Suddenly his roaming hands stilled. He pulled his mouth away just far enough to take a deep, gulping breath. She whimpered at the loss of his warm lips. He lay his forehead against hers and his hands slid up to cup her shoulders.
“I’m sorry. I should have never taken such liberties, my lady.” He took a deep breath in. Vivian placed a hand on his chest, feeling its rapid rise and fall.
“Jack.” She cupped his cheek. “I wouldn’t have let you if I didn’t want you too.” She searched his shadowed face for some sign he felt the same magic as she. His eyes were closed, his lips drawn in a taut line.
“No, Vivi, this isn’t right. I am not the right man for you.” He turned his face and kissed the inside of her palm. Then he slipped away, disappearing into the dark.
Vivian pressed a fist to her lips, turning to face the sea. What in God’s name had just happened? Had she really been ravished in the dark by the handsome captain, only to be left alone a few minutes later? Damn him! Didn’t he feel the bond between them? How could he deny their passionate connection?
A small, dangerous thought wiggled its way into her head. Maybe he hadn’t felt the passion she had. Perhaps he had been merely amused by her inexperienced kisses. Vivian shook her head. She vividly recounted the ardent play of his lips on hers, the way his hands moved across her body eagerly. Stupid, stubborn man.
She kicked at the balustrade and then yelped in pain at the instant reminder she was barefoot. She muttered a few more choice curses into the darkness, unflatteringly comparing the captain to certain farm animals. How could one man be such a cipher? She stomped back to her cabin. She’d show him who could be coldly polite. Tomorrow she would begin her new adventure, and she would put Captain Jack Aston out of her mind forever.
****
The next day they docked in London after midday. Jack’s head swam with a hundred details he needed to tend to, but at the top of his list was to find Vivian and apologize properly. His regret over their kiss last night sat like a hard lump in his stomach. He had given his word to Jamieson to get her to London unscathed. He would ask her to write him. They could continue their friendship through correspondence. Hearing how she endured life in London, knowing she was all right would satisfy his conscience. It would be enough.
“Miss Jamieson, Miss Beaumont, you both look especially lovely today.” Jack overheard Smith’s deep baritone.
When he turned, Vivian stole his breath away. She wore a dress of light green muslin. A short spencer jacket in a darker shade of green tied right under her breasts with a soft pink ribbon, called attention to the creamy expanse of skin above it. She had her hair swept up in an elegant knot and boasted a smart, matching bonnet with a pink ribbon tied under her chin. As their eyes met, her green ones threw daggers at him before she turned and smiled at Smith.
“Thank you, Mr. Smith. You are too kind.”
Definitely still mad about last night. All the more reason to apologize.
“I couldn’t agree more, Mr. Smith. These two lovely ladies are sure to take London by storm.” He offered his most charming smile. “Miss Jamieson, may I have a word, please?” He gestured to the railing farther down the deck.
Vivian narrowed her eyes, and he was sure she would decline. But she seemed to collect her composure and instead strolled with him away from the others. As they came to a stop, she crooked one eyebrow. “Yes, Captain? What do you need?” she asked icily.
Her cold demeanor felt like a slap in the face. “I would just like to apologize for my behavior last night.”
“Which part?” she asked.
“Which part?”
“Yes, which part are you apologizing for? The part where we kissed passionately? Or the part where you walked away?” She glared at him.
“The part where we kissed, of course.” He kept his voice low. Her scowl told him he had chosen the wrong answer. Wait, she was upset he’d done the honorable thing and walked away?
“Vivian.” He reached out a hand to touch her cheek, but pulled back before he could make contact. Her eyes softened from fiery to questioning. “I stand by my comment last night. I am not the right man for you. But I would still like to be your friend.” He grinned. “Would you still write to me? I won’t always be able to write back, but I would enjoy hearing about your woes…”
Her lips twitched in almost a smile but then her eyes narrowed again.
“Perhaps.” She shrugged and turned on her heel to walk away. Confounded woman, he had done the right thing and apologized. Well, he tried anyway. Why was she still mad?
She linked her arm through her friend’s as she said, “Come on, Gabrielle. Let’s start our adventure, shall we?” Then Vivian walk down the gangplank and out of his life.
Chapter Nine
Jack sat in his office at Aston Shipping, sorting a stack of mail, efficiently organizing it into two piles, business and personal. Outside his window, the bright Bahamian sun beat down. His shirt clung to his back as the heat of midday made him sweat. A small breeze came through the open window, briefly cooling his brow.
The personal stack proved to be a paltry pile, only a couple of letters from his sister and mother. But then he came upon a letter with flowing handwriting he didn’t recognize. He looked at the return address and read Miss Vivian Jamieson, Dunmore House, London. So she decided to forgive him after all. He smiled to himself and settled back in his chair to read.
April 1798
Dear Captain Jack,
London is awful. Why didn’t you warn me how blasted cold it was going to be? It hasn’t stopped raining for a month. And it seems as though everything is gray. The sky, the buildings, the streets, the parks, all gray.
