Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21

Carlos did come with them, despite a histrionic farewell from his women. Even the dog howled, which made Connor smile.

They hauled anchor at first light despite sore heads and roiling stomachs. The doctor and her able assistant handed out hangover remedies and the crew got the ship under way. Ten, maybe twelve days, and they would be on the African coast. How many more before they found Perez?

That nighthe came to her cabin uninvited, she toyed for a few moments with the idea of throwing him out, just to assert her authority, but one kiss was enough to crumble her defences. After last night she didn’t know how to keep him at bay any longer, something had shifted between them under the trysting tree in the dark.

He undressed her slowly and kissed her all over, and with his mouth on her sex she couldn’t think straight. She was too weak with lust to stop him. Instead, she put her hands on his head and encouraged him to eat her. He made a meal of her and made her come, repeatedly, until she was a limp mess on the bunk. So last night hadn’t been a one off, he could do this to her over and over.

What a man, what a lover. His generosity threatened to undo her. She swallowed; her throat tight. Her chest tight with bittersweet joy. She tried to shake it off, immerse herself in the pleasure of the moment. That was all that mattered.

Some of her equilibrium came back and she relaxed, sinking into the decadence of what he had done to her. That was better, the pain in her chest subsided.

He loomed over her in the lamp light, his eyes almost black in the half light, his cock big and red and stiff as a poker between them. “Do you want me?” he asked husky voiced.

She stared at him out of eyes gone misty from satiation. “I wasn’t expecting you, I haven’t put a sponge in.”

“I can do it for you,” he offered with a smile that made her toes curl.

She laughed. The idea was erotic. Why not? She’d never had a lover do that before. “Alright. The sponges are in that small box by the basin and the rum is in the cupboard.”

He got off the bed and went to collect the sponge and the rum. He was naked, and she enjoyed watching him moving about her cabin as if he belonged in it.

She watched him pour some rum into a glass and dip the sponge in it. Then he drank off the rum, poured some more and brought it over to her. He dropped the sponge in the rum again and offered her the glass while he crawled back onto the bunk between her legs. She spread them, her knees up and wide apart. He grabbed a pillow and shoved it under her hips. Then he nuzzled at her lips with this tongue.

She gasped. “It thought you were planting the sponge.”

“In a moment, just tasting you again, your flavour goes well with the rum.”

She laughed. He sat up and reached for the sponge which dripped the fragrant spirit. She put the glass aside as he moved swiftly to place it at her entrance and push it deep inside with his fingers. The slight sting and burn of the rum made her gasp but his fingers stroking her inside and his thumb on her bud, made her pant.

He knelt over her and covered her, finding her entrance with his engorged cock, he thrust inside and pushed the sponge deeper. He was so big! She moaned as he moved in her and his mouth found hers. The elevated angle of the pillow caused his cock to scrape her inside in a place that felt delicious. She panted, her hands grabbing the sheets and then him. Her nails digging into his flesh.

“Oh, that’s good,” she panted. He thrust harder and deeper.

“You want my seed?” he asked, an echo from last night, his voice muffled against her neck.

“Yes! Yes!” she panted.

“Say it!” he said. “Demand it” his voice rough with passion, his hands grasped her hips as he pushed into her with hard thrusts.

She arched up into him, pushing down with her planted feet into the mattress. He liked that, did he? She smiled, happy to satisfy his kink. “Yes, give me your cock! Give me your seed! Give me everything Connor Mor!”

He groaned and pummelled her with his hips, his grip tight, his breathing laboured. His eyes bored into her fiercely. “Say it again!” He ground out.

Infected with his lust she moaned, “Sea Gods yes! Fuck me! Fuck me hard!” She swallowed the words that almost came out next. Take me! Own me! She panted and managed to get out “Give me your seed!” Give me yourself!

“Callista!” he roared, and his body convulsed, wild heat exploded inside her as he groaned through another spectacular orgasm. The man knew how to come! She revelled in it, lifted on the tide of his pleasure to a vicarious bliss.

He collapsed on her and moaned. “That is so good. You make me explode.”

