Chapter Ten
James was shaken to his core.
As the battle wound down on the Queen Anne’s deck, he became aware for the first time of the commotion on the pirate vessel. Looking down, he saw Mercy leaning into the hold, trying in vain to reach the last of the prisoners. He watched in horror as water began sloshing over the deck of the doomed ship. Fearing at any moment the waters would close over her head, sucking her down with the ship, he sprang into action, all the while praying to God he would be able to save her.
In those seconds when he thought she was lost to him forever, James realized how deeply the stubborn, willful, annoying female had insinuated herself into his life. With a notorious womanizer for a grandfather and a coldhearted father who never felt the need to replace his dead wife, James had been raised to look upon love as a weakness, a character defect to be overcome.
He’d had his share of dalliances in ports on every island he could name. But those were like a good meal at a wayfarer’s inn. There was another inn, another tasty meal, another enticing female to be had in the next port. To think that the loss of a mere woman could bring him to his knees quaking in fear, a place no foe had ever been able to bring him, struck him with terror.
James vowed to be rid of the whole lot of wretched females as quickly as possible. But first, he had some unfinished business with the deceitful wench looking up at him so innocently, while wrapped in his greatcoat. And by God, was she wearing his trousers as well?
“Mr. Sprague, see to it our passengers get some food. And rum, plenty of rum. Tell them I’ll meet with them shortly to discuss our plan of action. The lady and I have some urgent business to attend to first.”
James grabbed Mercy’s arm and headed for his cabin.
***
Once inside, Mercy reached up to put her arms around his neck. She was shocked once again when he imprisoned both her wrists in his iron grasp, sank down onto a chair, and yanked her facedown over his lap.
Craning her head, Mercy stared at him, her eyes troubled. “James, what is wrong?”
“Wrong?” he bellowed. “I’ll tell you what’s wrong! I told you to stay here but you disobeyed me, running out of this cabin and straight into the fray. Then, in the middle of fighting for my life, I see you lying on the deck of the dammed pirate ship, with your rump waving in the air while you stick your head into the fetid, stinking hold.”
As he spoke, James yanked down the baggy trousers and gave her backside a harsh smack.
“Wearing my trousers?”
Whack.
“Pretending to be a man this time?”
Whack.
“Putting my crew in danger when they had to save this meddling ass of yours? I’ll thrash your bum till you learn to keep it where it’s been told to stay!” He started whaling on her bottom.
“You could have been killed a hundred different ways, a hundred times over. Stabbed with your own cutlass, drowned like a rat along with the rest of those sorry females. Good God, woman, have you not a brain in that head of yours? What were you thinking?”
Despite the burn of each stern smack, Mercy lay passively across his thighs. She knew under his anger James, too, was in pain, pain the stoic captain could not acknowledge without admitting he cared about her.
***
To James, taught from childhood to show feelings was a sign of weakness in a man, telling her how much he cared would have been unthinkable. He’d sooner surrender his ship to the next marauder without firing a shot than to allow a woman to capture his heart.
As he lectured her, James was struggling not to ogle her ass, turning a pleasing shade of pink under his palm. He gritted his teeth, resolving he’d not fall prey to his lustful urges, and spanked her even harder as he went on with his tirade.
James continued the relentless punishment until his anger was spent then shoved Mercy off his lap. Despite his fury, or perhaps because of it, his cock had grown hard and swollen. Determined to rid himself once and for all of the hold the temptress had over him, he stood up and grabbed her hair then pulled her to her knees in front of him.
Wordlessly, the wench complied with his unspoken command, unfastening his trousers to free his raging manhood then bringing it to her lips. He closed his eyes and gave himself over to the sensations, refusing even to look at her.
Her soft hands and hot tongue soon had him on the verge of climax. Despite his resolve that he’d only let her touch his cock and not his heart, he longed to bury himself once more deep inside her and hear her passionate cries.
With a growl, James sank to the floor, pulling Mercy down with him. In one swift motion, he thrust into her, cursing himself all the while for his weakness.
He pounded her as mercilessly as he had punished her, finally letting himself go when she cried out and wrapped her legs around him, pumping her hips up to meet his thrusts. She tilted her head up to kiss him, and James fiercely claimed her mouth as he exploded inside her.
He held her tight in his arms. The orgasm poured over her like waves in a storm. She came, shuddering and calling his name.
The sound rocketed him back to his senses. With a groan, James pulled away. Turning his back, he tucked in his traitorous cock, fastened his trousers, and headed for the door without a word.