Chapter Five – Breathless, Battered, and Bewildered
Elizabeth fought the blackness that overcame her, but it was no use. She was slipping, slipping…
Rising?
She forced herself to work through the hazy pain that threatened to overcome her to see the least likely hero she’d ever seen finish off her attacker with a quick blow to the head.
“Giles?” she tried to gasp out in disbelief. Unfortunately, her throat was so bruised that it merely came out as a wheezing gasp.
In an instant, Giles was at her side, the bat still firmly held in his hand. “Can you breathe?” he asked anxiously.
She managed to nod numbly and tried to speak again, but all that came out was a little croak.
“Don’t worry,” Giles said nervously, moving to take off his glasses and clean them before he realized that that probably wasn’t the wisest thing to do in the current circumstances.
The current circumstances involved Anya shrieking like a banshee and swing her knife – as well as a sword she’d picked up somehow – in such erratic and violent arcs that the enemy was scrambling helplessly to get out of her way. There was just no way to predict what she was going to do next well enough to risk any kind of attack.
Even though her throat was burning and she felt as though she would collapse any minute, Elizabeth still rose shakily for her feet. There was plenty of time for fainting later; right now Anya needed all the help she could get in holding off their certain deaths.
Elizabeth picked up her sword and made the first half-dizzy lunge at the nearest enemy pirate just as Anya’s sword missed its own target and became lodged in the wall. She was forced to leave it behind, relying only on her dagger.
Giles, realizing their grim situation, leapt into the battle at well, swinging the large wooden bat ferociously at their attackers.
And, all the while, more and more of the enemy pressed inward…
* * *
“Is that everyone?” Xander gasped, out of breath, when the deck was finally cleared of the enemy.
William let out a deep breath of relief. “Seemed like there were more ‘f ‘em…” he commented, leaning back against the rail to catch his breath…
And then, in the quiet, they finally heard the sounds of fierce battle below.
“They’re below deck!” Xander leapt to his feet in alarm. “Anya’s down there!”
A quick echo of ‘Elizabeth!’ fluttered through William’s mind as well before he raced down the stairs after Xander, a half dozen of his best fighters at his heels…
And stopped in shock.
The majority of the enemy had gone below deck after the first attack, and William and his crew quickly found themselves fighting just as fierce a battle as they had above.
Up ahead, William saw the door to his own room busted inwards, and at that moment, pure panic overcame him. In a fit of rage, he crashed his way through his foes, not even feeling the slight stings where blades knicked him. His attack had roughly the same affect as a bull charging, and even men much larger than he was fell under his fury.
“Elizabeth!” he gasped hoarsely, practically diving into his rooms. He found the outer room empty and the inner door…also bashed in.
In that one moment, his world fell out from under him. Elizabeth would’ve put up a struggle, of course, but in the end, she wasn’t a skilled cutthroat, and…
“Oh god!” he gasped out, hesitantly approaching the open doorway, terrified of what he would find within.
Memories flashed through his mind of the infuriating little blond turning her chin up at him in her haughty manner, throwing any projectiles she could find at him, tackling him to the ground and trying to him up and… Well, he’d always had a rather strange definition of romantic.
He leaned his forehead against the doorframe, eyes shut tight. He couldn’t bear it – couldn’t bear to see the warm, soft, beautiful body that had mercilessly captured him less than an hour before, now still and lifeless and cold and…
He opened his eyes.
She wasn’t there.
He breathed a deep sigh of relief. At least until his mind provided him with thousands of other horrible images of what could have happened to her…
“William!” Xander’s voice from down the hallway quickly shook him back to attention.
Maybe she was all right, maybe she’d found a place to hide – yeah, right – maybe…
He ran out into the hallway just in time to see Xander drag one of the invaders back from the dinning room and stab him in the back.
“That’s what you get for even thinking of hurting her!” he hissed menacingly.
William was at the entrance to the dinning hall door in a flash, his mind registering the sight of Elizabeth beaten, bloody, but still alive…and fighting off two more of the attackers. His mind quickly returned back to the battle at hand, and he easily disposed of her two opponents as Xander, Anya, and Giles took out the remaining three.
Elizabeth stood shakily against the back wall, her feet splayed at shoulder width in a desperate effort to keep her balance, her skirts ripped and caked with blood, several light cuts on her arms and chest, deep purple bruises just beginning to darken on her throat, hair tangled and dirty, eyes wild, the tip of her blade still pointing to where the last attacker had been…
And William was stunned speechless. He had never seen anything more beautiful in all his life. The deep ache that had begun in his heart when he thought her dead grew steadily more painful. But this time it wasn’t out of fear but… My love, my goddess… The words flitted through his mind of their own volition.
Elizabeth finally seemed to realize that he was there and flashed him an annoyed look. “I could’ve taken care of them,” she insisted in a rasping, hoarse voice.
And he couldn’t do anything but laugh. In a second, he’d brushed her weapon aside and caught her about the waist, holding her to him, steadying her weary body against his stronger one.
“I could’ve,” she repeated, her voice sounding even weaker than before. And, although she wouldn’t admit it, relief flooded her entire being now that she was safe, in his arms…
“I ‘ave no doubt,” he agreed with a gentle little smile, looking deep down into her hazel eyes as he slowly leaned in and…
“Oh, bugger,” he grumbled under his breath when her head lolled suddenly to the side, having passed out from her injuries and the danger she’d just barely survived. There was no real anger behind the words, however. Gently, he lifted her up into his arms, one arm behind her knees and the other cradling her small body to him. He absentmindedly brushed one golden lock of hair from her forehead before carrying her back to his room and her bed…
* * *
“Mmm,” Anya woke up naked several hours later, still on the floor of the dinning room. “Whatever happened to Elizabeth anyway?”
Xander shrugged before pulling her back down to him with a searing kiss…
* * *
Elizabeth lowered her eyelashes and opened her mouth, obediently drinking down the soup broth that William had guided to her lips. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew that there was something seriously wrong about letting a pirate spoon-feed her, but she was enjoying herself too much to care.
She eagerly parted her lips for the last spoonful and drank it down dutifully.
“There now,” William said softly, moving to put the tray over onto the desk so that it no longer separated them. “Feelin’ better?” he asked, turning back to her.
She nodded with a little smile. All the other injuries she had sustained had been minor, but her throat had grown even more swollen over the last day. She couldn’t really even talk now and couldn’t eat anything solid. She was, of course, capable of feeding herself the soups that William had specially made for her, but she’d come to enjoy having him pamper her. It was definitely the sort of thing a girl could get used to…
He sat back down in the chair beside her bed, straddling the back and using it as an elbow rest. “We’re goin’ back out to sea,” he informed her casually.
She sat up more against her pillows and prepared to listen to him. The quiet was far the most tedious thing about having no voice, and the deep rumble of his baritone was the perfect balm to soothe her irritation.
“Wanna make sure that those wankers don’ ‘ave any friends,” he explained. “An’, if they do, we’ll need to lose ‘em before we reach Dead Man’s Island.”
