Pirate's Heart

Several days later she sent a message to him that he was to dine with her that evening. His clothes had been collected from the Themis before she had set sail and he was given a fine set of his evening clothes to wear.

As he dressed, Catherine stood before her own wardrobe, unsure of what to wear herself. Normally she would wear the same clothes as any captain but tonight she was feeling rather feminine. She reached into the back of her wardrobe and pulled out a luscious gown in purple velvet. It was a sumptuous and decidedly womanly garment and she had to dig deep in her closet to find the petticoats and other undergarments the dress demanded. Half an hour later she stood and stared at herself in the mirror. Satisfied with her appearance she announced that she was ready to receive her dinner guest. Nathan had arrived twenty minutes ago but she had had no reservations about making him wait.

He entered her cabin and stood staring at her. He had most certainly not been expecting her to be wearing a dress and especially not such an enticing one. He was used to demurely dressed women and Catherine's gown was anything but demure. Her full breasts were amply displayed by the dangerously low neckline and the short puffed sleeves did nothing to cover her shoulders. When she turned to lead him into the room, he had to stifle a gasp, for the dress was cut scandalously low in the back. He couldn't imagine how it was staying up. As they approached the table, he again had to struggle to hide his surprise. The table was laden with a large array of the most delectable food he had ever seen. He had been fed such meager meals over the last few days that he had assumed there was a food shortage on board. Obviously just for prisoners.

They sat and she urged him to help himself to whatever he wanted. He was extremely hungry and as much as he would have liked to ignore the food he couldn't resist and heaped his plate. He dug in hungrily but found it difficult to enjoy with her sitting directly across from him. She kept leaning forward to pluck items off the various plates and he was sure she was about to tumble out of her gown at any moment. She also ate quite a few items very daintily with her fingers and watching her continuously sucking and licking her fingers was driving him to distraction.

Attempting to divert his attention from her actions he attempted conversation.

"So how is it that a young woman such as yourself is a pirate?"

She stared at him and he saw a flicker of pain in her violet eyes before a shuttered look came over them. "It's the life I have chosen for myself and I don't need to justify it to anyone," she said defensively.

"I apologize, I didn't mean to accuse. It's just so unusual, one can't help but wonder."

"I suppose you think I should be married and raising a house full of children, is that it?" she snapped.

"Would it be so terrible?" he asked.

"To be owned by a man? To be completely without freedom? Yes, it would be terrible," she stated angrily. "Out here, I'm in charge. I have complete control and freedom. I make the rules and all the decisions."

"But you're a criminal. Doesn't that bother you?" he asked with concern.

"Not in the least," she replied. "I embraced this life as a means of survival years ago and I found that it suits me. I love the thrill and the danger of it. Becoming a wife and mother may be a more noble pursuit but I'll leave that to the more timid woman."

"Timid?" he asked raising his eyebrows. "Perhaps it requires a courage that you do not possess."

"Courage? To be someone's property? To have every decision of your life made for you? Doesn't sound very courageous to me," she replied. She looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Would you be able to live like that? I notice that you're an independent captain, not part of the military. Why is that?"

He glared at her, suddenly realizing that she had won the argument. "You're still leading the life of a criminal, Miss..." He stopped abruptly. "You've not told me your name," he said to her.

A smile hovered on her lips for a moment as she toyed with the idea of not telling him. She decided she wanted to hear him say her name and answered. "Please forgive my oversight. I am Catherine Veleslav, Captain of the Perun."

"Veleslav? Perun?" he asked. "Those names sound very Slavic," he commented.

"Very astute of you Mr. Kincaid. They're Russian to be precise. I was born in Moscow but raised on my father's merchant ship along the coast of England."

"Where are your parents now?" he asked accusingly. "Do they approve of this lifestyle of yours?"

She lowered her eyes and busied herself with a piece of roasted duck. "They're both dead. My mother when I was a baby and my father when I was seventeen."

