Chapter Eight
Samantha froze, her fingers dangling over the cup. “No.”
“You lost, little warrior. Now you get to play by my rules.”
Setting the cup down, he reached for her face. She jumped to her feet and clutched a hand over the soft leather. If she took off her mask, it would all be over.
“I cannot.”
He tilted his head. “Is there a scar? A disfiguration? Is that why you didn’t want to me to remove it earlier?”
“You wouldn’t understand. Please don’t make me . . .” Her voice trembled and she took a step back. “It wasn’t part of your terms.”
Her last words came out in a strangled whisper and he stared hard at her. Silence curled around them and she began to take another step back.
He dropped his hand. “Alright. No need to flee.”
Samantha blew out a slow breath and sat back down, taking the glass of wine.
She tilted it back and took a small sip.
The smooth blend filled her mouth with a velvety fruitiness that lingered on the tongue.
When she took another sip, her hand drifted to her pocket and she rolled the vial between her fingers.
Could she get it out and pour it without him noticing?
Doubtful. It may be her only chance, though.
One of her uncle’s sailors had shown her a trick when she was young.
He’d closed a coin in his hand, and when he spread his fingers, the coin had disappeared.
She’d begged him to show her how to perform the illusion.
Luckily for her, he gave in to her pleas.
With a slight movement, she slipped the little bottle free and popped the cork out. Lowering her cup to her lap, she forced herself to keep her eyes on the lieutenant’s face as she remembered the old seaman’s advice. Never look down at your mark. It’ll give you away.
One shot. If the lieutenant caught her . . .
“What’s wrong, Red?” He held her gaze and she passed her hand over her wine, flipping the vial at just the right moment before she lifted the cup to the table.
She set it directly next to his. He caught her hand before she could draw back and flipped it over. The smooth glass of the vial pressed into her other palm and she sent up a silent prayer of thanks that the transfer had worked.
“Why have you chosen this life?” The lieutenant studied her hand and his lips pulled into a soft frown. “Or were you not given a choice?”
“It’s none of your business, Lieutenant.”
His thumb stroked down her open palm. “Contrary. It’s very much my business tonight.”
She pulled her hand away, trying to shake away the curious prickle of warmth his touch had sent through her. Quickly, she grabbed a cup of wine. His cup.
After another swallow, she dropped her gaze to the table. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“You keep saying that. Red, I’d very much like to understand.”
The words prodded at a deep part of her. The part that yearned to be able to share her dreams. The part she’d grown very good at keeping locked up. His gaze remained earnest and she sighed.
“I think it would be in your best interest if you stopped trying to understand me, Lieutenant. It’s the life I chose. Let’s keep it at that.”
He picked up the other cup and drank deeply. When he set it down, she couldn’t help but sneak a quick peek. Half empty. Her heart sank. Not enough.
He sprawled back into his chair and gave her a quiet perusal. “Why did you do it?”
Her eyes snapped to his. “Do what?”
“You know what I’m talking about. You could have killed me and avoided this. You would have won.” His eyes shone in the candlelight and she pushed to her feet in the silence.
“Come here.” He gestured with one finger, and like a moth to a flame, she closed the distance. When she came to a stop, he reached for her wrist, his fingers stroking the exposed skin beneath her sleeve cuff.
“Why?”
She sucked in a breath at the whispered word, trying to ignore the burst of heat his touch caused. “It would have been the move of a coward.”
His eyes narrowed briefly at her soft retort and she cringed. She should not have used the very wording he’d used with her at the ball. Too risky.
He moved his thumb in a lazy circle and pressed his lips together.
“I’m not a man to offer favors, but I owe you, Red. I’ve never forced a woman into my bed before, and I’m not about to start. I release you from your end of the agreement. Call us even.”
She stared at where he continued to grasp her. This was her chance. Somehow, by some miracle, she was being offered a way out of this mess.
Say yes.
When Samantha lifted her gaze, the lieutenant cocked his head. His hair fell forward over his forehead and she swallowed. God help her, she wanted this.
Reckless.
The word echoed in her head while she reached forward and pushed his hair back in place in a gentle sweep of fingers. He caught his breath and the sound emboldened her.
“I’d prefer to save your favor for another day, Lieutenant. Tonight, I come freely.”
