Temptation: 3 (Timeless Series) (6 page)

“Don’t want that. I love your cooking and would never jest about it like Lucas does.”

“That is precisely why I will feel insulted.”

“Sorry,” he said. “I was lost in thought.”

“Ah!
Thinking about the pretty lady.” Turning to Penny, he presented a dazzling smile. “I shall eat at the table every morning if I have such
charmante
company.”

Penny’s blush slid up her face, clearly not immune to the charming man. Then she flashed a warm smile and replied in fluent French, “And I could get used to such charming company.”

“
Vous parlez français
?” Jacques’s delight came out in every word.

“
Oui, monsieur
.”

The two then carried on a lively conversation in French, excluding Parker, even though he spoke the language well enough to catch on. At first, he was relieved. But after watching the beguiling minx so obviously enjoying Jacques’s flirting, he swallowed annoyance with a big gulp of coffee. Did they have to appear so wrapped up in each other? For the rest of the meal, he surreptitiously kept his attention on the two, silently fuming while tamping down the desire to smash a fist into Jacques’s face. And because too many of the same unwanted ideas ran amuck in his brain, he quickly finished his meal.

“If you will excuse me,” he said, rising. “I think I’ll go and keep Lucas company.”

“You aren’t leaving?” Her question had a disappointed note to it.

“I’m surprised you even noticed,” he said more abruptly than he’d meant.

Jacques
chuckled. “
Est-il jaloux
? Ah, he is jealous. Because you find me so
charmant
.”

Parker snorted. “
’Tis obvious she has no discriminating taste if she finds you charming.”



“Mademoiselle?” Jacques asked, pulling Penny’s attention from Mr. Davis’s swift departure.

“Sorry,” she murmured. “He seemed annoyed.”

“Bah! Do not worry about Parker. It is true. He is jealous, and I am quite charming.”

The Frenchman was teasing her. Penny smiled and sighed. This trip was turning into something she hadn’t expected.
A grand adventure. The captain’s fascinating brother was the catalyst. He intrigued her, especially now, after this breakfast. A look that had accompanied the man’s quick grin in the brief moment just after he’d sat down flashed inside her mind. She’d detected a moment of uncertainty in his arresting blue-gray eyes. That small glimpse of doubt was enough to make her feel comfortable in his presence. She had no reason to believe she couldn’t deal easily enough with Mr. Davis, despite her inexperience with such dashing men. After all, she’d been dealing with Gerald Knightsbridge’s unwanted attention for the last eight months.

She shuddered, remembering that last night, before the earl had been called away, noting a definite distinction. Lord Knightsbridge scared her, was always finding ways to caress her, and such attention never failed to make her skin crawl. There was nothing scary in Mr. Davis, or his attention.
In fact, quite the opposite. At dinner, and then again this morning, his attentions stirred a heat she’d never before encountered. No, the only frightening element in his fiery gaze was her reaction, making her feel anything but afraid. Truth be told, she felt more alive around him, tingly all over, giddy even, and she had every intention of enjoying these new sensations.

It had been much too long since she’d actually felt anything other than fear. In six months she’d be a married woman. Why not flirt and enjoy her freedom while she waited for Geoff? Though Mr. Davis was too handsome for words, nothing would come from a little flirting. He wasn’t her beloved Geoff, and she was no simpering fool. She could handle him. In the last year she’d discovered she could handle just about anything.



Jacques’s mocking laughter followed Parker as he made his way to the wheelhouse on the top deck. The sound didn’t ease his frame of mind. If anything, it added fuel to his ire.

“What cat scratched your back?” Lucas asked, eyeing him thoughtfully.

“Instead of warning me off, you should’ve saved your warning for Jacques,” Parker snapped.

“He’ll behave.”

“Oh? You warn me but not him?” His mouth tightened.

“If it makes you happy, I’ll warn him off too.” Lucas puffed on his pipe as his gaze returned to the water. “But like I said, there’s no need.”

“No need?” He rolled his eyes and snorted. “He’s down below flirting outrageously with a naive girl. He’ll have her eating out of his hand in no time.”

Lucas chuckled and lifted a brow. “What’s the matter, Parker?
Jealous? If I didn’t know better, I’d say the woman has you twisted up inside and my warning was justified.”

“That’s not it.” His spine straightened.

“Oh? Then what is it?”

“I just don’t want that Frenchman getting fresh. She
does
need protecting.”

Lucas threw back his head and laughed. “Now you see why I avoid passengers. They’re too much trouble and definitely not worth the money.”

Parker fisted his hand and glared, resisting the urge to plow one into him.

“All right.”
Still grinning, Lucas nodded. “I’ll protect her from Jacques and he’ll protect her from you. How’s that?”

“This is not a joke,” he said, almost growling. “I’ll even concede you were right to worry about my intentions, as the attraction she stirs is a strong one, but I’m not about to let another take liberties either.”

Lucas’s smile faded on a sigh. “I can’t believe we’re having this conversation. Jacques is toying with you. We agreed last night. He’s to keep her occupied and out of your way. If you feel there’s impropriety, then I’ll speak to him. But I must confess, he’ll only be more amused.”

“That bastard,” Parker hissed as his brother’s words sank in. His grin was quick. “I should’ve known.”

“Aye, you should have. And if she didn’t consume you so, I’m sure you would have.”

Parker shot his brother a contrite look. “You’ve made your point. I’ll keep my distance.”

“Good. Finally I can relax. And since I see Hillman heading this way, I think I’ll do just that. I need a little shut-eye and I don’t have time to worry about you and your fixation.”

“Go and sleep. You’ll have no need to worry anymore over me or
my fixation
.”