She quickly scrambled for the parchment and pen before her and wrote “Dead Man’s Island?” in a hand that her father had always informed her was far too impatient and not anywhere near ladylike enough.
William didn’t seem to mind, however. “Sort ‘f a pirate refuge,” he explained. “’S a safe ‘aven – no fightin’ or killin’ of any sort allowed. An’ when I find out who sent those nonces, I fully intend to kill…” His eyes narrowed to dark slits, and he unconsciously reached out to caress the one curve of her throat that hadn’t been bruised.
She felt her cheeks flush a deep red and lowered her eyes, looking up at him through long, curled lashes. She found it quite paradoxical that out of all the men she had ever met in her life, the one to treat her most tenderly was a pirate.
William’s cheeks darkened slightly as well, and he pulled his hand back, running it through his snowy-white, sun-bleached hair. When he spoke again, his voice was composed into a simple friendly narrative, however.
“It shouldn’t be too long, though. A week at the most, an’ that’s only if we’re chased.” His eyes suddenly dropped to the floor, and his brow furrowed as he spoke his next words. “I know you’re eager to get off this ship an’ all…”
She gently reached out and caught his hand in hers. He looked up at her in surprise, and she slowly began to caress his knuckles with her thumb.
She had never really noticed before what lovely hands he had. They were strong and callused from his years at sea, true, but they were more slender and graceful than she would have at first thought. And large and warm… Feeling his touch like this felt so incredibly natural to her.
She reluctantly released his hand and turned back to the parchment before her. “I actually think that I shall miss it,” she wrote. “It’s far less dull than my father’s tea parties.”
William let out a whoop of laughter at that, and she laughed silently along with him. However, he stopped abruptly, his hand recapturing hers and his brilliant blue eyes staring right into hers as if looking straight into her soul. She felt herself mesmerized by his beautiful gaze…
“You shall not miss me as well?” he asked softly.
She was struck again by how his accent could change. His normal tones were rough and uncultured, but when he spoke as he did now, he sounded every bit the gentleman. As for his question…
She quickly turned back to scribbling in her own unique handwriting. “About as much as I would miss the plague.” She gave him a triumphant little smile.
He smiled as well, but something seemed to turn off in the back of his eyes at her response. She frowned slightly; it was as if she could see a brief twinge of pain and then he was closed off from her, distant once more.
He rose to his feet, putting physical distance between them as well. “You need your rest,” he commented simply. “And,” a slight scowl crossed his face, “’ve got several crewmen who should now be sober enough to be properly punished…” He gave her a brief nod, before exiting the room and shutting the door firmly behind him.
He didn’t lock it.
But Elizabeth was too absorbed in other matters to care. She hadn’t liked the way he’d reacted to her last little tease; it made her feel strangely…guilty. She rolled onto her side and burrowed deeper into the blankets, turning over the incident in her mind. There was something off about it, something she wasn’t getting…
She had quite decided that she wouldn’t be able to sleep. But, as if to mock her, drowsiness came abruptly upon her then, and she drifted off into a dreamworld like no other…
* * *
“Drunk,” William said simply, rage and disbelief radiating off his entire being as he sat across from his three derelict crewmen.
Graham and Riley at least had the decency to look sheepish; Forrest just looked pissed, like it was somehow William’s fault that he’d gotten himself into this trouble…
William felt the beginnings of a major headache coming on. “What were you thinking?” he asked in a voice that was deceptively calm. “This ship was attacked an’ you were all too pissed to do a thing about it!”
“We were…” Riley began before trailing off with a gulp.
“What?” William demanded, his eyes cold.
“Well, see, we were so close to Dead Man’s Island that—”
“You decided you could jus’ shirk your duties?!” William was actively yelling now. “Do you have any idea ‘ow close we came to—!” He broke off suddenly, the thought of the personal loss he could have suffered too much to bear.
“There’s no excuse for it,” Riley agreed numbly, hanging his head in shame.
“Damn right, there innit,” William agreed. “And if any ‘f you ever has a lapse like this again…” He leaned forward on the table, his eyes blazing. “You’re off the ship,” he finished coldly before stomping out of the room.
Graham shuffled uncomfortably in his chair. “Guys…” he began hesitantly.
“We don’t want to hear it,” Forrest quickly snapped.
Riley let out a sigh. “Well, that was a disaster. At least we were kept out of the fighting, though…”
Forrest frowned. “I think we’re screwed.”
Riley shrugged. “Maybe,” he conceded, “or maybe not…”
* * *
Xander gave William a sympathetic look as he stepped from the empty storage room they were using as the ‘brig’ for Riley and his associates. The normal brig had been taken up by all the surviving attackers.
“Any ‘f the prisoners talk?” William asked, already knowing the answer.
“No,” Xander shook his head. “They say they don’t know who hired them.”
William sighed. “Not surprisin’,” he agreed before turning back to look at the door he’d just exited.
“Not a task I envy you,” Xander commented simply, taking in the furious _expression on William’s face.
“Some day when you’re captain…” William countered.
Xander shook his head. “Not for a long while, ‘mate’,” he insisted.
William raised an eyebrow at that. “You could take the derelict as yours,” he commented, removing a cigarette from the silver case he kept in his pocket and lighting it up. He let out a little relieved sigh and breathed out a stream of warm smoke.
“I could,” Xander agreed, “but then who would watch your back?”
William shrugged. “’d work it out.” He watched the smoke in the air thoughtfully for a minute. “You’d make a good captain,” he finally commented. “Did a great job armin’ the men before you checked out that ship. If you hadn’t’a done that…”
Xander nodded grimly.
“Now,” William said with a coy little smile, “don’ you ‘ave a woman ‘round here somewhere that deserves your time much more’n I do?”
Xander cracked a wide grin at that as well. “Can’t imagine what I’m thinking,” he joked lightly, “hanging around your ugly face instead…”
William chuckled slightly before turning to head back to his quarters. “Tha’s quite a woman you’ve got yourself, mate,” were his parting words. “’d tell ‘er before you lose ‘er…” He vanished into his room.
“You, too,” Xander commented under his breath before returning to his own wonderful world of Anya…
* * *
Elizabeth gasped at the first feel of warm, wet lips on the back of her throat. Instinctively, she tilted her head to the side, giving the man behind her better access.
He was fully pressed against her now, his arms wrapping slowly around her waist from behind and his body brushing right up against hers on the soft mattress. His lips abandoned her throat, trailing upward along her jaw until they finally reached her ear.
She let out a little moan when he first nibbled at the delicate shell, and one of her hands reached behind her to tangle her fingers in his soft hair while the other covered the strong, callused hand at her waist, holding him in place.
“You like that, my love?” he whispered in a deep, husky voice, his breath tickling the short hairs at the back of her neck.
“Yesss…” she whimpered back headily.
“I can give you more,” he informed her, his tongue flicking out to catch her pounding pulse point.
“Yes, William,” she gasped, rolling over on the bed to face him and smiling at his slender beauty, sculptured features, white tousled hair… “More.”
