AllFreeNovel
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“I’m not sure yet, dance, explore.”
“That’s not what most people do there. Do you really know what happens on the beaches at night or right in the middle of the day for everyone to see?”
“I’m aware of the more hedonistic activities.”
He laughed and put his glass on the table. “Are you, love? Because those cheeks tell a different story.”
While I may not be overly experienced, I wasn’t a prude. “I’m not there to find a man or engage in improper behavior. It’s a place of freedom and non-judgment. A place to disappear from one’s duty.”
The humor left Leon’s face, and he moved closer to me, tilting his head. “I think you are. I think those hedonistic activities are part of the allure.”
He continued, even though I opened my mouth to object.
“There’s no shame in a woman knowing what she wants.” He paused and I couldn’t help hanging on to his words, wondering what he would say next. “But there are some people at the Oasis who would take advantage of that. It’s not safe for a young woman to go there alone.”
“I paid my way.”
He held a hand up. “I’m not stopping you, love, but I have a request.”
“Oh?”
“When we arrive at the Oasis, I will escort you around the island.”
“I don’t need a babysitter,” I huffed, annoyed at his suggestion.
“Yes, you do. I won’t stop you from enjoying anything, only make sure you’re safe until I bring you back home.”
It wasn’t a terrible idea. Being the captain of the ship, he would have to be respectful, and it would help to have someone who knew the island show me around. “I accept.”
His mouth turned into a devilish grin.
Ignoring the heat radiating from his gaze, I cleared my throat and returned to eating the quail, which had gone cold since our conversation started.
Satisfied with my answer, Leon leaned back in his chair and picked up his wine. “Care to hear about a few innocent aspects of the island?”
I nodded.
Leon spent the rest of the meal sharing stories about the Oasis. I laughed when he talked about a time when an army of dwarves arrived and drank all the ale on the island, and my eyes teared when he talked about a fire that destroyed a fae village because of hatred. By the time we had finished the meal, my heart swelled like the waves outside.
The ship swayed and our plates moved across the table.
“Leon?” I gripped the sides of the tablecloth to keep everything from spilling over.
He rose, his face set in a hard line. “Stay here.”
“But—”
Taking my chin in his hand, he caressed my cheek with his thumb. “Stay, love. Things are about to get very rough.”
While I knew he talked about the storm, I couldn’t help but imagine he meant something else, something far more dangerous.
