Dukes of War (Books 5-7) Boxed Set by Erica Ridley

Author:Erica Ridley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Erica Ridley

CHAPTER 17

Long before the last of his crew had finished securing the jolly boat and cutters back onto the Dark Crystal, all Steele wanted to do was drag Clara into his cabin, close the door, and not come out until morning. If ever.

Unfortunately, there was business to be taken care of first.

He smiled at the two swabs that had left their posts instead of staying behind to watch over the ship…and Clara. “You’re sacked.”

Instead of making futile excuses, both boys hung their heads in shame. Good. They were an embarrassment to the crew. If they couldn’t be trusted to follow orders, they had no business aboard his ship.

Clara’s mouth fell open, and she whipped toward Steele, likely to spout some sympathetic nonsense.

He captured her in his arms and stalked through the rows of men and toward his cabin without another word. She had long since proven her willingness to forswear her own life for all sorts of noble, foolish reasons.

Steele had no such inclination.

He hauled her down the hatchway, flung open the door, and swung her inside. With a satisfying click, he locked the door behind them. Then he turned to corner Clara between his body and his bunk.

“Y-you can’t just sack them.” She stared at him in consternation. “They helped bring up the treasure.”

He prowled closer. “They left you. You’re more important than treasure.”

She shook her head. “Never mind a stowaway. Those boys wanted to come to their captain’s aid. To serve the commander of this ship. They went after you.”

He pushed her onto the bunk and covered her body with his. “You’re more important than me.”

“You’re wrong.” She gripped his hair and pulled his mouth to hers. “Nothing is.”

He kissed her. Nipped her. Claimed her with the ferocity of his kisses. As much as this impossible woman could be claimed.

His heart clenched. The only thing she’d ever done with consistency was surprise him. He’d recognized her voice in the cavern, but the shadowy darkness had prevented him from knowing which side of the resulting muzzle flash she’d been on. He had felt fear, damn her. For a heart-stopping moment, he had thought he’d lost her forever. He cupped the back of her head and drank in her kisses.

She was finally in his arms, and his blasted heart still raced. He was furious at her and half in love with her. She was unpredictable and utterly magnificent. She was the wildest adventure he’d ever been on.

“You saved my life today,” he growled against her mouth.

She licked his lips. “You saved mine. Now we’re even.”

He ripped open her ruined dress. It was already coming apart at the seams from whatever ungodly scrapes she had got into between being left safely behind on his ship and then dropping by a secret lair to fire her pistol at a band of pirates. Perhaps if he tore all her clothing apart, he could get her to listen to him. Follow simple orders.

Perhaps not.

He pinned her wrists over her head and lowered his mouth to the bodice of her linen shift.

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