His arms pulled her into him further, bringing her soft body flush up against his hard chest. “My Elizabeth,” he murmured softly into her hair before bringing his lips down to hers and…
And sweet niceties flew out the window at that.
Overwhelmed by the glorious taste of his tongue plunging deep into her mouth, Elizabeth grabbed him roughly by the shirt, flinging him over onto his back and ripping the pale silk from his muscled chest as she did so.
She rolled on top of his bare torso, her hands eagerly caressing the smooth skin beneath her palms. He moaned and returned the favor, yanking at the clasps of her gown, pulling it roughly down her shoulders…
Somehow her undergarments had vanished…as had the rest of her clothes. She let out a little whimper when he twisted beneath her, sending her off balance and over onto her back.
She was dimly aware of the fact that she should have fallen over the edge of the narrow bed at this, but in her dreamworld the bed obligingly widened to accommodate their passion. The matter didn’t concern her at the moment, however, because now he was on top of her, as naked as she was, and the world seemed to stop…
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered against the pale curve of her throat.
Her eyes widened when his knee slipped between her bare thighs, opening her up to him. “Oh, William!” she cried out, her legs instinctively wrapping around his waist.
“My love,” he repeated softly, his eyes looking deep into hers as he slowly, gently thrust in…
And Elizabeth awoke with a start. Her body was covered with a sheen of sweat, and her heart was racing like mad, and…
She blushed horribly when she realized she’d pushed her skirts up around her waist in her sleep in order to allow her fingers to slip inside her. She quickly removed them and had to fight back a moan of despair as she did so; after all, her throat was still swollen and making noises would only bring her more pain.
Horribly embarrassed by her predicament, she straightened her skirts with her clean hand before going over to her pitcher of washing water to clean up. She filled the small basin and rinsed her right hand clean as best she could, although the scent of her pleasure still lingered upon it.
Finished with that, she turned to the desk chair and slumped into it, resting her head in her arms as she tried to sort out what had just happened. It wasn’t the first time she’d touched herself, true. Back in her ‘scare away every respectable suitor’ stage, Anya had advised her to use her hand on herself while picturing the young men that sought her. According to her friend’s theories, that would cause her to more clearly associate the boring, pretentious men around her with the orgasms she was trying to seek from them and thus hopefully prevent her from scaring them all off.
It hadn’t worked. Elizabeth had never succeeded in holding any of their faces in her head as she pleasured herself. Not until now…
And this time, she hadn’t even been trying. Of its own accord, her body had sought its pleasure with, with…that pirate! She knew she was deeply into ‘burning in hell’ territory here.
“When you finally find a man that you only need to think about to bring you to orgasm,” Anya had said one night during their seemingly innocent knitting by the fire, “that’s when you know you’ve found the one for you…”
Elizabeth shook her head and took a good, long look at herself in the dirty mirror on the wall. Oh god! Her mind was panicking. Surely, it can’t be… Oh god!
* * *
William softly rested his forehead against the closed door to her room, closing his eyes and visualizing the beautiful, fiery young woman within. He let out a little sigh that managed to be contented and frustrated both at the same time before turning to go to bed.
And that’s when he heard it.
A whimper so faint that if he hadn’t been there listening silently, he never would have picked it up. In fact, he still wasn’t quite sure if he had imagined it.
Nevertheless, there was a smile upon his face as he crawled into bed and closed his eyes. As he drifted off into sleep, he replayed her heady, needy little moan over and over again in his mind:
“William!”
TBC
Chapter Six – You Can’t Run…
“’Mornin’, luv,” William said with a bright smile as he entered her room, tray in hand.
“’Morning,” Elizabeth said in a voice that was still slightly hoarse.
“Voice’s soundin’ better today,” he commented, setting the tray down in her lap.
“I sound like a toad,” she joked, smiling up at him through long lashes.
“Then the toads you’re familiar with must sing as sweetly as nightingales.” He looked away as he said it, but consciously let the more formal accent slip through this time.
Elizabeth flushed slightly and turned back to her tray, intent upon buttering her toast. “So, are you letting me leave my room today?” she demanded, changing the subject.
“Your throat—” he began.
“Is fine,” she cut him off.
He raised one eyebrow at the finger-shaped purple marks that still decorated her neck. “If it was fine,” he couldn’t help but tease, “you’d be attackin’ me as we speak.”
Elizabeth couldn’t help but smile at that. “Maybe I’m biding my time,” she countered, “waiting to lull you into a false sense of security.”
William let out a deep, rich chuckle, and she couldn’t help but blush. His smile was like honey to her soul…as was that passionate flare of anger his eyes sometimes got.
“In any case,” Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest, “I’m sick of being trapped in here all day!”
William sighed. “The last time you got out you knocked one ‘f my men unconscious an’ nearly got yourself killed,” he pointed out.
“And?” she demanded, one inquiring eyebrow raised.
“An’ I like to keep the chaos on my ship to a minimum,” he countered with a bemused smile.
Not even thinking what she was doing, she rose to her feet so that she was standing before him. “You would refuse me this?” she asked him softly, one handed reaching out to encircle his arm in a pleading gesture. Her eyes continued to look right up into his…
William gulped. He couldn’t possibly let her know just how wrapped around her finger she had him, but…she was just so close. Her warmth, her breath, those fiery hazel eyes…
“’f Anya’s with you to keep you out ‘f trouble,” he compromised.
She flashed him a radiant smile. “Knew there was a gentleman in there somewhere,” she teased lightly. Yet, strangely, even though he’d already agreed to her request, she had no desire to withdraw her hand. She could feel the strength in his arm beneath the silken shirt he wore, and a little tingle ran through her body in response to those lean muscles.
Still under her spell, William took a step closer so that their bodies were only inches apart. Elizabeth looked up at him with eyes that seemed unusually wide and innocent for a woman that seemed so confident at everything else. Her breath caught in her throat as his index finger came up under her chin, tilting her head upward so that her eyes were looking up into his, and her lips…
“William!” Xander’s voice called out from the next room. “You here?”
William hadn’t even realized he’d half-closed the distance between them until the shout startled him back into reality. “In here, mate!” he responded reluctantly.
Elizabeth’s eyelashes fluttered open from where she had unconsciously closed them, and she turned nervously over to the desk, fighting the flush of her cheeks and that strange weakness in her knees.
Xander appeared in the doorway a few seconds later. “The winds have changed,” he announced. “Are we headed back for Dead Man’s Island?”
William nodded. “Doesn’ seem like our attackers ‘ad any friends,” he agreed, following Xander out.
In a flash, Elizabeth was out right behind him.
“Oi!” he exclaimed in protest. “You—”
“You agreed I could come out,” she informed him, arms crossed over her chest in a no-nonsense manner. “And I want to now.”
