Temptation Released
A Totally Bound Publication
Temptation Released
ISBN #
978-1-78430-074-6
©Copyright Ayla Ruse 2014
Cover Art by Posh Gosh ©Copyright June 2014
Edited by Jennifer Douglas
Totally Bound Publishing
This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Totally Bound Publishing.
Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Totally Bound Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.
The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.
Published in 2014 by Totally Bound Publishing,
Newland House, The Point, Weaver Road, Lincoln, LN6 3QN
Warning:
This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has a
heat rating
of
Totally Burning
and a
Sexometer
of
2.
Jolly Rogered
TEMPTATION RELEASED
Ayla Ruse
“When is a pirate not a pirate? When he refuses to ravish a perfectly willing captive.”—Lady Elise Clifton
Raphael de la Torres, the pirate captain
El Angel
, is notorious for kidnapping travelers to the colonies. He leads a rewarding life, and one that cleverly covers his true purpose—getting close to the cousin who betrayed him.
Raphael’s latest capture, the beautiful Lady Elise Clifton, is the one person whose ransom will give him an edge. Simple plans are rarely simple, however. He must deliver her untouched in order to have his revenge, but Lady Elise is desire untapped, and more than ready for the taking. His every effort to frighten and push her away only excites her and tests his limits of control.
Lady Elise is desperate to get out of an unwanted engagement. She will do anything to avoid being under another man’s control, even seduce a pirate to ensure her ruin. To her mind, once the Captain ravishes her—as all notorious pirates do—she will be free. Her plans would be perfect if the Captain would cooperate, but no matter how hard she tries, the sexy Spaniard refuses to take her to his bed.
With the currents stirring up between the two, will the sweet taste of revenge shift to a deeper passion, and will the control Elise is running away from, be exactly what she needs?
Dedication
This story is for SJ, who gave me my first love of historical romance.
Thank you, with much love!
Chapter One
“It is so blasted hot,” Lady Elise Clifton complained. She’d stripped down to her chemise and was pacing the cramped cabin, praying for a cool wind to slip through the tiny porthole.
“You could go up on deck, you know,” stated her companion, Brianna. “There’s wind there.”
“I know, but I have to make sure I’m packed. You go on ahead if you want.”
“I might. I’ve watched you go through this bag every day for the past week.” Brianna upended the cloth satchel and repacked it, naming each item as she did so. “Look, you have a pair of slippers, a day dress, a corset with your money sewn in, the breeches and shirt I stole from my brother for you, a brush and ribbons. Same as yesterday. Same as the day before. Nothing’s changed. Besides, if we are attacked, I’m sure the pirates won’t be gentleman like and ask for your luggage.”
“You’re probably right, but if I’m to go through with this—”
“
If
we’re attacked, that is.”
“Yes, if we’re attacked, then I want to be ready. I’ll not begin my new life empty handed and shy.”
“Like there ever was a shy bone in your body,” Brianna mumbled.
Elise heard and chuckled. “You know me well. And you do know what you’re to do if a pirate comes for us, right?”
“Do exactly what he says.”
“You sure you’ll be all right?”
“Elise, I’m here, aren’t I? I could have stayed in London, but I’m the one you’ve confided in all these past months. I couldn’t let you do this alone.”
Brianna’s brother, Elise had discovered several months ago, was a sailor in the British Navy, and he’d often write to Brianna with tales of the pirates they’d captured or those who had run away. When Elise’s father had determined she move to the colonies, Elise had paid closer attention and latched onto the tales, yearning to live the life of a pirate, a life full of independence.
“I’m
this close
,” she said, pinching her fingers nearly together, “to having the freedom I want, Brianna.”
“Well, your idea of freedom and mine are two different things. I still say we should have switched places. You could’ve been me and I would’ve assumed your identity. No one on this ship knew us when we boarded and surely no one will know us in the colonies.”
“And you know I wanted to, but my uncle would recognize the falseness in an instant. I told you that my father sent him a portrait of me barely a year past.”
Boom!
Brianna screamed. “What was that?”
Elise turned to the sound and rushed to the window. “Damn, I can’t see from here. It sounded like a cannon.”
Another shot rang out and Elise spun around. “I bet we’re being attacked,” she said excitedly. “It’s time.”
Elise caught Brianna’s wide-eyed stare and laughed. “Don’t look so aghast. You know this has been my dream for months. With any luck, by nightfall I’ll be onboard the pirate’s ship and, if things continue my way, I’ll be debauched, lying in the captain’s bed and free from marriage.”
“You’re crazy, you know that,” Brianna said, a tremor in her voice. “Remember my brother writing about how violent pirates can be? And smelly? And ugly? You could wind up
dead
in the pirate’s bed.”
