Rapture's Tempest (12 page)

A serenity enveloped Delight as she turned out the lamp. It seemed so right. She needed to be with him, to be held in his strong arms, to be a part of him. Swept up in her desire to love him, she stepped free of Jim’s nightshirt and approached him.

Delight wasn’t aware that she appeared as a wraithlike vision as she moved about the cabin. And Jim thought he was dreaming when he opened his eyes and saw the ivory-bodied goddess of the night coming toward him. Held captive by his intoxicated state, he lay still, letting his gaze roam over the silent, graceful woman who seemed to be floating as she drew nearer. Her face and hair were hidden in the shadowy darkness of the room, but her alabaster flesh gleamed with a purity that stole his breath.

“Who are you?” he managed to croak, the thrill of this midnight illusion making coherent thought impossible.

Delight was scared…she hadn’t expected him to waken…not yet. Her lack of experience frightened her, but she decided to brazen it out. She wanted to be with him…she had to be with him. Driven on by a need as old as time, she drew no closer, but played on the fringes of his mind.

“I’ve come to love you, my captain,” she whispered, her voice as soft and feminine as a gentle breeze.

Jim didn’t move for he was afraid that his beauty would vanish if he tried to touch her. Sure that the combination of champagne and scotch had conjured up this heavenly dream of a woman, he made a note to drink them together more often. A crooked smile touched his lips.

Delight saw the smile and fear clutched at her heart. Had he recognized her?

“Then love me, my beauty.” He spoke to her gently, slowly extending a hand in her direction.

Delight needed no further encouragement. He wanted her…he wasn’t rejecting her. She put her hand in his big warm one and felt herself pulled gently but with steady strength toward him. Glad she had extinguished the lamp, she surrendered herself to Jim’s embrace.

“Are you real?” he murmured in profound confusion as he drew his dream lover down upon the bed with the utmost care.

How could this be happening to him? Had he been sober he would have bolted from the bed and demanded an explanation from this beautiful young woman who was giving herself to him. But the liquor had dulled his rationality; he was caught up in the sensuousness of the moment and he wanted only to enjoy every second of his dream.

The blackness of the night surrounded them as their bodies touched intimately for the first time, and her hands clutched at him, holding him tightly, never wanting to let him go.

“Relax, beauty,” he told his illusion. “I’m here, and we have all night.”

A sob caught in her throat. Just this one night…that was
all they had…and it was more perfect than she’d ever thought possible.

His mouth descended to hers slowly, sensuously opening her lips to him and drawing her life from her in a devastating kiss unlike anything she’d ever dreamed. The boldness of his tongue as he tasted hers sent a thrill of desire through her that eclipsed all of her previous imaginings. It was perfect, this blending of male and female, and she reveled in the discovery.

“What pleases you, beauty?” he asked between short, breathless kisses. Never before had a kiss stirred him so deeply…so sensuously. He felt moved from the depths of his soul, and he longed for the ultimate union with her slim, cool body.

“Your touch pleases me, my captain,” Delight responded without thought. “As I hope the gift of my love pleases you.”

Jim groaned as his mouth possessed hers again. Delight felt that she was losing herself in him as a heated yearning pulsed to life deep within her. She couldn’t control the urge to move against the hardness of his muscled body, and Jim was thrilled at her uninhibited response.

“Not so fast, little one.” He slowed her with gentle hands. “Let’s go slowly…together.”

“I’m yours, my captain, to do with as you will.” Her tone was softly feminine yet serious in intent, and Jim looked down into her night-shrouded features.

“I wish I could see you….” he muttered. “All of you…”

But Delight distracted him, pulling him down to her for a kiss.

Jim gave himself up to the artless wiles of this tender woman who was gracing his bed. With practiced, learned strokes he caressed her.

Twisting restlessly under his tantalizing touch, Delight longed for more. Why was he doing this to her? Didn’t he know how she felt? Didn’t he know that she was burning with desire for him? Couldn’t he tell that she needed him to possess
her fully…to take her and brand her body with his so they would always belong to each other?

“I love you, Jim Westlake. I love you,” she whispered.