William merely let out a weary sigh. “You seen that woman ‘f yours ‘round anywhere?” he asked Xander…
* * *
“…Xander informs me that it’s really quite nice,” Anya was commenting. “As long as the whole pirate thing doesn’t bother you. Personally, I just look forward to the fresh food, but…”
Elizabeth sat with her feet dangling over the edge of the deck, her arms folded over the rail as she looked out onto the blue expanse before her.
“Elizabeth?” Anya inquired after a minute when she noticed her friend wasn’t listening. “Elizabeth!”
“What?” Elizabeth turned to her in surprise, her reverie interrupted.
“You’re not hearing a word I’m saying, are you?” Anya demanded.
Elizabeth gave her an apologetic smile. “A lot on my mind,” she clarified.
“Ah,” Anya nodded wisely. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with six feet of sleek, lean manly muscle topped with a crown of white hair, now would it?” she asked with a knowing little smile.
Elizabeth made sputtering noises and gesticulated wildly in protest, but Anya quickly cut her off.
“He’s the only person you’ve seen since we were attacked,” she pointed out.
Elizabeth gave up with a sigh of resignation. “William is…not what I expected,” she admitted reluctantly.
Anya nodded. “He’s very nicely shaped,” she agreed, “and he’s very obviously interested in you.”
“He’s just been so…kind to me,” Elizabeth felt a need to justify herself. “The way he took care of me when I was injured, and the way he never angers at my attacks…” She smiled to herself. “Actually, I think he likes it when I attack him.”
“See?” Anya said triumphantly. “I told you that somewhere out there was a man weird enough to love you. Congratulations, and may you enjoy many orgasms together.”
Elizabeth’s face turned a deep crimson. “N-Not like that!” she insisted. “I-I just meant…”
Anya gave her an incredulous look. “You can’t tell me you’ve never even thought about it,” she accused. “Hell, I’ve thought about it, even though I already have Xander. Although,” she added to herself, “Xander was present in most of those fantasies as well… They’d make very good sandwich bread, don’t you think?”
“Now you’re just trying to make me blush,” Elizabeth accused good-naturedly. “And, as for…that,” she blushed anyway, “well, I haven’t thought about it…well, not really…”
“ ‘Not really’?” Anya repeated, one eyebrow raised curiously.
“It was just a dream!” Elizabeth insisted.
“Ooh, a dream?” Anya squealed in delight. “I want all the details!”
“It was nothing!” Elizabeth repeated. “I was just…”
“Yes?” Anya demanded excitedly.
“I was just in bed, and then…he was there, too,” Elizabeth admitted, embarrassed, “and then he started, um…” She looked around furtively before lowering her voice to a furtive whisper. “Kissing me…and then our clothes kind of vanished and he…”
“Oh, yeah,” Anya was breathing heavily at the lovely images in her mind. “Mmm…William…”
Elizabeth gave her arm a playful swat, and Anya batted back at her good-naturedly. “It was just a dream,” Elizabeth insisted before blushing once more. “Although, when I woke up…”
“And?”
“Oh god,” Elizabeth shook her head, not believing that she was admitting this. “I was…touching,” she said vaguely.
Anya blinked once. Twice.
“You know, down there,” Elizabeth whispered.
“Oh, wow,” Anya’s eyes widened. “You were really…?” she trailed off in disbelief. “While you were dreaming about…?”
Elizabeth nodded meekly.
“And you haven’t reenacted this fantasy, why?” Anya demanded.
Elizabeth’s _expression turned flustered. “H-He’s a pirate!” she exclaimed in disbelief. “I couldn’t possibly…not with…I just can’t!” she finished lamely.
“Why not?” Anya asked, truly puzzled. “It’s obvious that you desire him, and if he desires you as well…”
“I do not desire him!” Elizabeth protested loudly enough that several of the men on the other side of deck looked over at them curiously. Elizabeth’s voice instantly dropped once more. “I could never desire…him!”
Anya just shook her head. “Ah, young love,” she said despairingly.
“I’m only three months your younger,” Elizabeth countered.
“Yeah, but when it comes to men, you might as well still be a child,” Anya countered. “Trust me on this – if you’re having dreams like that about him, then it means something. Have you really honestly not been tempted? You’ve never once noticed that if you just got a little closer…”
Elizabeth blushed as she recalled the position they had been in before Xander had interrupted that morning.
“And I’ve seen how much trouble you cause for him,” Anya added. “You’re practically screaming, ‘Tackle me back onto the deck, you gorgeous pirate, you!’”
“I am not!” Elizabeth protested.
“Oh, please,” Anya said with a teasing smile. “You just can’t wait for him to stick his massive hunk of man-meat straight into your—”
“Anya!” Elizabeth exclaimed, mortified.
“And, ooh!” Anya announced in delight when she found the means to bring her teasing up to a whole new level. “Here’s your hunk of burning pirate love now!”
William approached, shaking his head slightly. He had rather good hearing, but there was no way Anya had actually said what he thought she’d said. Although, given the mouth on that woman… He quickly decided that it was entirely wishful thinking on his part. After all, he’d given Elizabeth numerous hints that he was interested, and nothing had yet come of them.
“Would you like to put off the lesson for today?” he asked Anya.
Huh? Elizabeth was immediately on alert. Lesson?
“No, we can do it now,” Anya insisted, hastily rising to her feet. “Elizabeth can come watch.”
Elizabeth looked back and forth between the two of them, confused.
“I asked William to give me fencing lessons,” Anya explained, keeping the sly smile that was threatening to spread across her face hidden.
“Why not Xander?” Elizabeth asked a bit more waspishly than she’d intended. It’s not an unreasonable question, her mind tried to rationalize it after the fact. After all, Xander’s HER man. William’s mi—Augh! Where did THAT thought come from?
Aha, jealousy! Anya thought. Stage one of the plan complete…
“I tried it,” she answered Elizabeth, “but it didn’t work.” She took the arm William offered her, just as Elizabeth brushed the other one away to march beside her (previously) trusted friend. “You see, we just always ended up having sex.”
Elizabeth and William both managed to blush at Anya’s characteristic bluntness.
She just went right on talking without paying them any mind, however. “After all, you sometimes get up really close, and if you have romantic feelings for that person…” She shrugged. “Well, it’s almost impossible to resist…”
Elizabeth’s mind suddenly filled with images of her and William, breathing heavily from the fight, pressed up close together…and inexplicably their clothes were vanishing in her head once again. Bad mind! She gave herself a few mental slaps upside the head. Bad!
Stage two complete: lust… “Actually,” Anya said as innocently as she could manage, “maybe William should give you a quick lesson, too. After all, you were looking a bit shabby during that last attack…”
“ ‘Shabby’?!” Elizabeth exclaimed, her eyes narrowing.
William tried to keep his face from flushing. He’d never viewed physical combat in the sensual way Anya had described it, but now that she had put the thoughts in his head, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to teach Elizabeth anything without at least trying…
Stage three complete: the challenge… Anya thought in delight when Elizabeth fell directly into her trap.
“By the end of the day,” Elizabeth insisted, “I’ll be fighting in circles around you!” She turned to William. “You’re teaching me,” she informed him in a manner that he just couldn’t argue with.
