Tracy Hacker © 2008
All rights reserved, The Wild Rose Press
"I see you’ve decided to accommodate me," she said, nodding her head slightly in indication of the books he’d brought her.
He raised a brow and gave her a crooked grin. "Well, milady, it was the first reasonable request you have made since setting foot aboard my ship. I thought I might concede."
"I really don’t see how you could possibly expect me to be reasonable about anything given my present situation, milord," she complained, crossing her arms over her chest and pulling her face into a pout.
"Please, do call me Lucian. You were a clever enough little spy to learn my true identity, you may as well use the information for the sake of civility. Besides, we‘re going to be forced into close proximity for awhile yet, and you must dispense with this milord business, especially in front of the men."
"I really don’t find the use of such familiarities appropriate, Captain," she sniffed disapprovingly. "I don’t think I like the idea of being on a first name basis with you. It denotes that we are friendly, and I don’t want to be on friendly terms with you."
Her eyes widened as he rose from his chair with intent evident in his dark expression. He stepped so close that she could feel the heat radiating from his body. His warm breath tickled her cheek and ear as he leaned closer still to murmur in her ear. "Simply calling me by my first name is not nearly as friendly as I’d like us to be, love."
She stood very still as his hands came up to grasp her upper arms. Her pulse raced and her breath quickened. She knew she must put an end to this, and in one quick swirling motion she turned her back to him. "Captain, I…," she began, attempting to step away, putting some distance between them.
"Lucian," he corrected in a deep voice, his breath close enough to rush past her ear. He pulled her gently back to lean against his chest. "Call me Lucian, my pet." His thumbs moved back and forth, gently stroking her shoulders.
Her heart was beating so loudly she was sure he could hear. When he tilted his head and placed a soft kiss to the nape of her neck, she jumped, her pulse thrumming so erratically she knew she was surely going to faint. He continued in his gentle exploration of her neck, kissing it several more times before breathing against her skin, "You want me too, Angeline. I can see it in those beautiful eyes when you look at me."