Rebel Temptress (Historical Romance) (35 page)

They were just starting down the companionway when they were approached by a man in a captain's uniform. He was a handsome man, and much too young to be a sea captain, Honor thought. His hair was a sandy color and his face was deeply tanned. He smiled broadly. "Mr. O'Roarke, it is indeed a pleasure to have you sail with us again. Does everything meet with your approval?"

"I am sure my wife and I will find the accommodations satisfactory, Stan. May I present you to my wife. Honor, this is Stan Barrows, captain of the
Yankee Clipper
."

Honor smiled at the man. "It is a pleasure to meet you, captain."

He bowed to her gallantly. "I stand ready to serve n any way, Mrs. O'Roarke." Then he turned to Adam. "I had not heard of your marriage, and if you do not mind my saying so, your wife is indeed lovely."

"I do not mind at all, Stan, and you could not have heard of my marriage because it only took place yesterday."

"So you are still on your honeymoon. How nice for us that you decided to spend it at sea. Tell me, Mrs. O'Roarke, how do you like your husband's ship?"

Honor looked at Adam in confusion. "I did not . . . I think it is very nice, captain, from what little I have seen of it," Honor said, trying to cover up her confusion. She had not known this was Adam's ship.

"Do you take the helm this trip, sir?"

"Perhaps. Honor might enjoy seeing how a clipper ship sails Firsthand. Now if you will excuse me, I will take my wife below. Send the first mate to me, Stan."

"Of course, sir. I will attend to it right away."

The cabin Adam led her to was beyond her imagination. It had polished oak beams, ceilings, and floors. There was a desk against one wall with a rather large bed against another. Honor's trunk and Adam's valise stood at the end of the bed.

"Why did you not tell me that this was your ship? I was not aware that you owned a ship," Honor said.

"I wanted to surprise you. As a matter of fact, I have three such ships, but this is the best of the lot. We were fortunate that the Yankee Clipper has been in port here in New York these last three weeks."

"Adam, you have a great deal of money, do you not?" she said, frowning. She had believed it to be a hardship for him when he had purchased Landau

He laughed as he pulled her into his arms, darling, I have a great deal of money. Do you mind?”

"I am not sure; no, I do not think so."

"Will you love me in spite of the fact that I an very wealthy man?"

"I would love you whether you were a prince or a" pauper. It is all the same to me, and yet I am a little frightened." She looked down at her gray gown. To her it had cost a great deal of money, but to Adam it must look very insignificant.

"There will never be the slightest cause for you to be frightened. I shall take the best care of you."

There was a knock on the door and Honor moved out of Adam's arms. The steward came in smiling brightly. He was a man in his late fifties who had spent most of his life at sea, and twenty of those years had been spent sailing for the O'Roarke Export and Shipping Company.

"Adam, my boy, it is good to look on your face again. What is this I hear about your being married?"

Adam was plainly glad to see the man. "That's right, Case," he said, shaking the man's hand vigorously. "I am the luckiest of men because Honor decided to accept my offer of marriage."

The older man whistled between his teeth as he looked at Honor. "You do not deserve this lovely lady. How can it be that this lovely vision chose you above all men? Surely she could have had her pick of anyone."

Adam grinned wickedly. "Yet she chose me," he said, looking into Honor's eyes.

Honor smiled lightly, warmed by the man's friendliness.

"Honor, Case, here, taught me all I know about the sea. My father allowed me to take ship one summer when I was fourteen, and Case was a ruthless task-master."

"But you learned about the sea, my boy, and now you can thank me for that experience."

"I do, Case, at one time I even considered a life at sea. That was before I discovered my real love was the land."

"Tell me, Adam, is this lovely lady the one you were mooning over for the last few years?"

"She is one and the same," he answered, putting his arms around Honor and pulling her against him tightly.

"I am right proud that you finally said yes, ma'am, and put Adam here out of his misery."

"He is a hard man to say no to, Mr. . . ."

"Call me Case. Adam's wife cannot stand on ceremony with me. Hell, er, excuse me, ma'am, heck, I practically raised him."

Honor laughed, and the sound of her laughter delighted both of the men. "May I compliment you, Case. You indeed did a grand job raising my husband."

Case looked pleased and was about to say so, but the look he received from Adam plainly dismissed him. He grinned. He did not blame the lad for wanting to be alone with his lovely wife.

"I will leave the two of you alone now, being you are on your honeymoon and all. Anything you need, just call on old Case, ma'am."