“You first,” he agreed, gesturing into the empty storage room they used for tournaments of this sort.
And, Elizabeth thought gleefully, I’ll finally manage to prove to Anya beyond a shadow of a doubt that I do NOT want that…pirate!
Ah, Elizabeth, say good-bye to your virginity, was Anya’s bemused thought…
* * *
Less than an hour later, Anya didn’t even exist. She didn’t mind, though; it was too much fun to watch the blond pair when they got wrapped up in their own little world. Plus, Xander had come in shortly before, and was currently providing her with a warm and comfy backrest.
Oblivious to their amused audience, Elizabeth and William were exchanging a quick series of parries…with the soft bound reeds that were used for practice purposes. William’s skill far exceeded Elizabeth’s, of course, and he’d taken to teasing her lightly when she’d refused to just obey the drill instructions he’d given her.
A couple swift swats to her padded behind and the stealthy theft of one of her hair ribbons, and Elizabeth had gotten that enraged flush in her cheeks he so admired and had started charging him with a fury so wild that even he had to struggle to evade it.
He ducked and rolled to the side with a little chuckle, just barely avoiding the swat she was so intent on giving him. She turned on him with a little delighted smile of her own before moving to strike once more.
He parried her first few blows with ease, and she stomped her foot on the ground in annoyance.
“Maybe you’d like to go back to this drills, luv?” he teased lightly, gracefully evading yet another swipe of her mock-blade.
“Laugh now,” she countered, her eyes narrowed, “but when I get you—Ooh!”
The exclamation had been in response to the crafty little feint he’d pulled before deftly catching the wrist that held her reeds, pushing it to the side and bringing her body flush up against his in her process. His grip dropped to her waist, holding her close and…
She let out a heady little gasp at the feel of the body that held her. She had been in his arms before, of course – in fact, far too often for it to be coincidence, her mind pointed out – but it still shocked her every time just how good he felt against her.
However, Elizabeth Summers was never one to back down from a battle.
“Gotcha,” William whispered softly, his eyes transfixed by the soft, full curves of her lips.
“Actually,” she said with a wry smile, “I believe I’ve got you.” The end of her reed jabbed into his back.
His eyes widened in surprise. “Back-stabber,” he accused fondly.
“Right up between the ribs,” she said in triumph. “I believe you told me that’s the most effective place to strike.”
A smile lit up his face. “Looks like you got me, luv,” he agreed before putting a melodramatic hand to his forehead. “You’ve slain me, ‘Lizabeth,” he cried out in mock-pain before falling back onto the floor, his arm around her waist holding her tight and pulling her with him.
Elizabeth laughed and squealed as they fell to the floor together, her body landing right atop his. “William?” she prodded him after he hadn’t moved for a few seconds, his eyes still closed in fake death.
He opened one mischievous eye to look at her. “Can’t talk, pet,” he informed her. “Dead.”
She giggled and rested one hand against the smooth plane of his chest. “Your heart’s still beating,” she pointed out.
“No, ‘m sure ‘m dead,” he insisted. “After all, how else can I ‘xplain the angel above me?”
Elizabeth’s cheeks reddened. “This ‘angel’ wields sharp, pointy objects,” she reminded him, propping herself up on one arm, her other hand still pressed against the rapid beating of his heart. She looked down at him, admiring the strong lines of his face as curtained by her long blond hair.
“My kind ‘f angel then…” he said softly, a lazy, contented smile crossing his face.
Elizabeth’s lips suddenly felt dry, and she unconsciously licked them. William’s eyes followed the motion of her tongue hungrily, his own mouth drying out in response. Elizabeth’s gaze flicked down to his lips in turn, and slowly she leaned in closer until their warm breaths met.
“I thought you said you didn’t desire me,” she whispered softly, coyly.
“No,” he countered, “I said ’s never a smart idea to take an unwillin’ woman to bed, ’specially one who’s so prone to stabbin’. ‘ve got no hesitation when it comes to a willin’ one…” His hands trailed up her back, pulling her closer and…
So beautiful… Elizabeth’s mind hummed in pleasure. Does it really matter what he is?
And then she realized in horror what she’d just thought, leaping back from his body just as their lips brushed.
“’Lizabeth?” He still lay back on the floor, flushed, confused, aching for the touch that had just evaded him.
“Oh my god…” Elizabeth brought one hand up to her mouth at what she’d nearly done, at how far she’d drifted from the lady that had been dragged kicking and screaming aboard. What was wrong with her that she would actually consider…? And with a pirate?!
“G-Get away from me!” she exclaimed, frightened, when he rose to his feet.
“’Lizabeth…” he held out one hand to her.
And she bolted.
Xander and Anya separated from where they’d been enjoying each other’s lips in surprise as Elizabeth dashed right past them and out the door. A beat, and then William was right after her.
“What the…?” Xander began.
“We have to follow them!” Anya quickly demanded, grabbing his wrist and dragging him along with her.
Elizabeth picked up a fourth pursuer in her mad dash up the stairs. “What on…?” Giles echoed Xander’s previous sentiments when Elizabeth, William, Anya, and Xander all dashed by him in quick succession. With a weary sigh and a glance to the heavens, he chased after them.
“’Lizabeth!” William exclaimed once they were on deck and had no place else to go. “What’s wrong, luv? Why ‘re you—”
“Stay back!” she insisted, wide-eyed, back against the railing. “Y-You won’t have me!”
The spectacle caught the attention of half the crew, and soon a crowd had formed.
“Easy now, pet,” William held out his hands in a soothing gesture. “’m not gonna hurt you.” He took a cautious step toward her.
“Don’t come any closer!” she insisted, gripping the railing behind her so hard that her knuckles turned white.
“’S all right,” he insisted with a disarming smile, taking yet another step toward her.
The worst thing was that she so wanted to believe him. The soothing timber of his voice, the affection in his eyes, even the way he moved – it was all screaming to her, trying to draw her to him, body, mind, and…
“Get. Back!” she repeated, brushing the softer emotions aside. In an instant, she was over the railing, the thin strip of wood right at the edge of the deck the only thing keeping her from plunging into the ocean below. “I’ll jump,” she insisted.
“She can’t swim!” Anya cried out in horror from the assembled crowd.
William instantly froze in place, not daring to risk that she was bluffing.
“I-I need to get off this ship,” she insisted, tears in her eyes. “Now…before…” she trailed off. “It’s not right,” she pleaded to William with tears in her eyes. “I can’t be… I can’t feel… Not with you. It’s wrong!”
“What on earth is she talking about?” Giles came up behind Xander and Anya.
“I have no clue,” Xander shook his head.
Anya merely frowned, trying to figure out what had driven her friend to this sudden flight of theatrics.
“Luv…” William began cautiously.
“Don’t call me that!” she insisted.
“All right, ‘Lizabeth,” he agreed. “Now, you really don’ wanna take a dive. So why don’ you jus’ take my hand an’—”
“Please, don’t,” her voice sounded weaker than before. “This is hard enough already…”
“’Lizabeth, what’s wrong, luv?” William persisted. “Can’t you jus’ get away from the edge so we can talk?” He hazarded another step.
