Chapter Twenty-Five #2
Finally, some common sense. She could have whatever the hell she wanted if it meant getting out. He shoved it toward her voice and she took it. No sooner than it had left his grasp she disappeared.
“Son of a . . .” He made one last grab for her. “Damn it, Red.”
His face bumped against the cool rocks and he curled his fingers into a fist.
“Fine. Go then.” The hoarse shout reverberated in his ears.
Let her go. If she wanted to get in trouble, it was on her shoulders.
He pressed his lips together and turned toward the entrance. Sunshine. The word became a chant in his head.
A few feet later, he stopped. Who was he fooling? If he left her and something happened . . .
With a groan, he felt his way back to where the stone dipped below the water. He cautiously extended a leg and explored the underwater tunnel. At least it didn’t get any smaller.
“Tommy, go back and let the men know we found a tunnel and possibly a cave. If the tide comes up, it’ll be too dangerous for anyone to follow. Tell them to stand by.”
Bracing his hands on either side of the walls, he took a steadying breath. And another.
Here goes nothing.
One last deep inhale and he pushed under.
He kept one hand on the rocks and kicked hard. More than a few feet passed and he blindly surged forward. When his lungs began to burn, he slowed. Had he made a wrong turn? What a way to die.
And then, his hand broke the surface, blessed air cooling his fingertips. He pushed his face above the water and opened his eyes. A muted grey cut the darkness and he blinked as his sight adjusted.
“You came.” She tread water just beyond his reach.
He wiped water from his eyes and craned his neck. The rocky ceiling sloped up, revealing a large cavern. His breath whooshed out as some of the built-up tension faded.
Space.
“Where’s Tommy?” She swam toward the tunnel with furrowed brows.
“I sent him back.”
The lines of worry eased and she turned to face him.
“Now what?” He spoke the question aloud.
“Now we find the treasure.” She pointed ahead at the outline of a rocky ledge. The source of the dim light became clear. A tunnel.
Red kicked over and tossed the torch onto the dry ground. She got her hands on the edge and began to pull herself up as Christian followed. He stretched his feet down and his boots grazed the bottom. He could touch. Barely.
“Here, let me give you a boost.” His fingers closed around a slender calf and she stilled. The wet fabric of her breeches clung to her like a second skin. With a swallow, he slid his hand down to the sole of her boot and she pushed up.
After she scrambled over the edge, he got a good handhold and lifted himself. When he stood, he had to duck to keep from hitting the low ceiling. Red unwrapped the torch and gave it a good shake.
“Should be dry enough.” She shoved one end between her knees and opened the flint box. Water poured out. “Now, to see if we can get a spark.”
After several tries, she dropped her hands. “No use.”
Christian took the flint from her hand. “Let me try.” A heavy tang filled his nose. “How much oil did you soak that thing in?”
She rubbed her finger over the rag at the tip. “Enough.”
He held the flint next to the torch and began working it. Harder and harder, he struck it. If he was lucky, the friction would dry it out. Sure enough, a minute later, his efforts rewarded him with a shower of sparks.
The torch erupted into fire and Red nearly dropped it. Flames crackled and hissed while he shielded his eyes. Before he could lower his hand, a scream pierced the air.
He jumped and followed Red’s gaze into the tunnel, angling his body between her and whatever danger lurked. His body blocked the light and he grabbed the torch and extended it into the darkness.
A gleaming skull grinned at him from its resting place against the wall.
“What? A pirate afraid of skeletons?”
She rubbed her hands down her arms and frowned. “I just wasn’t expecting it, that’s all.”
He let out a chuckle and swept aside a curtain of cobwebs. “Shall I lead the way?”
Without answering, she yanked the torch back and strode forward. He had to hurry to keep up. “Careful, what if there’s traps?”
She spun and stared at him. “Once again, your imagination is getting the best of you. That sort of thing only happens in novels.”