"Call me Honor, Case."

The old man's face brightened. "It would be an honor, Honor." He laughed at his own wit and his laughter followed him out the cabin door.

"I like him, Adam. He is something of a character, is he not?"

"That he is, but better man you will not find anywhere."

"Would you like to go on deck, Adam? I will understand if you do."

"Not on your life, pretty lady. Why would I want to spend time with a bunch of old sea dogs when I can be with you?" He scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the bed, where he lowered his body down beside hers. "It makes me proud to introduce you as my wife. Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?"

"I have never thought myself to be beautiful, it must be my being in love that makes me look beautiful to you."

"Foolish girl, are you not aware that every man who looks at you loses his heart?"

"How you exaggerate."

"Not so. I have had to stand back and watch while other men looked longingly at you. Are you aware that half my troop of men who were at Landau were madly in love with you and would have done anything for a smile from you?"

Honor gave him a coquettish smile. "Only half, Adam?"

He picked up her hand. The wedding ring he had slipped on her finger only the day before glistened. "You have such power in these little hands of yours, the power to change me into a beggar. I have begged for your heart, Honor. I now beg for your body."

"You have both, Adam."

"I want all of you, Honor. I need you, you cannot possibly know how much." His voice deepened and Honor felt herself being drawn under his spell.

His lips were only a hair's breadth away from hers. Honor moved forward to capture his mouth. Adam moaned as her lips opened beneath his. His body was on fire and he trembled from the intensity of it.

Honor moved forward, trying to make contact with his body. There was the now familiar ache inside her, an ache that cried out to be satisfied.

Adam smiled as he heard her sigh, then he raised his head and looked down at her with such intense longing that Honor felt her heart quicken.

Adam sat up and moved off the bed, trying to beat down his passion. The time was not yet right. Honor must want him as badly as he wanted her before he would take her. He hoped he could complete his seduction of her before she rendered him mindless.

"Come," he told her, holding out his hand. "I think we might find something to eat if we raid the galley. It is one of the advantages of being the owner of the ship, is it not?"

Honor looked at him, feeling crushed. Did he not know she was ready to be a proper wife to him? How was it he could turn his desire off and on so easily while she trembled inside, wanting him to make love to her?

23

That night Adam took the helm. His arms were around Honor as his hands rested on the wheel. There was a full moon and the water shimmered in tiny ripples of silver as the ship cut through the waves.

"It is as if you and I are the only two people on earth, Adam. I love the feel of the sea breeze blowing in my hair and your arms around me."

His lips rested on her hair. "I like the feel of you in my arms."

"Let us sail off to some deserted island and live for the rest of our lives, Adam."

"Highly impractical, Mrs. O'Roarke, because we would not be alone for long. I would make love to you on some sandy beach and there would soon be children. The way I feel right now, I could use you to populate the whole island."

Honor felt a thrill go through her. The thought of having Adam's children was a new idea to her. She turned around and placed her arms around his neck.

"When do we start?"

He grinned at her. "When do we start a family?"

"No," she said indignantly. "When do we start for our deserted island?"

"Alas, lass, I know of no deserted island that is habitable. Will you settle for a farm in Boston?"

"It would be my first choice. I am anxious to see your home."

"Our home, Honor. No longer will I live in that big house by myself, and each morning when I awake you will be beside me."

"Tell me about it, Adam. What is Penrose like?"

"You are just full of curiosity, are you not? I believe I will let you wait to judge for yourself. It might lose something in the telling."

That night, as the night before, Adam kissed Honor good night, then turned his back to her and appeared to go to sleep.

Honor lay awake for a long time, wishing Adam would take her in his arms. She tossed and turned all night, telling herself it was the gentle swaying of the ship that kept her awake, but she knew deep inside it was this new yearning she had for Adam, and he seemed totally unaware of her feelings.

Unknown to her, Adam was every bit as disturbed as she was, but he would wait. The time was not yet right, he told himself once more.

* * *

Honor loved the ship. She learned many of the sailors' names and often talked to them. They seemed eager to explain what they were doing. The ship's cook made special tiny cakes and fruit tarts just to please Honor. She began to regret that the journey would soon be at an end.

One day she was resting in the cabin while Adam was  working at his  desk,  when  there  was  a  loud rapping on the door.

Adam opened the door to an excited Case.

"Honor, you have to come on deck," Case said excitedly.

She swung her feet from the bed and stood up. "What is it, Case?" she asked eagerly.

