Pleasing the Pirate: A Loveswept Historical Romance (26 page)

What happened on the morrow could set the stage for the rest of Phin’s life.

* * *

Phin and Sebastian talked for a few more hours, strategizing, deciding what angle to take with the king, coming up with several different options depending on the king’s mood. Phin was lucky that he had Sebastian on his side. The king favored Sebastian, even though he was not pleased that his two best operatives married each other and retired. “Retire” was a relative term, Phin learned, for the king still demanded that Sebastian and Gabrielle work a case here and there.

Well into the night, long after Sebastian sent his servants to bed, the fire in the grate sputtered out and they’d had more than a few whiskeys, Phin went upstairs to Mairi’s room. If he’d thought to find her asleep, he was mistaken.

She lay on her side, her arm curled under her head and all that hair cascading around her in a froth of curls.

“You should sleep,” he said.

“I’m frightened,” she whispered.

“Sebastian has drafted a plan. Foolproof.”

“Please don’t tell me everything will be all right. I don’t want empty reassurances.”

Ah, damn. He’d never met a woman who didn’t like empty promises. Didn’t all women want to be made to feel secure? “I have a good feeling about this.”

“What if the king arrests you on the spot because you haven’t brought in Grant?”

He paused in unbuttoning his shirt and silently cursed his friend. “I see Sebastian has been spilling secrets.”

“Please don’t be angry with him. I’m worried about you, Phin.”

“Nothing to worry about.” He hoped she didn’t see his shaking hands. There had been a time in his life—hell, most of his life—when he would have laughed off these dire circumstances, but he was older now. With maturity came wisdom and responsibility. He was responsible for Susan and Annabelle and now Mairi. She might balk at that, but it was what it was.

“It’s a chance I must take.”

She sat up, clutching the sheet to her chest, her hair a wild riot around her shoulders and her eyes pleading. “Don’t do this, Phin. Please. What will it take to convince you to not go to the king tomorrow? Let Sebastian go in your stead.”

“Don’t, Mairi. Don’t ask this of me.”

“I want you alive. I want to know you are somewhere in this world, thinking of me, living under the same moon and sun that I am.”

“I can’t do what you ask. I must do this.”

“But
why
? For God’s sake, get out of here. Sebastian has the information. He can go to the king. He can stop the attack.”

He tried to hide his disappointment that she would ask him to run away. “Is that what you want of me? To act the coward? To run when England is threatened? When my friends’ lives are threatened?”

“I want you alive,” she said softly.

“Believe me, I very much want me alive as well.”

“This is not a jest.”

“Of course it’s not, but running away is not an option. It never was. I did things in the past I’m not proud of and now I have to face the consequences.”

“Not if we find Grant.”

“True enough.” He crawled onto the bed and took her hand. “Mairi, I don’t want to run the rest of my life. I don’t want to be a fugitive from my own country and my own family. For once I want to do what’s right and I want a chance at a life I thought I could never have. What if I succeed, Mairi? Have you thought of that?”

Her eyes sparkled in the light of the candles. He brushed her tears away with the pad of his thumb.

“I should have protected you better.”

“Oh, Phin. You live your life wishing you could protect those around you, but life’s not like that. You can’t be everywhere at once and some things are simply out of your control. Grant’s choices are not your fault.”

“I’ve made a lot of bad choices in my life, Mairi, but this is not one of them. For once I know I’m making the right choice.”

“I can’t bear it if you’re arrested.”

“Have faith that I won’t be.” And if he was, he’d made provisions for her. She would never have to worry about MacGowan again. He’d left instructions for Sebastian to purchase her land and maintain it. Mairi and her family had full use of it for as long as a McFadden lived on it. But he would not tell her this now. It would only cause more grief and anxiety.

She snuggled her head into his shoulder and let out a single sob. That was all, and it was much worse than a flood of tears. She was trying to be strong for his sake. And mayhap for hers, as well.

He pulled her to him and held her tight. This might be their last night together, or this could be the beginning of a long future.

“Make love to me,” she said into his shoulder.

