Chapter 41

G AbrIELLE WENT TO SLEEP THAT NIGHT ON HER BLANKETS, a little in shock. She'd said nothing else to Drew, too afraid he might change his mind. She hadn't expected anything to come of her threat to not forgive him unless he helped her rescue her father. She wasn't even sure why she said it. His cavalier attitude up to that point warned she'd be wasting her breath. But, good grief, he'd actually accepted.

After the shock wore off, she had to allow that his guilt must be a lot worse than he'd let on to her. Or maybe he didn't really think there'd be any danger involved. She probably should warn Drew that he could be risking his life and his ship. Pierre was a real pirate, after all, not just a dabbler like her father, who was really a treasure hunter at heart. But if she warned Drew, he might change his mind.

It wasn't much of a dilemma. She'd have to mention it. It would be dishonorable not to. But she was going to wait and see what ideas Drew came up with first for the rescue—just in case he backed out on the deal after she explained fully what he was getting himself into.

The surprises didn't end with his proffered help. The next morning on his way out the door, he told her, "We have a deal, so I'm going to call on your honor, if you have any, and request that you stay away from the hold. Your crew will be released soon enough. You don't need to help in that regard."

All of which made no sense to her until he continued out the door—and left it open. Giving her freedom of his ship? Incredible! But before she started jumping for joy, she examined what he'd just said. Her crew would be let go, but let go for what? To be transferred to the nearest jail? Or to help with the rescue?

He was gone before she could ask, and frankly, she'd rather savor her triumph for a little while before she found out if she still had another rescue to accomplish. But really, Drew would be a fool to not make use of her men, now that he'd agreed to help. Surely he realized that at least.

She didn't bother to change clothes, to take her first steps outside of her brief prison. She was still wearing the dress she'd been supplied with for dinner last night, had been too dazed to even think of changing out of it to sleep. She got curious looks from his crew. Apparently, Drew hadn't told them yet that some of the pirates were no longer being detained under lock and key. But none of them tried to stop her, and after she moved to within sight of Drew, the matter was settled in their minds that he had allowed her the freedom.

She still had nothing to occupy her time, though she wondered if Drew would really object if she just started helping around the ship. She'd have to try that later, but for the moment, she simply enjoyed the sun and fresh air after being denied it for several days, and the view of the quarterdeck, where Drew was manning the wheel. He was such a big man. His extraordinary height and breadth would give most men pause, but he'd never intimidated her. He'd inspired many different responses in her, but fear wasn't one of them.

His love of the sea was obvious. He had an exhilarated look about him, as if there was no other place he'd prefer to be. She'd seen that look on her father, too, many times. But seeing it on Drew made her feel a little sad. No wonder he'd decided never to marry. No woman could ever come close to what he felt for his ship, and the sea.

Not that she cared anymore. Good heavens, no! She wouldn't marry him now if he begged her. But she did realize that most of her anger toward him was gone. She wasn't sure if she could even continue any sort of revenge against him now. If he did end up helping to free her father, they would be even, like he'd said.

Timothy stopped by to have a word with her that turned into quite a few. The first mate apparently loved to talk once he got started, about ships, about his hometown—Bridgeport, Connecticut—about anything that came to mind. With nothing else to do, Gabrielle certainly didn't mind listening to him.

As he was winding down he said, "I was surprised to find you out and about this morning."

"Gabby didn't tell you about the deal she and I struck last night?" Drew said, having come up silently behind them. "She managed to use her powers of…persuasion to gain her freedom again."

Gabrielle was speechless. What Drew had just said, or rather implied, was horrid, and no doubt a deliberate attempt to embarrass her. But Timothy was even more embarrassed, and with red cheeks, he muttered something and hurried off.

"That was fairly close to an accurate explanation, don't you think? It shut Tim up," Drew said, as if he'd been doing her a favor instead of profoundly embarrassing her.

If one of his crew hadn't walked past them just then, the first words out of her mouth would have been rather shrill, but she managed to keep her voice down as she demanded, "Why did you do that?"

"What?" he asked with a perfect display of innocence as he made himself comfortable against the railing next to her. "You looked like you needed rescuing. When Tim gets started like that, he'll talk your ear off."

So he was going to pretend he'd been doing her a favor? She just didn't buy it. Nor was she going to let him slip by with an excuse like that.

"I didn't need rescuing, but even if I did, why the devil would you say a thing like that?"

He gave a careless shrug. "It was the first thing that came to mind."

"Liar," she snarled. "That was a deliberate attempt to make him think the worst of me!"

He noticeably stiffened at that. The charge of "liar," which had been hasty on her part, would offend most men. He was apparently no different.

His annoyance was there now in his derisive tone when he shot back, "You seem to manage that well enough on your own, sweetheart."

She gasped sharply. "How dare you?!"

"Easily enough," he replied. "Besides, I could have thought of a number of other things that would have been much more damaging than a mere insinuation."

"Such as?"

"The truth."

"The only truth is that you got into my bed when I was sleeping and took advantage of the fact that I thought you were a dream."

The mention of that night abruptly changed his demeanor. A lazy smile spread across his face. "That was one hell of a nice dream, wasn't it?"

She'd never seen a man turn sensual so fast, but Drew managed it with ease. From offended ire to seductive charmer within seconds! His eyes got heavy-lidded with a lambent glow. And the turning of his lips, just so, warned her that he was done with the original subject and was going to pursue in earnest the new one she'd unwittingly introduced.

"I'd prefer not to think of it," she said stiffly, trying desperately to ignore that fluttering in her belly that his sensual look aroused in her.

He chuckled. "You can try, but you know you won't succeed."

"Stop it," she said.

She wasn't done upbraiding him or she would have walked away. But she made an attempt to at least give him her back. If she wasn't actually looking at him, her pulse would slow down and she could think clearly and—

He slipped his arm over her shoulder and beneath her neck, so that his fingers were able to caress her cheek with a feather-light touch. It caused gooseflesh to spread along that side of her body.

She squeezed her eyes shut, fighting the sensations that threatened to overpower her. He'd managed to pull her back against him with that arm, and the weight of it rested on her breasts. He wasn't even touching her nipples, but they responded anyway; tingling and tightening, as she imagined his fingers on them.

"Face it, Gabby, what we shared was so nice, it's worth repeating—many times."

So husky his tone! But it was those potent words that were shredding her resistance. She had to give it one more try before she succumbed completely to the desire he was so easily provoking.

"You wanted Timothy to assume the worst. Why?"

He sighed over her stubborn persistence. "I'm crushed that you're still dwelling on that," he said, though he didn't sound the least bit crushed. "I was just teasing you, you know. I figured we're close enough now that you wouldn't mind. And besides, my crew knows me very well. You've spent several nights with me in my cabin. They already assume we're lovers."

Just teasing. Something she really wouldn't have minded if they really were lovers. But they weren't.

She started to point that out when she said, "We aren't—" only to have the thought interrupted when he swung her around abruptly and kissed her.

She should have seen it coming. She should have had her willpower firmly in hand before his lips touched hers. What willpower? Her resistance crumbled relentlessly and soon she was slipping her arms around his neck and nearly purring as he gathered her closer.

There was a chuckle as another of his crew passed by them. She didn't hear it, but he must have, because he whispered against her lips, "Let's go to the cabin and continue this in private."

If he hadn't suggested that, if he'd just taken her to his cabin without mentioning it, she probably wouldn't have been able to muster a protest. But his words broke the trance he'd put her in, and in that one moment of clarity, she was able to tear herself out of his arms and hurry away from the temptation he presented.