He grabbed her by the hand and practically dragged her out the door. "There is a school of dolphins following the ship, and I wanted you to see them."

Adam laughed and followed them up on deck.

Honor leaned over the rail and watched the dolphins as they weaved in and out of the water. They jumped into the air as though putting on a show for the ship's crew. Honor laughed delightedly as one of the sailors dangled a fish from a rope attached to a long pole and one of the dolphins lunged out of the water and took it. The act was repeated several times with the same results.

Adam stood beside his captain with his arms folded over his chest. Most of the crew were present and were now laughing at the antics of the dolphins.

The captain smiled. "Mrs. O'Roarke has charmed the ship's whole crew. She is so lovely," he said softly, almost to himself.

"Yes, they seem to go out of their way to please her," Adam said as he studied the captain. There was adoration written on the man's face, and Adam felt the sting of jealousy, for he knew what the man was thinking and feeling. The captain was having the same reaction to Honor that he himself had experienced when he first met her. Looking at the different crew members of the
Yankee Clipper
, Adam saw similar expressions on all their faces. He strode across the deck and took Honor by the hand. "You are making a spectacle of yourself," he whispered angrily in her ear.

Honor looked at him with a hurt expression on her face. Adam pulled her across the deck and she had to run to keep up with him. Once in their cabin Adam turned to her angrily.

"I am very displeased with you, Honor. You are my wife, and I will not have you make a spectacle of yourself as you were doing just now."

"I am sorry, Adam, if you feel I was doing something wrong. I had not thought, I suppose it was very unladylike for me to . . . to . . ." He saw confusion on her lovely face. "What was it that I did wrong, Adam?"

The anger drained out of him as he realized she was not at fault. It was his jealousy that had caused his anger.

Honor remembered Jordan's anger, and she cringed inside as Adam walked toward her. Seeing her fear, he cursed himself for a fool.

Touching her face softly, he drew her into his arms. "Oh, darling, you did nothing wrong. It is I who am at fault. You see, I became jealous of the affection the crew has for you. One look from your emerald eyes and a man is hopelessly in love with you. I should not feel anger, for the rest can only watch you from a distance and guess what it would be like to hold you in their arms, while I, as your husband, can know all the joys of . . . will soon know," he corrected, "the joys of your beautiful body."

"You are not angry with me?" she asked, raising her lovely face to him.

"No, darling. Let me set your mind at rest on one point. Even if I become angry with you at some future time, I shall never strike you nor cause you any sort of pain. I would sooner cut off my own arm than hurt you. I saw fear in your eyes a moment ago, and it pains me to think you would ever fear me. Say that you trust me never to hurt you."

"I know you would not hurt me, Adam, and I promise never to fear you."

"I thought you and I were making great progress. Have I damaged my cause by my actions today?"

There was a worried frown on Adam's face, and he was startled when Honor's laughter filled the cabin.

"Oh, Adam, I am not such a child that you should think you have to walk on eggshells around my feelings. I am not as fragile and helpless as you seem to think. In fact, for a woman I pride myself on being quite strong. Always be yourself with me. Say what you feel. If you are angry with me, say so. If I have done something to displease you, tell me. I am your wife, not some china doll that must be put on a shelf for fear that I will break."

Adam grinned. "Am I forgiven then?"

"There was never anything to forgive. I find it flattering that you are jealous. My Aunt Amanda once told me about an Indian who jealously guarded his horse. He thought because he treasured that horse that the other Indians also coveted the animal. Maybe it is that way with you. You love me, so maybe you think other men will have the same reaction. I believe you are very mistaken, but I will always want you to feel that way."

"You little vixen, you have no idea what you can do to a man, do you?"

"You have mentioned it once or twice." There was a gleam in her eyes. As she tossed her silver-colored hair he saw the beginnings of the seductress. If she was aware of her charm, no one would be able to withstand her, least of all himself.

"Damn," he whispered, looking upward. "You can tear a man's heart out, make him impotent with other women, and render him mindless.

Honor laughed. "You make it sound as if I carry some deadly disease."

"Oh, assuredly you do, but I think I have the cure."

Honor looked at him provocatively. "And what is the cure?" she challenged.

"You little devil, flirt with me and you may find yourself out of your depth. I might devour you."

"Is that a threat?"

"Let us say it is more of a promise. One day soon you shall find out just what I am capable of."