Tonight was for soft touches and delicate kisses, for exploration and long, slow loving. He wanted to savor every moment of it, to memorize it, lock it away in a place deep inside where no one could touch it. Where only he had access.

He skimmed his fingers over every bit of her skin, the swell of her hips, the dip of her waist, the crook of her elbow. She moaned beneath him, but he would not hurry in this. He took his time even though it about killed him. Even though his body demanded satisfaction.

When she reached for him, he blocked her hand, certain he would explode if she so much as touched him. Her head moved from side to side, her eyes closed. When he finally touched her, slid a finger into her, she was so wet that it was dripping out of her. Her body took him, opened up and closed around him, enfolding and gently squeezing his finger. She moaned, pumping her hips.

With his thumb he rubbed her nub as he slid his finger in and out. She moved her hips faster and faster. He loved watching the expressions on her face, the slight wrinkle between her brows as she concentrated on her body’s response to his lovemaking.

She was ready. He knew her well enough to recognize the signs. She was racing toward a climax and he wasn’t about to stop her. He wanted to watch, to witness. She rose up, bracing herself on her elbows as she moved her hips.

“Look at me, Mairi mine.”

She opened her eyes. They were glazed, her face flushed, small pants erupting from her.

“Phin …”

“Let it come.”

“What about … you?” She threw her head back and ground her hips into his thumb as he continued to press against her nub.

She convulsed upward, bearing down, her teeth gritted as she climaxed, her muscles grabbing on to his finger. A low growl emerged from her, a few pants, another growl and then she collapsed back onto the bed, her chest heaving as she stared up at the ceiling.

“Give me … a … moment.” She lifted her arm then let it drop to her side.

He wasn’t giving her a moment. He gently flipped her over. She squeaked in surprise but was too worn out to protest as he lifted her hips, positioned them just so.

For a moment he admired the gentle curve of her arse, but only a moment. He rose up on his knees, found her opening with his finger and thrust into her, burying himself so far his head swam.

He stayed that way, letting her get used to the new position before he began moving. She rose up on her elbows and dropped her head to the bed. He grabbed her hips and pumped into
her. It wouldn’t take long. He was on the edge.

But when he felt her climaxing again he slowed down, waiting for her to catch up to him. She was nearly sobbing now, making small noises with each thrust, pushing back and grinding into him.

“I can’t …” Thrust. “Hold.” Thrust. “Back.” Thrust.

Her hands fisted the bedsheets and he exploded into her, arching his back, pulling her toward him and pushing as far in as he could get. For a moment his world went black as his whole body convulsed.

In a distant part of his mind he heard Mairi scream into the pillow and felt her muscles contract around him, gently extracting every last drop from him.

Eventually he pulled out and dropped to his side. Mairi lay on her stomach, her legs splayed, her arms out to the side. “Oh my goodness.”

He chuckled but even that took effort. “Oh my goodness, indeed.”

“I think I broke something.” She rolled to her side and smiled at him. “That was very educational. I wasn’t aware I could bend and move in that way.”

“I can teach you other ways. Later.” He winced at his own aches and pains. “I’m sure you hurt.”

“Not now, but probably tomorrow.”

“We’ll take it easy, then. Maybe take a day or two off.”

She frowned. “Or two? I don’t like the sound of that.”

“My God, woman, you’re voracious.”

Her smile was wicked, her eyes dangerous.
She
was dangerous to him. To his heart. To everything. And he didn’t care. He was willing to give it all up for her. To make the biggest gamble of his life. With a little bit of strategy and a whole lot of luck, he might just win.

Mairi roamed from room to room. In the library she opened a book. A quarter of an hour later she discovered she was still on page one and couldn’t even remember the name of the book she was attempting to read. In the dining room she pushed her food around her plate. Any bite she put in her mouth tasted of sand.

She roamed the gardens, unable to concentrate on smelling the late fall flowers. At times she found herself staring at a blank wall, her thoughts lost to her.

Every so often Gabrielle would search her out, but she was a poor conversationalist and Gabrielle would drift away. Emmaline would poke her head in the door. Mairi assumed it was to make sure she was still there. Susan and Annabelle had come and gone, back to Phin’s house so Annabelle could take a nap.

