“Thank you,guys,” I told Gus and Finn.
“Of course,captain,” Finn happily replied. “It was my honor.”
“And you saythat with actual sincerity,” I quipped. My eyes fell to Gus.
He was quiet,thoughtful. Then he inhaled deeply. “You’re going to make a finecaptain, Dianna.” I brightened at the compliment, but he added,“you’ve got a bloody lot to learn. But I’m pleased to help ya alongthe way.”
“Thanks,” Isat down on the bed next to Henry, “but he’s the real captain,we’ll do it together.”
Lottiereturned with washcloths and a panof warm water in hand. “Here you go,” she said and laid it down onthe floor by my feet.
“Thanks,Lottie,” I told her warmly. “How’s Charlie doing?”
She stood andsmiled. “He’s great. Still can’t speak, but we’re gettin’ alongjust fine. I already told him you’re back. The poor boy, I couldjust see the relief push him down into his bed.”
I nodded.“Good.” Then looked to my sailing master. “Finn set a course to… anywhere. Just get us out of hereand as far away as possible so we can hide away until Henry andCharlie are fully healed.”
“Aye,captain,” he replied and tipped his head before leaving. Gus andLottie filed out after him with a wave.
The doorclosed behind them and I walked over to lock it. I pressed my backagainst it and let everything wash over me. All the fear andanxiety I’d been storing up inside flooded from my limbs and Itipped my head back in peace. It was over. All of it. Just daysago, I’d been sitting on my bed in Rocky Harbour, crying over theloss of the life I had left behind in the past. But I traveled back through time, found my friends,made new ones, secured a ship of my very own, and managed to rescuemy beloved from the grips of an evil psychopath. All the while,carrying the life of a child inside me.
I wasexhausted, but I felt indestructible.
I removed myboots and jacket, then hung them on the beautiful red chair beforetending to Henry. With a knife, I cut away his tattered clothes andthrew them on the floor, leaving a naked man laying there on myquilted blanket. It was then that I could truly see the extent ofhis injuries. His massive frame was peppered with a rainbow of bruises, his chest covered in burns and incisions. Icouldn’t believe my eyes. Along with his beaten and swollen face,Henry looked like someone who’d been dragged off a battlefield.
I soaked acloth in the warm, soapy water and wrung it out. Carefully, Iwashed the sweat, dirt, and blood from his body, mesmerized by thebroken beauty that was this man. I would take him in any form. Iworked until the pan of water turned a solid color of deep crimsonand then covered his naked body with a fresh blanket, giving thewounds a chance to air out. I then slipped off my own clothes andslid under the blanket with Henry, our warm bodies melding togetheras I wrapped my tired arms around him. I soon drifted into a deep,comfortable sleep and I only prayed that’s where Henry was,too.
***
I knew I wasdreaming. The vague sense of surroundings covered me in a blurrycloud, but one thing was certain. Henry was there. I lay on myback, the soft warm sand brushing up against my skin, and looked upat him in admiration. The sun shone from behind his head, creatinga halo of light around his beautiful blonde hair and I reached upto touch his flawless face. A face free of the bloody wounds I knewI’d just cleaned.
“I missedyou,” I told him.
He leaned inand took my mouth in his, a passionate kiss so full of emotion Icould feel it plunging deep into my gut. He pulled away and smiled.I could feel the tendons of the dream loosening and slipping away,alerting me to the fact that I was waking up and I scrambled afterhim, desperate.
I awoke with agasp like I’d been thrown backinto my body and immediately searched for Henry but succumbed tothe heavy sense of relief at the sight of him sleeping soundly nextto me. The sun was up, and it filled the room with a golden hue. Ihad to remind myself to relax, that it was all over. I sunk backdown and nestled up next to the beautiful pirate, basking in thewarmth of his massive body.
I felt himshift and open his dry mouth. He moaned, deep and hoarse as hereturned my embrace, our nakedness colliding. “What a mightypleasant way to wake up.” His scruffy chin scratched the top of myhair and I heard him inhale deeply. “I never thought I’d smell thesweet scent of you again.”
“Goodmorning,” I replied and kissed his chest. “We’ll never have tospend another morning apart. I swear it.”
“Nothing wouldmake me happier,” he replied. “Except, perhaps, a glass ofwater.”
I laughed andcarefully crawled over Henry to fetch him something to drink fromthe table. I helped him sit up and held the mouth of the glass tohis lips as he drank. When he was finished, his hands reached outfor me, blindly, as his eyes were still swollen shut. But I couldsee movement around the slits as his face shifted with expressions.A good sign.
“I would killsomeone for the ability to feast my eyes on your naked body,” hetold me with a raspy growl. Goosebumps scoured down across my skinat the sound, a sound I’d missed so much.
I grabbed hiswrists and held the palms to my breasts. “You don’t need eyes tosee me, Henry.”
His hands sliddown and grabbed me by the waist, then pulled me on top of him withease. Even in his weak and wounded state, my burly pirate king hadno problem taking what was his.
I leaned downand kissed him, then smiled.
