Love's Abyss (St. John Series) (16 page)

She poked him in the chest with her finger. “Let me tell you something, Mr. Hart, I am not doing all these things out of boredom. I’m doing them because I want to, because they need to be done. Because Samuel needs to read. Because Kris
is
my best friend. Do not tell me it’s out of boredom!”

A smirk crossed his face, causing the dimple on his left cheek to appear. “You get angry too easily. I was only teasing.”

“Oh,” she replied. “Well, then, apology accepted.”

“I wasn’t apologizing.”

“If you say so.”

“Alex is right, you are frustrating.”

She glared at him. “If I wanted to talk about that man, I would have brought him up, but since you have, how long have you known the captain?”

“Almost twenty-five years.”

“You don’t talk much, do you?”

“Only when needed,” Max replied.

“So, you were childhood friends?”

“Yes.”

“Can I get more out of you than short two to three word answers? Jezz, I should talk to the cannon, at least it would give longer responses.”

A deep laugh came from behind her. She turned to find Alex there. “I think she’s got you pegged, Max,” he said as he pulled on his shirt.

“You finished?” Max asked Alex.

“Yes.”

“Good. You can now play twenty questions with little Miss Nosey here.” Max left before Madison could reply.

“He doesn’t give away much, does he?” she asked as she watched him walk away.

“It’s from his upbringing. He’s had a rough life.”

“What type of life?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “Like most pirates, his mother was a prostitute who took great pleasure in abusing him.”

“And you? Was your mother a prostitute, too?”

He gave a small laugh.“Far from it. No, my parents were married and still are.”

“They must worry terribly about you?”

“Yes, they do.”

“Then why do you make them?”

“It’s not that simple,” he replied. “Better get below deck. We’re approaching Tortuga. If the other pirates get a glimpse of you, I’ll have a hell of a battle.”

“Why?”

She really didn’t realize how beautiful and tantalizing she was. “Women pirates aren’t thought too highly of,” he told her.

“Oh,” she replied. “I think I’ll go to our quarters.” He watched her leave and smiled wondering if she realized she called it “our” quarters.

Chapter Eighteen

It was growing late in the evening before Alex returned to his quarters. He found Madison sitting in her usual place, reading a book. The setting sun cast a pink tint throughout the room. He watched her pick up a grape and placed it in her mouth. She was so engrossed in the book that she didn’t even realize he was watching her.

He cleared his throat. She turned her head slightly. She could see him out of the corner of her eyes. He looked so handsome standing there. She laid the book down and turned to face him. “I take it all the docking procedures went satisfactorily? No one knows you have a woman on board?” she teased.

“They all know about Kris. She is safe because she is Max’s woman. He has killed men over her on more than one occasion, would do it again in a heartbeat, and everyone knows it.  It was your presence I was worried about.”

“Why?”

“That russet hair of yours would be the pride of any vessel.”

“My hair? Why would anyone find this attractive?” she said as she held up a curly auburn lock.

“It makes you exotic, unique to say the least, with red hair and green eyes. You would be a trophy many of these scoundrels would love to try to tame,” he told her as he stripped off his shirt. He tossed it in the corner and searched in the wardrobe for a clean one.

She watched him change wondering if he was going off the ship. He walked to the wash basin and splashed cool water onto his face, then dried it off with a small towel. “Are you going somewhere?”

“Aye, to the tavern for a drink.”

“Oh,” she replied with slight disappointment in her voice. She knew that there was more offered at the taverns than a drink.

“Don’t worry. Smitty is guarding the ship. He may be old, but he’s one hell of a shot and a damned good swordsman. You’ll be safe.”

“Thanks for the reassurance. I’m being protected by a man older than Methuselah and who has only one eye.”

“Yeah, but he can see like a hawk out of the good one,” he teased. He could see the worry in her eyes. “You’ll be safe. I’ve arranged for some fresh water to be brought in for you to bathe. I’ll be back late, so don’t wait up.”

He went out the door and locked it behind him.

“Still don’t trust me, I see,” she yelled at him, as his footsteps echoed down the corridor.

Shortly after he left, Samuel and another man she didn’t recognize brought in several buckets of hot water. She looked out the window while they filled the large copper tub. Alex’s height made it easy for her to pick out his silhouette walking towards the tavern. He was approached by two very buxom women and pulled inside. Her heart sank.

