“I’m sorry to hear that,” she said, and sighed just to reinforce her words. “I had preferred to think that you would be reasonable once you see that I am telling the truth, that you’ll have your ship back. With no real harm being done, you could have just been happy to be about your way when this is over.”
“No real harm?” he said incredulously. “What do you call cracking my head open?”
She tsked. “I did no such thing.”
“It feels like it,” he disagreed. “Come have a look.”
She chuckled over that obvious ploy. “Not a chance,” she told him. “Besides, it’s just a little cut and bump. It barely bled at all, and I’ve removed the evidence.”
He raised a brow. “You touched me?”
“Very impersonally. Didn’t you feel it?”
“No, you’re lying. What else did you do while I was stunned?”
“You mean while you were testing your new bonds? I did nothing! Really, I—”
“But you wanted to, didn’t you?” he cut in, with what could only be described as a knowing smirk. “Come on, sweetheart, admit it. You know you want to ravish me, and you’ve made sure I can’t stop you, not that I’d really want to. So what’s stopping you?”
“You will cease such—”
“Just sit on my lap, and I’ll give you the ride of your life.”
She shot to her feet, but it was too late. The words might have been crude, but the image had already got into her mind. She could touch him, she really could. He’d even given her permission. And the taste of him had been sweet, so very intoxicating. She could even do what he was suggesting…
“Stop it!” she burst out, but she wasn’t sure if she was saying it to him or to herself. So she added with a scowl, “Or I will use this pistol on you again.”
He gave her a feigned wounded look. “Is that any way to treat a wounded man?”
She headed to the door without answering him. She had to stay away from him until she got that image of herself straddling his lap out of her mind.
Chapter 24
“WHAT DO YOU SUPPOSE PIRATES WERE DOING INENGLAND?”Georgina asked James.
She was trying to show him that she wasn’t that upset, but she wasn’t having much luck, not after he’d seen her stricken expression as Drew’s crewman related the tale. The man had managed to slip over the side ofThe Tritonwhile it was still in the channel, without being seen, and came straightaway to Berkeley Square to tell them that Drew had lost his ship to pirates, and he’d overheard them say they were heading to a small island east of St. Kitts.
“Does it matter? Pirates, thieves, whatever they are, they’re still in possession of your brother’s ship.” And then James mumbled, “Bloody well wouldn’t have happened onThe Maiden Anne.”
Georgina pretended she didn’t hear that.The Maiden Annehad been James’s ship and he’d been a gentleman pirate himself for many a year, even capturing a few of her family’s ships, as well as capturing her heart when she’d sailed with him as his cabin boy.
His tone implied he was angry. She wasn’t surprised. He couldn’t stand to see her upset about anything and usually wanted to kill whoever caused it. In this case there was nothing he could do, and that would just make him even more angry. Not that anyone who didn’t know him well could tell. It wasn’t his way to shout or rant or get emotional. Oh, no, James Malory was unique in that regard. If he was going to demolish someone, that person would have no prior warning.
“At least Boyd is here,” she said. “I’m sure he’ll want to go afterThe Triton.”
“Of course he will, but is that going to relieve your mind?” he asked pointedly.
He knew her too well. Of course it wouldn’t. Boyd didn’t captain his own ship, nor was his ship equipped to deal with pirates. But then neither wasThe Tritonheavily armed.
“I’ve bought a ship,” James continued. “It was to be a surprise for the next time you get it into your pretty head to cross the ocean.”
She grinned at him. It hadreallystuck in his craw that he’d almost had to sail without being in command of the vessel. She wasn’t at all surprised that he’d make sure it never happened again.
“Then you’re going after them?” she said.
“Of course.”
“That’s an excellent plan,” she agreed, already feeling much better.
