Traveler (33 page)

                Laughter spilled free from her lips as she tossed her head back, her eyes filled with amusement.  “A combination of the two actually...for some of the things.  The rest...I found on my own.  I can be quite enterprising when I wish it.”  She took a long swallow of her wine, enjoying the fruity taste of the alcohol as it slid down her throat.

                “Mm...an enterprising woman?” he remarked with a smile.  “I like it.”  He poured another shot of rum, nursing it slowly this time.  “So should I expect a husband to come home any time soon?” he arched his eyebrow before slinging the rest of the shot back.  “If so, I’ll hightail it out of here before I get skinned, thank you.”

                “No one has impressed me enough to be allowed that far, Rogue.  You should be more worried about what I might do to you rather than some fictitious husband.”  Siren smirked before sauntering across the room towards the fireplace, her hips swaying with each step.  “Besides...I hardly need the responsibility of keeping a husband in line.  I have enough responsibility as it is.”

                Luc shivered a little.  “About what you might do?  A pretty little thing like you?  I’m sure you’re just a kitten under all those clothes, aren’t you?” he winked and took another shot of the rum. Taking nearly six shots in the span of five minutes would have its toll, even on a pirate.  He was beginning to feel a little warm.  “Responsibility...a yoke I will never shoulder.  I’ll run before that happens.”  He watched her hips sway towards the fireplace.  “But damn....that’s nice to look at,” he muttered under his breath, staring longer than was necessary.

                “Oh, I assure you...there is a very good reason that people do not bother me when I’m out alone.  I’m sure that  you noticed the deferential way the pirates acted towards me as we left the Gilded Lily,” Siren commented lightly, taking a sip of wine.  “I highly doubt you will really run, Rogue.  You did take responsibility for your crew in the absence of your Captain.”

                He shrugged.  “If it’s what I have to do.  And I did notice the honor of the pirates.  Is it because you work for the pirate lord?” he asked, raising his eyebrow.  “Or for some other reason?”

                “Something like that...”  She murmured softly, watching him from beneath her lashes.  Taking a sip from her glass, she wandered over to one of the chairs and settled down in it.  

                He raised his eyebrow, watching her as she moved.  The firelight looked very nice around her, he noted with a small smile.  “Go on...”

                “Ah...well, you see, my friend, there are some things that I would like to keep to myself...and that is one of those things.  A girl must have some secrets.”  She replied with a soft laugh, idly swirling her half-empty glass.  “Besides...we’ve only just met.  You haven’t quite earned that privilege yet.”

                So that’s how it was going to be.  Luc shrugged and slipped into a chair next to her, his eyes curious.  “I see...in that case maybe I should leave and find less secretive company...”

                A delicate brow arched in response as Siren took another drink of wine.  “You seem like an intelligent man, Rogue.  You cannot possibly expect me to spill my innermost secrets within minutes of meeting, especially when you have hardly given me incentive to do so.”

                Luc arched his eyebrow.  “No, I don’t think so.  But, I have taken up too much of your valuable time already.  Maybe I should call it a night and just meet you tomorrow for the meeting.”  Truth be told, he wanted to see how she would react.

                “So you say. Well, stay or leave...that is your choice.”  Slender shoulders lifted in a faint shrug as she rose to her feet, pale blonde locks swaying against her lower back.  “I am sure that you can see your way out if you decide to take your leave.  I, on the other hand, will be going upstairs for the evening.”  Leaving her empty wine glass on the table, she meandered over to the stairs, her hips swaying as she took each step up.

                Luc’s eyes followed her hips as she walked, his face a mask of surprise.  With a heavy sigh, and a mental curse, he stood up and followed her up the stairs, trying to bite back a smile as he moved closer to her.  “On second thought...I think I’ll stay.”

                Hearing his sigh, she let out an amused laugh as she walked into what was obviously a bedroom, dropping a bracelet in a crystal dish on the dresser.  “I wouldn’t wish for you to feel like you had to, Rogue.  I am a big girl and quite capable to be home alone.”

