“Nathan has a small stable here,” Drew added. “Some of us can ride to the tavern and be there before Damon and Jack arrive.”
“And I’ll go with Damon and Jack as escort,” Jeremy said. “I can look the part of a pirate if need be. The tavern keeper won’t know the difference.”
“I will as well,” Anthony said, then smirked. “Father and son pirates.” James rolled his eyes at that because the two still looked so much alike, but Tony added, “You denied me the last fight, which ended up not being one. You’re not keeping me from any more, old boy.”
“Then it’s settled?” Damon asked.
James nodded. “I’ll sail with you and stay out of sight. But I’ll be close by if I’m needed. And you will protect my daughter with your life. I hope we understand each other?”
“Perfectly,” Damon said.
No one in the room doubted that James had just issued a polite death threat.
Chapter Forty-Five
A PRETTY MOON was shining on the water and the breeze was warm on Jacqueline’s cheeks as she stood on the balcony of Gabby’s old room, which she’d been given for their brief stay. The yard had a green lawn and a few palm trees, but the lawn didn’t extend far before the beach started. The house was small, local in design with its open, airy rooms, although most of the furniture was English. Warren and Boyd had rowed back out to their ships to sleep in their cabins. James and Anthony were sharing Nathan’s room for the night. She wondered if Jeremy and Damon were sharing a room, or if Damon had one to himself.
She was considering asking one of the servants when she saw Damon below the balcony, walking across the lawn. He wasn’t looking for her window and appeared to be in a pensive mood. “Psst!” She tried a few times to catch his attention. When he looked up, she signaled him to wait. She yanked on her britches, pulled on her boots without stockings, tied her nightgown around her waist, and climbed over the balcony railing to hang from the bottom of it before she even thought to look if there was anything to give purchase for her feet. But then she felt his arms go around her legs and she let go, twisted about, and slowly slid down his body to the ground.
She started to laugh but his mouth cut her off, and that kiss was incredibly voracious, setting off all sorts of delicious sensations inside her. It felt like years since she’d touched him, tasted him, when it had been only a few days, but it hadn’t been enough then and it certainly wasn’t enough now when she needed so much more. So she didn’t object when he took her hand and they started running away from the house along the grass bordering the sand.
He didn’t slow down until the ships anchored by the house were far from view. No watch was likely to have been posted on any of them this far up the coast. It was still nice to feel a little isolated. The beach was empty, illuminated by a bright moon, and the air was balmy on their cheeks. They strolled, hand in hand, on the sand for a while. Jack felt so happy and kept stealing glimpses of Damon’s handsome face.
“I didn’t think I was going to see you alone before the battle,” he said. “We’ll be sailing directly to it as soon as we get the location tomorrow.”
“I doubt it will take long. There are enough armed ships in my father’s fleet that you can probably sink whatever island Lacross is on.”
He chuckled. “Not quite sink, but your father decided against bombarding the base because he wants to deal with the pirate personally. The cannons will only be used to blast an opening if there are any high walls.”
“That gives them warning. They could scatter.”
“But not escape. It’s a new base, might even still be under construction—unless Lacross found another ancient fort to fortify.”
“My father is letting you go along for the battle?”
“Why wouldn’t he?”
“I’m more worried about why he would, when he might think you’ll die in the fight. Don’t do that.”
He laughed and pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly and whirling her around. “You can be very silly, Jack, about some of the orders you issue.”
Jack looked up at the moonlit sky and smiled dreamily, but then she heard him add, “There are many tales about mermaids in the Caribbean, beautiful women who entrance men, put them under a spell, and make them do their bidding. They’re dangerous, but no man can resist them. Are you one of them, Jack?” He put her down and ran his fingers through her long blond hair before kissing her.
She grinned against his lips and said whimsically, “Maybe.”
Damon sat down on the sand and drew her onto his lap. Lights twinkled in the distance by the harbor. She cuddled against his chest. His kisses were soft, his mouth moving from hers to her cheeks, down to her neck. Gently, he was stirring her desires, making her wish she could share such moments with him every day. Without spotting her brother or sailors every time she turned around, she could touch him as she wanted, however she wanted. But on this beautiful night in this beautiful place she was oddly content to be in his arms as he held her close.
A caress on the side of her neck made her shiver, causing him to ask, “Are you nervous about your part tomorrow?”
“Not a’tall. It’s likely to be quite boring, then I’ll get stashed back here while you men get to go have all the fun.”
“That sounds like a complaint. You can’t really want to go along for the fight?”
“Why can’t I—want to, that is? I thought you said you knew me quite well.”
He rolled his eyes at her grin, and she ran her fingers lightly along his neck. If she hadn’t been basking in this closeness they were sharing, they wouldn’t be talking now, but since he hadn’t stopped kissing her the whole while, she hadn’t tried to silence him yet. But she gasped when one of his hands brushed too close to her breasts, and when he did it again more slowly, definitely caressing her there now, she thought she would probably regret making love on a beach when she woke up tomorrow with sand in her bed. . . . She laughed at the thought. No, she wouldn’t.
“What’s amusing?”
She repositioned herself to face him, putting her legs on either side of his hips. “I’ll tell you—when you return safely tomorrow.” She leaned forward and kissed him.
But then they heard, “Really, Jack, climbing out windows at your age?”
She leapt immediately to her feet. “Damnit, Jeremy—”
“No complaints, dear girl, after I’ve been standing over yonder when I ought to be in bed just so you could have some time to talk. Anything else doesn’t get to happen . . . ever . . . again. So come along.” He held out his hand to her, but she ignored it and flounced past him instead, so she didn’t hear, “And you, Captain, won’t be warned again—stay away from my sister.”