“Enough,” Elise stated with finality. “I’ll take my chances. Besides, I don’t care what he looks like, I can close my eyes. I can breathe through my mouth if he smells, and as for violence”—she turned to the cot she’d slept on for weeks and picked up the red velvet dress she’d secretly ordered and held it up to her chest—“I believe your brother also said pirates like women. A lot. Why would he want to hurt her if she’s willing?”
“But you will get hurt,” Brianna said earnestly. Shouts could be heard now from the upper deck. “Don’t do this, please. I went along with this foolishness because you’re my friend. I prayed we’d make the crossing without issue. I never imagined we’d really be attacked.”
“Brianna, settle down. Everything will be fine. Now help me into this dress. I must look scandalous.”
Elise felt for Brianna. She didn’t want to put her friend into an uncomfortable position, but she was sure everything would work out. She’d read all about what men liked from women in that naughty book she’d discovered on the top shelf of her father’s library a year ago. At first horrified, she’d taken to studying the strange words and even stranger pictures, and after hearing sordid whispers that being captured by pirates could mean the ruin of a woman, Elise had become obsessed. Now that she knew about sex, and what ruination involved, and that pirates were so handy to do the deed, all it would take would be one kidnapping and she’d be free from the fiancé her father and uncle had betrothed her to.
“There,” Brianna announced, helping Elise tug the sleeve over her shoulder.
“How does it look?” Elise turned in a slow circle.
“Like you’re a courtesan.”
“Perfect. But…oh, damn. The chemise shows.”
“What? You don’t have time to worry about that now.”
Elise glanced up. Brianna was visibly shaking. Putting aside her concerns, she took a moment to pull Brianna into a hug. “I promise it’ll be okay. I don’t know how, but I do. Trust me?”
Brianna squeezed back, snuffled into a dainty handkerchief and nodded. “I know there’s nothing we can do now, but I’m so scared.”
“Honestly, me too. But we can’t let them know that. I believe if we can stand our ground, we’ll make it through whatever comes our way.”
Brianna inhaled deeply and pulled away. “You’re right, of course. I’ll be fine. The attack simply took me by surprise.”
“Good.”
The friends stared at each other for precious moments, then a loud thud from above stirred them into action.
“Now, let’s get me out of this dress so I can take off my chemise. This shouldn’t take but a minute.”
“We don’t have time.”
“Pshaw. There’s fighting going on. We both have heard that men love to fight. It’ll be ages before anyone comes to find us. Besides, doing this will keep your mind off of what’s going on up there.”
Elise had requested the dress be made so she could put it on without assistance, but she wanted to keep Brianna occupied. As well as herself. If she sat down and wrung her hands in wait of what would happen over the next several minutes, she’d scream.
Brianna helped remove the gown and had just finished helping Elise pull off the chemise when the cabin door burst open. Brianna screamed and Elise gulped, standing frozen in place, naked, with her arms above her head.
“
Mon dios
,” the huge man exclaimed.
“
Es que allí
?” Came a deep voice from behind the burly pirate crowding the doorway. The pirate seemed frozen—they all were—as if caught in a tableau. Elise glanced at Brianna and almost snickered. Brianna clutched the chemise to her chest as if
she
were the one exposed. Elise dropped her arms, but stood her ground. She didn’t want the pirate to see how badly she quaked on the inside.
If he were the captain, she’d do all right having sex with him, she quickly surmised. He wasn’t the most handsome man she’d seen. His face was too harsh and scars lined his cheek and neck, and he was bigger, more muscular than any man she’d imagined. He’d probably crush her when he laid on top of her but, she reminded herself with determination, the end result was all that mattered.
“Paulo,” the commanding voice came again, closer to the doorway this time. “I asked you if she was in there?”
“Uh,
sí
,
El Angel
. She is in here.”
“
Bein
. Grab her and let’s go.”
“Uh,
El Angel…
”
“Move over then. You’ve never had an issue before.”
Paulo, as the mysterious
El Angel
called him, moved into the room, followed by a man so handsome Elise let out an audible sigh.
“S
antos en el cielo
,” said
El Angel
.
Elise didn’t understand the phrase, but the words murmured from his exquisite mouth made her lick her lips. Oh, he was tall. She might come to his shoulder if he stood any closer to her. Dropping her gaze, Elise studied this man. He wore pants that molded to strong thighs, black shiny boots that hit his knees and folded over and a white shirt with billowed sleeves and loosened lacing that ran up his chest so she could see the dark skin beneath. His complexion was a stunning olive color and his hair, tied at the nape of his neck, was blacker than the shine on his boots. A trio of gold hoops glinted from one of his ears and dark eyes with slashing eyebrows studied her. She couldn’t miss the heat in them.
