Darkest Dreams (39 page)

He moved to stand beside me, facing out to the sea as well. “You're serious, aren't you?”

“Yes.”

“So what thoughts of mine have you read?”

I drew a deep breath. “Here on the ship, the day you got Iris, you had an image of me bound naked in a ship's bunker. Another clear thought was immediately after the first time we made love. More than anything else you wanted to make love to me again, right that minute, saw yourself thrusting into me, but the hunger scared you somehow, and you wanted to get me dressed and out of your home as quickly as you could. And you were very much of the opinion that I had seduced you, and you weren't sure how you felt about it. When I fell into the sea and you found me, you blamed yourself for what happened. The moment I reached the surface and could speak, I—”

“You said, ‘Don't you dare think that! It's not your fault.'”

“Yes. In the sheriff's office and when you…when you tried to free me in the dungeon, you had only one thought in your head. You—”

“I had to marry you. That thought has been consuming my every waking moment for some time now. Andrie, just because a woman ruins herself before the world to save him, and that man walks out of jail panicked that he has to marry her before anyone causes her any harm, does not mean that the man doesn't
want
to marry her and that he doesn't love her. When a man thinks he is dying and that the woman he loves will be left unprotected, he's thinking with his whole soul that he has to marry her before he dies.”

“I know,” I said softy, tears gathering in my eyes. “Alex, that is your honor crying out, not your heart.”

He swung me around to face him, cupping my cheeks in his hands and staring deeply into my eyes. “No, it's not. Reading a man's heart is different than reading a man's mind, Andrie. And you can't read all of a person's thoughts, therefore, you don't ever have a clear picture of who that person really is. Everyone is like the sea, different on the surface than beneath. By reading random thoughts you're always drawn beneath the surface and must feel like you're drowning all the time. At least those of us in complete ignorance can choose to stay on the surface and accept people for who they purport themselves to be, or delve beneath the surface and conjecture if they are vastly different. You've been saddled with a grave disability in life. It's mind boggling.”

Nobody in my entire life had ever understood me so well. I set my hand on his shoulders and searched his gaze. “How can you see that so clearly? How can you accept what I am so easily?”

“I've explored many things in this world and have discovered many mysteries. There is much that can't be explained. But more than anything else, I believe in things greater than myself and of times and people different than me. The Druid chanting can only be done by a few that are blessed with the right tone to their voice and an inner knowledge, or instinct if you will, of what the creature or person is feeling. Usually it is only when I am focused on that individual, and I have blocked everything from my mind, that I can sense emotions. When you declared you wouldn't marry me in the constable's office, I knew you needed a lot more time and space, but I'm out of patience. I so desperately need you. Will you marry me, Andrie, and share life with me?”

“What about your vow to leave Sean your title?”

“That's what my challenge in the sword fight was all about. You urged me to see for myself if he was crippled or not, and you were right. I was more hindered by the past than he was.”

“And what if he'd stumbled and faltered?”

“And I still felt compelled to leave him my title to make amends for the past?”

I nodded.

He grinned. “Well, before I became involved with you I'd decided that I wanted you for my mistress. I'd never had one really, and you were it. Once you became my sister-in-law and I didn't see that as possible, I tried to stay away from you, but that was becoming impossible. Then when I became involved with you, I decided that having you for a mistress just wouldn't do. On my trip to Penzance, I began investigating just how Alexander Killdaren could disappear forever, and Captain Black could move to America. But that was going to take some planning because I couldn't leave Cornwall without my Friesians.”

I frowned then blinked. “Iris and Eros.”

“Yes. Are you by chance wondering where you were in this grand scheme?”

I nodded.

“Maybe I can read a thought or two of yours as well,” he said, making me laugh.

“You were in my bunk in my cabin. Unfortunately, I've yet to imagine you there bound. It is a thought worth investigating, though, especially since it seems to be your, um, secret desire.”

“What?'

