20. Jack’s Girl #2
It was a thigh belt like the one he usually wore—the one she’d rarely been able to look away from. Even as she thought this, Jack said, “Since you seem to like mine so much. Do you know how hard it is to focus when I can feel you ogling my thighs?”
As he spoke, he wrapped a hand behind her knee to lightly nudge her leg out, then he slid his hand higher, brazenly holding her thigh as he belted a strap of leather around it. His fingers were deft, but certainly not quick, moving with calm assurance and taking every excuse to touch her.
Her voice wavered as she replied, “Now you’ll be ogling my thighs and we’ll both be useless.”
His gaze moved to hers, exceedingly casual. “I’ve had plenty of practice ogling you and getting things done.” He wrapped a second belt around her hips, attaching it to the one at her thigh to keep it from falling. “Or hadn’t you noticed?”
She didn’t think she could speak. Breathing, as well, was out of the question.
When he reached for more knives, he left his hand splayed over the side of her thigh, his long fingers reaching around the back in a way that made it difficult to keep count. One knife clipped to her leg, three others attached to the belt around her hips. Then he rose.
She asked, “Is that all?”
A dark chuckle. “Do you think I’m done?”
“I’m very much hoping you aren’t.”
He skimmed a thumb over the color in her cheek. “I’ll never be done with you.” His voice came lower, huskier in a way that reminded her of last night when he’d said her name and she’d answered, More.
She wondered if he could hear her thundering heart as his hands moved to her hips and began to lift the hem of her shirt, torturously slow.
Her lips parted on a quiet gasp as his fingers met bare skin, but he held her gaze, pleased as he caught every emotion and thought as they passed over her face.
Sensation shivered across her flesh as his callused hands drifted over her back, wrapping another belt around her middle. The wide strip of leather was smooth and comfortable, and it fit perfectly when he buckled it above her navel.
As he fitted more knives to her, she stopped trying to keep count. By the time he lowered her shirt, his cheeks had turned a light shade of pink as well.
Jack Copson was not as unflappable as he tried to appear, but before she could tease him for it, he gripped her waist and pulled her to him. Weapons, both hers and his, dug into her belly.
“Armed to the teeth,” he said. “My girl will always be armed to the teeth.”
Cecily’s toes curled. Covered in knives and held in the arms of a pirate prince who was sharper than all of them, no one could touch her. No one would dare.
She ran her finger over the ridge of one of the sheathes stitched into his vest. “I’m not supposed to have sharp things.”
“I don’t care. And should you want a sword, use mine.” He set his hand on the hilt at his hip. “Until we find one you like. You’ll choose it.”
Oh, she loved him very much. She wasn’t ready to say it, though, in case he didn’t feel the same. Instead, she pulled him down to kiss her. It said all she needed it to.
When they broke apart, breathing harder, she muttered, “I have nothing to give you in return.”
He slid his hand along her neck to cradle the back of her head. “You’re all I want.”
How could everything change so much in only a few hours? Or perhaps nothing had changed at all, and Cecily’s discernment was merely delayed. It seemed everyone had known what was going on, even Hein, but she’d been too stubborn to see it.
Glancing at the window, Jack said, “The others are waiting. We should go before they come hunting for us.”
“Shouldn’t they be happy to find us together?” she asked, linking her fingers with his as they left the room. He locked his door, and they headed down the stairs.
“On a normal day, they’d likely lock us in,” he said. “But for the heist, they’ll bemoan us not waiting another night.”
Their smiles faded when they stepped outside and found Hector Hein waiting for them, having abandoned his uniform for plain clothes.
“Ah,” the officer chirped when they appeared, noting their clasped hands. “I’m happy to see you’re both alive and thriving.”
Jack inclined his head. “Hector.”
“You didn’t marry, did you?” Hein asked dryly. “I’d thought with all that unbridled passion last night, you’d have made it to a church. If not to marry, then at least to confess.”
“Didn’t have time,” Jack said. “Though I must apologize for what I did to your men. That was regrettable.”
Hein shoved his hands into his pockets. “Yes, though it’s not shocking.
They attacked a Copson. The risks are known.
” His expression turned grave, all traces of humor vanishing.
“However, you’ll understand I must withhold my assistance from your plans tonight.
