She nodded, although her mouth still formed an ‘o’ from her momentary disorientation.“I was sure I was about to land on the deck,” she replied.
Instead, she was in Thomas Forster’s arms, much as she had been the night he had kissed her in the gardens during the Morganfield ball.He was even staring at her in a similar fashion, as if he was memorizing every feature of her face and her eyes.
She couldn’t help but do the same to him, her gaze sweeping the planes of his face, where shadows emphasized his cheekbones and the hint of a beard.His brows were furrowed with worry, and for the first time, she realized there were dark gray rims around the gray-green irises of his eyes.
How hadn’t she noticed those when she had first met him in the Morganfield’s ballroom?
She had certainly noticed the shape of his lips, though, the firm pillows emphasized by the arch of his lower lip and the two pointed hills that formed his upper lip.She thought to use a fingertip to trace their outline, and then wondered if he would pull it into his mouth to kiss and suckle it, or if he would simply pull it away so his lips could meet hers in a kiss.A kiss of reunion.A kiss of possession.A scorching kiss that would leave her walking on air, because at the moment she was sure she would be unable to do so of her own accord.
Although she would have welcomed a repeat of the act of intimacy they had shared in the gardens, she also knew it would be entirely inappropriate given what was happening to the ship, for the deck seemed to jerk beneath her feet once more.
Tom’s hold on her was solid though, which had her pressed so close to the front of his body, she could feel his warmth, the solidity of his chest, the smell of the scent of his cologne, the wash of his breath across her cheek.
She really should be more concerned about what had caused her to nearly fall down, but not now.Not when she was nearly hypnotized by his gaze.
Until he suddenly glanced away.Although Tom continued to hold onto her, his attention went to the crewman who manned the rudder.Slight of build and short—more due to his age than anything else—the boy’s eyes were wide with fright.He shouted something in Arabic, and another one of the crew, Nasir, soon joined him.
“What’s happening?”Tom asked when the ship once again shifted suddenly.He managed to keep his feet and to move them so Helen was close enough to the nearby wall so her back was pressed against it.
“Cataracts,” Nasir replied, his upper body leaning out over the deck rail so he appeared about to go overboard.“Boulders...islands in the water.”He motioned to the boy, and the ship once again shifted when he turned the rudder, this time with less effect.
Will appeared from the corridor, his look of worry and breathlessness a sign he had rushed from where he had been reading in the parlor.“Did you lose the rudder?”he asked in alarm.With his attention entirely on the two members of the crew, he didn’t seem to notice Tom and Helen even though they were only a few feet away.
“No, my lord.”
“What did we hit?”He joined the crewman at the starboard railing, his gaze directed along the bit of hull that was visible above the waterline.
“Cataracts,” Nasir repeated.“Last one coming up,” he added, waving for the boy at the rudder to turn it, and the ship once again shifted, this time only slightly.
When Tom returned his attention to Helen, he discovered her staring up at him with an unreadable expression.Meanwhile, Bradley was beaming at him in delight, a bare foot and pudgy knee pressed into his midsection.A dimple at the base of one cheek made the babe appear almost comical, and Tom couldn’t help the chuckle that erupted.“You are obviously unaware of how close you came to being dumped on your little bum, young man,” he remarked.
A peel of laughter sounded out of Bradley, and the babe said, “Dada dada dada,” as he waved his fisted hands about and bounced up and down on Helen’s hip.
Tom blinked.He released his hold on Helen and quickly stepped backwards, his face heating with embarrassment.“Uh...”
Helen tore her gaze from Tom and glanced at Bradley before she said, “Thank you, sir.”She dipped a curtsy.“Your timing was perfect.To keep me from falling onmybum,” she added sheepishly.
Bowing his head, Tom screwed his face into a wince.“I...I...would not have let that happen, my lady,” he stammered.“If you’ll excuse me?”He took another step back, bowed deeper, and disappeared into the corridor.
Disappointed by his sudden departure, Helen leaned her back against the cabin wall and audibly sighed.He had held her for so long, as if he thought she might collapse should he let go.At no point did she wonder at his motives, nor feel as if he was taking advantage.If anything, he seemed as shocked as she had been by the sudden shift of the deck beneath their feet.
Of the scraping sound on the hull.
If not for Bradley making his presence known with his babbling, Tom might still be with her.Holding her.Mayhap even stealing a kiss.
“Children are to be seen and not heard,” she said on a sigh, surprised by the annoyance she felt for her little brother.When she glanced down, she noted his good mood had been replaced with one that seemed to match hers.He was staring at her with furrowed brows, the expression completely out of place on one so young.
He made a sound of protest, a fist impacting her shoulder as he said, “No.”
Helen gave a start, ready to scold the babe for his behavior.His expression was so comical, though, she found she couldn’t keep a straight face.“Had to go and ruin the moment, didn’t you?”she whispered.“Brothers,” she added with disgust.
“Were you injured?”
Helen gave a start.The Earl of Bellingham was regarding her with a look of worry.“Oh, I’m quite fine, my lord.Your nephew was quick on his feet,” she replied.“Saved me and Bradley from falling.”
Will’s reaction indicated his surprise.“I’m glad to hear it,” he replied, his gaze darting to the corridor to see that Tom was already in front of his cabin door, about to go inside.
“What happened to have the ship shifting about so suddenly?”she asked.“And what was that awful sound?”
