He gave a bitter smile before brushing her lips with his. "I thought so, too."
Jocelyn let out a small sob as Ric slipped his tongue into her waiting mouth and crushed her to him. Aye, he may let her go, but right here and right now, she was his. He was selfish and even if it were only for this one night, he wanted to love her.
His hands slid down the curved of her back and over the swell of her behind. Jocelyn trembled beneath his touch. Between kisses he murmured, "Maybe I should get a fire going. It's getting cold. Looks like we're going to be here all night."
"We should get you out of those wet clothes," she whispered against his lips.
"We should get you out of your wet clothes, as well." Ric grabbed fists full of skirt and pulled her even tighter to him.
"But mine are dry." She tried to laugh, but he was too intent on kissing her.
Ric lowered his forehead to hers. Their breath coming in quick pants. "You could go stand in the rain? Or I could toss you into the spring?"
"Or you could take them off and kiss me again."
Chapter 20.
Rain continued to fall through the opening in the roof of the cave to splash gently in the pool adding to the sound of the crackling fire and the beating of Ric's heart. Flames cast dancing shadows upon the walls and across the planes of her beautiful body.
He cradled Jocelyn in his lap. His back leaning against one low rock, the only thing between them and the soft dirt floor was a makeshift blanket made up of their clothing.
The firm curve of her hip rested over the hard shaft of his erection. As the fire pulsed, so did he, but his were not the needs he would meet tonight. Not at first, anyway. His only desire was to bring her as much pleasure as he could. He owed her a night without a hint of "disappointment."
Jocelyn traced her fingertips over his temple and along the line of his jaw. "Have I told you what I thought when I first saw you?"
He shook his head. He was busy with a lazy tracing of his own. One finger circled the rose-tinted tip of her breast until the nipple tightened.
Jocelyn sighed and arched slightly as if lifting her breasts to his touch. "Golden and handsome, I-I thought you looked like an angel."
Ric teased the firm peak, rolling it slowly between his finger and thumb. "How wrong you were."
She ran a hand over his shoulder and down his arm, urging him on. He purposely slowed his touches. Lightened the strokes. Jocelyn whimpered in protest. Her body moving against his. There would be no rushing tonight. No mindless release. Tonight he would make love to her the way he should have the first time.
He bent over her pulling that tightened tip between his lips. Cupping her breast, pressing the rounded flesh higher, he mimicked the motion of his fingers using the tip of his tongue before drawing it deeper with a gentle suck. Jocelyn's fingers raked into his hair to hold him to her.
She gasped, "Tell me..."
Ric ran her sensitive nipple between his teeth before blowing a cool breath over the heated nub. "Tell you what?"
She shivered in response. "Ah... Y-your nickname. I...I've run out of guesses." She clutched as his shoulder.
"You didn't try very hard." He concentrated on lowering his touch. Following the faint line between her breasts and over her stomach. Teasing her navel. Lower to the patch of dark curls protecting her sex. "Wasn't the last guess Cabbage Head? Did you know your insult is what gave me the idea during the attack on the Dutch frigate?"
"I don't want to talk about frigates," she panted lifting her hips. "I want to talk about you."
Ric kissed the crest of her knee before urging it wide. "You already know my nickname." The skin of her inner thighs was soft and warm. Brushing it with his lips, his body pulsed with desire.
"Robbins?"
"No," he nipped at her thigh, "you're getting warmer."
One finger parted her damp curls to dip between. Jocelyn moaned, opening her legs wider. Her hand covered his. "I can't think...not when you're doing..."
"But you're so close." Ric slid his touch over the slick heat. She was wet with anticipation.
"I surrender..." She gasped, rocking against his touch.
He shifted so he could kiss her and still caress her with sweeps of his fingers. "Never surrender." Ric increased the pressure and speed of his strokes. Jocelyn bit at his lip, panting, writhing with a building passion.
When he plunged two fingers into her, she bucked against his hand. Head back she arched her back and cried out his name. "Oh God, Ric!"
Her release bathed his hand. He stayed with her, slowing the touches, prolonging her pleasure, until she lay limp and trembling in his arms.
Ric's own body screamed for its release, yet he gathered her in his arms and kissed her panting mouth. "You guessed it."
"They call you, God?" she gasped, trying to catch her breath. Damp curls clung to her cheek.
Ric brushed them aside. "No, foolish woman. Ric. Short for Ricochet. Some day when we're not so...busy...I'll tell you the tale of how I got it."
"What is your given name?" She caressed his arm, then his chest.
"You ask too many questions." Ric watched her hand move boldly down his abdomen. He looked up to find her gaze on his face.
"I've always been too curious." Her fingers brushed the head of his penis.
Ric closed his eyes against the painful rush to his already swollen cock. When her fingers wrapped around him he jerked his eyes open and pulled her hand away. In one swift move, he had her straddling his thighs, hands on his shoulders, her wet heat hovering over him.
His breath came shallow and quick as if he'd run a fair distance to rest in the heaven between her thighs. "If...if I tell you, will you cry it out, when I make you come again?
"Again?"
"Aye." He held her hips as he pressed slowly into her.
"Oui..oh, oui."
"Henry. My name is Henry." He rocked his hips and plunged into her once more.
"Henri..." she sighed against his mouth. "A strong name, Henri."
