Free Justified Treason (Endless Horizon Pirate Stories, Book 1) by Cristi Taijeron

and now I think…ye must be her, right?”
    I liked how he called me his Charlotte, but I wasn’t sure how I felt about the fact that he was terribly drunk and reeked of alcohol.
    I poked at his nose that was ever so close to my face as I teased, “Yes, it’s me. Have you been swimming in a vat of ale, my love?”
    He let go and yanked off his coat as he laughed, “Aye, this bloody thing keeps jumping in me booze.” He threw his coat on the table as if he defeated it in a fight and slugged back another gulp of ale, but seemed to spill most of it all over himself. I loved the way he looked in his long sleeved ivory shirt and long brown leather waist coat. His weapons were much more pronounced without his coat to hide them, and I could better see his muscular arms through the thin fabric of his shirt.
    I snapped out of my reverie and introduced Mary. “Sterling this is my friend, Mary Daley. Mary this is Sterling Bentley.”
    Mary stood up to greet Sterling, and he sloppily kissed her hand. “Mi’lady.”
    I was humored by his drunken attempt of eloquence, and as Mary also chuckled at him she greeted, “Nice to meet you, sir. I have heard a lot about you.” She looked back over towards Faron and asked, “Is that Faron Flynn over there?”
    Sterling reached behind him, nearly stumbling over as he did so, and grabbed Faron by the collar. He yanked him over and slurred, “This beauty thinks she knows yer bilgey lubbin face.”
    Faron pulled his arms out and hunched down as if he was going to tackle Sterling for grabbing him, but his wild reaction instantly tamed the moment he laid eyes on Mary. Faron hollered his disbelief. “Holy Mary. It’s Mary Daley.”
    Faron redirected his tackle maneuver in her direction . Grabbing her by the waist, he lifted her off of the ground to spin her around, and Mary giggled, “I thought I would never see you again, Faron.”
    Once he set her down, Mary turned to me with sheer excitement gleaming on her face. “Oh Charlotte, we grew up together in Ireland. We came over on the same ship and had…” Mary winked at Faron as she continued to say, “…other such adventures.”
    I was surprised by Mary’s promiscuous wink and thought I caught a glimpse of feeling behind Faron’s dark eyes. I was intrigued by the situation between them but just went on to say, “Well you never know what you will find when you sneak out of the market and into the tavern.”
    Faron straightened his drunken posture to carry on with Mary, and since my friend was well occupied, I turned to Sterling and smiled. His green eyes grew wild with surprise, and as if we hadn’t spoken yet he gasped, “What ye be doing in a filthy pirate tavern, love?”
    I laughed as I shot him a quirky smile and made my own attempt to flirt. “I thought I might find myself a handsome buccaneer in here.”
    He slapped the side of his shaven cheek. “How’s this for handsome?”
    I giggled at his joke and assured him that he was very good looking indeed.
    His shirt was untied beneath his waist coat so I could see his bare chest, and I noticed a mark of ink peeking out from under the wet spot on his shirt. Poking his skin with my finger, I asked, “What is this?”
    Sterling pulled his shirt back with his left hand and revealed the art of a beautiful tattoo. It was a unique compass rose that covered the muscle over his heart. The line of the east and west arrows doubled as the horizon line of the ocean, and the sun was setting into the artistic rendition of the sea. I was just as intrigued by the swirling arrows and scripted letters as I was enticed by the golden hue of his sun tanned chest.
    I couldn’t help but sigh, “It’s lovely.”
    Sterling smiled that dashing sideways smile that I adored, and he nodded his head as he put his hand over his heart. “I drew it meself. Guides me way to freedom.”
    “I will forever be impressed by you, Sterling Bentley.”
    He dusted his shoulder to showcase his arrogance and then