Night before last, he'd been working in the galley, going over the charts, handling the business of the ship's log when she came in to refill a mug of rum.

"Thought you'd learned your lesson about rum."

Jocelyn turned and smiled. His world lightened. "I didn't see you there." She raised the mug. "This isn't for me. It's payment for MacTavish."

"He has you fetching for him, does he?" The big oaf of a Scotsman had accused him of jealousy. Ric couldn't deny the slight greening of his eyes now. Not when it came to her.

"It's part of our agreement." She brought Ric a short mug as well, taking a sip for herself before setting it down before him.

"What agreement have you made?"

Jocelyn pulled out two lengths of rope from a small pouch tied about her waist. "He's teaching me knots."

Ric laughed. "And why would you be needing knots?"

She toyed with the ends of the thin rope. "You said I knew nothing about life aboard a ship such as this. I decided to learn." A prideful grin curved her lips. "MacTavish says I'm a natural born seaman."

Amused, Ric leaned back in his chair. "MacTavish just wants someone to bring him his rum."

Her jaw dropped. "Not true." She sat next to him and tapped the arm of his chair. "Put your arm here, I'll show you."

Ric leaned forward again and returned to his writing. "Do you think I'm daft enough to let you tie me to a chair?"

"What are you afraid I'll do? Draw pictures and scribble in the ship's log?"

Ric set aside his quill. He'd humor her. He pushed up the wide sleeve of his shirt and laid his arm along the curved arm of the chair. "What have you learned?"

"Well every good seaman knows how to tie a bowline knot. I even know the double bowline." She wore an impish grin and tapped her chin with a small loop of rope. "But, I think I need a buntline hitch in this instance."

He couldn't help but smile. "Aye, sounds right."

"So, let me think..." She traced her fingers down his arm and held his wrist as she looped the rope around the arm of the chair. "Around the tree..."

Jocelyn caught her bottom lip between her teeth and dipped her head as she concentrated. Ric had to close his eyes against the attack to his senses. He fought the rush of heat that flooded his limbs. He'd done his best to stay far enough away from her to keep himself from taking her in his arms again, and here she was practically in his lap. He tightened his grip on the chair.

"You're not watching," she scolded.

Ric's eyes snapped open to find her staring at him. He could see the deep brown that rimmed the lighter iris of her eyes. The tips of her hair brushed his thigh. From this angle he could follow the shadowy path of her cleavage past the line where her tanned skin stopped giving way to the pearl white tops of her breasts.

"Sorry," he mumbled, surprised he could form the simple word.

Jocelyn went back to her task. He watched. Deft fingers looped and tied. Her chest rose and fell in a gentle cadence. Ric found himself matching each breath with his own.

"There." She pulled the rope snug. "A perfect buntline hitch." Jocelyn captured his other hand. "I've learned the round turn and two half hitches as well," she announced with pride. "I'm still practicing the last part," she paused as if trying to remember. Her face brightened. "...whipping the end to the main."

"Very good." Sweat crept down his temple. He'd never been so happy to have his hands tied. Kept him from grabbing her, pulling her closer, setting her in his lap.

She turned then as if reading his thoughts. "Still watching?"

"Aye." His voice broke the word in two. The pressure building in his britches caused a low moan in his throat.

Her eyes widened. "Is it too tight?"

Dear God, yes. Ric shook his head, "No..."

She went back to work. "I can't believe you're letting me do this."

Lurid images floated through his brain. He'd never imagined the idea of being her captive would arouse him this much. Giving her complete control. Wanting, needing, to take her in his arms and not being allowed to only added to his frustrations. He tugged against the restraint holding his right arm as the ache in his crotch made him squirm.

"It's lucky I have no evil plan for you, no?" Jocelyn laid a hand on his shoulder and sat back. "For I have now tied you to the dock." She took another sip of his drink. "And I've stolen your rum." She wiped a stray drop from her lip. "I may be a pirate yet."

Ric's left hand tangled into her hair, pulling her to him as the rope fell to the floor. Her gasp giving him the perfect opportunity to ravage her sweet mouth before sanity reigned and he pulled away. "You're no pirate. You've lost your ship," he panted.

Without looking, she reached over and tugged the tail of the rope still holding his right hand, tightening it. She searched his eyes. Her chest rising and falling with each heated breath. Lowering her gaze to his mouth, she tipped her head before moving her lips to his.

"But I still have you."

Chapter 14.