I need to show some loyalty to my crew after I let you murder and maim so many, and it’ll look bad to call my men off one night only to distract them from your misdeeds the next.
Should you be seen or caught, I can’t be involved. ”
Jack nodded once. “Do as you must.”
He hid his disappointment well, and so did Cecily, even as her stomach bottomed out.
Without Hein’s assistance, they’d have to completely revise their way into the mansion.
The rest of the crew wouldn’t be pleased, but Hein had already done enough for them.
Neither Jack nor Cecily would ask him for more.
The officer addressed her. “I’m terribly sorry to leave you, but I suppose you have a much more agreeable partner. It shouldn’t be too painful to move a few plans around.”
It wasn’t insurmountable, but it would be difficult.
She squeezed Jack’s hand. “It’s fine, Hector. And…I’m also sorry—”
He held up a hand. “No need. All is how it should be.” His dark eyes sparked.
“Though if you ever tire of Jack, I’d be happy to play our little game again.
If it’s criminals you prefer, perhaps I’ll forsake my post sooner rather than later.
You do make piracy look rather…” His gaze swept down her body, “attractive.”
Jack shook his head, his brows low. “You bold leech.”
“Oh, don’t look so put out,” Hein mused. “I played by your rules, and you won. I only came to wish you good luck tonight.” He started down the street, walking backward. “And all the other nights.” With a final wink, he strode off.
“Your rules?” Cecily asked when he was out of earshot.
Jack smirked. “Just one rule.” He looked down at her. “If he hurt you, I’d kill him.”
Jack and Cecily had hardly arrived on the beach with her arm around his waist and his slung over her shoulders before money began changing hands among five of the six, since no one would gamble against Fay.
For those who lost a bet to one, they won against another, and it took several minutes for them to exchange their gold and silver amidst a quiet thrum of muttering, math, and reminders of who said when, how, and where Jack and Cecily would get together.
Hester had the largest haul from her bets. She nodded to Cecily, lifting her money bag like a toast. “Bless you.”
Greyson regarded Jack solemnly. “I’m disappointed it took you this long.”
“Don’t think I didn’t try my best,” Jack said, and then he took advantage of having everyone’s attention to tell them Hein had abandoned the heist, and they’d lost their way in.
“Because you and Cecily tried to skewer each other?” Frederick asked with a loud guffaw. “We heard.”
“You had to try to kill her and ruin weeks of planning,” Maria said, folding her arms over her chest. “Nice, Jack.”
Jack made a face. “Any ideas, Maria, or are you just providing commentary?”
She stuck out her tongue.
“Should we call it off?” Hester asked, and the pirates looked to her all at once with varying degrees of shock, horror, and disappointment.
Greyson gently set his hand on her shoulder. “S’not really an option,” he muttered. “The heist is tradition.”
“We could kill the guards,” Killian offered. Next to him, Fay peered at the others, searching for signs of agreement.
“As little bloodshed as possible would be preferable,” Jack said. “If only to be less of a headache for Hector.”
“Remember this is for fun, Killian,” Maria said.
Killian shrugged. “It’d be easiest.”
“Knock out some guards,” Greyson said. “Don’t kill ‘em, but…” He shrugged. “Incapacitate ‘em.”
“Incapacitate,” Frederick said, impressed. “That’s a big word for you.”
Hester slugged Frederick in the arm hard enough to make him stagger and curse.
Cecily looked at Jack, then the group. “They don’t know who’s robbing the house, right? But they assume it’s the same people every year.”
“Probably,” Jack said. “Though they’ve never suspected any of us.”
Cecily pursed her lips as she thought, her eyes unfocused as she recalled their weeks of planning. She gave herself over to the cunning calculations that came so naturally, and an idea began to form.
“Oooh,” Fay said, her eyes focused on Cecily as though she saw into her mind.
“What,” Jack said, watching the brief exchange.
Cecily opened her mouth to speak, then hesitated. They’d think it was scandalous, but it was sure to be better than anything else they might concoct in so little time.
She met Jack’s gaze, and he nodded once. It was all the encouragement she needed to turn to the rest of the group. “The guards expect you to be good at sneaking in, but without weeks of planning, we’re sure to get caught.” She smiled. “So let’s get caught by the worst person possible.”
They all looked to Jack.
Jack looked at Cecily—and grinned.