She stroked his damp shoulder and uttered a sigh of contentment. This. This was blissful.

Dangerous! Warned the voice in her head. Shut the fuck up! Can’t I just enjoy this a little bit?

No! You know what happens... Callista’s throat tightened, and the sting of tears bit her eyelids. Just once. Just once let me be happy for a few minutes.

Connor rolled off her and pulled her against him. She rolled into him burying her face in his chest. He felt too good. She knew she shouldn’t, couldn’t...but the temptation to sleep in his arms was so strong.

He stroked her back, and he kissed her hair. She closed her eyes against the tears that threatened. Just a few minutes more before she threw him out.

She drifted and when she woke it was just before dawn. Connor lay beside her, her leg over his, her head on his shoulder.

She shook him awake.

“Hm?” he blinked and smiled at her in the predawn light, just enough for her to see his features.

“You have to go back to your cabin, it’s almost daylight.”

He nodded and sat up, then leaned down and gave her a lingering kiss.

“Thankee,” he whispered.

He turned away then turned back. Leaning in he said softly, “that red dress. Will you wear it for me tonight?”

Her heart thudded and skipped, and her body got hot and damp from the idea of him taking her in that dress. She should say no. She found herself nodding. “I might.”

He growled and grinned, moving away with an obvious effort, his fists clenched as if to prevent himself from reaching for her again. He grabbed his clothing off the floor and headed for the door. Turning he smiled back at her. “Until tonight.” He closed the door softly behind him.

She slumped back on the pillows with a sigh.

I have to stop this! It is so dangerous...

The red dress. What would it feel like to have him take me when I am dressed like a woman?She suppressed a groan of delight at the idea. It had been so long since she felt like a female, soft and fragile and pretty.

She shook her head to clear it. She had never felt like that, and she shouldn’t want to. It was dangerous and weak. Yet a part of her yearned to feel that way with him.

This is madness. I have to stop it. He is seducing me. Making me think and feel things that will destroy me. I can’t afford this.

All the same she wanted to wear that dress for him. A small stubborn little girl part of her seized on the idea and wouldn’t let go. Just once? One time? What could it hurt? I’ll stop after that. Focus on what I should be focusing on: Perez.

The day passedin a fog for Connor. A fog of happiness and anticipation. She had virtually promised she’d wear the red dress for him. He was so close to achieving what he had set out to do. If she wore the red dress, he would know he had her.

But his original plan to seize control of the ship and return home... After what he had learned about Perez... Well, he thought it was a worthy cause, and one he was willing to support. The rest of the crew seemed to have got behind it too, and that was down to Callista’s leadership. It seemed to him it was his job now to keep Furness and his cronies from causing trouble for her.

When he entered her cabin that night, he wasn’t sure what to expect. Two lamps threw a soft golden glow over the room, and she was standing by the window staring out at the moonlit sea, the wake of the ship visible in a boil of white foam. Her hair was free of its plait and fell in a golden wave round her shoulders. And she was wearing the red dress.

She was so beautiful, the sight of her took his breath away. She had done this for him. He ought to feel triumph, this was the moment he had been waiting for. Her absolute surrender. Instead, he felt humble gratitude, joy, that she had chosen him for this gift.

She didn’t turn as he quietly closed the door and crossed the room to her. Wrapping his arms round her, he pulled her back against him. She relaxed and uttered a soft sigh. “It’s beautiful,” she murmured.

His arms tightened on her, there was a vulnerable note in her voice tonight that speared straight through his chest. “Yes, it is,” he agreed and kissed her hair. He dipped his head and kissed the side of her face. “But not as beautiful as ye. Thankee, for wearing the dress.”

She turned within his arms and looked up him. It might have been a trick of the lamp light, or the effect of her golden hair, but everything about her seemed softened tonight. Perhaps it was the dress, proving incontrovertibly how very feminine she was. He swallowed, taking in the swell of her breasts framed by the low-cut bodice, and the creaminess of her skin. He took her hand and kissed it. “Yer lovely,” he said huskily, his throat clogged with emotion. Her cheeks flushed faintly, and a light filled her eyes that pulled at him like a beacon.

