his cabin. Time seemed to move slowly as she clutched her sketchbook and charcoal in nervous hands.

She shouldn’t do this. It was wrong and well she knew it. But then she’d always been a bit improper, and a bit too curious for her own good.

As soon as she heard footsteps crossing the front of her door, she carefully eased it open enough to peek outside.

No one. Not in any direction.

Very well then, this is it
.

Her heart in her throat, she eased the door open enough to let her through, then headed down the short distance that separated her from Jack.

Tiptoeing into his room, she set her sketchbook and charcoal down on his desk and crept toward his bed. He lay on his side, facing her, with the spread pulled up over him. His loose hair fell over part of his face and he breathed quietly.

“Are you still asleep?” she asked, giving him a slight shake for good measure. “Jack? Jack, are you awake?”

He didn’t answer.

Satisfied, she smiled. Oh, this was wonderful. At last he was hers and she didn’t have to worry about battling him. She could do most anything she wanted to him and he would never, ever know. In truth, she liked this feeling of power. It was probably the only time anyone had ever had such power over Jack. And she was going to enjoy it.

Pulling the spread down, she exposed his torso.

She yearned to run her hand over his lean ribs, to feel his hard muscles in the palm of her hand. But she didn’t dare touch him. She wasn’t sure how deeply he slept and the last thing she wanted was for him to awaken to her touch.

No, she would just arrange the covers like they were the morning she’d found him, and then she could finish her picture and be gone.

With that thought in mind, she lifted the bottom of the spread to expose his long legs and feet.

Retrieving her sketchbook, she compared his pose to her drawing.

“Not quite right,” she whispered. She set her book down in front of Jack’s chest and adjusted the material over his hips. As her hand brushed against his abdomen, she felt his body stiffen beneath her left hand.

She squeaked and jumped back.

Was that his…?

Her face flamed. It must be.

What does it look like
?

I’m not going to find out
.

Please! He’ll never know
.

But
she
would, and quite frankly she didn’t know if she could look him in the eye after she’d looked him in the…Well, she wasn’t about to, and that was all.

Forcing herself to pick up her sketchbook instead of the cover, she went to pull his chair closer to the bed. She took a seat and began her drawing.

Jack watched her from beneath his lashes. It took every ounce of control he possessed not to move, and he still wasn’t sure how he’d kept himself still when her hand had innocently brushed up against him. Even now his gut burned with furious need. A need that had only gotten worse when he had been sure she was going to pull the covers back and reveal him.

Only she hadn’t.

The little vixen had only wanted to draw him. He couldn’t believe it.

Women. There was no understanding them.

Relaxing his body, he watched the way her brow furrowed as she worked. He’d loved watching her these past weeks. Watching the way her arm curved as she manipulated the charcoal and paints. The grace she used as she blended colors.

How could Justin not want her to pursue something she obviously loved so well and had such talent for?

If she were his woman, he’d…

There was no use thinking about what he’d do. She wasn’t his. Could never be his.

All he could do was savor her body and try to hold on to her memory. And it would be one he’d treasure until some enemy ended his life.

Finally she looked up and he could tell she was finished. She held the pad up and compared it with him.

“Perfect,” she declared. “I finally got it.”

How he wished he could say that.

L
orelei stood and moved over to the desk so that she could pack up her charcoal. She was completely satisfied with the results of her drawing. Of course, Jack would kill her if he ever learned what she’d done.

But it had been worth the risk.

She traced the line of his hair on the paper, remembering how it had felt under her hand.

“It’s a wonderful likeness.”

She gasped at the deep voice resonating by her left ear. “You were awake!”

“The entire time.”

Horror engulfed her. She turned around to face him, only to realize he was standing naked before her. Her eyes wide, she quickly turned back to face the door.

“Don’t be afraid of me, Lorelei,” he said, running his hand through the curls on her neck. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“You’re naked.”

“So I am.”

Heat stole over her cheeks. She’d never in her life had such a conversation, and at the moment, she didn’t like it one bit! “Would you please put some clothes on?”

“If it would make you feel better…”

“It would.”

He trailed his finger down the back of her neck. Chills erupted all over her body. Her breasts tingled at his touch. “Turn around, Lorelei, and face me.”

As if she had no will of her own, she obeyed him. Still, she didn’t dare look down. Resolutely, she kept her gaze locked on his face.

He took her hand in his and placed it against his bare chest. She could feel his heart pounding against her fingertips and palm as a thousand shards of desire pierced her body.

“I want to make love to you, Lorelei,” he murmured, leaning his head down until only a hand’s breadth separated their lips. “I want to feel your body against mine and to touch every part of you.”

And then he kissed her. Hot and wet, his lips covered hers as he plundered her mouth and stole her breath. His kiss was demanding and fierce, yet somehow tender and welcome.

Lorelei clung to him.

She felt his hands at her back, unlacing her gown. She knew she should stop him, but for some reason she couldn’t tell him no. Didn’t want to tell him no.

He lifted her skirts.

Lorelei trembled as he deepened his kiss. She heard the whoosh as her hoops fell from beneath her dress and landed in a puddle at her feet. Jack moved his hand to her buttocks and she gasped at the foreign sensation of a man touching her there.

“I won’t let you go tonight,” he whispered as he pulled away from her lips.

Her gown slipped to the floor.

Afraid, Lorelei stood before him wearing nothing save her petticoat and corset. She wanted to run and yet she didn’t. Part of her wanted this, demanded this. Against all reasons and arguments, she wanted this night with Jack.

Jack scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. “Jack, I—”

“Shh,” he said as he laid her gently against his sheets. “Forget about everything else. Tonight, there’s only us.”

He buried his lips against the sensitive flesh below her ear and she moaned in pleasure as a needful ache throbbed through her.