"I'm sorry," he said. Looking at her with tender eyes, he continued, "We have more in common than just being ship captains. My parents both died of influenza when I was twenty. Fortunately, unlike you, I was not forced into a life that may not have been of my choosing. With my inheritance I was finally able to buy my first ship and embark upon the career I had always dreamed of."

"Whether I would have chosen this life or not, I'm glad it's the one I have," she replied, again becoming defensive.

He stared at her and was again struck by how beautiful she was. Her violet eyes were flashing with indignation and a flush had risen in her cheeks. With her seductive gown the sudden desire he felt for her was not entirely surprising.

She saw the change in his eyes and obeyed when in a husky voice he asked her to rise and come to him. She was curious as to what he wanted as she approached. He took one of her hands in his and wrapped the other about her waist, pulling her down into his lap. She laughed as she fell into him. He pulled a bowl of grapes close and plucked one off. He teased her lips with it before letting her grasp it with her teeth. He did the same with the next but it dropped from his fingers and landed in her cleavage. She laughed again as he relaxed his arm around her, letting her fall back. She watched as he lowered his dark head to the fruit and gasped when she felt his tongue against her flesh. She let her head drop back and a moan of pleasure escaped her lips when she felt his teeth graze her skin as he attempted to retrieve the grape. He got it in his teeth and pulled her back up.

Gazing into her eyes, he saw her naked desire burning for him and he pulled her close, letting the small fruit drop again before pressing his lips to hers. She wrapped her arms about him and responded to his kiss, parting her lips, inviting his tongue into her mouth. He dipped her back again as he trailed kisses down her throat and across her shoulders. His free hand reached for the soft flesh of her breasts and she sighed with pleasure. He tugged on her bodice, pulling it down to fully reveal her breasts. He wrapped his lips about a pink nipple, sucking and flicking it with his tongue. She squirmed in his lap, assisting with his arousal.

His hand landed on her knee and began to pull up her skirts. He felt her smooth flesh and slid his hand up the inside of her thigh. She parted her legs for him as he continued higher. He was expecting to encounter some sort of undergarment but instead his fingers touched the soft curls at the top of her thighs. He raised his head from her breasts and looked at her with surprise. She laughed softly and pushed his head back down.

He suddenly swept her up in his arms and strode across the cabin into her bedroom. He stood her on her feet by her bed as he hurriedly untied the laces on the front of her gown. It fell stiffly to her feet and she untied her petticoats as he pulled off his boots and stripped off his shirt. She stood naked before him, amidst a mound of lacy skirts. He had never seen such a seductively beautiful woman before and he gazed at her with wonder. She stepped out of her skirts and approached him. He pulled her to him, reveling in the feel of her body pressed against his. She embraced him and standing on her toes, pulled his head down to hers, seeking his lips. She kissed him hungrily, thrusting her tongue into his mouth, hers twirling with his.

His hands again reached for her breasts, cupping and gently squeezing them. She reached down and tugged at the buttons of his trousers, pulling them open. She slid her hand inside, pressing her palm against his erection. He moaned at her touch and she wrapped her hand around him. He quickly pulled off his trousers and fell onto the bed with her.

She rolled him onto his back and straddled his thighs. His hands reached for her but she playfully grabbed his wrists and pressed them against the bed above his head. She dipped her head and kissed him deeply. He struggled playfully against her hold but was surprised by her strength.

She let go of his wrists and trailed her fingers down his strong arms, placing kisses along his jaw and down the side of his neck. He sighed with delight and let her take over, sinking down into the pleasure of her attentions. She rose up on all fours and began crawling backwards, licking and kissing his shoulders, his chest, even playing with his nipples and getting a moan of pleasure from him. She trailed her tongue down his rib cage and he squirmed when she hit a ticklish spot. Her breasts brushed against his erection and he gasped. Catherine's licks and kisses were driving him wild. He didn't know if she realized it but her long soft hair trailing along his body was exciting as well. She shifted over to the right and began kissing down his leg causing her hair to trail over his hardness. She heard him suck in a breath and release it with a moan and knew that the feel of her hair was the cause of it. She continued to kiss down his thigh and before she switched to the other one to begin kissing back up, she flicked her hair up so that it would caress him again. When she got to the top of his left thigh she glanced up at him. Nathan was lying back, eyes closed, mouth open, breathing heavily.

