Blake faced Emeline, and they both smiled, a look of understanding flowing between them that sent warmth to her toes. Had he finally submitted to God?
Finn tugged the bandana lower on his head. “I still can’t believe ye walked away from the Ring like ye did.”
Emeline blinked. Surely, she heard incorrectly. “What was that?”
“Aye.” Charlie smiled at Emeline. “Della Morte gave the cap’n a choice. Save you or get the Ring.”
“And he saved you!” Pedro announced proudly, as if it were him who’d done the heroic deed.
Emeline stared at Blake, stunned, almost afraid to believe ’twas true.
She hadn’t time to consider it before Blake’s crew headed toward them with huzzahs on their lips and bottles of rum in their hands.
b
Hours later, Blake paced the length of his cabin back and forth, back and forth, cursing himself for behaving a moonstruck toady. How had he gone from being a powerful—themostpowerful—scavenger of the seas in need of no one, trusting no one, man or woman, to a sniveling sod whose heart could be crushed by a single word from one woman?
Not just any woman, but a woman who was everything he was not—an angel sent from heaven, whose very smile and goodness radiated a light that scattered all darkness. He had a question to ask her, a question burning on his heart, a question that if he did not ask her this night, he’d never have the courage.
Therefore, time was of the essence before he came to his senses and realized he had no right to ask anything of her.
But the crew had deserved to celebrate, the ship needed repairs, and Blake had orders to dispatch, commands to issue, and responsibilities to uphold as captain.
Yet now as theSummonsglided along on an inky sea beneath a waning moon and a majestic expanse of sparkling stars, he’d requested Emeline’s presence in his cabin.
Would she come? Or was she too exhausted from the day to bother? Hence the reason he paced.
Light footsteps padded, and he looked up to see her standing in the doorway, a stunning mirage of purity and light. Tendrils of loose hair hung about her long, graceful neck. Her cheeks were pink from the sun, her face glowing, her golden eyes sparkling. She bit her lip and lowered her gaze as if suddenly shy in his presence.
“Emeline.” He held out his hand for her, ushering her inside before closing the door.
“’Tis hardly proper, Captain, to be alone with you.” She gave him a teasing grin.
“Too late for that, is it not?”
“But now…” She ran a finger over the dust on his desk.
He approached, wanting to know what had changed between them and hoping ’twas exactly what he longed for. “Now?”
She faced him, her chest rising and falling rapidly as if she were nervous. “You forsook the Ring. You chose me over your dream.” Even as she said it, moisture glistened in her eyes. “Why?”
Swallowing, Blake gripped the lion medallion, wanting to declare his love again, but…unsure of her reaction. He deserved her scorn, her disdain and disgust. After what she’d endured by his hand, he deserved naught but a slap in the face. And far worse.
Yet he’d never been one to cower from anything. He raised his eyes to hers. “I discovered that the Ring was not as important to me as you are, Emeline.” Taking her hands in his, he squeezed them. “Power, wealth…Scads, should the entire world be handed to me on a platter, ’twould be empty without you. I love you, Emeline.”
Confusion twisted her brow, followed by shock and…disbelief? Breathless, she stumbled backward, jerking back her hands to catch her balance on the shifting deck.
Blake grabbed her waist to steady her, his heart sinking. Not exactly the reaction he’d hoped for.
Lantern light shifted over her face, dark…light…dark…light…like the swaying of a deadly pendulum, sealing his fate.
Releasing her, he backed away. “Forgive me. I over spoke. I’ll call someone to escort you back to your cabin.”
b
“You will do no such thing!” Emeline could hardly keep up with the capricious man’s moods. One minute loving, the next sad, and now an angry resignation had overtaken him.
He stared at her, those green eyes of his like daggers into her soul. ’Twas the second time he’d declared his love for her. The first she’d ignored, being on the heels of a passionate kiss. But this one? No seductive gleam shone from his eyes. In truth, neither did she see an alcoholic haze. Hence, the reason it had taken a minute for the shock to reach her heart. Lifting a coy chin, she moved to the stern windows and gazed out upon the moonlit sea. “Tell me more about this newfound love for me, Captain.”
