Romancing the Pirate by Michelle Beattie

Author:Michelle Beattie [Beattie, Michelle]
Format: epub
Tags: Romance
ISBN: 9780425230855
Publisher: Berkley; Penguin
Published: 2009-09-01T08:00:00+00:00

The sun was at its highest peak in the sky before Blake finally had a moment to take a breath. From the instant Nate had called to him that morning, the work had been endless. He’d helped transfer the barrels, tended to Nate, and put his back into getting his ship clean and assessing the worst of the damage. If what Blake had seen from that one barrel held true for the rest, they stood to make a hefty profit, even after the ship was restored.

“It could have been worse,” Vincent said, stepping onto the crate he’d pushed next to Blake.

Blake stared at the churning water behind his ship, his mind as agitated as the sea.

“Thankfully it wasn’t.”

“A shame we lost Billy and the others.”

“We did our best.”

Vincent eyed Blake, knew by the strain around his mouth his friend was in pain.

“Doesn’t make it hurt any less, though, does it?”

Blake ran a hand down his face, exhaled heavily. “No, it doesn’t.”

“It’s been a hell of a day so far. Why don’t you go down and see Alicia? There’s nothing going on here I can’t handle.”

Indeed there wasn’t. The mood on the ship, despite the treasure, was woeful. Sadness prevailed and even the smell of the delayed midday meal being prepared didn’t offer any encouragement. They’d lost four men and everyone felt the loss.

Blake nodded. “All right, you know where to find me.”

When he opened the hatch and began down the stairs, the sense of home wrapped around him and eased some of the weariness from his shoulders. Here he wasn’t captain, wasn’t the man the others turned to for guidance. Here he could be Blake and he could take the time to mourn the men he’d lost. He could hold Alicia until he felt settled again. Alicia, he thought, shaking his head. Who would have thought that the girl he’d hated would become the woman he needed?

His smile vanished when he reached the bottom and she wasn’t there. Where was she? The battle had ended hours ago; she wouldn’t still be hiding under his bed. His chest clutched. She hadn’t gone above in the midst of the chaos, had she?

“Alicia?” He spun around, eyes scouring the room. “Alicia!”

From behind the steps he heard a sob. With his heart in his throat, he raced around the ladder. He found her behind the chest, back pressed to the wall, curled into a tight ball. Her knuckles were white where they held her legs close.

“Alicia?” he asked, bending to one knee. He placed a hand over hers, shocked to find it icy cold. “Sunshine, are you hurt?”

A mewling sound came from her throat.

His stomach fell. He’d checked the hull, hadn’t seen any holes, and had assumed she was fine. Then, he’d had so much to do. Why the hell hadn’t he taken two damn minutes to check on her?

“Can you talk? Please tell me if you’re injured.” He ran his hands down her arms and legs but felt nothing but her trembling.

She raised her head and Blake felt as though he’d been punched.

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