In the late afternoon Mairi found herself in her bedchamber, not remembering walking up the steps. She lay on the bed, curled her knees to her chest and stared at the wall.

Phin, Sebastian and Nicholas left very early in the morning. Before the sun rose Phin quietly slid out of bed, but Mairi had been awake for hours. She hadn’t slept. The ball of dread building in her stomach kept her awake.

Fear kept her awake.

She understood why Phin couldn’t run away. It had been foolish to even ask him. He wouldn’t be Phin if he ran. But that thought didn’t make her feel better or stop the dread and the fear.

After being a pirate most of his life it seemed that Phin Lockwood had finally decided to walk on the right side of the law.

What if I succeed, Mairi? Have you thought of that?

What if he succeeded? He’d have his life back. No bounty on his head. No looking behind his back for the person who might be following to earn that bounty.

What if he succeeded?

What did that mean for them?

And did she have any right to be thinking that when at this very moment his life hung in
the balance?

She’d heard stories of King George. Of course, they most probably were highly exaggerated because they were told by Scotsmen, but she’d seen the look in the men’s eyes as they left. Even they were unsure of the outcome.

And yet, because she had nothing but time and she was tired of thinking of the dire consequences, she allowed her mind free rein to think of the possibilities.

Forever with Phin.

Could it be possible? Was it even something he wanted?

No fear of the English since an Englishman would be farming her land. No fear of MacGowan since an English
pirate
would be farming her land.

That is, if Phin would want to farm her land.

Ach. It was a foolish dream. A hope she didn’t have any business hoping.

When Phin had climbed out of bed that morning, she’d sat up and watched him dress. She’d never seen him so formal before, and he was beautiful. So handsome. He’d worn black breeches, a black coat and a bloodred waistcoat. He’d worn a wig that covered his beautiful blond hair. And he’d leaned down and kissed her, taking her face in his hands and putting his lips to hers in such a reverent way that she’d wanted to cry but hadn’t.

There were no more words. All the words had been said the night before. There was nothing left.

That had been eight hours ago. Eight, long, lonely, terrifying hours.

If Phin had been arrested they would have heard by now. Wouldn’t they? Surely Sebastian would have sent someone to tell them.

Gabrielle warned her that it could take all day. Kings could be fickle. Time meant little to a monarch.

Gabrielle poked her head in. “This is good,” she said. “The longer it goes, the better.” She sat on the edge of the bed. Mairi sat up and pushed the hair out of her eyes, pulled her skirts down to cover her ankles and sighed.

“The waiting is excruciating.”

“It is. I even find myself wandering around the house with no destination.”

“How did you do this for so many years? I don’t like being on edge all the time.”

Gabrielle shrugged. “I didn’t know any different. My life was always on edge, running
from the child snatchers, then later, working for the crown. It wasn’t until I married Sebastian that I even knew how to let my guard down. It took many months for me to become accustomed to it.”

Mairi pulled a pillow over and hugged it, grateful for Gabrielle’s company. “From what I understand, you and Sebastian tried to capture Grant before.”

“We not only tried, we succeeded. He escaped after we turned him over to the crown’s men.”

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For the trouble my brother has caused all of you. I promise not all of the McFaddens are troublemakers.”

Gabrielle chuckled. “I like you, Mairi. You’re brave.”

“I don’t feel very brave.”

“Sometimes that’s when we’re the bravest. I can see why Phin loves you.”

Phin loved her?
Phin loved her?
She rolled that thought around in her mind for a bit. He’d not said such a thing to her.

“I can see I’ve shocked you,” Gabrielle said. “He hasn’t said anything to me but I can see it in his eyes. And I saw the way he reacted when he discovered you were missing. He was frantic, Mairi. I’d never seen him in such a state. I thought he would single-handedly tear the city apart searching for you.”

“That’s only because he needed me to get to Grant.”

“It may have started out that way, but that’s not how it ended. I don’t think he cared about Grant at that point. He just wanted you back.”