“I'll lay claim to all of those other thoughts but that one had to come from you.”

“That's impossible; I've never imagined something like that, ever.”

“So you don't have imaginings about a swashbuckling pirate having his way with you?”

My cheeks burned. “No.”

“What, never?”

“Not ever,” I said, though I had and he knew it. He scooped me up, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Where are you going?”

“I'm going to have my wicked way with you.” Then he stopped and looked very seriously at me, his green gaze teeming with heat and deep emotion. “I love you, Andromeda. Will you marry me?”

“I love you too. Yes, I'll marry you.” I leaned up and kissed him, my heart singing.
 

“Tonight?”

“What?”

“Will you marry me tonight? We're on a ship in the sea, and Captain Jansen is somewhere below deck. We can send for family and be married when the sunset paints the sky with glory.”

“Yes.”

“I'll marry you again, later, as well. I want the whole world to see that you are mine.”

“Then I'll marry you twice.” I sighed with pleasure and a bit of relief, for I think Cassie would have had my hide if I'd cheated her of the pleasure of planning a wedding.

“All right, you eavesdropping, wily sea dogs. Show yourselves or face the cat'o'nine!” Alex shouted, making me jump.

Loud grumbling of voices came from behind a pile of crates.

“He heard you scratching, Davey.”

“Did not, Brighty, you uppity fool. The captain's got ears in the back of his head.”

“Eyes, you dolt. The saying goes ‘eyes in the back of his head'. His ears are on the side.”

“Men!” Alex yelled.

“Aye, Captain.” Half a dozen sailors popped up, hats in their hands. Brighty, wearing his best butler's suit, was among them. His wig kept flapping up in the breeze, and I was sure a gull would swoop down and claim the prize for its nest.

“Swab the deck and inform Captain Jansen that we set sail an hour before sunset. Brighty, go to Killdaren's Castle and tell anyone who wants to see the wedding to be on aboard. We will wait for no man, nor woman, except the bride, of course.” The men scattered, and Alex strode to the stairs that led below the deck.

“Alex,” I whispered. “Where are you going?”

“To show my new bride the captain's quarters. You'll need to inspect them very closely and give me a list of things that you'll think necessary to have with you for when we go sailing.” He rambled competently down the stairs with me in his arms.

“What kind of sailing are you talking about?”

He grinned. “The kind of sailing that a pirate like me does very well.” He pushed through a door, then kicked it closed with the heel of his boot. He kissed me deeply as he strode across the room to his bunk, where he gently laid me down and covered me with the warmth of his love and the heat of his passion. I slid my hand down and pressed my palm to his urgent arousal. “Does this mean you'll always be sailing with a Jolly Roger now?”

Alex laughed. “At full mast at all times.”

Epilogue

“You may kiss the bride,” said Captain Jansen just as the sun cast the sea and the horizon into a glorious array of golden yellows, wavy blues and soft pinks. Looking regal, with sharp blue eyes that were filled with haunting shadows, he appeared to be a man of many experiences, and not all of them good. He wore the military uniform of an officer, but he was no longer in the queen's service, a mystery to be sure, but one for another day.

No bride could have had a finer sanctuary to wed than that of God's own. Nor could I ask to have better people with me. Cassie, with a peaceful hand gently pressing her stomach, stood to my left. She glanced my way, and I knew we'd won, we'd slain the Dragon's Curse and conquered the evil with love. Gemini was next to Cassie, and didn't look my way. I didn't think she could see anything but Captain Jansen. Sean, wearing dark glass spectacles Alex had found in his travels, braced Alex's right. They were brothers that no man nor curse could split asunder. Bridget was next to Gemini, and was now known as Mrs. Bridget Frye, having married Stuart not more than ten minutes ago. She smiled brightly, her hopes and dreams shinning like stars in her eyes. Stuart stood by Sean, looking antsy. He was a man with a dream that he couldn't wait to make happen. Alex had promised Stuart Friesians to breed on his future farm.

