He walked to the bow of the ship and stood, head back to look at the sky. The wind riffled through his hair as they picked up speed and spray from the salty sea splashed against his skin.
He sighed with contentment. The sea was his home, always had been, always would be. Whether he was gliding atop her fair waters or looking down at her from a window on the shore, the sea was his maiden.
Anger sliced at him as a vivid image of his childhood home flashed before his eyes. He could picture walking up the outdoor covered walkway, with arched stone ceilings and a gravel path that crunched beneath his boots. The walkway led to a doorway and beyond, winding stone steps that took him to the top of the tower. He’d lean out through one of the narrow windows, reaching his arm as far as he could, imagining droplets of water from the waves splashing up to meet his outstretched fingers. At his back were the heathered fields that lead up to the Highland mountains.
Hell and damnation!
All of it had been ripped away. His whole life taken in one night. A bloody massacre of all he knew, and his future shredded and bloody as the bodies around him.
“Cap’n?”
Startled, Wraith whipped around and growled, “What?”
Churl backed up, hands waving in defense in front of him. “Didna mean ta scare ye, Cap’n. S’only, the men be wonderin’ if they can have a meal now we’s out to sea.”
Wraith nodded, not trusting his voice to come out sounding right through his closed throat.
“Will ye be takin’ yer meal with the lady, in yer quarters?”
Again, Wraith nodded, then waved Churl away.
With a deep sigh, he made his way down to the quarterdeck and the doors leading to his cabin. But there he paused. He wanted to enter, to see Faryn again. He wanted to ask her how she fared, to discuss with her the plans for their voyage and when they landed. Wanted to gauge from her how her family would react, what amount of coin he could expect. But knowing he needed to ask those questions wasn’t what stopped him. What kept him from entering the door were the other feelings creeping in, trying to take over his controlled and methodical mind. Feelings of possession, interest, desire—he dared not give voice to anything more than that.
With a curse through gritted teeth, he turned the knob on the door and slipped inside.
They’d left at dawn and now the sun blazed outside on the decks, reflecting almost blindingly from the water’s surface, but despite that, inside his cabin was dark. The curtains were drawn over the few portholes and no candles were lit.
Aware of the room like he was the back of his hand, Wraith let his eyes adjust to the change in light and then looked around. Where was she?
Soft breathing and an occasional nonsensical murmur were whispered. He walked toward the bed and found her curled up under the thick plaid blankets, deep in sleep, hair fanned out like a golden halo atop her head.
He watched her. Admired her beauty. Took in her innocence. Felt himself grow drowsy with the even rise and fall of her chest.
Sleep sounded perfect. Wraith peeled off his linen shirt, had a moment where he thought being nude beside her not such a good idea but quickly tossed it overboard. They’d already made love once. What would it matter if he slept nude beside her? Hell, she herself was only dressed in one of his linen shirts.
Without another thought, he stripped down to his skin and slipped between the sheets. Lying on his side, he pulled Faryn’s warm body against his length.
He ignored the quickened beat of his heart and how his breath caught in his throat. He rested a hand on her bare hip, his shirt having risen to bunch around her mid-section. Somehow, he even managed to bridle his erection, which raged hard against her soft buttocks.
Sleep was what he needed. But sleep was not what he was going to get.
Chapter Six
Warmth filled her. Softness caressed her. Then hardness, stroking over her body. The scents of man and sea curled around her. She sank deeper in the blankets, completely comfortable, and relaxed into the delicious warmth and pleasure.
Faryn’s eyes shot open and she jerked against a male body.
The gasp was stilled on her breath when lips claimed hers. She was rolled onto her back and a hard male body covered her. A tongue stroked along her mouth and hands roamed over her body. She should have cause to fear, but she would have recognized the kiss anywhere, and as shameful as it was, she welcomed Noir’s touch.
She leaned up, deepening the kiss, and curled her arms around his warm back, stroking over the smoothness of his flesh.
She spread her thighs beneath him, her knees at his hips, her body already slick with the need for him to sink inside her.
Noir moaned against her mouth. “Ye are a little vixen, are ye not?”
Faryn smiled and lifted her hips up until his arousal was cradled between her thighs. “I only do as my master bids me.”
When Noir didn’t answer right away the warmth started to desert her. Had she said something wrong? But he kissed her again, this time gently against her lips.
“Faryn, leannan, I dinna wish for ye to do only as I bid when we are together, like this.”
She didn’t know how to answer, wasn’t sure what he meant by his words. “I-I dinna understand.”
He pressed his forehead to hers, his hands settling on her hips. “Dinna spread your thighs for me because ye think I demand it. Do it because ye desire it. Do it because ye desire me.”
Stunned, she lost all sense of words. She did desire him. She did want him to drive deep inside her. She needed him to touch her. But what she realized then was he needed her to tell him that. He was so accustomed to women tossing up their skirts and taking him because he wanted them to, not because they had a choice. Why did he want it to be a choice with her? At the moment she cared not why, only that he did, and that she burned with a fever so hot only he could douse it.
“Touch me,” she demanded.
“Aye,” he growled, and crushed his lips to hers.
He kissed her senseless while pulling his shirt from her body. His hands roamed up over her ribs to her breasts, where he teased her nipples until she writhed and begged him for more. He bent his head low, taking a nipple gently into his mouth, then scraped his teeth over it and sucked gently.
Faryn moaned and tugged at his hair. Wanting more of what he had to give. Wanting a release as sweet as the one he’d given her in Orelia’s court.
“Noir, please!” she begged.
But he wouldn’t let her get away that easily. “What is it, minx? What do ye want from me?”
“Oh,” she gasped as his mouth went lower, his tongue circling over her navel. “Aye,” she whimpered, not really sure what she was saying, only knowing that the feel of his tongue on her flesh was exquisite.
He moved lower, kissing the top of her mons and blowing gently on the nub that sparked pleasure.
She bucked her hips and shrieked, “Nay! Aye!”
He darted his tongue out to lap at her pearl.
“Mmm…leannan…so delicious…”