Jocelyn relived the kiss. Savored each second. Every detail. The smoothness of his lips in contrast to the rough scratch of his jaw. She could still feel him. The moist heat of his mouth. She could still taste him.

Her heart had been hammering so loud, she was sure he'd hear. Had she still been breathing? When he'd swept his tongue between her teeth to tease hers, all thoughts of hearts and breaths dissolved. All she could think about was how one kiss could hold such power, and render her helpless.

She mirrored each movement of his mouth. Learning. Following his lead. Waves of desire making her bolder than she ever dreamed possible.

Ric cradled the back of her head and held her to him as he sucked her lower lip between his and nipped at it with his teeth. She gasped with pleasure as light raced along her skin and tingled all the way to her toes.

When she slid onto his lap and wrapped her arms about his neck, Ric's strong fingers raked down her back and fisted the fabric of her shirt. He ground her name into her mouth. His hips lifting her as he rolled them upward sending delicious waves of pleasure through her.

It was all at once everything she desired and not nearly enough. It made her greedy for something she couldn't even name. She wanted all of him.

"Untie me." He rumbled against her lips. His free hand moved lower to cup the curve of her bottom and press her tighter to him.

"I'd have to stop kissing you," she breathed tipping her head to the other side, slanting her mouth in another direction.

Ric nipped at her lip again. "Damn it, Jocelyn, untie me."

She never should have stopped. Should have ignored him. For once she slipped the rope from his wrist, he used his hand to hold her away from him. It was as if by releasing that corded hold, she'd somehow broken the spell.

"We can't do this." He was gentle but forceful lifting her off his lap and setting her aside before shoving his chair back to stand. "I'm sorry."

Then, he was gone. She'd sat there trying to catch her breath. Her lips felt swollen. She tested them with her fingertips. Her body thrummed with denied desire. She sat stunned, struggling to understand what happened.

Tears pinched the backs of her eyes. Her fingernails cut into her palms as her hands curled into fists. She would not cry. Wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing what happened was anything more than a simple kiss. Nothing more.

Hornbach walked into the galley, and Jocelyn made her escape before he could speak. The tears wouldn't halt. Head down, she slowed her pace. She'd already humiliated herself once today without racing to her quarters in hysterics.

Once there, she flipped the lock, slid down the backside of the door, and let the tears come.

Two days had passed since their kiss in the galley. The next time she saw Ric, he had started to say something about what had happened between them, but she cut him off with some inane comment about the weather. She didn't want to hear what he had to say. Apology or explanation. It didn't matter one way or the other. They kissed, but it meant nothing to him. It was clear. She would treat it as such. It was nothing.

For two days and two long nights, those three words--It was nothing--circled around and around in her mind as she tried to convince herself. If only she could convince her body. Their "nothing" of a kiss awakened something in her. Even the thought of it set her limbs trembling. It had heaped dried tinder onto a tiny innocent flame of passion and wonder, and ignited it into a raging fire.

According to MacTavish, another day or so, they'd round the southeastern shore of Hispaniola and catch the trade winds blowing west from Africa. It wouldn't be long before her time aboard the Scarlet Night would be over. She'd return to the life of Admiral Beauchamp's daughter, marry the stranger awaiting her, and say goodbye to her foolish thoughts of embarking on some grand adventure.

Perhaps it was for the best to make a clean break of things before they became more complicated. She and Ric could never be together. Not in the way she was imagining. The mere thought of it was ludicrous. She needed to douse the flames of desire building within her and be practical.

Only Tupper noticed anything amiss with her. Jocelyn had asked her to teach her more of the hand language they used to communicate with Bump. Tupper agreed, but as soon as the door closed on her quarters, she began questioning Jocelyn.

Tupper stopped mid cabin and turned a curious eye in Jocelyn's direction. "What's happened?"

"I don't know what you mean." Jocelyn lowered her gaze and made a move around her.

Tupper blocked her and peered into her face. "Yes you do, I see it in your eyes."

Jocelyn studied her hands rather than raise her gaze.

Tupper tipped her chin. "I knew it. Something happened a few days ago. I noticed it then, but was hoping you'd tell me."

Jocelyn brushed off Tupper's hand. "Perhaps I'm tired of life at sea."

"No, that's not it either." Tupper narrowed her eyes. "Has something to do with Ric, too. Both of you've been acting a mite strange."

Jocelyn dodged Tupper once more. She didn't want to talk about it. Perhaps the best idea would be a counter attack. "Who's Beth?"

