Page 57 of Folds
“Did you two work things out?” he asks as he sets the food in front of us.
“Not yet.” The captain smirks into his mug. “I’m sure she’ll make up her mind soon, though.”
“Remember, Loch, no trouble.” Ned rushes away.
I roll my eyes and spin toward the bar. The barmaid almost spills half my ale when she puts it down.
“Are they afraid of you or me?” Loch murmurs before digging into his stew.
“Why can’t it be both? Besides, I’m not exactly intimidating.”
He chuckles again, though I don’t know why. I glance down at the dress I filched from a clothesline earlier. It’s tight and has too many laces, but it definitely doesn’t scream intimidating. Him, on the other hand…his entire existence screamsback the fuck off. In another life, I might have given him a wide berth. I doubt he’d attack me in a crowded tavern. Helps I can’t die.
We eat as the festivities swirl around us. It’s as if we’ve created a bubble no one dares pop. The longer the silences stretches between us, the more relaxed I become. Perhaps staying with him wouldn’t be such a bad idea. It has been a while since I’ve spent the night with someone. So what if he’s a pirate. While I know he’s hiding something, the telltale signs I typically feel aren’t there. No reason I need to send his soul on to judgment. At least not tonight. Plus, I never have to see him after the sun crests the horizon. In fact, I’ll be long gone by then.
I push my empty bowl away and turn to him once more. “Fine, we can share.”
He raises an eyebrow. “I won’t be sleeping on the floor, nymph.”
“I’m sure there’s two beds.” I hop off the stool. “Shall we dance?”
chapter four
LOCH
I don’t dance.
Until tonight, apparently. When this mysterious woman held out her small hand to me, I couldn’t resist. I’m even more thankful I chose a tavern away from the town center. The last thing I need is one of the crew seeing me dancing. I’d never live it down. At least when we were moving we didn’t have to talk. Questions only lead to attachment. I don’t even know her name. It’s better this way. Though I won’t know what name to groan later.
Except she might choose to sleep in the other bed. Or demand I take the floor. She could roll over and fall right to sleep. I shouldn’t get ahead of myself. Then again, there’s a glint in her eye that’s been there since she slid onto the stool next to me, hoping to charm me out of my room.
Her hand ends up in mine as we climb the narrow stairs. When we reach the top floor, I search for the right place. At the very end of the hallway sits our room. I swing the door open and smirk as she steps next to me.
“One bed, nymph.”
“Thank the gods,” she breathes.
She spins in front of me and grabs a handful of my shirt. Mylips are on hers before the door closes behind us. Three steps is all it takes, and I’m tumbling on top of her, pressing her into the thin mattress. I plunder her mouth as her hands tug at my clothes. I pull back when a frustrated noise leaves her, ripping my mouth away. My groan echoes through the small space as she palms me through my pants.
I return the favor, cupping her through the folds of her dress. “Are you wet under here, nymph?”
She snaps her teeth at me, and I dig my fingers in more, wishing there was less between us. “Stalling, Captain?”
Snarling, I rise to my knees and unravel the ribbons holding the front of her dress together. I grab the neckline and yank it down until her breasts spill out. My mouth waters and I flick her hard nipple with my tongue. Her back arches, a whimper leaving her. I pull the hard bud into my mouth, savoring the sounds falling from her lips. If I close my eyes, I can almost imagine she’s truly mine.
I grunt, focusing on her other nipple and pushing all thoughts from my head. No use imagining things that’ll never come true. Not if I have a say in it. With a scrape of my teeth, I release her, and she shudders again.
She wiggles underneath me and I grip her hip, hoping to keep her still. Between our heaving breaths, her shoes thump to the floor one after the other, and I chuckle. When she shimmies out of her sleeves, a wicked grin breaks free. I yank her dress down more, exposing her stomach. Translucent tattoos cover her. The soft light from the lantern in the corner illuminates the glimmery white lines. I trace one with my tongue, then nip at her side.
Her fingers weave into my hair and grip the strands. As I map her skin, I slip my hand under the hem of her dress. Her leg quivers the higher I get. A growl leaves me when I reach her pussy.
“No undergarments? Did you plan this, nymph?”
“Fuck,” she gasps as I run my fingers along the sensitive creases, never quite touching her where she wants.
“Answer the question.”
Her gaze, dripping with desire, meets mine. “I never wear them.”