She gulped and looked down at the water beneath her. She was scared, so scared. But she just couldn’t give up. She couldn’t let… This ship was doing things to her, dammit! And she had to fight it!
“Oh, god!” Anya exclaimed, slapping her face when she realized what this was about.
“I beg your pardon!” Giles felt obliged to point out his priest’s outfit.
Anya gave him an apologetic shrug before turning back to the matter at hand. “If this is about the pirate thing,” she called out to Elizabeth, “I am so going to give you a good whipping!”
Elizabeth’s eyes left William’s for the first time, and she turned her attention to Anya. “But, my father…” she insisted.
“Is an idiot,” Anya rolled her eyes and stepped forward, now that she knew what this was about.
All the men just watched, completely confused.
“It’s not just him!” Elizabeth protested. “Even I know that…” she trailed off abruptly.
“Yeah, well I’ve known my fair share of ‘gentlemen’,” Anya batted one hand in the air dismissively, “and, from what I’ve seen, pirates are far better behaved.”
“It’s wrong,” Elizabeth insisted vehemently.
Anya sighed in annoyance before noticing that William had taken the opportunity to get a few steps closer to Elizabeth during the distraction she’d provided. “Father Giles?” Anya turned to the priest in hopes of prolonging her little previously-unintentional diversion.
“Um, yes?” Giles fiddled with his glasses, a bit agitated and confused by the current state of affairs.
“Is the devil in me?” she demanded.
Giles frowned at that. “Um…not that I know of. Why do you ask?” he said, still slightly baffled by the question.
“Then can you please inform Elizabeth that if I’m not evil for sleeping with a pirate, then she’s not either?” Anya demanded as direct as always.
“What?” Giles sputtered in disbelief.
“What?” Xander turned a shocked glance to the blond pair.
“What?” William looked at Elizabeth with hopeful, disbelieving eyes.
“Anya!” Elizabeth exclaimed, too annoyed to worry about being embarrassed. And then she realized just how close William’s ‘what?’ had been. She started in surprise just as he dashed forward and caught her arm. “Hey!” she protested half-heartedly when he hauled her up and over onto the safe side of the railing.
“Gotcha,” he said softly, his words stirring the hair on the crown of her head as he held her close.
“I-I can’t…” she whispered softly, whimpering slightly when the feel of his strong, warm arms around her faded her resistance to nothing. “I can’t let myself fall in love with you,” she breathed raggedly against his shoulder. “What kind of person would…?”
“Hush, kitten,” he murmured into her hair, his embrace turning tender now that the danger had passed. “’S not so bad…”
She couldn’t do anything but nod in agreement, her own arms slowly slipping around his back to hold him as well.
“Love you, too,” he whispered somewhat raggedly.
She pulled back slightly to look at him in surprise. “You’re a very strange man,” she informed him with a shy little smile.
“Mmm-hmm,” he murmured, leaning slowly forward and resting his forehead against hers. “No stranger’n you, luv.”
She let out an annoyed/amused sigh. “A normal man would’ve kissed me by now,” she decided before tilting her head to the side and reaching up to brush her lips lightly against his.
In an instant all his lassitude vanished, as if he had just been waiting for her to make the first move, and his lips crashed into hers with passionate and needy intensity.
She moaned against his lips, allowing her tongue to come out and duel with hers as they pulled each other closer together. And Elizabeth’s last thoughts were, Anya never said it would be as good as fighting. Hell, BETTER than fighting…
* * *
Cheers and catcalls rose from the crowd as their captain and the woman who so obviously loved him met in a passionate kiss.
At the back of the crowd, however, one man’s eyes narrowed.
“Woah!” Forrest exclaimed, eyes wide. “Who would’ve thought…?”
Riley angrily caught his shoulder and spun him roughly, so that the two of them were face-to-face. “She was mine,” he hissed angrily. “I had her first!”
“Hey, calm down,” Graham lay a calming hand on Riley’s shoulder. “Forrest didn’t do anything…”
“No,” Riley agreed, apologetically letting his friend go. His gaze returned to the pair that was still kissing in the middle of the deck. “He’s the one who keeps robbing me of what’s mine!” he hissed before stalking away angrily.
A nervous glance, and then Graham and Forrest followed after him…
TBC
Skull and Dagger (continued) Chapter Seven – Angels Tell No Lies
“William!” A delighted smile graced the face of the man who sat at the end of the table, the seeming friendliness of the gesture subdued by the wicked curl of his lips.
Elizabeth had to admit, she could see why he’d acquired his nickname. Even as he sat, she could tell he was a tall, broad man. His form practically exuded strength and subtle power. His face was no less striking – strong jaw, dark and penetrating eyes, sensitive brow. He was every bit as handsome as he was reputed to be. And, if the evil glint in his eye was any indication, every bit as dangerous as well.
Her own companion was just as dangerous, however, and didn’t cower in the slightest from the living legend before him.
“Angel,” William said evenly, walking right into the center of the dinning room.
Xander was at his side the entire time and, despite Giles’ attempts to hold her back, so was Elizabeth.
Angel cast the young woman a curious glance, looking her up and down and obviously approving of what he saw. His attention quickly turned back to the young captain before him, however, an enigmatic little smile curling the corners of his lips.
“We’ve been expecting you for some time now,” he commented, drinking deep from the golden goblet in his hand.
“Got held up,” William said simply. “Attacked, actually. Right on the way in. You wouldn’t anythin’ ‘bout that, now, would you?” There was a harsh glint in his eye when he met the other captain’s glare.
Angel didn’t even blink. “How…unfortunate,” he responded. “Done something else to set the navy against you?”
“Ghost ship,” William replied. “Pirates. I din’t know better, ‘d think someone set me up.”
“If you didn’t know better,” Angel said simply, raising his goblet in a welcoming gesture. “But, you’ve made it after all. By all means, have a seat. I’m sure your crew is hungry.” He shoved roughly at the man to his left, knocking him from his seat.
The man fell to the ground, blinking up dumbly in a drunken haze. The two women that had been fawning over him were instantly at his sides helping him up.
“That seat,” Angel informed the fallen man, “is always reserved for my former first mate.”
The displaced man, apparently too drunk to really care, wrapped his arms around the two women that held him and made his way from the dinning hall. Several other men got up to leave with him, obviously his friends.
“Still with the high-handed gestures, I see,” William commented, offering Elizabeth his hand so that she could sit on the long bench that lined the table.
“Ah, Will, my boy,” Angel let out a melodramatic sigh, “you expected something different?”
William’s eyes remained cold and calculating. “I suppose not,” he agreed.
Elizabeth raised a curious eyebrow at the exchange, and Angel noticed her reaction.
