“You do help. I’d love your help.” And so much more. But he couldn’t ask it. She hated the sea.Bloody hell, she can’t even swim and retches up everything in her stomach half the time. And he couldn’t leave his crew…or the sea… They were part of him as much as the air in his lungs. “We’ll figure this out.”
She nestled into his side with a soft sigh. A murmur slipped from her lips, too quiet to hear. Despite the troubles that no doubt awaited them, in that moment he had everything he desired.
Chapter 30
Tink
“Good morning, love.”
A rock dug into her leg. At some point she’d rolled on a wing, and it ached something fierce. But as she cracked open her sleep-heavy lids and gazed into James’s smiling face, none of that mattered. One leg was twined with his, so much warmer than the other. Color raced to her cheeks as she registered the hardness pressed against her thigh. James’s arm flexed around her waist as he tugged her closer.
“Good morning.” She bit her lip, holding in a sheepish smile. It didn’t matter how many times they woke up together. Each time was a wonder, a joy, a moment she wanted to last forever. The damp cave had to be one of the worst places she’d ever slept, yet she had no desire to leave.
Birdcalls teased her ears. Light spilled into their dwelling, reflecting against the wetness of one wall. “The storm passed?”
“Looks like it.” His legs rubbed hers, eliciting a small whimper.
Tink glanced toward the entrance. The crew would be looking for them. The flood of light said it was past dawn. She sighed and dropped her cheek to his chest. “I wish we could just stay here.”
Calloused fingers trailed up her side, leaving gooseflesh in their wake. They twisted a lock of hair, traced one ear. “Me too, love. Me too.”
Slowly, reluctantly, he slid out from under her. Cold rushed into the vacated space.
Tink twisted around, watching with unabashed interest as Hook inspected their clothes. His tight ass could inspire sonnets. Not to mention the strong arms, powerful legs, and lean hips. Her thighs squeezed together as she took stock of the man before her. She had half a mind to drag him back down to the hard, rocky ground and have her way with him.
James looked back at her over one shoulder, an upward twist to his kiss-bruised lips. “Little minx.”
She grinned in return. Why deny it?
“Still a little damp.” He balled up her clothes and tossed them to her.
A little dampwas an understatement. They’d barely dried at all.
Tink sighed and glanced back toward the cave opening. At least the sun would be warm. Already it crept along the cave wall—
“James!” She jumped to her feet. Her wings gave a slight flutter.
“What?” He whirled around, still stark naked, searching for a danger that didn’t exist.
“Look!” she nearly squealed.
“Aye, it’s sunny today.”
“Not that.” She rushed toward the carving she’d spied, not caring about the hard rocks under her soles. “There!” She flung out her arm toward the cave wall.
“Wha—” His eyes flew wide. “The eagle.”
Laughter spilled out as she bounced with glee. The clue. It had to be.
James’s chest rose and fell before he whipped around toward the back of the cave. “There’s a pool back there.” He turned back to her. “A shallow pool.”
“In shallow pool the scale is found,” she repeated the witch’s words.
James grinned like a man who’d just been declared king of all, and he waved her to him.
Tink fluttered across the ground, her toes barely touching. He’d already hefted a torch from the remnants of their fire. Its smoke curled up toward a narrow opening above that dripped rainwater into the cave.
Still naked as the day they were born, they picked their way over the rocky ground toward the back of the cave. What did clothes matter when the object they sought was within reach? Besides, the witch said it would be in the shallow pool—no sense getting everything wet or stripping down yet again.
