“The way your body responds to me says so,” he murmurs. His smile is wicked, fitting for the arrogant pirate that he is, and I can’t help but narrow my eyes, offering a lopsided smile in return as he runs his thumb across my lower lip.
“Or are you still mad at me for earlier, my pretty priestess?” His voice turns husky and sends tingles over my skin.
“Thank you. For tonight.” I change the subject, sitting back in my seat. Otherwise, I might not be able to stop myself from climbing into his lap and straddling him in front of the entire crew.
That would be some fine entertainment indeed.
“What do you have to thank me for?” he replies. “You did everything.”
“No. For the robe, the jewelry. The opportunity to be something other than…,” I trail off, the word bitter on my tongue. I don’t fool myself into thinking that I am anything other than a whore anymore, but I cannot say it. Not tonight.
“You are everything, Andromeda.” His tone is serious as he looks deeply into my eyes. “Never think you are anything less than a priestess who commands respect and honor.”
For a moment, I no longer hear the din of the crew or the scrape of silverware on wooden plates. I only feel his gaze, and hear the command in his voice. I exhale and the moment is gone. The world comes back into focus, and I shake myself to remind myself where I am.
“Now, how about some entertainment?” Lennox announces loudly turning away from me. The crew cheers in response.
My mouth goes dry at his choice of words, fear creeping over me and paralyzing my muscles. Is this the moment I have been dreading, where I must perform for them as I am bid? But, all panic subsides when he claps his hands with a broad grin. A few of the crew members quickly retrieve something from the corner of the room – instruments – and begin to play.
One man saws on a fiddle, while a woman blows a happy tune on a pennywhistle. Yet another man holds a concertina at the ready, waiting for his cue to join in. The others stomp their feet or clap to keep time with the raucous tunes, and many sing along to the bawdy songs. I can’t resist joining them with my own clapping and stomping. Lyra glows with joy at the celebratory atmosphere. Even the usually stoic Erik smiles and drinks heartily as music fills the room.
After a few songs, the tune turns mournful. Pike, the older man who gave me the list for the apothecary, stands and sings in a rich baritone. The ballad tells the tale of parted lovers — the man searches for his beloved, but he perishes at sea before being reunited. Gooseflesh rises over my skin as a clear soprano soars through the air to join Pike’s deeper tones for the heartrending chorus. When I trace the sound, surprise fills me to discover that the mournful words pour from Lyra’s lips. Tears trail down my cheeks from the emotion in the song, and I am astonished when I glance at the Captain; he, too, has tearstains on his sun-kissed cheeks.
After the tragic song, the music resumes an upbeat tempo with the entire room joining to sing the bright lyrics. I can’t resist grabbing Lyra’s hand, twirling with her to the beat, weaving through the midst of the crew. Laughter bubbles from my lips when I realize she knows the words to all of the songs, both the lewd and the romantic. I can’t believe I’ve never heard her sing before at the House.
Several others join us in our dance, and it feels like a grand party rather than a group of unwashed pirates in close quarters. I haven’t danced joyfully since my young and carefree days at the temple, and I cannot disguise the joy that is surely shining on my face.
Each time I spy Lennox, seated next to Erik on one of the benches, he wears a grin. His eyes never stray from my form. Eventually, the flow of drink slows, and men begin to stumble to their berths. I walk alongside Lyra to return to our cabin, but Lennox clasps my hand in his when I turn to bid him goodnight.
“Don’t go,” he whispers. “Let her go to her bed with Charlie tonight. Come with me.”
I wet my lips in indecision. This isn’t a command, even though he hasn’t asked a question. It’s a request. A request I accept with a smile.
The Captain holds my hand the entire way to his cabin, stroking his thumb across the back of it tenderly, almost as if he is a suitor paying court to his intended. My chest tightens with emotion at the thought, much to my surprise. How have I allowed myself to forget that I am only here because of a business agreement?
I try to remind myself to be careful, to rein in my feelings, but my mind starts to lose its battle with my long-stifled heart. Lennox holds the door for me to enter, and I step into the dim cabin illuminated with a few oil lamps, casting the faintest glow in the darkness. The white of the moon pours through the back windows and reflects off the surface of the dark sea beyond.
I turn to the Captain, glancing up at him through my lashes. “So, Captain, what shall we do tonight?”
“Billy, remember?” He beams at the reminder, brushing my wild hair away from my eyes. “And we can do anything you like, Nerissa.” He pulls me closer to him as he breathes my name.
I smile devilishly and push away from him, dancing to the table. My backside leans against the wood, standing casually like a man waiting for a drink at a bar.
“Well, Billy,” I test the name. “I think you will have to work for me tonight. Come here.”
I beckon to him with a crook of my finger and smirk. He curls his lips to match, stalking across the rich carpets, placing his hands on either side of my hips when he reaches me.
As he leans down to kiss me, I place my hand on his chest to stop him.
“Ah, not so fast. On your knees,” I command. His brows lift, but he slowly kneels at my feet, looking up at me as he rests his hands on my hips. “Remove my boots and pants.”
Slowly, Lennox pulls the leather boots from my feet, tossing them across the room before unbuttoning the front of my pants. His eyes stay on my face while he slides each button from their place so painfully slow that I almost give in and push him to the floor, but I enjoy this game too much. I bite my lip, watching him, allowing a ghost of a smile to show, as my breath hitches. Once the buttons are each freed and he begins to slip the pants down from my hips, I catch him chuckle under his breath.
“Is something funny… Billy?” I ask imperiously.
“I believe this is the first time I’ve ever had to remove someone’s pants before fucking them.” His grin is wild, the same brightness of the stars above shining in his gaze.
“There’s a first time for everything, isn’t there?” I can’t mask my own huff of laughter at his revelation while he pulls the pants to my ankles and removes them, leaving me in only my long shirt. My breath is ragged at the touch of his calloused hands on my skin, fingers roaming my bare thighs. He rucks up my shirt to bare me to him and begins kissing my inner thighs as I part my legs in encouragement, leaning against the table.