~~

Days turned into a week. The weather cooperated and graced them with clear blue skies and steady winds. The ship progressed, but not quickly enough for Parker.

True to his word, he’d stayed away from the enchanting Miss Layton as much as he could. The only time he allowed himself in her presence was during meals or when on deck with the distraction of activity or seamen surrounding them. Those times proved the hardest to endure, because the fascinating woman would hold them all spellbound with stories of her adventures with her two friends in their younger years. She’d have them laughing and jesting in no time. Most of the men, including him, were half in love with her, yet all stayed within the bounds of propriety. If someone said or did something she disapproved of, she had a way of cutting him to the quick with a word or a look.

Parker was no more immune to Miss Layton now than that first night and went to great lengths to avoid her. If he happened to find himself alone with her, he’d offer an excuse and leave. He’d long grown accustomed to the steady arousal he felt around the lovely lady, easily hiding the desire ever present and humming through his system. Still, every now and again, a yearning would overtake him and he’d have to fight harder to ignore the stirrings, especially if she happened to catch him secretly watching her.

She’d then bestow on him a knowing smile, as if speaking directly to him, telling him she knew his thoughts and was amused by them. More and more, the desire to wipe that siren’s grin from her face to replace it with one of pure pleasure pervaded his senses. He could barely eat, could barely think, and when he slept, his dreams were erotically disturbing. Dreams in which she would come to him and yield all that he wanted. He’d wake up in a cold sweat, fully aroused, and with urgent need—one that would never be filled.

It was this need that had him standing on deck at the stern of the ship, seeking solace in the middle of the night. Staring into the black waters and seeing nothing but darkness because billowy clouds covered the light of the moon, Parker wished for home. The journey was more than half over, yet every day spent on board the ship was agony.

He turned at a noise and spotted the only thing that could make his nightmare worse step onto the deck. He bit back a curse as the object of his desire floated toward him.

“You shouldn’t be out here,” he snarled, in no mood to confront her. Raging desire coiled in his gut, waiting to spring forth at the slightest provocation. He was tired of fighting it.

“I couldn’t sleep and came out for a breath of fresh air. My cabin was too stuffy.”

Her soft, melodious voice filled the space around them, wafted unseen through the air forming invisible tentacles that reached out and wrapped around his soul. Ignoring the siren’s pull, his tone became more vicious. “I’m warning you, ’tis a bad idea to be out here alone like this.”

She paid no heed to his warning, walked serenely to the railing instead and flashed a smile.

“Well?” He didn’t bother to keep the harshness out of the word.

“Well what?” She lifted her chin at a stubborn tilt and met his gaze.

“Why aren’t you leaving? Are you goading me?”

“Maybe.”
Her soft chuckle knotted his insides. Mocked him. “I’m not afraid of you, Parker Davis.”

“Then you’re a foolish woman. I’d be more than afraid, were I you.”

She moved to stand beside him, so close he felt her shrug. His hand clenched into a fist to keep from reaching out and touching her. He could barely make out her features in the moon-hidden night, but he didn’t have to see her to know she looked like an angel who’d come to earth to make his life a living hell. The darkness that dulled his vision sharpened his other senses. He caught a whiff of her essence, flowery with a hint of muskiness. The scent more than made up for his lack of sight.

“Then foolish I’ll be, for I find I like being in your company and you’re always avoiding mine.” Her clipped English accent invaded his senses further and sent more signals to his groin.

“There’s a reason for that,” he hissed. “You pretend innocence, but you have to know this is not a good idea.”

“I feel safe enough with you,” Penny said, offering another shrug, her gaze remaining on the black waters. “I’ve never been one to run from mischief, and I know I’m skirting convention, that I shouldn’t be here with you, but here I am.”

Parker closed his eyes, sending up a silent prayer. He should just walk away. As much as he knew he should leave, he truly didn’t want to. She held him spellbound as usual, the urge to find out more about her—to see what was deep inside of her—too great to subdue. Instead of leaving, he opted to satisfy his curiosity and asked about the subject that interested him the most, her fiancé. “So, you’re to be married?”

“Yes. I am,” she replied in a voice filled with relief.

“Tell me about your intended.”

“What would you like to know?”

“Whatever you wish to tell me.”

Penny thought for a moment. “Well, he’s handsome and funny and we get on well.”

“I should hope so,” Parker said, grinning at how unenthusiastic she sounded.

“Why’s that?”

“I would hope you get on well if you’re getting married.” When she shrugged and didn’t add any more to the conversation, he prodded, “That’s it? That’s all you have to say about him?”

“He’ll be a faithful husband?” At his bark of laughter, she grinned and asked impishly, “What more would you have me say?”

“That you’re madly in love with him and can’t wait ’til you’re together.”

“Of course I’m madly in love with him and I can’t wait until we’re married.”

Amused, he chuckled softly, remaining silent. The clouds shifted. A sliver of moonlight escaped, illuminating the deck. He kept his focus on her before hers returned to the water. In the added moonlight, he’d caught a glimpse of ambiguity. He sensed something else. Annoyance. She obviously didn’t like that he saw more than she wanted him to see. At this point, he doubted she had such a fiancé waiting.

After several uncomfortable moments, she lifted her chin higher, purposefully seeking his eyes, her glare turning defiant. “What?”

His smile deepened. If the lovely Miss Layton had any idea of the vision she presented to him, with her hair flowing freely and her night clothing covering but not hiding her luscious curves, she’d run from him. The thought of nothing impeding what he craved underneath her night rail and dressing gown was too heady to imagine. His calm restraint amazed him. Schooling his errant thoughts, his gaze roamed over her features.

“He’s not the love of your life,” he taunted, if only to wipe that sudden appearance of overconfidence from her face. “I realize that now.”