What was this burning, bittersweet pain he caused?

Needing to quench it, she reached for him, running her hands over the flesh of his back, where she felt his strong muscles ripple beneath her palms.

He rolled her over so she sat on his stomach and quickly removed her corset and petticoats. He sucked his breath in sharply as her breasts were bared to his sight. “You are so beautiful,” he moaned, lifting himself up to take her right breast into his mouth.

Lorelei gasped in pleasure as his tongue flicked over the taut nipple. She buried her hand in the soft waves of his hair, cupping him to her.

Once more he rolled her in the bed until he pressed her down against the mattress. Jack pulled back from her and stared down at her as he separated her legs with his thigh. She felt him warm and wet as he probed the center of her body with the tip of his shaft.

“I want you as I’ve wanted no other,” he said between clenched teeth. “And I wish you knew how much it’s killing me not to take you.”

His words confused her.

He closed his eyes as if he were being tortured.

“Jack?”

“It’s all right,” he whispered. “I just have to get…” He took several deep breaths. “Control.”

His hand trembled as he reached up to cup her cheek. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

She kissed him for the tender concern.

He fell against her, and she savored the feel of his entire body pressing against hers, the strange feel of his hips between her legs.

This was her Jack. Her pirate and her…

Lover, she thought, startled by it. This night would change her forever. She would never go back to being the same innocent girl he’d captured that night at the inn. After this, she would be a woman in every sense of the word.

And though it should terrify her, it didn’t. She wanted Jack to be here. Wanted him to be the man who taught her the intimate details of this aspect of life.

To her disappointment, he left her lips and trailed kisses down her neck to her breasts. A thousand needles of pleasure pulsed through her with every touch of his tongue and hand against her flesh.

He moved his hand over her hip and down to the throbbing ache at the center of her body. She moaned as he separated the tender folds of her body and stroked her intimately, bringing peace to the burning need.

“Like that, do you?”

“Yes,” she groaned.

He smiled. “What if I told you it gets better?”

“I wouldn’t believe you.”

His stomach quivered against hers as he laughed. He trailed his lips down her ribs, to her stomach. Lorelei arched her back as he ran his tongue over the sensitive flesh of her hip and more pleasure assailed her.

She was going to die from it, she was certain. How could anyone survive this…?

Jack moved his hand from between her legs. Before she could whimper her disapproval, he took her into his mouth.

Her eyes flew open.

“No, Jack!” She gasped. “You can’t.”

He kissed her inner thigh, looked up at her, and gave her that dazzling smile that never failed to warm her. His finger circled the throbbing core of her body in an intimate caress and he gave an impudent nip to her thigh.

“Trust me, Lorelei. You want me to do this.”

And before she could protest further, he returned to her. Lorelei bit her hand at the fierce pleasure that erupted through her. Never in her life had she felt anything so intense, so wonderful.

His tongue teased her while his finger continued its slow assault.

She wanted to scream out for help and still he kept on giving her pleasure. Her body quivered and spasmed as he quickened the strokes of his tongue. She buried her hands in his hair, pushing him closer to her as she pressed her feet against the mattress to bring her body closer to him. And just when she was sure she would perish from it, her body burst into a thousand glowing embers.

Lorelei screamed with release as the entire room spun about her.

Jack lifted his head in triumph. Somehow, he’d survived touching her, and now it was time to claim his prize. With his entire body trembling, he pressed her back against the mattress. He didn’t want to hurt her, wished to all that was holy that he could take his pleasure without it, but he couldn’t.

Biting his lip in guilt, he separated her legs one more time and plunged himself into paradise.

She tensed as pain intruded on her pleasure.

Jack froze. “I’m sorry,” he whispered in her ear, trying to offer her comfort. “Are you all right?”

Lorelei took a deep breath as her body adjusted around him and she marveled at the strange fullness of him inside her.

They were truly joined. She wasn’t sure if she should be all right.

“If it hurts too much, tell me and I’ll stop.”

She stared up at him. Concern for her was etched plainly on his face, in his eyes. He meant his words.

Imagine a pirate saying that to his captive.

Reaching up, she brushed his long hair up over his shoulder, then moved her hand to the tiny gold hoop. “I’m all right,” she said, smiling at him.

Relief relaxed his features and he slowly began to move against her hips. The stinging ache of her body was compensated by the knowledge that Jack cared for her. That he had considered her feelings above his own needs.

That knowledge brought so much joy to her that she felt as if she could fly. She meant something to him. She wasn’t just another woman in a long list of lovers he’d taken.

She was different.

His strokes quickened as he buried himself deep within her, and she reveled in the feel of his body inside hers. Whether he admitted it or not, he was sharing a part of himself with her, and she wondered if it would change him as much as it was changing her.

Lorelei bit her lip as pleasure once again began to override the pain. Over and over he slid into her, until he finally groaned.

He pulled himself out of her and spilled his seed on the bed next to her hip. Jack collapsed on top of her, his breathing ragged in her ear.

“Thank you,” he whispered once he’d regained his composure.

She wiped the sweat from his forehead, then kissed the flesh of his brow. “You were right. I had never imagined anything like it.”

Instead of the smugness she expected, he looked ashamed.

“Jack?” she asked as he pulled away from her.

He didn’t say anything as he left the bed, went to his trunk, and pulled on his clothes.

Lorelei frowned. Clutching the sheet to cover herself, she sat up. What was the matter with him? She’d assumed this would make him ecstatically happy. Instead, he acted as if he’d just walked into a tavern full of Regulars. “Jack, what is it?”

He didn’t say anything, nor did he look at her. He just walked quietly out of the cabin.

O
nce on deck, Jack dragged his hands through his hair as he cursed himself for the base-born bastard he was. He’d thought claiming her would make him feel better. Quench the insatiable inferno of his body.