Chapter Nine
Maisy was getting into bed when there came a quick rapping at the door. For a moment, she felt the thrill of hope that it was Iain, but then realized that was silly, for he’d just have come in.
She’d been disappointed that he’d not joined them for dinner. Simply for the sake of being able to ask him all the questions she and Jack had come up with during the day while wandering about the ship. Not for any other reason.
The impatient knocking came again, confirming it was her brother. She pulled on her wrapper and went to the door. It was not even opened completely before his hands were flying.
“…so big…must see…up…bright…”
“Slow down. I can’t understand.”
The only answer was a tugging on her arm.
She stayed where she was. Signing to him.
“I can’t go out there. I’m not dressed and Abigail is already abed. It will have to wait until morning?”
He blinked at her and shook his head as if she were daft. Then signed back, “It can’t wait. You must come now. No one will see you.”
When he tugged at her arm again, she decided it must be very important and only paused long enough to slip on her shoes before following him out into the darkness. Except it wasn’t very dark for it being so late.
A few steps later she saw why. The moon was nearly as bright as the sun, hanging so large and close in the sky she thought she might touch it if she climbed one of the masts and reached out.
Her breath left her quickly as she stepped closer, bewitched by the celestial sight. Soon they were leaning against the rail of the ship. She looked over at Jack who glanced and her and smiled.
He signed, “See why it couldn’t wait until morning?”
She nodded and looked back at the bright orb. The light touched the waves, creating a glowing ripple in the black water.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispered more to herself.
“It is,” Iain answered from behind them.
She turned, tugging her robe closer. It wasn’t proper for her to be out of their room in her night clothes, but he didn’t even seem to notice. He was looking up at the sky as she and Jack had been.
“I’d think you’d grow used to seeing such sights.”
“One never grows used to seeing something so beautiful.”
Except when she looked at him, he was looking at her, not the moon. She felt a strange shiver go through her.
“I thought you were steering the ship,” she said, hiding her displeasure.
He was the captain of the ship, he couldn’t share every meal with them.
And she shouldn’t want him to share any at all.
Once he saw her settled in the castle, he’d be gone, like the moonlight in the morning.
She might never see him again. And why should she care if that were true?
He was no one to her but a way to save her brother.
“Hodge has taken over,” Iain explained.
Jack tapped her arm and made a questioning gesture.
“He said Hodge has taken over.”
Jack grinned and looked toward the wheel before leaving in that direction.
“I’m afraid my brother plans to take over your ship. I never knew him to be a pirate,” Maisy teased.
“He knows Hodge will let him take the wheel as much as he wants. Your brother has bewitched my entire crew,” Iain said with the same indulgent tone she often heard in her own voice.
Maisy nodded. “He has charm in folds, that boy.”
“He does.” Iain looked down at her with a smile. “You are not without your own charms.”
She chuckled as that shiver of excitement went through her again.
“Are you chilled? Perhaps you should go in out of the air.”
“No,” she answered, quickly. “That is, I’d like to stay and look at it a little longer. I don’t know when I’ll ever see it so close again.”
It was the truth, but not the entirety. She found she wanted to stay with him a little longer as well.
Before she realized what he was doing, he shrugged out of his coat and settled it over her shoulders.
“Thank you,” she said.
“You need not keep thanking me every hour,” he said and she could tell by the crinkling near his eyes, he was teasing her.
“Perhaps you do not wish to hear my gratitude, but I am thankful for everything you’ve done for my brother and myself. Not just marrying me and bringing my brother along to your home, but for your kindness and acceptance of Jack.”
Once again, Iain shrugged off her gesture of appreciation.
“The situation benefits both our needs.”
Right. The money. She hadn’t forgotten that he’d only married her for her dowry. Still, she knew well that he didn’t need to be kind to get what he’d needed from her. But knowing he didn’t like her making a fuss, she refrained from saying it again.
“It did,” she agreed instead of arguing.
“We’ll get to Aberdeen late tomorrow and be at the castle by evening.”
“Oh. That is very good.” The way her stomach seemed to drop to her feet betrayed the truth. She’d not wanted their journey to end so quickly.
She glanced up at him to see if he was pleased by this situation and found him looking at her again. She couldn’t read the look on his face. He wasn’t smiling any longer, but he didn’t seem angry as much as…intent.