“Has he kissed the princess yet?” Rebecca asked in a loud whisper.

“Not yet,” said Alex, grinning so broadly that both his dimples danced with humor.

I smiled, turning to face the full warmth of Alex's love. “Tell him to hurry, or you'll be all grown up before it happens,” I said.

“Hurry,” said Rebecca. “You have to kiss the plums, Georgie Porgie.” She stood between the earl and Prudence, holding their hands.

“Sugar plums, Becky,” said the earl. “Remember that makes them dance, not cry.”

Alex blinked. “Kiss the bride,” he whispered. “A very special bride. My bride.”

Lord Ashton, Mr. Drayson, Mr. and Mrs. Murphy, Mrs. Lynds, Dr. Luden, Brighty and all of the sailors witnessed Alex declare his love for me and mine for him. The sea swayed the ship, rocking us gently. Salt flavored the air to a tangy sweetness, and the wind kissed my skin like a benediction from a host of angels. I turned my face to Alex, reading his heart in his eyes as he leaned down and kissed me. Just before I closed my eyes to give myself over to feeling just Alex, the emerald eyes of the serpent's ring winked at me, as if Aphrodite sent her approval. I winked back and then felt my spirit soar. I could be all that I longed to be.

Only love could lift the weight and pain of life and fill the heart.

Alex loved me, and the cleansing wonder of it renewed my soul.

About the Author

Jennifer St. Giles, a USA Today Bestselling Author, also writes Contemporary romantic suspense as J.L. Saint. She is a nurse and mother of three. She has won a number of awards for writing excellence including, two National Reader's Choice Awards, two time Maggie Award Winner, Daphne du Maurier Award winner, Romance Writers' of America's Golden Heart Award, along with RT Book Club's Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Gothic/Mystery. Websites:
www.jenniferstgiles.com
,
www.jlsaint.com
. I love hearing from my readers and you can find me on Facebook and Twitter. Midnight Secrets is the first book in the Killdaren Trilogy and tells the story of how love can make the difference and change the lives of everyone it touches if you let it. So open your hearts and enjoy!

Look for these titles by Jennifer St. Giles

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Midnight Secrets

 

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Collateral Damage

© 2010 J.L. Saint

 

Silent Warrior, Book 1

One thing makes Jack Hunter invaluable to his Delta Force Team. The same trait that makes him suck at relationships. Single-minded focus on his career—and honing his ability to never miss a kill.

After a terrorist missile devastates his team and leaves him with only partial memory of a FUBARed rescue mission, he retains only one clear picture no one believes: the last face in his gunsight belonged to a prestigious American businessman. The man's wife has to know something, but the only way to get to her is go AWOL.

After her husband trades his family to tango with double-Ds, Lauren Collins decides her dogs are better judges of character. She's unaware how far her soon-to-be-ex's web of deceit reaches—until the only thing between her, her sons and a killer is a wounded Delta soldier who activates her sorely neglected X-chromosome like nobody's business.

Their instant attraction is kryptonite to Jack's injury-dulled edge. Thrust into a world of peril, political treachery and treason, Lauren has no choice but to trust Jack with her life. Even if she and her sons survive, she's not sure her heart will…

Warning: Contains a warrior who doesn't hesitate to lay his body on the line, more than one emotional love story to tug at your heart, and chaos at Chuck E. Cheese.

 

 

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Collateral Damage:

“Come in to the bathroom and let me clean you up, then we both can relax,” she said past the emotion clogging her throat. What almost happened was still too fresh in her mind for her to be anything but overwhelmed.

“I can do it.” He stood, coming so close to her that she had to take a step back. His nostrils flared as he inhaled sharply. He searched her gaze for a moment as if trying to assess her mood.

“So can I, and right now I need to make sure you're all right more than you need to be Mr. Invincible.” She marched to the bathroom and pointed to the closed commode, determined to ignore the effects of his close proximity on her senses. “Sit.”