“I do believe we’re boring your lady, William,” Angel flashed a devilish smile in Elizabeth’s direction. Before she knew it, he had caught her hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss. “And such a lovely creature should never be kept waiting…”
Despite herself, she blushed. What was it about her and pirates? She couldn’t help but wonder. After years of rejection, suddenly two of the most attractive men she’d ever met were looking at her like she was good enough to eat. She couldn’t deny that all the attention was…nice.
“And, if I may ask your name, milady?” The slight Irish drawl vanished from Angel’s voice as he took on more formal tones in addressing her.
“Summers,” she informed him primly, belatedly snatching her hand back from his when she realized she’d let him hold it for fall too long. “Miss Elizabeth Summers.”
“Elizabeth…” he let the syllables of her name roll off his tongue. “A beautiful name for a beautiful woman.”
She blushed again.
William frowned. He’d warned her about Angel’s womanizing tendencies, but had she listened to him? Oh no, of course not! Well, if she wanted to flirt with him, then so be it! After all, it wasn’t like he cared…
“Would milady Elizabeth sit at my side?” Angel was absolutely pouring on the charm.
“I thought you said that seat was reserved for William,” she countered, coming back to her usual self a bit.
“Over any man, yes,” Angel agreed shamelessly, “but I’m afraid William is no competition for a charming lady such as yourself.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she turned in surprise when William settled in the seat next to her, leaving her trapped next to Angel. He gave her a wry grin off of her incredulous look.
“So, Elizabeth,” Angel’s hand moved beneath the table so that it just barely brushed against her skirts. They were crowded together enough that it could have been an accident, but Elizabeth highly doubted it. And, unfortunately, the cramped seating arrangements meant that she couldn’t move away. Angel continued just as if nothing were different. “How on earth did a fair lady such as yourself end up with such an…uncouth companion?” He gestured to William with his knife.
Elizabeth snorted in a way that wasn’t ladylike in the slightest. “My ‘uncouth companion’, as you call him, at least has the decency to keep his hands to himself!” she retorted.
Xander coughed and started choking on his drink while Anya patted him repeatedly on the back. Giles’ eyes darted around the room nervously, waiting for them all to be sentenced to death any minute. Riley’s eyes just narrowed at Elizabeth’s latest infraction. William’s face remained indifferent the entire time.
But it was Angel’s reaction that truly mattered, and all he did was laugh, slapping the table with his fist. “A feisty vixen, this one!” he announced in delight, turning to William. “Where’d you find her? I don’t recognize her from the courtesans here.”
“I should say not!” Elizabeth exclaimed with an indignant shriek, cocking her fist to strike with her full force.
William caught her elbow before she could do any such thing, however. “I thought we agreed you’d avoid brawlin’,” he hissed at her.
“I did no such thing!” she informed him primly, yanking her arm free of his grasp. “You just ordered me not to fight. I never agreed to anything.”
William’s eyes flashed, and the muscle in his jaw began to tick.
Angel laughed again at William’s obvious frustration. “Haven’t completely tamed her yet, have we?” he taunted, taking another sip of his ale. “She’s a pretty thing, though. Well worth the wait…”
“Oi!”
“Hey!”
William and Elizabeth both lurched out of their seats simultaneously, both intent to defending Elizabeth’s honor.
Anya merely rolled her eyes. “They’re not actually having sex,” she informed Angel from her seat between Xander and Giles. “We’ve had people listening at their door for days now.”
Elizabeth’s face turned a deep maroon at this, and William’s cheeks darkened slightly as well.
Angel’s smile merely grew. “I would’ve thought you’d have had the sense to snatch this one right up, Will,” he commented, his eyes raking up and down her body once more, “before someone else beats you to her…”
William didn’t bother to stay Elizabeth’s blow this time. Unfortunately, despite her practiced skill at kicking between the legs and bashing people over the head with blunt objects, her slap wasn’t much more effective than any other woman’s.
Angel barely even flinched, but that deadly light lit up in the backs of his eyes as he chuckled in response. “A word of…friendly advice,” he leaned in close so that she could feel the warmth of his breath, “William’s not quite the biggest fish in the sea. That means if you piss off the wrong people,” his hand came up to cup her chin, making her gulp, “he’s not going to be able to protect you…”
“Angel.” William’s voice was tight, and he reached over to put a warning hand on the other man’s arm.
Angel laughed again at that, his seemingly abrupt mood changes from jovial to deadly frightening Elizabeth more than his words had. “Luckily for you,” he turned back to his drink, “I don’t hold grudges. Innit that right, m’boy?”
William merely gave him a tight smile in response.
“So, er, yeah.” That was Xander, desperate to change the subject. “We heard you ran into some trouble down in South America.”
Angel batted one hand in the air dismissively. “Nothing of importance,” he insisted. “The Spaniards‘re too caught up in their own problems to pay me the slightest attention.” The glint returned to his eyes. “Now you, William, seem to have royally aggravated the British navy. Not a smart move there…”
William gave him a disinterested shrug. “’ve got no quarrel with the navy,” he insisted. “They stay outta my business, I stay outta theirs.”
Angel shook his head and attempted to share a conspiratorial smile with Elizabeth; she didn’t smile back. “Surely, certain…families have picked up on your attacks by now, though?” he persisted.
William’s brow furrowed slightly. “I would ‘ope so,” he agreed, downing the entire contents of his goblet.
Angel tisked him softly. “They’re going to come after you with a vengeance one day, m’boy,” he warned.
“Let them,” William insisted darkly. “Finish this once an’ for all, then.”
Elizabeth had been getting progressively more confused as the conversation proceeded and decided she was sick of it. “What are you talking about?” she demanded of William matter-of-factly. “What’s this ‘family’?”
Angel laughed in response. “You haven’t told her yet?” he asked in disbelief. He shook his head at Elizabeth solemnly. “Doesn’t bode well for you, my dear. The man hasn’t even bothered to tell you his life’s work yet…”
Elizabeth spun on William in surprise. “What is he talking about?!”
Her cry was loud enough that the entire room heard it. All across the dinning room, conversations quieted as everyone became curious about the argument taking place between the two captains and former allies.
“Not here!” William hissed through his teeth, noticing the audience they’d built up.
“I can’t believe you’ve managed to hold off your Abrahms’ rants,” Angel said with an amused smile. “Maybe you’re developing some restraint after all…”
“Abrahms?” Elizabeth’s eyes widened in surprise.
Angel frowned when he saw recognition there as well. “You know the Abrahms’?” he asked curiously.
“Know them?!” she turned on him in disbelief. “I’m engaged to one!”
William groaned and put one hand over his forehead.
Angel merely blinked a few times before realization dawned on him. “Brilliant, William!” he declared in delight. “Kidnap the latest fiancée, seduce her while she’s in your care… The perfect revenge!”
Elizabeth felt her stomach sink as Angel’s words connected the dots for her. Of course, how could she possibly have been so foolish to think that that villain actually cared about her? She should have known he had ulterior motives all along. And, to think that she had actually let him…
The emotions became too much, and she dashed from the room, fighting back tears, before anyone could stop her.
“What on…?” Angel looked quite confused.