She trailed her fingers over his hardness, again causing him to moan with pleasure. She grasped his silky shaft in her hand and lowering her head, she darted out her tongue and licked the head. He gasped loudly, his back arching slightly. She swirled her tongue slowly about the head causing his breathing to become ragged. She felt him then hold his breath as she slowly slid his entire shaft into her mouth. She began to slowly pump her head up and down and felt his hand clumsily rest on her head. He was breathing heavily and squirming slightly on the bed. She continued, alternating between sucking just on the head and taking him entirely in her mouth, until the hand on her head clenched in her hair and he begged her to stop. He gently pulled her mouth away and hoarsely whispered, "Not yet."

She sat up and straddling his hips, she lowered herself slightly over him. Again grasping him in her hand she guided his throbbing organ to the silky patch of curls between her thighs. She gently pressed him against herself, caressing her moist folds with the head of his penis. He again groaned aloud and she sighed with pleasure. She stroked him against the small nub buried in her folds and moaned softly. She gently guided him into her and sank down, feeling him fill her. She ground against his hips, and groaned again with pleasure. His hands rested on her hips and slid upwards, cupping her breasts. He gently pinched her nipples, eliciting another groan. She slowly began to pump up and down on him, relishing the feel of him stroking her. She increased the speed and he arched up off the mattress, thrusting into her at the same time.

He suddenly grabbed her by the waist and rolled over, pinning her beneath him. She wrapped her long legs around his torso as he rose up on his arms. He began to slowly thrust into her, plunging in deeply. His pace slowly increased until he was driving in and out of her quickly. She threw her head back and cried out, grabbing onto his arms. She clenched her legs tightly about him and clutched at him as she felt the orgasm building in her. It peaked and then suddenly exploded through her body and she cried out loudly. The waves of ecstasy were crashing through her as she felt him shudder inside her and his voice cry out with the force of his own climax.

He collapsed on top her, both of them breathing heavily and slick with sweat. He rolled away and they both were quiet as their breathing and pulses slowed back to normal. He looked over at her. She had her eyes closed, lips parted slightly, damp tendrils of hair clinging to her forehead. He suddenly recalled how repulsive her touch had been just a few days earlier and how now, even though they had just finished making love, he yearned for her again. He rolled onto his side and gently trailed his fingers over her breasts, brushing the nipples, watching them harden beneath his touch.

She looked over at him with sleepy eyes. His fingers pinched a nipple and she sighed. His hand squeezed her breast and he rose and parting her thighs, sat between them. She gazed up at him and as he continued to caress her breasts he saw the passion sparking again in her amethyst eyes. He slid his hands down her sides and over her hips. His palms found their way to the inside of her thighs and pressed upwards. His fingers reached the tops of her legs and she held her breath. One finger boldly slid between her silky folds. He could feel the wetness that he had left there and he easily slid a finger inside of her. She released the breath with a rush and arched her back.

"More," she breathed and he slid another finger inside her. He began to pump his fingers back and forth, in and out of her, as she writhed on the sheets, clutching them in her fists. His other hand found the small nub nestled within her folds and began to stroke it. She cried out and again arched her back. He watched her squirming beneath his touch and his own excitement began to grow. Without removing his hands from her, he rose to his knees. With a quick movement he grabbed her hips and pulled her to him, driving deeply into her. She cried out at his thrust and pressed herself against him. He pulled her knees up to his shoulders, dragging her hips off the bed as he continued to plunge into her. She cried out again as his thrusts felt as though they were driving her to the very edge of sanity. The pressure again began to build within her and she heard her voice call out his name as the exquisite pleasure exploded, obliterating everything but him and the way he was making her feel.

