Lord of Temptation by Lorraine Heath Read Free Book Online

wondered if the weather had turned her back, but she hadn’t struck him as one who was easily intimidated. He wasn’t usually a poor judge of character, so why wasn’t she here?
    Because she’d come to her senses and realized that he would take advantage of her. He wouldn’t force her, but by God, he’d certainly work to seduce her. Although he suspected a woman who had been loyal to a man for four years would not succumb easily to his charms. She obviously loved the scapegrace. What sort of man could stay away from her and still hold her heart?
    Someone far better than you, mate, more worthy. It didn’t bear thinking about. She’d struck a bargain. That was all that mattered. Or so he’d thought.
    Damnation. He should have taken the kiss from her when he was in her bedchamber. He was a merchant, a trader. He knew better than to set sail without payment in hand. Payment first, services second. It had been his motto from the moment he’d begun to barter his skills. Always money first. Then if someone decided to back out on the bargain, he still had his gain.
    Now, he had nothing to show—
    Not exactly true. He removed her glove from his pocket and stroked it through his fingers before bringing it to his nose. After she turned toward the door, he’d stolen it from where she tossed it. He didn’t know what had possessed him, except that he’d wanted it and he wasn’t accustomed to not taking what he wanted. Her scent of lavender with a hint of citrus wafted around him. He suspected it was a perfume made especially for her. If not, it should be. He couldn’t recall ever smelling it on another woman.
    What was this insane obsession with her? Why should he care if she had shown herself to be a coward, if she had decided not to make the journey?
    He glanced at his watch again. Five blasted minutes. She wasn’t coming. His men were waiting for his order to set sail. What was he to do now in order not to look like an absolute fool?
    He could leave, decide later exactly where they would go. Or he could tell his crew to stand down, while he disembarked, hired a hackney, and confronted the treacherous—
    Through the thickening fog came the unmistakable sound of rapid footsteps, determined, a steady cadence echoing over the wooden planks of the docks. A woman’s steps. A slight woman. Seven stones’ worth. Others followed, more distant.
    He fought back the jubilation as she became visible. He wasn’t going to give her the upper hand in this encounter. She was fortunate that he hadn’t already cast off. Stuffing the glove back into his pocket, he strolled nonchalantly across the quarterdeck and descended the steps to the main deck. Then he sauntered down the gangway to the dock just as she came to a stop, breathing heavily. Even in the dim light, he could see she was flushed. She would be even more so when he claimed his kiss.
    “You’re late,” he said in as flat a voice as he could muster.
    Her silvery eyes widened. “I daresay, not even ten minutes.”
    “Ships run on a schedule, my lady.”
    She angled her chin. “Yes, well, as I’m paying for this voyage, I expect it to run on my schedule. If you didn’t understand that was my purpose in hiring you, then perhaps I should look elsewhere.”
    He couldn’t stop the smile this time. He should have known she’d not apologize. “Unfortunately, any schedule involving a ship is subject to tides and winds.”
    “Oh, my dear. Will we not be able to leave tonight?”
    He wondered at the urgency, but didn’t comment on it because it worked to his advantage for them to be under way as soon as possible.
    “I think we can manage.” A dark-haired woman who didn’t seem to be much older than Anne was standing slightly behind her, her eyes blinking continuously as though she couldn’t quite believe she was here. Her maid, her chaperone no doubt. He nodded toward the two men carrying her trunk. “Are they coming with you?”
    “No, only the trunk.”
    “Peterson!