She pulled the heavy red draperies closed, took off her clothes and slipped into the warm water. Why did it feel like someone had stabbed her in the chest when she saw him with another woman? She despised him! She grabbed the bottle of wine sitting on the table beside the tub and picked up the glass beside it to pour herself a cup. She looked at the glass and then the bottle. She placed the cup down and took a drink from the bottle. Tonight was going to be the first night she was going to get drunk, and she had the perfect reason. She realized she had been used for pleasure and revenge and that thought hit her like a brick wall. She held up the bottle of wine “Well old friend, it’s just you and me tonight,” she said to the bottle as she began downing its contents.

* * * *

As Alex approached Sally’s, two women came out of the door. “Hey sugar, ya lookin’ for some company?” asked one of the woman.

“He’s mine, Alice! I saw him first,” the other lady insisted.

“Ladies, ladies,” Alex interfered. “Right now, I’m just interested in a drink. I’ll decide whose company I want later.” Both women giggled and took Alex by each arm.

As they entered the tavern, the smell of smoke and stale rum watered Alex’s eyes. He blinked several times to adjust to the smoky environment. The two women dragged him to a spot at the bar. “Ashley, our friend here needs a drink,” one of the women said to the bartender.

“What’ll ya have?” the man behind the bar said.

“Whiskey,” Alex replied.

The toothless bartender poured a small amount of the amber liquid into a glass and slid it down to Alex. He caught the glass and downed the contents in one swallow. The liquid burned on the way down. Alex held in the desire to cough. He looked at the glass and mumbled “Cheap vile stuff. Give me another.” He consumed several more shots of the cheap whiskey before he focused his attention back to the women.

“I think you should do the trick,” he said and took the short plump blond by the arm.

“See ya, Alice,” she tormented the other woman.

Once in the back room, Alex turned to face the woman before him. “What’s your pleasure?” she purred as she started unlacing the ties on his shirt.

The pungent smell of cheap perfume and whiskey turned his stomach. He stopped her. “Remove your clothes,” he said as he lay down on the bed.

“Ah, ya want ta watch me strip, do ya? All right then.” She teasingly expelled her top, trying to entice him, arouse him with her performance.

Alex watched her. Normally he would have found the wench’s dance intriguing, almost arousing as she danced. But his thoughts kept going back to a sassy redhead. “Come here,” he commanded the woman. She approached him, missing her top. He pulled her to him and kissed her. She tasted like stale liquor and rotten food. He pushed her away from him and stood up. He laced his shirt and headed towards the door.

“Where ya goin’, honey? Ya havin’ issues with yer man workin’?” she said as she sauntered towards him. “Don’t ya worry, I’ll have yer mast hard in no time.”

She placed her hand on his penis.

He removed her hand quickly. “No, I just remembered some unfinished business I need to attend to.” He reached his hand into his pocket and tossed a gold coin her way. “That ought to cover your time.”

He walked out the door and towards
The
Abyss
, his mind racing. Why had Madison entered his thoughts? She was all he had thought about since that night. He had thought that it was just lust, that all he needed was another woman to erase her image from his mind.

He silently walked up the gangplank to
The
Abyss
. Before he reached the top he was greeted by a sword at his throat. “Smitty.”

“Back so soon, Capt’n?” questioned the old man.

“Not much is happening in town tonight.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“Or is it the thought of leavin’ that pretty woman alone with ol’ Smitty eatin’ at ya?”

Alex gave the old man a half-hearted smile. “Good night, Smitty.”

“Night, Capt’n,” replied the old pirate. “And don’t ya worry. Yer safe tonight.”

Alex nodded and headed towards his quarters. He silently entered the room. The aroma of lavender and vanilla filled the air, erasing the smell of the tavern.

He looked towards the tub. Madison was there, bathing. She had her hair piled on the back of her head. He watched as she held up one long leg. She squeezed the sponge in her hand and allowed the water to run down her long, well-toned leg. Her other hand followed the bubbles down her leg and his eyes followed suit.

The wind caught the door and slammed it shut behind him. Madison jumped and turned towards the noise. “What are you doing here? I thought you said you’d be back late?”

“Change of plans,” he told her as he sat down on the loveseat.

“Oh,” she said as she sank back into the tub. “Well, I’m far from being finished with my bath, so if you want someone to talk to, I suggest you try Smitty or Samuel.”

He looked at her and felt himself begin to grow hard. Why did she have such control over his body? He couldn’t figure it out. He took off his boots and then his clothes. He walked over to the window and pulled back the draperies slightly.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“You’ll see.”