Jim was torn between the need to take her quickly and the desire to savor each moment in her enthralling embrace. She was like a wildfire, burning out of control, possessing him body and soul. His dream lover was entrancing him, bewitching him, mesmerizing him in a vortex of emotion unlike anything he’d ever known before. Ignited by her passion, Jim could hold back no longer. He made her his own.

The shock of their joining amazed him as a powerful current of emotion surged through him. Theirs was a mating of souls…a longing of the flesh that transcended time and place…and Jim was lost in his need to love her.

As ecstasy claimed them, they collapsed together, wrapped in each other’s arms.

“Did I please you?” she whispered in his ear.

A tremor of excitement shook Jim as he lay still, trying to grasp the reality of what had just happened.

“Oh, you pleased me, all right,” he growled, rolling over quickly and taking her with him. “You pleased me too damn much.”

“Too much?” She was worried, he sounded so fierce. “I didn’t mean to upset you….”

“No, no, my love. You haven’t upset me.” His feelings were so new and so powerful that he was at a loss to explain himself to her.

“I would never want to hurt you,” she vowed. “You mean everything to me.”

“Rest with me for a while and then we’ll talk,” he invited, hugging her close.

“You only want to rest?”

Her innocent words aroused him in a way no other ever had before.

“You’re right. I could never rest with you in my arms,” he said fiercely, kissing her. “You are my dream.”

He made love to her again, hungrily, passionately.

“I love you, Captain,” she sighed as they rested in the aftermath of their spent desire.

“You’re perfect, my love,” he whispered. “I’ll never stop wanting you….”

Delight closed her eyes and breathed deeply of the manly scent of him. This was heaven. She lay languidly as Jim moved his weight off of her and pulled her to his side. A sense of real peace, the first she’d felt in weeks, overcame her, and she curled against her love, resting her head on his shoulder. She knew that she would have to leave him soon, but she wanted to wait until he was asleep and then slip noiselessly into the night.

Jim felt her nestle beside him and he leaned over her to frame her face with his hands for another kiss. He had never experienced such an overwhelming passion before, or such a willing partner. She was wonderful, his beauty. And, he decided in his intoxicated state, he wanted to keep her with him forever.

Delight lay against him, exhausted, yet excited, by his stimulating lovemaking. She listened carefully to his breathing, waiting for him to fall asleep so she could make her escape. She hoped it wouldn’t be long, for the sky was beginning to lighten to the east. Closing her eyes, she decided to rest for just a moment, knowing that she would feel better if she could just sleep for a little while….

It was not early. Jim could sense that just by the sounds he could hear. He wondered if the sun was out, but he dreaded opening his eyes. His head was already pounding, and he knew that in a direct confrontation with that bright, shining orb he would come out the loser. His mind was foggy
but relaxed, as though he had just experienced a wonderful dream whose essence had momentarily escaped him. He didn’t want to move. In fact, if he had his own way, he probably would stay in bed for the entire day. That had been some celebration last night…all that champagne and…

He stretched. The touch of a warm body nestling softly near his own nearly sent him scrambling from the bed. My God! He sat up in a jerky motion, rubbing a hand over his eyes. What had he been thinking of? Had the champagne ruined his good judgment that badly? He never brought women to his cabin…never. What had Murphy thought this morning when he’d passed through on his way out?

His movements seemed almost in slow motion as he turned to look at the woman curled by his side. The woman, who could have been Murphy’s twin, lay sound asleep with a look of blissful contentment on her face. Jim shook his head groggily, trying to remember, and it was then that he noticed her short hair.

In a panicked move that jarred the entire bed, he threw back the covers and stared in mind-boggling confusion as Murphy came awake slowly. Snatches of the night just past came back to him with a vengeance. A night of passionate love…a night of unknown beauty and seduction….

“Murphy?! What the hell is going on around here?!” he thundered.

“Captain?” she asked sleepily, trying to understand why he was shouting and why her head hurt her so badly.

“I think you’d better start talking and fast!” he demanded in a cold voice, one that was deadly with murderous intent. The truth be known, Jim was so confused he wasn’t sure what to say, and he wanted Murphy to do all the explaining.