"Say it again." He reached between them and slid his hand down the flat of her stomach as he continued to thrust upward. The need to reach his release driving him faster and faster. "I want... you to...cry it out."
Ric's thumb searched until he found what he sought. Swirling strokes soon had her clinging to him, matching his rhythm.
"Yes...oh...yes..."
"Say it...Jocelyn, say my name."
"Henri, Henri, Henri!"
Ric dug his fingers into her hips, surging into her. He wrapped his arms around her holding her tight to him pressing her to him tighter still as he pumped into her body.
Later they lay entwined listening to the rain, waiting for their breathing to return to normal.
"You broke your promise again." Jocelyn kissed the dip at the base of his neck.
"Broke one...kept one."
She snuggled close, laying her head on his shoulder. "Stars. Lots and lots of stars," she murmured.
"Stars?"
"Mmmmm..."
He wasn't sure what she was talking about, but she felt too good in his arms for him to question.
Before long, the light of the fire had dimmed to coals. He left her side long enough to add the last few remaining sticks. "The fire is dying. We need to find some more dry wood."
Jocelyn sat up, modestly covering her chest with her shirt. "I thought I saw some back toward that stand of stones." She pointed.
Ric frowned as he got closer. In the flickering light of the fire, the rocks didn't look like any he'd ever seen. Reaching out, he discovered what looked like a pile of rocks was actually heavy oiled clothes covering a pile of trunks and barrels. "Damn..."
Jocelyn slid up beside him. She still held her shirt to her chest and tucked in close to his side. "No wood?"
Lifting the lid to one of the chests, light caught the cache of gold, silver and jewels within. The facets of the stones winked in the flicker of the fire as Jocelyn gasped. "Is that...?"
"It ain't wood."
Ric returned to the fire and pulled one of the long sticks to use as a torch to add some light to their discovery. Holding it aloft, the chest of gold and jewels fairly glowed.
"Holy shite," Jocelyn gasped.
Ric's eyebrows pushed toward his hairline. "MacTavish has been a bad influence. Don't let the good sisters hear you talk like that." He pulled a long strand of pearls each as large as a ripe berry. Slipping it over Jocelyn's head the creamy pearls dipped between her breasts and fell past her navel. Her standing naked in nothing but pearls was an image he would carry with him forever.
She slipped a gold and diamond bracelet onto her wrist and a ruby ring onto her hand. The stones flashed in the firelight. "Can you believe this? I've never seen a ruby so large."
Ric handed Jocelyn the torch and pulled back another oilcloth. Two hog's heads of brandy stood beside three of rum. Beyond the chest they'd first opened, there stood others. One held silver pieces--bowls, vases and the like. A small chest held nothing but coin. Gold pressed into eights.
When Ric opened the largest trunk, Jocelyn gasped beside him. Silks. Bolts of gossamer cloth. Rich hues of royal blue and regal purple. There was an embroidered kimono in black and gold. And a gown of red.
Jocelyn handed the makeshift torch back to Ric. She reached out to touch the dress as if in a trance, stopped, and wiped her palms on her thighs before lifting the claret gown out of its silken nest.
"Have you ever seen anything as beautiful in your whole life?"
Ric smiled at the reverence in her voice. "Perhaps one thing."
She held the dress against her body, swinging the skirts, totally enamored.
He, however, was not thrilled at their find. "Do you know what this means?"
"I can rid myself of those horrible skirts?"
"Not quite. This is a cache. Booty. Which means whoever left this here will be back." He examined the oilcloths. "No dust. It hasn't been here long."
Jocelyn laid the sleeves of the dress along her arms, and measured the waist against her own. "Doesn't mean they'll be back soon."
"It could mean anything. If they're Spaniards or Dutch riding into French territory, they could have stowed this here instead of risking the French finding it." Ric dropped the cloth he held. "Come first light, we need to be out of here. I'm not taking any chances on unexpected guests.
"Does it mean I can't keep this?" She swished the dresses skirts once more. "What do pirates know about fine dresses anyway? They can keep their heavy pearls. I want this."
"As long as you can wear it while you help row the skiff."
Chapter 21.
"Jocelyn, wake up."
Jocelyn ducked her chin and snuggled closer to Ric's warmth. She laid her cheek on the smooth plane of his chest and reveled in the sheer scent of him. His skin smelled faintly of wood smoke and...them.
She smiled as the delicious aches of her body reminded her of their night together. Jocelyn had barely recovered from Ric's initial lovemaking. Or should she say, Henri's.
Oh, yes, she'd touched the stars, and somewhere beyond. She never imagined it could be so...so wonderful.
After finding the stash of treasure, Ric had draped her naked body in jewels. Gold and silver with sapphires and emeralds. Strands and strands of pearls. Rings on each finger. Then he had stripped it all from her. Piece by piece, kissing each bit of skin he exposed before lifting her and carrying her into the pool where he made love to her yet again.
The warm water was heaven. Moving to the side of the pool, the shock of the chilled rainwater falling from the shaft sent them both back to the fire and into each other's arms until their touches heated them once more.
Jocelyn sighed. She'd not forget last night even if she lived to be one hundred years old.
"Jocelyn," Ric pushed at her shoulder moving her aside. "Wake up and put your clothes on," he hissed. He shot to his feet and pulled his breeches on. "We've got company."
"What?" She snatched at her clothing.