Free Desire In His Eyes by Kaitlin O'Riley Page B

word.
    Besides, she was already in love with someone else.
    What kind of man could claim a wild heart like hers? Did the man have any idea of how reckless she was? That this beautiful woman was crossing an entire ocean to be with him? What would it be like to have the love of a woman like that?
    “What are you looking at?”
    The feminine voice shot like fire through him. Harrison did not move an inch, nor did he turn to face her, but a muscle tensed along his jaw. Silently he wondered how Juliette had managed to escape the cabin. Robbie had been very diligent about locking the door. She must have sweet-talked him into letting her out. Damn the fool.
    Harrison answered her slowly. “I’m observing the stars and clouds to predict the weather.”
    She paused a second before asking in an amused voice, “And just what is it you see in them?”
    Harrison sensed her stepping closer to him, but he still did not turn to her. “We’ve had fair weather so far, but I think we are in for some rain by morning.”
    “A little rain would be most refreshing.”
    “Oh, it will likely be more than a little rain,” he said, his tone ominous.
    She leaned against the railing next to him. A long silence ensued.
    “You’ve been avoiding me, Captain Fleming.”
    “I’ve more important things to do than to attend to your needs.”
    “You’ve been avoiding me,” she repeated, her voice throaty and low, sending an extraordinary wave of desire crashing over him.
    Harrison then made the monumental mistake of looking at her.
    Staring intently at him, Juliette smiled triumphantly, her face luminous in the pale glow of the moon and stars. No longer wearing the men’s clothing, she had on one of her own dresses, a pretty confection that outlined her numerous charms. He swallowed hard. Her long black hair hung loose around her shoulders, blowing in the breeze. Looking like she should be the figurehead on the bow of the Sea Minx , he sucked in his breath at the sight of her. He steeled himself.
    “After what happened between us, it’s best if I avoid you, Juliette,” he managed to reply.
    She nodded her head gently. The exact reason why he needed to stay away from her hung unspoken in the air. God help him, but he fought the urge to take her in his arms and kiss her sweet mouth again right then and there.
    “When will we reach New York?”
    He felt himself relax as she changed the subject. “If we can manage to bypass this storm, we should be there in little over a week.”
    She turned her face toward his. “This is a very fast ship, isn’t it?”
    He grinned at her. “One of the fastest clippers on the sea.”
    “It’s a beautiful boat.” She glanced out over the water and breathed deeply. “The ocean is so dark at night and something about it terrifies me. The vastness and mysteriousness of it, perhaps. But I’m sure you’re not afraid of the ocean anymore.”
    “It is a very foolish man that does not possess a healthy fear of the ocean.”
    Juliette turned back to face him again. “You have been sailing since you were a young boy, haven’t you?”
    He nodded in agreement. “When I was thirteen, I started working on the docks on South Street. When I was old enough I became part of a crew on a tall ship.”
    “And now you’ve traveled all over the world and have had great success with your own shipping line.”
    “Yes, that’s true,” he admitted. “I’ve come a long way from where I began as a boy.”
    “You must be very proud of your accomplishments.”
    “Proud enough.”
    “Do you ever intend to stay in one place and settle down?”
    Noting the highly inquisitive tone in her voice, he held back a smile and gave her a noncommittal shrug. “Perhaps.”
    “Do you want to have a real home on land someday?”
    “I have that already.”
    “What about marriage?” she questioned.
    “What about marriage?” he countered evenly.
    “What about having a wife and children?”
    “I had not given that much thought.”