She drew her knees up as the breeze rippled across her damp skin and Christian’s hand slid back to the inferno blazing between her legs. She pressed up into his touch and he chuckled. “Patience, my dear.”
He slipped one finger, then another into her, swallowing her cry. His hand plunged against her, imitating the thrusts he’d given her in the water earlier, and all the little tendrils of pleasure gathering at her core began to spiral up through her.
It was happening again. She was climbing to that dizzying height once more.
His kisses traveled down her neck, leaving a trail of fire behind. Down to her chest, where he grazed his teeth over one nipple. But he didn’t linger, and his lips trailed lower and lower. When he dipped past her navel, she squirmed. Surely he didn’t mean to...
He did.
“Christian!” She tangled her hands in his hair and tugged, trying to deter him.
He ignored her and climbed between her legs, settling so his nosenestled in her curls. His fingers slid free and she stilled, warring with the urge to ask for more and the embarrassment heating her blood.
And then his mouth closed over her.
The shock of it sent her bucking against him. His tongue pressed around her and started to move in quick circles. Samantha flung her face side to side, gasping for breath while her fingers twisted against his scalp.
She teetered on a thin edge of sanity, the pressure building until it became unbearable. One hand disengaged from his hair and dug into the sand as she rocked against him, trying to find her way down. To find release.
“Christian. Please.”
“My pleasure.” His words came muffled, but he increased the speed of his greedy laps and slid a finger back inside her.
She came unhinged.
White-hot pleasure crashed around her and she cried out into the night, every muscle in her body spasming. Each clench of her core around him sent a burst of blinding sensation flying through her.
When the tremors subsided, she panted, unable to take a proper breath. Her limbs lay useless, unable to move. It was as if her bones had left her.
Christian sat up and stared down at her, his eyes hooded and dark.
“That was . . .” She trailed off with a frown. “That was . . .”
He smiled and laid a hand on her still quivering thigh. “I know.”
With a thud, he hit the ground next to her, lying with his shoulder against hers. Several minutes passed in silence, their chests rising and falling in tandem. The soft fall of waves upon the sand began to lull her eyes closed.
Christian’s knuckles grazed hers. “Why pirating?”
She stiffened, but he closed his hand over hers.
“I love the sea. I love the feel of a ship shifting below my feet.” She turned and met his gaze. “It’s part of who I am.”
He chuckled, the sound deep and sensual. “You could have sailed for your uncle.”
Her breath came out in a sharp huff. “No. No respectable man would sail under a woman. You should know better than most.”
“And what makes your crew different than law-abiding men? Why do they sail under you?”
They had no choice. Because her uncle had forced them. Her eyes pressed closed. Though it had felt good, though she had tasted freedom, none of it had been real. The hard truth was none of those men would have voluntarily signed up.
She forced a swallow. “Because pirates follow a different code.”
An ache formed in her chest. This was the first time she’d been able to be open with... with anyone. The dull pain intensified. Would she ever be able to speak this freely with anyone else? The need to be understood, to have someone care about the things that mattered to her, became almost overwhelming.
After a steadying breath, she faced him again. “If I weren’t a pirate...”
“If you weren’t...” He trailed off and tightened his grip on her hand. “God, Red.”