“Your eyes look like gold in the moonlight,” he said.
“Do they?” Her voice came out breathy and thin as she swayed toward him. And not from the movement of the ship.
He reached up and placed his fingertips along her jaw.
“Your skin almost glows.” His eyes moved back and forth as he searched her face. “Your hair shimmers between red and copper. If I encountered you in the water, I’d swear you were a siren.”
“I can assure you, I do not wish to drag you to your death.” She always turned to humor when she was uncomfortable, and his words had her cheeks burning. Maybe not so much discomfort as it was excitement.
He shifted closer, only half a step, but it made all the difference in the world.
It took him from being close to being too close.
At least he would be considered too close for respectability, but here on this ship there were no gossips of the ton to judge them.
And after all, they were married. They were expected to stand close to one another.
In fact, in their room it would be acceptable for them to be even closer.
So close there was nothing between them when skin touched skin.
Caroline had told Maisy everything that happened between a husband and a wife. Much more than was proper for a married woman to tell a maiden, but Maisy—while thoroughly embarrassed—was grateful to her friend for telling her everything so she knew.
But in this moment, Maisy realized what a curse knowing might be. Because knowing could easily turn into wanting.
She swayed again and put her hand out to catch herself, but he was the closest, steadiest thing and she found her fingers gripping his hard chest through the thin shirt he wore.
Before she could pull it back, his larger hand pressed it closer to him and he leaned down. She realized then he planned to kiss her.
She’d never been kissed, and never understood the way Caroline went on about how enticing it could be. Except now, she did know. She closed her eyes waiting for his lips to touch hers.
When they didn’t, she opened her eyes, worried she’d misunderstood. But he was still there, a breath away from kissing her. His gaze dark and hungry. Yet he waited.
And a second later she realized he was giving her a choice. To back away or move forward. He was not going to take a kiss, he was offering one. Somehow this made it inevitable. She had to kiss him that instant. She raised up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.
She didn’t know what happened beyond that, but the initial touch of their lips was all Iain needed to catch flame. His hand moved from her jaw to her hair as he took over. He kissed her lips, top then bottom for a moment before his tongue touched gently at the edge of her mouth.
She was to understand, tongues played a part in kissing, but hadn’t thought she’d ever like such a thing, but as she opened to him and his tongue tangled with her own, she thought it was possibly the very best thing two people could do.
His deep groan vibrated throughout her body. His arm came around her, pressing her closer, so close, yet not close enough.
“Maisy,” he whispered her name in her ear, when his kisses moved from her mouth to her ear and neck. Everywhere he touched quickly became her favorite place until his lips landed somewhere new.
She couldn’t seem to get enough air, despite having plenty of it all around her. The salty, night breeze should have cooled her body, but she was burning from his every touch.
“Yes,” she said, though she didn’t think it was the first time she’d said it. And while she didn’t know what she was agreeing to, she knew she wanted it.
His lips met hers again, hungrier still and his hands moved down to her hips pulling her against his body. She felt his hardness and knew what it was intended for. Still, she worried if Caroline had been telling her the truth or was jesting at her expense, because it didn’t seem rational.
Not that anything felt rational at the moment.
When his hand came up to grasp her breast under the robe, she gasped. It was a shock to have a man touching her so intimately, but no part of it felt wrong. And when his thumb brushed over her nipple, she made a sound she hadn’t realized she was capable of making.
Some wildness washed through her veins as her leg rubbed up the outside of his. And then when she was hoping he would touch her where she throbbed and wanted the most, he pulled back.
She felt as if she’d been dashed awake by a cold bucket of water when he called back loudly.
“I’ll be there in a moment.”
Someone must have called for him and she’d not heard it. Truth be told, she’d not even realized they were still up on the deck of the ship where anyone could have come upon them. The bright moonlight would have done little to hide them.
“Let me see you to our room before I see to the issue with the ship.” He ran a hand through his dark hair in what she assumed was the same frustration she felt at the moment.
She followed him in a daze as he led her to the door to their room.
“I hope to return soon,” he whispered before pressing another kiss to her lips. Then he was gone and she felt as if her mind was a muddled mess of need.
She took off his coat but held onto it as she climbed into the bed, hoping he’d be lying next to her shortly. He’d said he wouldn’t force her for wifely favors. She appreciated that, but she was ready to give them to him freely, as soon as he returned.