Delight was horrified. Oh, God! She had actually fallen asleep…she hadn’t meant to. She had only wanted to rest
for a while…she had felt so good in his arms…so loved…so protected….

“I’m sorry,” she squeaked, and the sound of her own voice sent a vicious pounding of pain through her slowly recovering senses.

“You’re sorry?!” Jim was incredulous. He stared at Murphy for a long moment before realizing that he was nude. Climbing over her, he searched fruitlessly for his pants. “Where the hell are they!?” he bellowed, before finally locating the pair he’d worn the night before wadded up in the corner. Hopping on one foot, he struggled into them while keeping one eye on the female lying on his bed.

“Captain,” she said earnestly. “I’ll go. I’m sorry if I’ve embarrassed you. I hadn’t meant to fall asleep.” Delight gave him a small, helpless grin, and, with a sedateness she didn’t feel, she climbed down from his bunk and started to her room, leaving Jim totally disconcerted, staring after her.

Jim watched the door close behind her and stood stock-still, unable to move. His brain certainly wasn’t working at peak efficiency this morning. He rubbed his eyes again. Murphy—a girl? No, definitely not a girl—a woman. Murphy—his dream lover? His beauty?

Barefoot, Jim marched to the closed portal, and, with barely restrained violence, he threw it open. The hinges screeched their protest as the door banged viciously against the wall.

Delight looked up from pulling on her work pants. Standing, facing him bare-breasted, her hair in a riot of short curls about her face, she looked like an adorable pixie-woman, and Jim had the unbidden desire to clasp her to him. They had just loved all night, hadn’t they? His mind was searching frantically for answers.

“You’re a woman?” He stared at her breasts, remembering their silken softness and the way she’d moaned when he’d touched them.

Again, she gave him a lopsided grin. “I think that’s obvious at this point, Captain.” She gestured in resignation to her bare state.

“But…”

“I know. Believe me, I understand your anger and I’m going, just as soon as I get dressed.”

Delight was amazed at the calm way she was dealing with the situation, and, turning from him, she pulled on her shirt, quickly buttoning the material over her bosom. She felt just a little shy this morning, and she was totally unsure of Jim. When she had planned to love him, she had also planned not to face him the day after.

“Going? I’ve got news for you, Murphy. You’re not going anywhere!” Jim snarled. He needed time to think. It came as no little surprise to him that his cabin boy was in reality a woman full-grown. “What kind of a game are you playing, Murphy? What do you want from me?”

She stared at him aghast, and tears blurred her vision. What a nasty accusation! Did he really think that there was some evil plot behind her desire for him? She hurriedly turned away from him, but not before he’d caught sight of her upset.

Jim stood helplessly watching as she presented him with her back.

“I don’t want anything from you, Captain,” she hissed, too hurt to say more. “Please, let me go.”

“Murphy—” he began again, his tone belligerent.

Jim didn’t know if he was angry with her or with himself, but he
was
angry. Furious, in fact. He’d been made a fool of. How could he have been so stupid?

“Murphy,” he began again when she didn’t respond.

A loud banging on his deck door thwarted his attempt to force her to speak.

“Damn!” he swore, growing more frustrated by the minute. “Who is it?” he shouted, moving out of the room.

“It’s Ollie, Jim. Mark Clayton is down in the saloon and he says he needs to talk to you right away. It’s important.”

Jim cursed heatedly under his breath, “All right, all right. Tell him I’ll be down shortly.”

“Right,” Ollie answered, and Jim could hear his footsteps retreating down the deck.

“Murphy?” his tone was stiff, but more civil than before, and she came to stand in the connecting doorway.

“Yes, Captain.”

For some reason, Jim didn’t like her calling him “captain” anymore, but he had no time to tell her so now.

“I’ve got to go meet Captain Clayton. I’ll be back. I want you to stay here until I return. Is that clear?”

She nodded, her eyes wide with the knowledge that this would be the last time she would see him, possibly forever. “Yes, sir.”

Jim glanced at her quickly and shook his head, wondering how he’d ever been fooled by her pitiful disguise. She was gorgeous.

Delight started to turn away, but he called her back.

“Murphy?” His tone was less demanding, and she looked at him speculatively.