He rubbed his jaw. “Still . . .” He examined the smooth walls as she continued on. If he were going to hide an invaluable treasure, he’d certainly—
He bumped into Red’s back. “Now what?”
She pointed ahead. “It’s like you spoke it into existence.”
His wounded pride rushed back as the light flickered off a line stretched across their path. Well, at least it used to. Time had loosened the bonds and it sagged low.
He grinned. “Only in the novels, you say?”
She let out a huff and carefully stepped over it. He ran a finger over a rusted spear tip hidden in the wall. Morbid.
After clearing the trap, Red at least had the sense to move slower. They didn’t go far when the tunnel opened into another cavern. A shaft of sunlight cut through the space and ended in a conspicuous glimmer.
Next to him, Red rubbed her eyes. “Please tell me I’m not seeing things.”
He took the torch from her and strode out into the open, weaving his way between chests and barrels. When he flipped open a weathered lid, the firelight reflected off a thousand coins. He couldn’t stop the little thrill that ran through him.
“You’re not seeing things.”
She stumbled forward and fell to her knees next to him, running her fingers over the coins. Her breath hitched.
Christian twisted in a slow circle. So many crates and chests. There had to be at least a hundred. Strings of pearls hung twisted among dusty cobwebs from a golden candelabra at his side. A wooden box ahead overflowed with tarnished silver goblets.
Read’s fabled treasure.
“Red, this is . . .” There were no words. They’d stumbled onto the richest treasure in the world. One whose existence he’d scoffed at an hour prior.
She stood and wiped at her eyes.
“Are you alright?”
“We found it.” She whispered the words to herself and took a step toward him. A grin broke free. “We found it!”
With a little whoop, she rushed toward him. Her enthusiasm must have been infectious, because when she threw her arms around his neck, he didn’t try to dissuade her. And when her soft lips pressed against his, he wrapped his free hand behind her back and leaned into the kiss.
His body reacted instantly, humming with awareness as her fingers tangled in his hair. Heat slipped through his veins, and the urge to claim her, to bend her over the nearest barrel, pulsed with each beat of his heart.
He backed into said barrel and laid the torch over the lid. With both hands free, he cupped her bottom and lifted her. She pressed her hips forward, grinding against his erection and he groaned. The thin fabric of her blouse pressed taut over her nipples and they brushed his chest.
“Red.” Her name came out in a reverent sigh and he slowed the reckless pace of the kiss, twining his tongue around hers, sucking her lower lip into his mouth. And realization slammed into him.
He needed her. Same as he needed air to breathe.
Not a need that a brief coupling could sate. A need that had him wanting her like this every day for the rest of his life.
Forever.
He must have tensed because she tilted her head back a fraction, searching his eyes with hers. His mouth dropped to her neck, tracing the exposed line of her collarbone. With a heavy swallow, he ignored her little gasp and lowered her to the ground.
What was he thinking? He’d nearly taken her in the middle of a dark and dirty cave. Nearly laid his heart bare. The word forever still beat in tune to his pulse, hovered on the tip of his tongue.
The magic of finding the treasure. That’s all it was. It couldn’t be more. Not between him and Red. Not ever.
She let out a shaky laugh and untangled her hands, dropping her forehead to his shoulder.
“I didn’t mean . . . I mean . . .” Shadows hid her face, but he’d put money on the blush creeping across her cheeks.
The thought of her being flushed drove his heart back into a wild rhythm and he took a deep breath. And another. They couldn’t keep doing this. Meeting like this. He was liable to lose his mind.
“What’s your plan?”
She cocked her head at the question.
“You’ve found your fabled treasure. Surely, this is the grandest thing you could hope for as a pirate. Why continue after this?”
She laughed again, the sound hollow against his throat, and gazed out into the room. “My parents died trying to find this.”
Blood rushed to his head. Her parents. The ones his father had killed. How could he forget? He pulled away.
“Red, there’s something I have to tell you.”