Tupper jerked as if she'd been slapped. "Beth? How do you know about Beth?"

"The first night. You know, after... I helped you to bed and tidied the cabin. You yelled at me to put down some old letters. Gavin's letters. But then you told me your name was Alice."

Tupper crossed the room and urged Leviticus to perch on her arm. His black toes curling around her wrist. She pet his throat until he chirped at her in contentment.

Jocelyn continued. "But the letters were all signed 'Beth.'"

"Not that it's any of your business, but Beth was Gavin's first wife." Tupper brought the bird to sit with her behind Gavin's impressive oak desk.

Jocelyn found it curious a man would marry one woman and wish to save letters from another. "And he kept her letters?"

"I kept her letters." Tupper used one hand to loosen the cork on yet another bottle of brandy. She held it up in offer, as she always did. Jocelyn politely declined once more.

Jocelyn sat on the edge of the bed. "Why?"

Pulling a glass toward her she poured a dram, stopped, then seemed to rethink her actions and poured another. "Beth's letters were one of the reasons I fell in love with Gavin. He thought he should get rid of them after we married, but I refused to let him. You see Gavin is...was," Tupper stopped and frowned.

Jocelyn immediately regretted broaching the subject. "I'm sorry, Tupper, we don't need to talk about this."

"No, I want to. It feels right to talk about him. Someone else should know about him...about us. Tell our tale perhaps." When she sat back in her chair, she lifted her boots to rest on the corner of the desk, Leviticus sidestepped up her arm and plucked at her hair. Tupper paid him little notice. "Gavin was a hard man. Tough. Fair. Brilliant, but closed off. We didn't agree on much of anything, and I couldn't find a way to get past the wall he'd built around himself. Honestly, I wasn't sure I wanted to in the beginning. Then, I found the letters and they explained everything. They showed me who he was and why he'd become the man he'd become."

She took a long swallow before continuing. "They'd had such a love, he and Beth, I saw a side of him he'd spent years hiding from everyone. It was as if she was telling me through those pages not to give up on him. That it was right to love him, and let him love me in return."

The story touched Jocelyn's heart. Who would have imagined such a tale of Tupper and Gavin coming together? "Were you together a long time?"

Tupper gave her a wistful smile. "Seven years."

"You have no children?"

"Do you see children?" Tupper used her glass to sweep the room.

Hadn't Ric mentioned the deaf boy as a small lad? "Bump?"

"Bump is no one's child. But he's the closest I'll ever come to having a son." Tupper gave a short sigh. "Creating a child of our own wasn't meant to be."

Jocelyn could only imagine how she would feel if she were unable to have children. It had always been a dream of hers to build a large loving family. After a life of forced quiet, she wanted a home filled with laughter and joyful noise. "I'm sorry."

Tupper once more shrugged it off. "Don't be. I'm not."

"Did you know right away you loved Gavin?"

"No. Like I said, we argued about everything. He hated the idea of a woman aboard his ship. It was his opinion that pirating wasn't a fit life for a woman. Things for him were black and white. There was a code to follow. Honor among thieves. Rules for everything. Except when life didn't follow the rules. But he loved like he fought. Fiercely. Completely."

Jocelyn could hear the longing in her voice. "Do you think, some day there will come a time when you'll be able to..."

"No. Gavin was everything I never hoped to have. After the things I'd done, I hardly expected to be anyone's wife. Thought for sure there was nothing left for me in this life. I was wrong. Gavin showed me otherwise."

Jocelyn stood, crossed her arms over her chest, and moved to the windows watching the water pass behind the ship. "I've always known I was to be someone's wife. I've been groomed to run a household and be the proper military wife. I never expected to find my true love."

"Is that what's bothering you? Have you found him? Ric perhaps?"

She spun back toward Tupper. "Don't be ridiculous."

Tupper raised one hand. "You brought it up."

"We weren't talking about Ric." Jocelyn lowered her arms and planted her hands on her hips.

Tupper laid a hand on her chest. "I wasn't, but I think perhaps you were." She eyed her closely. "You've been dancing around the subject of Ric Robbins for days. It doesn't take a brilliant mind to figure it out. You have feelings for the man."

Jocelyn pressed her lips together and didn't answer.

"Don't be embarrassed. You wouldn't be the first woman to be charmed by his golden good looks."

"Meaning?" Jocelyn hated the thread of jealousy that ran through her voice.