Rising from the bed, he strode to the washbasin, wet a cloth with cool water and soap, and gave himself a cursory cleanse before bringing a fresh washcloth to Heather. He cleaned the seed from her skin, gooseflesh pebbling in the cloth’s wake.
She clasped his hand, halting his progress. “I am, too. Growing addicted to being with you.”
His heart hiccoughed, and he pressed a swift kiss to her lips before he tossed the cloth aside and lay on the bed with her. He reached for the bedclothes and covered their bodies before nestling against her with her back to his front.
It was time for sleep, but how could he? They were so near to their return journey to England…and there was so much more to say before they got there.
He pulled Heather tighter against his chest and pressed his nose into her hair. A smile tugged at his lips as he breathed in her warm, earthy scent. It was a marvel that she always smelled like plants, flowers, and earth, even when she’d been apart from her florae all day. His chest gave a pang. It was delightfully endearing. He loved hearing her talk all about the plants, their uses, and her intentions for the apothecary, even if he didn’t understand half of it. The more her face lit up when she spoke of her passions, the more addicted he grew to hearing her.
Heather sighed and wiggled her arse against his satisfied cock, and he chuckled.
“Not ready yet, sweetheart.”
She hummed, and Percy closed his eyes, letting warmth surround him.
Shouts echoed in the street beyond their window, disturbing their peaceful bubble. A frown pinched his brows. They werein San Luis with the devil knew how many pirates; there were bound to be duels fought and fights waged among the men.
More shouts rang out, and Heather sat up.
“What is happening?” she asked.
Percy patted the bed, still warm from her body. “Ignore it. It’s likely just some men fighting about a wager or a woman.”
She frowned. “Someone is issuing orders. Are they conducting a raid, do you suppose? Would they do that on a pirate island?”
Flicking the bedclothes aside, Heather retrieved her shirt and pulled it over her head as she padded toward the room’s only window.
“There is no law here?—”
She covered a gasp with both hands, dropping the window’s curtain back in place.
Alarm jolted through him, and he hurried from the bed to her side. “What is it?”
“My god,” she breathed behind her hands. “How did he find us?”
Percy peeled back the edge of the curtain with his index finger and looked down at the street below. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and he uttered a low curse. The sodding Earl of Hanley had followed them to San Luis.
“What are we to do?”she asked, pacing before the foot of the bed. “Do you think he’s learned of the pilfered documents?” She turned to face him. “He’ll know that we’re here. The men in the taproom recognized you—surely one of them will speak to the earl about our presence.”
Percy nodded and reached for his breeches on the floor. “Get dressed as quickly as you can. We’ll find a way out before they reach this floor.”
With a nod, and her fingers trembling with trepidation, she found her own breeches and donned them. It took several heart-thudding moments for her to locate her belt and sheathed dirk, but she found them under the bed.
Boots, her inner voice whispered. Indeed, she couldnotforget those.
A commotion erupted belowstairs, the sounds of shouting voices and women’s screams echoing up the stairs and through the narrow corridors.
Heather’s heart lodged in her throat. “What do you suppose the earl’s men are doing?”
Pausing in the act of sliding his arms into his coat-sleeves, Percy frowned. “Something doesn’t feel right.” He strode to the window and pulled back the curtain. “Fuck.”
Gut swooping, Heather hurried to his side. “What is it?”
People in various states of undress ran from the building, smoke billowing in their wake.
Heather’s throat closed, and a shrill ringing began in her ears.Fire.
CHAPTER 18