He bent his head and kissed her, losing himself in the rush of tender passion and the heady wine that was Callista. She was his, he knew it now, and he wanted to give her everything, every pleasure, every bit of himself he had to give. For she deserved it. She was a magnificent creature, and she had surrendered to him, just as he had thought she would, willingly and unknowingly.

They shared long drugging kisses standing by the window, for once not in a hurry to tear their clothes off and devour each other. He pulled her closer, stroked her back, nuzzled her neck, and traced patterns over her breasts with his tongue, before returning to the joy of her mouth. Kiss after kiss until they were both flushed and breathing hard, and his cock was stiff enough to be painful.

He bent, picked her up and carried her to the bunk. For the first time he regretted his large four-poster bed where he had entertained many a lady. It would be nice to have a big, soft mattress and the space to love her thoroughly with his mouth and his body. But they’d make do. Setting her down gently he slid onto the narrow bunk with her and took her down into the mattress and her single pillow that they had shared last night.

With her hair spread out like a halo of gold round her head, her blue eyes blazing with light and fire and her shoulders, and the tops of her breasts bared by the low-cut neckline of her gown, she was the loveliest sight he’d ever seen. “So beautiful,” he breathed and kissed her again as if he could never slake his thirst for her.

He hitched up her skirts a little and ran his hand up her leg. She wore no shoes or stockings. She parted her legs for his seeking hand, and he found the wet juncture of her thighs and stroked gently, with feather-light touches that elicited little moans and shivers from her. He bent and kissed her neck and then leaving the haven of her thighs he reached up and loosened the lacing on her dress so that he could pull down her bodice and cup her lovely breasts in his hands. He licked her nipples and rubbed them with his thumbs until they stood out hard like red berries. She arched up into his touch and he suckled some more as she moved restlessly on the bunk, her legs rubbing together.

He knew what she wanted. “Patience,” he murmured. “You’ll get everything in time, I promise. Let me worship your body as it should be worshipped.”

She made an odd gasping sound at that, part frustration part something else. He kissed her mouth, holding her cheek, his lips and tongue soothing her impatience. She was his. Heat bloomed in his chest and his hand dropped to squeeze a breast and lower to her hip, and then he pulled up her skirt–her skirt! –and slid his hand up under it and found her wet flesh again. Resuming his stroking as her legs fell open, and she whimpered in her throat pushing up into his touch.

He moved down her body with his mouth, neck, shoulders, laving her breasts, first one then the other. Then he pressed kisses into her belly through the cloth of the gown. Kneeling up between her legs he pushed her skirts up completely to reveal the glory underneath. What is it about petticoats on her than makes her even more seductive? Leaning down he buried his face in her snatch and licked, inhaling her scent. The sweet taste of rum met his tongue, and he knew she’d planted a sponge for him. It had been erotic doing it for her last night, but this way there was nothing to interrupt the flow.

He licked and suckled and stroked, pushing his fingers inside her and curling them to drive her wild. She arched up into him gasping and moaning, her hands holding his head. He had her on the edge now, just a little more... he applied his tongue to her bud, and she cried out, her body throbbing and clenching as she went over. He licked her through it and kept going even as she tried to pull away. He held her tightly and persisted until he felt her catch fire again.

Again and again, he brought her to the edge and over with his tongue and his fingers until she finally panted, “please, Connor, enough!”

He raised his head and watched her sinking back into the pillow. Her face flushed and a dazed smile on her lips. He pressed one more kiss to her swollen nether lips and knelt up. His breeches were uncomfortably tight. His cock was an iron bar and his balls so aflame they ached.

He ignored them and edged up the bed to take her in his arms and stroke her gently, tucking her head into his chest. He kissed her hair. He knew a moment of madness where he longed to kiss her all over. Strip her naked and kiss every inch of her flesh. He controlled it and made do with squeezing her tightly against him and kissing her hair again.

She put a hand on his chest and looked up at him. “We can’t continue to do this you know?”