                His jaw dropped, nearly to the floor.  
What a siren.
 He followed her closely, pausing in the doorway to the bedroom.  “Oh?  You’d rather not have the company then?  Because you’re a big girl and all.”  He bit back a grin.

                “I do not recall ever saying that.”  Siren replied nonchalantly as she crossed the room.  Pausing before the wardrobe, she lifted her arms over her head, stretching with a feline grace.  Then she glanced towards him, a challenging look in her violet eyes.  “I simply told you to make your own decision on the matter.”

                His eyes traveled slowly up and down her body.  Meow.  Gods, but she was gorgeous.  His own eyes met hers as he finished his open and obvious looking over of her, his gaze turning bright green.  “I see...” he murmured and walked into the room, closing the door behind him.  Making a quick decision, he stalked towards her.  He wanted to see how far she would go, when faced with a predator such as he.

                A seductive smile played on her lips as she watched him from beneath her lashes.  Siren was admittedly intrigued by the man, and if his actions were anything to go by, this would be interesting.

                Luc walked up to her and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him.  “If you’re going to smile like that, I’m not surprised you caught me so easily,” he murmured, looking down at her.  “Now tell me what it is you want...now that you know where I stand...in this matter.”

                His actions drew a laugh from her as she was drawn against his body.  Violet eyes sparkled with amusement and growing desire as her hands slid slowly up his muscular chest.  “You intrigue me, Rogue.  I find myself quite curious to see what you would do if I gave you free reign.”

                He chuckled and shivered a little, feeling her hands on him.  They felt so nice sliding up his chest.  His fingers massaged her waist as he held her, his fingers trying to convey a little of the promise he could bring her.  “That, Siren...is entirely your decision...”

                One hand crept up behind his neck, pulling him down closer to her.  She gave him an impish grin before kissing him deeply, her body pressed close to his.  “I do hope that gives you an idea of what my decision is.” She murmured breathlessly against his lips.

                Luc kissed her back, letting a low groan escape him as he pressed her harder against his body, pulling her tight against him.  His hands both wrapped around her waist now holding her in place.  He chuckled huskily as she spoke.  “I think that answer...is more than accurate,” he agreed, just as breathless.

                Siren gave him a seductive smile, her jewel-colored eyes darkened with hunger.  Her hands slowly slid down his chest as she leaned up as if to kiss him again.  Suddenly she playfully pushed him back towards the bed, just a hint of mischief in her eyes.

                Luc took a few steps back his breath coming fast still as he sought to completely regain control of himself.  He expected the kiss that never came, and then he staggered back a few steps as she pushed him back towards the bed, his eyes practically glowing as he sat at the edge of the bed just watching her.

                Blonde locks spilled wildly over bare shoulders as she pulled her white silk shirt over her head, letting it fall to the floor at her feet.  With only a bit of white silk covering her breasts and leather breeches riding low on her slender hips, she walked slowly towards him.  “I wonder...can a man who shuns responsibility handle a challenge?”

                His eyes were locked on her body as she walked towards him, his hands itching to pull her to him.  Patience.  This was her game, her rules.  He needed to play it safe.  “It depends on what the challenge is,” he murmured, watching her every move with glowing eyes.

                Her violet eyes met his as she straddled his lap, her fingers idly tracing patterns on his chest.  “And if I was to say that
I
was the challenge, what then? What would you do?”

                He grasped her waist and held her more securely on his lap, pulling her towards him.  “Then I would gladly accept that challenge,” he murmured green eyes honest and boring into hers.

                Never one to shy away from any matter, Siren gave him a desire-filled look, a smile playing on her lips.  A hand slipped between them, deftly tugging the laces of his breeches open.  “Very well then...let’s see what you can do...”  Her eyes never left his as she deliberately slid her fingers under the waistband of his breeches.

                His expression froze as her fingers explored, his breath coming out in a hiss.  He shifted her on his lap so she could get a better grip and leaned in, lips seeking the juncture of jaw and neckline and nipping it slightly.  Two could play at that game...and he played it with the best of them.