William’s hand fisted in the fabric of his shirt pulling him back up to his feet. “Don’t you ever talk ‘bout her like that!” he exclaimed, enraged.
Angel’s face paled slightly. “You mean…it wasn’t a ploy?” he asked in disbelief.
“No, of course it wasn’t a ploy, you ninny!” William hissed.
Several of Angel’s men reached for their swords at the perceived threat to their captain, and Xander, Riley, and a very reluctant Giles rose to their feet in response. There was a moment of tension as everyone waited for all-out war to break out…
And then William practically threw Angel back down to the floor before racing out the door the way Elizabeth had gone as well.
“Ah, well,” Angel rose gracefully to his feet, dusting himself off as he did so, “mistakes happen…”
Xander scowled but moved to sit back down as well. “Too bad you always seem to be the cause of them,” he accused before returning to his meal…
* * *
Elizabeth hadn’t paid any attention where she’d been running, and, to tell the truth, she really didn’t care. However, it wasn’t until she found herself on one of the soft-sand beaches that surrounded the isle that she finally let herself break down.
God, I’m such a fool, she berated herself internally. How could I possibly believe anyone would ever love me? Especially a pirate? No one ever loves me. All anyone ever sees is my family…
A soft sob choked in her throat, and she collapsed on the sand just outside of the light from the small town that made up the only settlement on Dead Man’s Island.
He was just using me like all the others. And, god, I actually let him kiss me! Touch me. I-I would have given him my… Oh god! Such a fool, such a complete and utter fool…
“Elizabeth!” a voice shouted over the rhythmic pounding of the waves on the beach.
She didn’t hear it, though. She was too busy caught up in her own misery. To think that I actually lo—
“Elizabeth!” William breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her outline collapsed on the beach. He quickly ran over to her. “Are you all right?” he asked, concerned, crouching down to touch her shoulder.
Before he knew what had happened, her fist shot out, striking him right in the nose. “Don’t touch me!” she screamed through her tears, crawling back away from where he’d fallen on the sand.
William lay back on the sand, blinking up at the night sky, and holding his nose in pain for a second. Then, with a quick shake of his head, he managed to push himself back up onto his elbows. “What the bloody ‘ell was that for?!” he exclaimed, enraged.
“Like you don’t know!” she screamed right back.
William’s eyes widened. “You don’t honestly believe that ponce, do you, luv?” he asked in disbelief.
“Don’t call me ‘luv’,” she hissed angrily, scrambling up to her feet and stalking away.
He was on his feet in an instant and chased after her. “Will you just listen?” he asked in exasperation. He caught her elbow roughly in one hand and yanked her around to face him.
“Don’t touch me!” she repeated again, jerking away from his grasp.
“Luv…” he pleaded, “’Lizabeth…” He wisely changed his form of address at angry flicker in her eyes. “Angel doesn’t know what ‘e’s talkin’ about.”
“Really?” she said with a laugh that sounded more like a sob. “Because after listening to him, suddenly everything makes a lot of sense. I’ve got to hand it to you, it was a brilliant plan.”
“There was no plan!” William insisted, catching her shoulders. She merely yanked herself free of his hands once more. A deep ache began in his heart at the thought that this beautiful, fiery woman that he’d held so tightly in his arms might never let him close again. The mere thought made life suddenly seem unbearable. “Please, believe me…”
If she hadn’t known better, she would’ve sworn there were tears in his eyes. “Y-You used me,” she accused hesitantly, “made me believe that you actually cared for me…”
“I do,” he insisted softly. “Ever since I first laid eyes on you, stabbin’ merrily away at my crew…”
“Ever since you realized that I was Parker Abrahms’ fiancée,” she countered. “When were you planning on telling me about your vendetta against my soon-to-be family? After I gave myself to you? Or would you have waited until you had gotten me with child? Humiliate both me and the Abrahms’ at the same time?”
“Never,” he insisted vehemently. “I-I would’ve told you…”
“When?” she demanded. “Seems rather convenient that you just ‘forgot’ to mention it.”
“It din’t seem important at the time!” he argued.
“Not important?” she repeated in disbelief. “My future husband?”
“No,” he ground his teeth. “An’ you know why? Because nothin’ else mattered once I met you. You were so different…no one’s ever been able to stand up to me before, an’ then there was you with your li’l ‘escape strategies’ and your projectile shoes an’…” A fond, nostalgic smile lit up his face. “Knew at that moment that there was no one else for me.” His tone turned pleading. “Please, luv, don’t you see? I din’t fall for you because of who your fiancé was. I fell in love with who you are…”
She brushed away the tear at the corner of her eye. Oh, she so wanted to believe him, but… “How can I know you’re telling me the truth?” she whispered hopelessly. “How can I ever know—?”
She was cut off when he pulled her roughly to him, his lips crashing into hers. Her eyes widened, and she moved to struggle for a minute. But then she relaxed against the warmth of his embrace and the soft sweetness of his lips. Hesitantly, her arms slid around his neck, holding him to her.
He murmured against her lips in response, his heart becoming whole again now that she was in his arms once more. However, he didn’t prolong their kiss, merely put every fiber of emotion in his being into the sweet junction of their lips. All too soon, he pulled away, leaving her panting against her chest.
“If you still can’t tell how madly I’m in love with you,” he whispered softly, placing a gentle kiss against her forehead, “then I don’t know what else I can do to convince you.”
“Perhaps,” she said with a sly smile, “you could kiss me again? Just so that I can make sure, of course…”
“Of course.” The twinkle in his eyes met hers, and he pressed his lips against hers once more, gently this time, savoring every second they were together…
Elizabeth sighed contentedly and didn’t object when William fell to his knees on the sand, bringing her down with him to settle in his lap. Her fingers twined tenderly into his sun-bleached curls as his lips trailed away from hers, leaving a path of sweet kisses down her throat and all over the bare skin that was exposed by her dress’ low collar.
“William?” she asked softly.
“Yes, m’love?” he whispered against the smooth pale flesh above her collarbone.
“Will you tell me of your vendetta?” she requested.
He looked up at her in surprise. “It has nothing to do with my feelings for you,” he quickly assured her.
“I know,” she agreed with a fond smile, her hand reaching up to cup the sharp line of one of his cheeks, “but I love you as well. And I want to know everything about you.” She placed a soft kiss on his nose.
“Mmm, I like that, luv,” he murmured softly. “Much nicer than your punches…”
Her face reddened slightly. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I…well, I thought…” she trailed off, embarrassed.
He chuckled. “’S all right, kitten,” he assured her. “Just…next time you think ‘ve taken advantage of you, could you maybe leave off the nose?”
She gave him a mortified little nod, and he chuckled in response. As he had thought, his reaction brought her right out of her characteristic bought of meekness.
“Are you going to tell me or not?” she demanded huffily.
He managed to restrain his chuckling and began. “I first met Lord Abrahms on my eighteenth birthday, mere months after my father died,” he opened his tale, his accent returning to the clear, precise tones of the upper class as he returned to that time…
TBC