“Why not? We’re not hurting anyone.” His throat tightened as a stab of pain lanced his chest. He did not want to give this up, not now that he’d experienced her surrender, her precious vulnerability. It was a gift, and she wanted to take it away again? That hurt.

She sighed, burying her face in his chest, which made him smile. “I know. It’s not that.”

“What is it then?” His heart thudded in his chest and his balls ached.

She didn’t answer, instead she ran her hand down his front and found his rigid cock. He gasped when she squeezed him.

“We’d better do something about this,” she murmured.

“Thought ye’d never ask,” he said jokingly, hoping the moment of her wariness had passed.

She undid his falls and let his cock free of its confines, which made him gasp with relief.

She pulled his breeches clear of his balls with a little help from him and pushed him onto his back. Crawling down the bed she straddled his legs and bending forward she set her mouth on him, holding him firmly in her hand.

He propped his head up on his arms, so he could watch her, and surrendered himself to the bliss of her mouth and the joy of watching her breasts jiggle within the loosened confines of her dress. The sight of Callista Montamayne in a red dress, sucking his cock, was the stuff of his fantasies and he groaned as her tongue went to work and her mouth enclosed him in wet heat.

Driving up into her mouth, he panted and moaned, it felt so bloody good, and he needed to control it, so he didn’t come. As much as the idea of coming in her mouth, enticed him, he still wanted to fuck her. But she was superlative, which made him wonder where and how she’d learned to be so damned good at sucking a man’s cock. He pushed away the thought and surrendered to the pleasure. Her other hand fondled his balls and sparks of fire raced over his skin and ignited his cock, making it quiver. Fuck I am so close! Time to stop her.

The she did something with her tongue, and he choked on a groan, his back arched, and he was coming. Fountaining into her mouth in hot shots of pleasure that suffused his whole groin with bliss and his body with tingles from his scalp to the soles of his feet.

“Fuck Callista!” He moaned, his body convulsing still with pleasure, as she swallowed and licked him clean.

With one last kiss to the head of his cock, which made him jump it was so sensitive, she let him go and sat up; a cat that licked the cream look on her face.

He stared at her dazed. Finally, he found his voice and croaked, “Come up here.” he held out his arms. She crawled back up the bed and nestled into him.

“Yer very good at that.” he said.

“Aye,” she responded yawning. “Do you mind if I take the dress off now, the boning in the bodice is digging into my ribs.”

He smiled. “No, you can take it off, and I thank ye for wearing it for me.”

She sat up and smiled. “It was my pleasure, I think. You certainly gave me enough pleasure in payment.” She climbed over him and got herself out of the dress, folding it and putting it carefully in her locker. It occurred to him to get up and help her, but his legs were still jelly and by the time he’d figured that out, she had the locker lid shut and was climbing back in with him.

He wriggled the rest of the way out of his breeches and removed his shirt. Settling down in the bed he hauled her close and nuzzled into her hair. “You smell of rose petals.”

“Yes, Carlota gave me some rose oil for washing.”

He sighed. “I’ll make a woman out of you yet.”

She stiffened, and he cursed himself for his careless tongue.

“I am a woman, Irish. I’ve never pretended not be.”

“Yes, a magnificent one, I’m an idiot, I didn’t mean-” he said, hoping to retrieve his position.

She made a non-committal noise, and he hugged her tight against him. “Yer mouth was incredible.” He nuzzled her neck.

“Hm,” she sighed again. She is doing a lot of that, what is wrong? “I’m tired,” she said. “Can we sleep?”

“Of course,” he said. A little niggle of alarm chewed at his happiness. It had been such an incredible night, but already he could feel her pushing him away, putting distance between them. How could he recapture their intimacy? Get her to continue to show him the precious vulnerability she had shared with him tonight?

She yawned again and he caught it from her, his jaw cracking. They were both tired, he would deal with it in the morning.

Despite her request to sleep,it was he that fell asleep first. She lay in his arms torn in two by the strongest emotions, one of sheer bliss the other of dread. Connor was becoming too necessary to her comfort; she was enjoying this too much. You know what happens when you let your guard down. Damn it I was sure I was in control of this one.

