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.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Samantha pressed afinger to Christian’s lips.
“Later.”
His breath rattled out and she forced herself to turn away. Before she kissed him again.
With tingling lips, she bent to unlatch a small chest. A cluster of jewels nestled inside, sparkling in the dim light. Her hand shook as she plucked one free and hefted its solid weight.
The corners of her eyes went damp as she imagined her parents and how much they’d wanted to find this. She’d done it. Somehow, against all odds, she was here.
A creak came from behind her and she turned to find Christian lifting the lid from a barrel. He blew a layer of dust away and picked up something tiny and round. She stood and leaned over. Buttons. Intricately painted porcelain buttons.
Another chest held glass bottles packed in sawdust. She popped the cork from one and the fragrant scent of jasmine drifted over her.
Christian pointed to a dozen casks stacked atop one another and she grinned. If it was rum, her crew would be in heaven.
A crate lay broken on the ground and he picked up a carved spinning top, its once-vibrant paint peeling away in flakes. “Looks like there’s a treasure here for every age, every taste.”
Warmth radiated through her body as they ventured deeper into the cavern. So many delights. Hers for the taking.
The crew would be able to buy whatever they wanted. Homes. Ships. Their families would never go hungry for the rest of their lives.And her uncle, perhaps he would retire.
She stumbled and Christian caught her elbow. If her uncle retired, that meant no more pirating. No more adventures. Her heart clenched, a dull pain radiating outward.
“Careful there.”
Christian’s voice snapped her back and she tugged her arm from his clasp. She ran a finger along the little cut on her side, scabbed over now. The euphoria of finding the treasure—of kissing Christian—had worn off, leaving a thousand aches behind.
She tripped again and this time, Christian swiveled her to face him. “What’s wrong?”
“Everything hurts.” Saying the words aloud unleashed a torrent of pain through her muscles and she sank onto the nearest crate. Turning her hand palm up, she opened and closed it, blinking at the sharp ache the movement brought.
Christian stepped behind her and set his hands on her shoulders. Long fingers pressed into her flesh and she let out a soft hiss.
“When’s the last time you slept?”
Her eyes drifted shut as pain and pleasure twined together beneath his touch. “Two days ago. I think.”
Silence fell around them as his hands moved down her back and up again. When he squeezed her upper arms, she let out a yelp and jumped up. Too much.
“You should get back to your ship. Rest. You overexerted yourself.”
Back to the ship.