Honor saw the fire in his blue eyes and threw caution to the winds. She was learning how to flirt and enjoying the effect it seemed to have on her husband. It gave her a feeling of power to know she could cause such a strong reaction in this powerful man who must have moved many women. "You promise much, but you have yet to deliver," she told him playfully.

His hand tightened on her shoulder and she saw the flame that glowed in his eyes flare into a fire. "You asked for what I am about to do to you, you little temptress."

Honor laughed as Adam picked her up in his arms, tossed her onto the bed, then followed her down, pinning her beneath him. His mouth covered hers as she playfully tried to throw him off. Turning her head, she tried to avoid his kiss. But the laughter died on her lips as he captured her mouth. His kiss had a drugging effect. Where moments ago she had been trying to escape him, she was now pulling him to her. She could feel his long length pressing her into the mattress. His hard body seemed to mold itself to her soft curves. He shifted his weight to the side of her, and Honor wanted to protest, but the feeling soon left her as his hands moved over her shoulder, down to the bodice of her gown. Slowly and deliberately he began unbuttoning the front of her gown. Honor felt her body tremble as his hands moved over her now bare breasts. A moan tore from her throat as he lowered his dark head, and she could feel his lips move over her satiny skin. Then his mouth encircled the highest point, and Honor thought she would die from the feelings that shot through her body with such intensity that she gasped for breath.

Encircling his neck with her arms, Honor cried out his name. Never had she had such strong and uncontrollable feelings. Adam's hand wandered down her leg, and she could feel her gown being pushed upward. His hand seemed to burn the bare skin as it moved slowly and sensuously upward to rest on her thigh.

Adam moved his head and looked deeply into her emerald eyes. He saw the promise of her total surrender written on every line of her beautiful face. Was the time now, he wondered? Would she be ready for the love his body craved?

"Oh, God, I want you, Honor," he murmured against her lips. "Say the time is now. Say you want me, Honor," he pleaded. His voice was deep and seemed to sweep her senses of any resistance.

Her hands had started wandering on their own. She felt the powerful muscles on his shoulders. She gloried in the raw male feel of him. This was her husband, the man she loved, and she wanted him to make love to her, she wanted him to satisfy the ache that started somewhere inside of her and moved like a fire out of control throughout her whole body, crying for surrender and fulfillment.

From far off Honor could hear a pounding on the cabin door. She wanted to ignore it. She wanted whomever it was to go away, but the knocking persisted.

"Mr. O'Roarke, the captain wanted me to tell you we are approaching Boston harbor," the voice said.

Adam raised his head and stared down at his wife. Her eyes were soft and luminous, and her lips were swollen from his passionate kisses. "It seems we are home," he said softly.

Honor sat up, blushing at her reactions to his lovemaking. Never had she dreamed she would react in such an unladylike fashion. Shame made her lower her head. She had all but begged Adam to make love to her, and she knew that had they not been interrupted they would now at this very moment be doing just that.

Adam raised her chin with one finger. "When I do take you, Honor, you will beg and writhe beneath me. There should be no embarrassment. You reacted the way I wanted you to, and soon, darling, very soon I will show you the joy that only I can give you."

He stood up and without a backward glance he swept through the cabin door, leaving her to button her gown and do something with her disheveled appearance.

Her hands shook as she reached for her hairbrush and ran it through her tangled hair. What was this power Adam exercised over her body? The touch of his hand seemed to have burned into her skin, and she could still feel the way he had caressed and aroused her senses.

How different Adam was from Jordan. Jordan had never cared about her feelings. He had brutally attacked her body to satisfy his own needs, but Adam set her body on fire, and he had lifted her to the brink of a promised satisfaction only to pull back at the last moment to leave her devastated. If the man had not knocked on the door would Adam had given her what she wanted? How long must she wait before he would make her his wife in deed?

Honor covered her face with her hands. Make it soon, she thought, for I cannot long endure this torture.

* * *

As the horse drawn carriage made its way through the streets of Boston, Honor looked out the window, taking in the sights of her new home. It was all foreign and unfamiliar to her, for she was a southerner, a rebel, and she was now in the North, which was actually to be her home. The town itself seemed quiet at the moment, for it was approaching the dinner hour and the few people she could see on the streets seemed to be rushing, most probably on their way home.

The carriage turned onto a quiet, tree-lined street where huge, elegant mansions stood among the tall trees. Adam had been silent and brooding since they had bid the captain and crew of the Yankee Clipper good-bye. Honor had so many questions she wanted to ask him about Boston, but his silence prevented her from speaking.