He made a soft sound in the back of his throat and pulled her to him. When her bottom landed on his lap, she let out a little gasp at the contact. His hand caught her neck and angled her face toward him.
“Red.”
He murmured the name against her and a moment later, crushed his lips to hers. Samantha gasped and the warm heat of his tongue pressed into her mouth. She’d been kissed before, but nothing compared to this. A little moan formed in the back of her throat.
His fingers twisted in her hair, pulling her closer. She met his tongue with a timid stroke of her own and he deepened the kiss. Soon, she gasped for breath, unable to pull her mouth away as the kiss built in intensity.
Samantha let out a startled cry when he tightened his grip and stood. With no choice, she wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him as he carried her to the bed. He sat and set her on the floor in front of him.
“Undress.”
When she didn’t move, he pulled his shirt off in one motion and flung it aside.
“You don’t have to be shy with me, Red.”
“I’m not.”
Still, she stood paralyzed.
He frowned. “We don’t have to do this. I meant what I said earlier, I will not force you.”
She couldn’t pull her eyes from the bulge in his pants. Never had she wanted something so badly before. Time to be bold.
Do it.
Her hand settled on the hard ridge and the lieutenant’s eyes widened. He pressed into her touch and she trailed her fingers up and down his rigid length. A hiss of breath escaped him and he caught her hand in his.
“Careful, Red. Or this night will be over before it starts.”
Her brows scrunched together, but she had no time to ponder the meaning of his words before he hooked his legs behind hers.
He dropped her hand and tugged her shirt free of her breeches.
Bending forward, he pressed his mouth to her side, nipping through the linen fabric.
The rough contact sent a little shiver through her.
And then his hands were beneath the shirt, skimming along her bare skin. He stopped just below her breasts and she let out a shaky sigh. A wicked grin spread across his face and his thumbs flicked up over both nipples at the same time.
“Oh!” She had to grab his shoulders to steady herself.
The lieutenant chuckled and withdrew his hands, bringing them to her top button. A few fluid motions later and her shirt gaped open. He leaned into her, the hot caress of his breath at her navel sending a wave of fire straight to her core.
Samantha shuddered when he began to kiss a trail upwards. His hands skimmed up her sides and hooked under her shirt. In a feather-light motion, the garment slipped from her shoulders, leaving her bared to him.
A growl rumbled from beneath one breast and a moment later, his mouth closed around a pert nipple. Samantha’s fingernails dug into his shoulders.
“Lieutenant,” she gasped.
“Call me Christian.”
“Christian.” The name flowed from her mouth before she could stop it and he groaned his approval.
His tongue flicked out to stroke her and she let her eyes drift shut at the delicious waves of pleasure radiating from the scandalous contact. When he pulled away, his breath came in ragged gasps against her.
One of his hands slid down her belly and slipped beneath her waistband. When he brushed his fingers through the soft curls there, her eyes snapped open. As his fingers traveled down to her most private spot, a throbbing pressure built deep within her belly. Lower.
He paused, and she whimpered. The throbbing increased tenfold and her knees began to shake. The cage he’d made around her with his legs slackened and he tugged her onto the mattress next to him. He unfastened her breeches and peeled them down.
With a soft thud, they landed in a heap on the floor and Samantha covered herself with one hand. Her cheeks flamed while Christian gave her an appreciative look.
“You’re beautiful, Red.”
His hand closed around one slender calf and he slid it up to her thigh.
When his fingers came to rest over hers, she stared at him, mesmerized by the candlelight flickering across his chest. With a gentle tug, he pulled her hand away and cupped her.
One finger slipped between her folds and she sucked in a breath.
This was . . . Samantha couldn’t form a coherent thought. She wanted . . . she wanted him to touch her.
“Please,” she gasped.
And he obeyed, his finger pressing into the throbbing heat.
Christian let out a soft groan. “You’re so wet for me, Red.”
His fingers stroked up and down the slick cleft of her, sending frenzied bursts of pleasure shooting through her.
He leaned his lips to her ear and nibbled on her earlobe. At the same time, his finger pressed against her core. She moaned as it slid inside her a fraction. He rubbed it in a gentle swirl and her next moan came out more like a cry.
“Mmm . . .” His breath brushed hot against her neck. “Do your lovers make you cry out like this?”
Lovers?
Samantha jerked her head back and stared at him. “I don’t have any lovers.”