When the cloud she was floating on finally settled back to the bed, she sighed deeply and turning her head, she glanced over at Nathan. He was lying back, his eyes closed, breathing deeply. She closed her eyes and drifted into sleep.

When she awoke, it was dark outside the portholes and through the open door to her bedroom she could see Nathan sitting at the table, nibbling at the left over food. He was barefoot, wearing only his trousers and she took a moment to watch him. She was again struck by how handsome he was and how enticing his strong body was. She rose from the bed and picking up his shirt from the floor shrugged it on. She loosely buttoned it and approached him, running her fingers through his loose hair.

"How long will it be before we reach your island?" he asked, not looking up at her.

"A few weeks, probably three. Why do you ask?" she questioned, sensing that his mood had changed.

"Is this what I'm being held for? To entertain you this way?" he asked her, his voice harsh.

She removed her hand from his hair and took a step back from him. "What do you mean? To 'entertain' me? You're not here as some sort of pleasure slave. You're a prisoner, but you happen to be a very handsome and sexy prisoner and if I wish to invite you into my bed I will do so."

"Do I have any say in the matter?" he asked, still not looking at her.

"What's wrong? You're the one who beckoned me to your side, who pulled me into your lap and seduced me. Why are you acting this way?" she asked puzzled at his behavior.

He turned to her, his gray eyes flashing. "I seduced you? You beckoned me here, invited a starving man to this feast, wearing that dress. How did you think I would react?" he almost shouted.

She chuckled at his outburst. "Poor Nathan. Yes, I suppose I did take advantage of you. But as I'm sure you've guessed, I'm used to getting what I want and I will use all the tools at my disposal to attain what I desire. And tonight I desired you. I'm sorry if you feel used but you must admit, it wasn't all bad," she finished with a mischievous smile.

"And now what? I'll be sent back to my cabin, to be held there until your desires flame up again, and I'll be beckoned to return?" he sneered.

She spun away from him and she strode back into her bedroom to her wardrobe. She flung open the doors and pulled out a long robe. She peeled off his shirt and pulled on the other garment. She threw his shirt at him as she walked to the front door. "Get dressed," she ordered curtly.

She opened the door and summoned the sentry standing guard. "Return Mr. Kincaid to his cabin as soon as he's dressed," she ordered. She then brushed past him back into her bedroom and closed the door.

She paced back and forth, furious at him. How dare he make love to her not once but twice and then turn on her so angrily. He could rot in his cabin for all she cared. She should have him put into irons and thrown in the brig, fed only bread and water for the remainder of the voyage. She flung herself onto the bed only to smell him on her sheets. He had been heavenly though, she had to admit. A man hadn't satisfied her that deeply for quite some time. Perhaps she wouldn't let him languish alone in his cabin for the rest of the trip. While he was here, she might as well take advantage. She thought back to when she was in his cabin and he was bound in his irons, chained to the bed. She had been quite aroused by his helplessness. If he refused to succumb to her she just may resort to that again. She chuckled to herself and rose from the bed, dressing in her usual clothes. She strode up on deck and let the wind and smell of the sea calm her mood as it always did.

Nathan was shoved inside his cabin, holding his boots. The guards at Catherine's door hadn't bothered letting him put them on before dragging him down the passage . He threw them on the floor and sat on the edge of the bed. He hadn't known quite what to expect when he had been summoned to her cabin for dinner. He didn't want to dine with her but was hoping for a better meal than what he had been getting so he went along. Not that he really had had much choice. He had only intended to eat but she was so beautiful and that dress was so seductive he had been unable to resist her. Her words about it not being all bad came back to him and he had to admit that she was right. She was very skilled at lovemaking and had taken him to the heights of passion and delighted him in a variety of ways. He knew that if she summoned him again, it didn't matter how much he resolved to resist her, if she wanted him she would break down those walls and he would fall into her bed.

...to be continued...