He wanted her so badly he couldn’t see straight. His entire body shook with pent-up longing. He’d never experienced anything like it. His intense desire to make her happy. His overwhelming need to ensure she took her pleasure first. His body thrummed with unreleased passion. He forced himself to count to ten, hovering above her, his arms braced against the mattress on either side of her body. His lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her with all the pent-up desire he felt for her.
***
When Cade began to move, Danielle went mindless. The feel of him inside her was nearly too much to bear. It was nothing like the painful poking she’d experienced with Robert all those years ago. This time, she was filled entirely by Cade’s big cock and she was pinned beneath his gorgeous body while he pumped into her. Her knees clamped against his sides and she bit her lip to keep from crying out.Mon dieu. The man knew exactly what he was doing. He pumped into her again and again, making her take him, owning her body. She muffled her cries of pleasure against the pillow, murmuring mindless words of love and lust in her native tongue.
He reached between their bodies and touched her sex again, making her body wind up like a spring. When he finally sent her over the edge with a flick of his thumb, she bit his shoulder fiercely. He pumped into her again and again. Finally, he wrenched himself from her and spent his seed on her belly with a savage groan.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Cade woke in the middle of the night. He rolled over to stare at the gorgeous woman lying next to him. Had he told her she was beautiful? She was incomparable. Trying not to wake her, he pulled her gently into his arms, cuddling her against his side. She sighed and snuggled into him, one arm draped across his middle. That got him hard again.
Damn. He wanted her again. He’d expected that. He wouldn’t have seduced her if he’d thought he’d bore of her quickly. It wasn’t as if he could escape her on a ship in the middle of the ocean. Yes, he’d known he’d want Danielle again and again, but he hadn’t expected to want her so fiercely, so constantly.
He traced his fingertip along the veins on the back of her delicate hand. Her hand was lovely, petite. He gently turned it over and… calloused? She had unmistakable calluses on her palms, the pads of her fingers, between her fingers. The same calluses he had from pulling lines and running sails for years. She was telling the truth about her time on a ship.
These were the hands of a sailor. He’d know them anywhere. She’d truly worked on a ship? For years? Just like he had. Incomprehensible, but apparently true. Why would a beautiful young woman choose to work on a ship? What had forced her to it? “What are your secrets?” he whispered to her sleeping form.
How could he ever let this affair end? The thought surprised him. He’d never,neverhad such a thought before. He’d always been the one to end his liaisons with a woman, always been the one to get bored soon, first. Always been the one to walk away. Danielle had left him a note once. She was clearly willing to walk away. That was a new experience for him. Then last night, before they’d made love, she’d gone and given him a speech he well recognized. He’d given it himself countless times. It was the speech about how them spending the night together didn’t mean anything, that they had made no promises to one another. No commitments. The most insane thing was that he hadn’t even wanted to give that speech this time. The one he could practically recite in his sleep. No, he’d just been ravenous for her, wanted to touch her, kiss her, hold her, have her. He’d been willing to agree to anything to give her pleasure. And now, now he only wanted to pull her closer.
He turned her hand over again and stroked her arm. He’d intended to turn her over to Grim in San Sebastian. Now? Now he didn’t know what the future held. He’d be interested to hear Grimaldi’s excuse for his actions, but whatever the general was up to, Cade and Danielle would be in each other’s company for at least two more days. They might as well enjoy themselves.
***
Danielle pretended to sleep, but she felt Cade stroking her arm, tracing the calluses on her hand. She heard him whisper, “What are your secrets?” For the first time, she was actually tempted to tell someone. He was holding her, actuallyholdingher. That had been a surprise, to wake up in his arms with him stroking her and whispering in her hair. She’d been shocked—paralyzed really—and she hadn’t known what to say. Should she pull out of his arms, push him away? Hadn’t he heard her when she’d told him their physical relationship didn’t mean anything? Did she need to repeat herself? Remind him? Only it felt so good to have his hand stroking her skin, his arm cradling her. She moved her hand, pretending to still be sleeping. She touched his flat abdomen, allowing her fingertips to glance over the muscled planes. She might just get used to this. He’d rubbed the tips of her fingers. Was he horrified by the evidence of her hard work? He might be a pirate but what did he think of her being one? She was thinking too much, wasn’t she? She must stop that. At least while she was in bed with a ridiculously handsome man. She let her hand stray a bit lower. She might as well enjoy herself. As long as they were careful.
She was glad her head was on his shoulder so he couldn’t see her face. A grin cracked the corner of her lips. Her hand moved even lower before he caught it and lowered it even farther to curl around his stiff member. She squeezed it.
“I have an idea,” he said into her hair.
She laughed against his shoulder. “I can guess what it is.”
“Do you want to take a bath with me?”
CHAPTER FORTY
It was tricky getting Martin and a few of the deckhands to bring heated water in buckets from the galley to fill the brass tub in the captain’s cabin. To avoid scrutiny, Danielle gathered her clothing and hid in the wardrobe.
“Cross isn’t feeling well.” Cade’s voice boomed as the crew filed into the cabin. “I expect he’s somewhere hanging over the side of the ship casting up the contents of his stomach while I had to bother you poor lads to prepare my bath. Damn cabin boy might not last the rest of the journey. I might toss the useless baggage overboard.”
A few minutes later, Cade whispered into the wardrobe, “Martin’s gone. He left a towel and a bar of soap. But wait a moment. I’m counting to fifty to ensure he hasn’t forgotten anything. Don’t want to be surprised by him coming back.”
Danielle couldn’t help but squirm inside the wardrobe. She wanted to jump out, wrap her arms around Cade’s neck, and have her way with him. The count to fifty seemed interminable. Finally, Cade knocked three times on the side of the wardrobe.
Danielle pushed open the door with her bare foot and climbed out, naked and smiling.
“You’re going to sack me for my incompetence before we reach San Sebastian, are you?” she huffed in a mock-angry tone.
“Crossmight be sacked for incompetence,” Cade clarified, “but you, my lady, are welcome to stay as long as you like.”
She approached the tub, ignoring those words. He didn’t mean them. He wouldn’t allow a woman to stay as long as she liked. She was a novelty at the moment and unlike her stolen moments with Robert, Cade happened to be a captain and have a private cabin to himself. So they might enjoy themselves a bit longer. But she mustn’t ever forget that this was still only temporary. Amusing, but temporary.
“Only one towel?” she asked, staring into the steaming water.
“We’ll have to share.” He came up behind her and traced the outline of her neck with his finger. She tilted her head to the side to provide him with better access. He swept her hair aside, bent down, and kissed the top of her shoulder. She closed her eyes and he pulled her back against him. His erection was rigid against her back. He’d already pulled off his breeches sometime after Martin quit the room.
Cade’s mouth trailed over her neck, her shoulder. His hands moved up past her belly to cup both breasts. He twisted the nipples lightly and a zing shot between her legs. The man knew where and how to touch her. She had chosen wisely for her second lover.
“Bath time?” he whispered against her ear.