Fear clutched at her heart. This couldn’t last, and blast it all, she couldn’t afford the distraction. She needed to concentrate on Perez.

She eased out a breath the panic subsiding. Yes.This has been wonderful, and it has to stop. No more after tonight.

Eventually fatigue claimed her, and she slept. She woke to his hands and lips on her and was too foggy and drugged by his kisses and touch to stop him. One last time. Surrendering to his body as he entered her and took them both to bliss, she lay in his arms afterwards and slept again, relaxed and at peace.

When she woke at dawn, he was gone. She rolled over onto her stomach. She had told him it had to stop last night, he had heeded her and left without her having to tell him. That was good. Now she could concentrate on Perez. She glanced over at her father’s portrait and everything Perez had done, came flooding back in full and blazing colour. Her heart clenched. How could I forget, even for a moment, what he has done? Tears of remorse stung her lids, and she sat up bunching the pillow with her hands.

“I’m sorry Papa, I won’t forget again! We will get him I promise. You and Mama will be avenged!”

When he emergedfrom his cabin the next morning, he found her standing at the rail looking out over the sea to the horizon as the sun lifted and sent shards of light across the water. He remembered it was her second favourite time of day.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” he said quietly.

She turned to glance up at him. “Yes,” but her expression was closed and her tone colourless. “We will be running drills today, see Coats about the schedule.” And she moved away, leaving him flabbergasted.

That morning Callista was a driven woman, it seemed she had meant it when she said last night that it had to stop.

Whenever he tried to approach her, she was cool and efficient, no hint of the intimacy they had shared. She looked through him. It hurt, like a stab to the chest. He wondered what to do about it. Was this his pride that was bruised or something else? He wasn’t used to be being sidelined by a woman. If I can get her alone, she will be different surely?

Suddenly every ounce of effort was put into drilling the crew ruthlessly in gun procedures, boarding and fighting skills. Every man, woman and child on the ship was involved in these drills including Connor, but Callista offered him no opportunities for private conversation, let alone anything more.

She had become an automation, whose sole focus was Perez. While he understood the motivation, he became increasingly angry with being pushed aside. Their intimacy and easy camaraderie were gone. She treated him like the rest of the crew, it was almost as if their interludes of passion had never happened. Have I been used and toss aside?Just when I thought I had her under me spell?

He kept his feelings to himself and did his job, but a rage was building in his chest, and he looked for an opportunity to confront her about it.

Callista wasconscious of Connor everywhere on the ship, but she needed to stay focused on Perez, and he was a distraction. A delicious one, but a distraction nonetheless, and as she repeatedly reminded herself, she couldn’t afford that. During the day it wasn’t so bad but the temptation at night to rise from her bed and knock on his door, slip into his cabin and his bed, was very strong. On more than one occasion she reached the door of her cabin to turn around and retreat back to her bunk and make do with her hand. Once she got as far as his door but the sound of a footstep above, sent her scurrying back to her cabin, afraid of being discovered.

Thus, when she had occasion to speak to him, she kept things brisk and business like, and she made sure never to have him in her cabin alone. She knew he was frustrated by this; she could feel his stormy gaze on her back on the deck and his tone got more and more brusque as the days passed. She told herself she would make it up to him after they got Perez.

Mick pulled her up on it after a few of days.

“What happened between you and Connor?” he asked when they were alone in her cabin.

“Nothing,” she said her colour rising in spite of herself.

“You’ve been giving the lad the cold shoulder for several days now. What did he do, hurt you?”

“Of course not!” She was startled by the suggestion. She was afraid he was going to hurt her, but not physically.

“What then?”

“I just need to concentrate on Perez. Perez is all that matters right now.”

“And after Perez?”

“I have no idea. I can’t see past it at this point. And frankly I don’t really care.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing.”

She shook her hair off her face and straightened her shoulders. “I do. Nothing matters but getting Perez, can you doubt it, Mick? You saw what he did to Papa. You know what he did to Mama.” And you don’t know what he did to me…

“Aye, I’m with you Cal. All the way.”

“Thanks, Mick.”

Nothing and no one mattered but Perez.