Free The Pirate's Jewel by Cheryl Howe Page A

Parker obviously thought she had. Yet who could
blame the young lieutenant. Jewel wasn’t ladylike. Her bold arrival on his ship
proved that.
    Nolan’s advance encouraged Parker to move on, the new crew
members in tow. Only the lads had the audacity to continue to gape at Jewel
over their shoulders.
    “What a beautiful day, Nolan,” she called. “I’ve never
been on a ship before.” Her eyes drifted shut while she continued to angle her
face to the sun. She sighed deeply, sensuously. “I feel so free.”
    Nolan stood stiffly beside her with his arms folded over
his chest. He remembered how he’d first felt on the deck of a ship. How free.
That was an eternity ago, and some of his bitter lessons had soured his
pleasure of the sea. He felt like he’d aged fifty years in her presence.
    “Jewel.” Keep it formal, he reminded himself. “Miss Sanderson.
As a passenger on my ship, I must ask that you abide by my rules. You should
call me Captain Kenton.”
    Jewel saluted him, gave an insubordinate grin. “Aye aye,
Captain Kenton.”
    Nolan frowned until he felt a new wrinkle crease his brow.
His intention was not to amuse her. “Secondly, I expect you to dress
appropriately.”
    Jewel looked down at her clothes and, surprisingly,
blushed. “Sorry, I guess I forgot my coat. The weather is so splendid. The wind
smells of faraway places, not like on the shore, where it stinks of brine and rotting
fish. I never imagined how wonderful it would be on a ship! How did you stay on
land for so long?”
    Nolan crushed the small surge of pleasure he felt at having
his ship introduce her to the rapture of being under sail. “You forgot your dress .
I can’t have you parading around in men’s clothing.”
    “But I have nothing else to wear.” She tugged at the ends
of the shirt tail she’d tied around her waist, while Nolan tried not to notice
that the action stretched the thin material against her breasts.
    “Then you give me no choice. I must confine you to my
cabin.” He swallowed hard, trying not to choke on his words. They conjured up a
flood of unwanted images, all of them involving Jewel and no clothing. Confined
to his cabin. All day. All night.
    “That’s not fair.” She let go of her shirt and balled her
hands into fists, as if she longed to take a swing at him.
    He willed her to, so he could respond by carrying her to
his cabin without further argument. Unfortunately, the surge of desire warned
Nolan he was in dangerous territory. He clasped his hands behind his back and
didn’t speak until he could confidently erase any hint of emotion from his
voice. “What’s not fair is your stowing away on my ship and causing my men to
be pressed into service by the British.”
    She planted her fisted hands on her hips. The wind
plastered her thin white shirt to her body, clearly outlining her small, firm
breasts and hardened nipples. She’d most definitely done away with their
binding. “That wasn’t my fault. They were going to take your men anyway.”
    Nolan had trouble diverting his gaze, imagining he could
see the reddish pink circles at the tip of each breast. With extreme effort, he
dragged his gaze back to Jewel’s face. She folded her arms over her chest and
looked at him as if he were a vile letch. He felt the need to say, “I’m mere
flesh and bone like any other man. Your choice of clothes is a distraction my
men don’t need.”
    She glared at him. “Well, that’s good to know. I was
beginning to wonder—about you being flesh and bone rather than rock, that is.
And as for the other, I’ll wear my jacket from now on. You better get used to me,
Nolan. If you want the map, I come with it. I don’t think my going with you is
too much to ask, considering what I’m bringing with me.”
    Nolan’s control slipped. “You don’t have the right to ask
for anything. You stole on board my ship, knowing full well I didn’t want you
here. From here on out, you will follow my orders without discussion like