                His reaction drew a breathless laugh from her as she let her head fall to the side to give him better access to her neck.  Delicate fingers explored and teased him, using his reactions to gauge just how well she was doing.

                He moaned softly against her neck his hips thrusting a little in her hand, his desire fully erect and aching.  He bit her neck softly, sucking and kissing her there his fingers sliding down the back of her pants to squeeze her bottom, pulling her hard against him.

                The feel of his fingers drew a soft gasp from her as she caressed his desire, her free hand sliding over the back of his neck.  “Mm...so far, Rogue, it seems like I am playing this game much better than you are,” Siren murmured playfully, knowing she was just stoking the fires that much higher.

                A low growl escaped him as his lips moved from her neck to her collarbone, one hand slipping up to undo the white silk covering her breasts.  He moved his lips to one of them, taking the nipple in his mouth and suckling gently, flicking it with his tongue.  The hand that had undone the bra moved to her other breast and began to squeeze lightly, rolling the nipple under his thumb,  his other hand squeezing her bottom.

                A soft moan escaped her as her back arched slightly, her eyes half-closed.  Shivering lightly, she continued to tease him, her fingers gliding over his desire.  Two could play this game, and she was playing to win.

                He bit down not too gently on her nipple, sucking still, his hand that had been massaging her breast slipping down between them to the front of her pants deftly undoing the tie his finger slipping in to tease her delicate flesh there.

                Her violet eyes flew open wide as his touch drew a startled cry from her.  She shuddered uncontrollably, her free hand curling in the fabric of his shirt.

                He chuckled at her reaction, positioning her so he could touch her better, his finger stimulating her pleasure center there his fingers moving slow and hard as he moved his mouth from one breast to the other.

                Her fingers slid into his hair, clutching tightly to him as another moan escaped her.  Siren let her head fall back, her earlier teasing forgotten for the moment.  Light, she could barely think at the moment!

                Luc felt triumphant.  He flipped her so that he was on his stomach and she was pressed into the bed underneath him.  “Do you still think yourself winning, Siren?” he asked huskily.

                Her violet eyes were dark with arousal as she stared up at him.  A breathless laugh escaped her as she squirmed beneath him.  “...mm...I don’t know, Rogue.  I think we’re both winning at this point.”

                He chuckled and crushed her lips with his, kissing her deeply, his finger sliding deeper into her pants sliding up into her warm, wet desire, her folds encompassing him.  He ground his hips against her, his clothing rubbing against her and chafing her lightly.

                Siren shuddered uncontrollably beneath him, a breathless moan lost within the deep kiss.  Her nails dug lightly into his back through his shirt, pulling him closer to her.

                He broke the kiss for just a moment rising up on his knees to tug his shirt off.  He looked down at her eyes blazing, tugging at her pants.  “I think these should come off,” he murmured, sucking her juices off his index finger, eyes locked with hers, blazing.

                Just the sight of him sucking on his finger sent a tremor through her, her eyes darkening in hunger.  Her kiss-swollen lips curved into a seductive smile as she reached out to finish unlacing his breeches.  “These too...”

                He laughed and pulled off her pants, stepping off of her to pull his off too, revealing his fully erect desire.  He looked down at her with lust naked in his eyes.  “Better?” he growled.

                Pale blonde locks spilled wildly over her shoulders as she leaned up on her elbows, her eyes darkening as they swept over his body.  She crooked a finger at him, gesturing for him to come to her.  Her voice was soft and breathless when she spoke.  “Mm...some...but it will be even better once you come over here.”

                Luc let out a low growl and dove on the bed, gently parting her knees so he rested between them.  He kissed her hard, his desire teasing hers as his hips pressed down against her.  She was beautiful, and she called to him...and he could not resist her.

                She kissed him back hungrily, her fingers tangling in his hair.  Her legs wrapped around his waist, tugging him so close that there was almost no space between them.  Gods, this man...he was bringing out the wanton in her!