“God, Ido not deserve you,” he said through clenched teeth and smoothedthe hair away from my face.
“No, youdon’t,” I replied with a grin and yanked the shirt over my head toreveal my naked breasts. “But you’ll have me anyway.”
Chapter Twelve
What seemed like a blissful eternity later, welaid naked in Finn’s bed, the warmth of the fireplace like a heavyblanket and was all that lit the room. My head rested against hisshoulder and I glanced up to watch his face, mesmerized by the waythe flame’s shadows danced across it. Henry’s fingers twirled in mycurls as he stared thoughtfully at the ceiling.
“Whatare you thinking about?” I asked him.
“You,”he replied. “I never thought I’d find a woman I could let myself bewith. Not after… her.” Hepaused to place a kiss on my forehead. “To be this intimate withsomeone, it meant opening that door, even just a little. And Icouldn’t fathom the idea. So, I accepted that I would forever bealone. But then you just appearedone day, carrying with you all the secrets of mypast.”
Ipropped myself up, so I could see him better. “Wait, you mean…” Itried to find the right words, “Henry, have you never been with a woman?”
His cheeksflushed, and the fire glistened in his obsidian eyes. “Well, Imean, a scatter bar maiden, if you don’t count–”
I quickly, butgently, brushed my fingers against his lips.
“No, Idon’t count her,” I told him, saving him from speaking her nameduring our intimate moment. “What she did to you, that wasn’taffection, that wasn’t… love. It was wrong. She’s the devil, Henry.”
He shifted sohe laid on his side, facing me, and took me in an embrace with hiswhole body; legs, arms encompassed me with desperation, as if hethought I was going to disappear, and I returned the gesture, soour naked bodies lay entwined in one another.
“Henry,”I whispered against his skin, and he answered with a hum, “Youcan’t kill her.” I wanted to tell him everything, about me, how Igot there, and my connection to The Cobhams.
We both movedwith a heavy sigh that rolled through him and he replied, “Iknow.”
“Youdo?” I confirmed with surprise and broke free from our embrace tosit up.
“Yes, Iknow it’s what the crew expect of me, but I can’t. I don’t want anymore blood on my hands. Certainly not the poison that surely runsin her veins.”
I saw mychance. “So, what do you plan to do?”
He shrugged.“I’ve no idea.”
“Well,why not try and find the witch who helped you trap them in thebottle?”
If I couldsuccessfully get him on board with the idea, if we found the witch,I could help Henry trap The Cobhams and save the seas from theirreign of terror. But, most of all, I hoped she could help me getback home. Magic brought me here, it was probably my only chance ofgetting back. I knew it was my only option but, when I looked atthe man next to me, I realized he could never know. It would breakhim, and the plan would fall apart. I had to play along and keepHenry happy. But I knew then, how easy that would be.
Because I wasfalling for him. Deeper than I ever thought possible.
***
The next day,we were headed to the docks where a small boat would take us out towhere The Devil’s Heart was anchored and awaiting our return. Henryheld my hand proudly, not caring about the whispers making theirway through the crew around us.
“Havesomething to say, gentlemen?” he spoke loudly, daring them to speakill of our relationship.
One of theyounger boys who’d shown me kindness time and time again, Charlie,I think, stopped a few steps ahead and turned to face us.
“No,Sir,” he told Henry with a proud smile, “Just nice to see ya happy,is all. Will Miss Dianna be staying with us aboard The Devil’sHeart for good?”
I felt agentle squeeze of my hand and Henry stole a glance in my direction.“That decision is Dianna’s.”
My throattightened under the sudden pressure to answer, knowing that my timeaboard the vessel was limited. But then I realized the doublemeaning behind Henry’s words. The decision was mine whether I wouldstay aboard or not. I wasn’t a prisoner. I could leave if I wantedto. But one look at his face, eagerly awaiting my answer, hiscoal-black eyes pleading me not to go… I couldn’t think of anywhereelse I’d rather be.
“For aslong as you’ll have me, Charlie,” I assured the both of them, and Isaw the instant relief of pressure melt off of Henry’schest.
“So, besure to treat her well,” he added to the deckhand.
“Aye,Captain,” the boy answered happily, then tipped his cap and skippedalong to join the rest of the crew.
Henry staredahead at his men with a proud, loving look. “They’re good men,” hetold me.
“Yeah,I’m beginning to see that.”
“ThatCharlie, I picked him up at a port in Brighton, after spending timein London for business. The eager lad wanted to join the crew, butI turned him away, said he was too young,” he paused to let out aslight chuckle, “the bugger snuck aboard, and he’s never left mesince. He’s small, but a hard worker and just loves the sea. He… hereminds me of myself at that age.”
I slipped myother hand around Henry’s arm and snuggled my head against it as wecasually strolled toward the water. For someone named Devil Eyes,he was a hard man to dislike. I didn’t know if it had anything todo with me, but I could see the dark layers beginning to peel awayfrom him, revealing a bright and shiny heart. If I could help himheal, to face his past and figure out the man he wants to be, thenI could leave this era with no regrets.
“Captain!” someone yelled from behind us and we turned tofind Finn racing down the gravel pathway. “Captain, we found them,”the Scotsman said as he bent over to catch his breath.
I had no ideawhat he was talking about, but Henry let go of my hand andstiffened; his face alert and hardened with purpose. “Where?”
“We gotword
