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He smiled that smile that never failed to turn her legs to mush. “It’s a joke, really. It was named after the same island in the Azores where a number of ships from the Spanish Armada are kept. At the time this island was founded, it was the pirate equivalent to the real Santa Maria.”
“And now?”
“Now you’ll find a lot of retired pirates who wanted to escape their past before the authorities found them. Here they can live in peace and talk about the old days when pirates ruled the seas and they still held their youth.” He came around to stare at her. “There’s actually a lot of trade that goes on here nowadays, thanks to Robert Dreck.”
“Who is he?”
“An old friend of mine.” He looked over her head to where Barney stood at the helm. “Bring her about, Mr. Pitkern, and weigh anchor.”
“Aye, aye, Cap’n.”
Raw emotions hovered in Morgan’s eyes as he looked back at her. “I suppose you’ll be wanting your things from my cabin…now.”
Did she really hear the note of sadness in his voice? Looking up at him, she wondered if she could really leave.
You have to!
She nodded. “Yes, I better go get my things.”
Morgan watched as she crossed the deck, his heart heavy. He wanted to call her back, to beg her to let him take her home.
Why?
He didn’t want to think about the why. It scared him to think about it. All he knew was that he would give what little soul he had left for another week with her.
Let her go, Drake,he mumbled to himself. He must let her go.
Serenity sat quietly in the rowboat as Kit rowed her and several other members of the crew to shore. Morgan was up ahead of them and would reach the shore first.
Half the crew had been left on board while the other half were all shouting and singing, exuberant over their island excursion. Not that she could blame them. The place was enchanting.
Islanders had come out to meet them, including a group of ladies whose low-cut sleeveless blouses and hiked-up skirts left very little doubt as to what they did for a living.
But in truth she did envy them their clothes. The heat here would rival Savannah’s August weather any day. She patted at her sweat-dampened hair and wished she could loosen her stays.
Kit rowed her as close to shore as he could. Immediately sailors began jumping overboard, rocking the boat as they splashed toward the shore like excited children after a favorite toy.
“I’m afraid you’re going to get wet, Miss James,” Kit said in an apologetic voice.
She smiled at him. “Nothing to fret over. I’m sure I’ll dry out in no time in this heat.”
She stood up, and just as she started to climb out, she met Morgan, who was standing kneedeep in the water. “May I lend you my assistance, Miss James?”
Serenity hesitated. They hadn’t touched sincethatnight, the mere thought of which brought an unholy amount of heat to her cheeks. “I—I…”
And then against her will, her body leaned forward.
Morgan scooped her up in his arms and held her tightly against his chest. It felt sinfully good to be this close to him, to smell the raw scent of his skin, feel his hands cupping her body in a protective manner.
“I believe I can walk now,” she whispered, her heart hammering.
“No need in ruining your dress,” he said, his voice slightly hoarse, and she wondered if he felt the same desperate longing she did.
It was so wrong, and yet she couldn’t stop herself from wanting another kiss.
From wanting…
No more,she snapped at herself. A man wasn’t supposed to touch a woman like that. Not without wedding vows, and even then she wasn’t sure if they were supposed to do what he’d done to her that night.