“So will everyone else here,” she insisted. “If you haven’t noticed you just opened the draperies and now I have no privacy with my bath.”

“Well, Angel, if you happen to notice, the stained glass will block all prying eyes and I plan on joining you in your bath.”

“You what?!” As his naked image came into light, she sank lower into the tub. “You can’t,” she protested timidly.

“I can and will,” he informed her. He walked towards the back of his tub.

She watched him. His lean muscular body was beautiful. Her eyes traveled down him and came to rest on his manhood and wondered how that fit inside her. She began to feel her face blush.

A small laugh came from him. “Scoot forward,” he told her.

“I . . . I don’t think I should. It’s not . . . not proper for people to bathe together, unclothed and all. Actually it’s not proper to bathe naked,” she rambled in her nervousness.

She felt his large hands on her shoulders. He gently pushed her forward and slid in behind her. He pulled her body back against his. She could feel his manliness on her back and it excited her. “Shhh,” he whispered into her ear. She closed her mouth. “Just relax.”

She took a slow deep breath, then another as she placed her head back on his chest. “That’s better,” he said softly. “Don’t move.”

She felt his fingers on her neck. He let them travel down her body. He leaned over and kissed her neck. She stiffened her body. “Relax,” he whispered against her ear, “let your body feel, don’t think, just feel.”

His fingers traveled to the top of her shoulders, then slowly slid under the water. He took her nipple between his fingers and gently pinched and pulled. She could feel them grow hard and the tingling sensation stirred. He moved his hand to her other breast and proceeded to do the same gentle caress. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She knew she should ask him to stop, but she liked the way he made her body feel. His hand traveled lower, lightly touching her abdomen, sending quivers throughout her body. “Relax,” he whispered again.

His hand traveled lower still. He felt the velvety triangle of hair between her legs on his fingers. He gently caressed the outside of her, teasing her. He tenderly fondled her clitoris. She writhed and a faint noise came from her mouth. His finger slowly slipped inside her. She gasped as the feel of his fingers entered her. “Shhh,” he whispered as he placed another finger inside her and moved them in and out.

The desire began to grow inside Madison. She squirmed from the pleasurable sensation building up in her loins. The sensation increased when he took his other hand and gently massaged her nipples. “Move your hips,” he instructed her. She nodded her head and rocked her hips back and forth, causing rapid breathing, a pounding heart, and a return of the most desirable pleasure she could ever experience.  The feeling traveled throughout her body taking over all her senses. 

“Oh,” she said in a breathless voice. “Oh, Oh,” she kept repeating as his fingers went deeper and harder inside her body. She placed her hand on his as her body moved.

He watched her chest rise up and down quickly with each breath. He could feel her growing closer to reaching her climax. He slowed his fingers down. “Slow down,” he whispered to her.

“Please,” she gasped.

“Not now. I’m going to teach you things about your body. I’m going to bring you close to exploding and then stop. So when you do go, you will experience pleasure like you’ve never felt before.” He could sense her calming down, see her breaths slow. He gently touched her clitoris again.

“Please,” she gasped again.

He took the lobe of her ear into his mouth as his fingers began to move inside of her again. He gently stroked her inner core to the point she thought she’d go mad from desire. She withered and moaned under his commanding caress. He slowed his caress of her clitoris. He stood up and climbed out of the tub. He turned to her, picked her wet body out of the tub, carried her to the bed and laid her down. He climbed in bed beside her.

She watched him as he lay on his side and allowed his hands to travel the length of her body, lightly touching and caressing her. His touch excited her even more.

He watched the pleasure in her eyes build up. He took her by the waist and rolled to his back. He placed her on top of him. She had a look of confusion on her face. “Place your knees on each side of me.”

She nodded her head and did as he asked. She could feel his manhood rise up to meet her. The feel of its tip touching her increased her excitement. She could feel his hands on her waist as he pushed her down on top of him.

The feel of his shaft entering her body caused her to gasp with pleasure. He moved her hips with his hands. “Move with me,” he instructed. She swayed her hips, timidly at first. “Faster,” he encouraged. Undulating her hips moved back and forth, faster and faster, her pleasure peaking in her again. He reached up and his large hands began caressing her breasts. She began to move faster.

He could feel her grow wetter. He met each movement of her hips with the thrust of his. His pleasure increased. He placed his hands on her hips encouraging each accelerated movement. He pulled her down to him and kissed her. His tongue entered her mouth without resistance. His hands slowed her hips down. “Slow down. I’m not finished with you yet?”