Fire Down Below Read online

  I was conscious of my jaw beginning to drop, and I shut it with a snap. He was going to continue to take her right in front of me! What a rogue. Clearly he wouldn’t stop just because I’d demanded it. I toyed with whether to get up and leave the room, but I’d told him I was going to wait, and I wanted to show him I kept my word, and he couldn’t outsmart me by embarrassing me.

  Also, their lovemaking entranced me, and I couldn’t tear my eyes away.

  Watching people have sex was a common occurrence in the inn. I ran a clean and quality house, but it was surprising how many customers left the door open as they took their pleasure, and I often walked in on copulating couples to collect empty glasses and bottles or to return cleaned clothes and scrubbed boots to the owners.

  Generally, men came to the tavern to drink and to fuck. My girls—and I also had a couple of young men for customers who leaned that way—knew how to give a guy a good time, and to act as if they were the best they’d ever had, even if they were lying there thinking about what they were going to have for tea.

  Making love wasn’t usually something that crossed most pirates’ minds, I was sure. They wanted the feel of a warm female body beneath them and physical release, and if the woman looked as if she was having a good time, that was an added bonus.

  I had a strict policy that the girls had the final say on what they would or wouldn’t do in the bedroom, so if they didn’t like anal sex or whipping, for example, they had the right to say no, but most of them were happy to do whatever the punter wanted provided they could charge a little extra for it.

  Now, though, I understood why so many of the girls spoke of Sam with such enthusiasm. I don’t like to leave a woman unfulfilled, he had said, and I could see him controlling his own desire while he teased Liza to the edge of her climax.

  Pulling her forward, he bent his head to cover her nipple with his mouth, and she gasped and arched her back, pushing her breasts into his hands. From where I was sitting, a few feet down from the tub, I could just see their bodies in the churning water, his cock sliding in and out of her as she ground against him.

  “Ohhh,” she moaned, dropping her head to kiss him. He held her hips and thrust up hard, and it wasn’t long before I saw her body tense and then she gasped out a series of ah ah aaahhhs as she came.

  Sam watched her, all humor disappearing from his features, which had darkened with desire at the notion that he’d given this woman pleasure. Suddenly, I felt as if I was intruding. An ache grew deep inside me, and I felt a sweep of hunger and envy I had not felt before. I didn’t want to watch their pleasure, when I had none of my own.

  Sam glanced at me, and my breath caught in my throat. His eyes burned into mine, and I knew at that moment he had not forgotten I was there. In fact, for some reason I couldn’t yet fathom, he wanted me to observe him.

  Liza dropped her head as the pulses of her orgasm finished, but she didn’t stop moving her hips, and bent to kiss him again.

  He slid his tongue into her mouth, moving his arms around her, his skin darkly tanned against the white porcelain of her back and hips. His wet biceps gleamed in the sunlight—if I’d put both hands around one of them, I wouldn’t have been able to make my fingers meet.

  His long damp hair clung to his neck, and I watched, fascinated, as drips ran down his muscular chest. He settled his hands on her hips, holding her firmly as he thrust up into her, harder, more rhythmic, as his desire grew.

  Finally, his body stiffened, and Liza lifted herself off him, holding his cock and giving him the final few strokes with her hand. I had a clear view of his face as his climax swept over him. My lips parted, my nipples peaked, and I felt an answering twinge between my legs as he came, his whole body stiffening while he spilled his jets of silky fluid into her waiting palm just above the water line. His face at that moment was quite beautiful, his features hard in the throes of passion, his face creased with pleasure.

  I moistened my lips with the tip of my tongue, wishing I was the one who had brought him to a climax. I was glad that Liza had ensured she could not get pregnant, but even so, I couldn’t help but wonder how it would feel to be on top of him, to have him inside me as he came and spilled his seed.

  His breath came in ragged pants, and then gradually, as the climax receded, his eyes opened and he focused—not on Liza, but on me.

  His lips curved as if he was perfectly aware of the effect he’d had on me. I glared at him, letting him know I disapproved of his lewd actions.

  Chuckling, he moved his gaze back to the woman on top of him, waiting for her to wipe her hands on the cloth by her side. He kissed her and then steadied her as she climbed out of the tub. She wrapped herself in a towel, and turned to me with a mischievous smile.

  “I hope he’s paid you,” I said.

  Liza’s smile faded, and I felt a twinge of guilt for spoiling her pleasure. She gave a sharp nod, turned, and walked toward the door.

  “Liza,” Sam called. She paused and glanced over her shoulder at him. He winked at her. “Thank you,” he said.

  Her lips curved a little. Without giving me another look, she walked out of the room, head high.

  I watched her go, then turned my gaze back to Sam. He raised his eyebrows.

  “That was harsh,” he said.

  I shrugged, squashing the guilt that rose inside me. “Just doing my job.”

  A frown flickered on his forehead, and he leaned back. “What’s happened to you, Maddie? You used to be so... soft.”

  “Life is what happened,” I snapped. “Now are you ever going to get out of that bath?”

  He rested his head on the rim of the tub, exposing his muscular neck and wide chest to my gaze. “I hadn’t finished washing, actually. I thought you might scrub my back.”

  Chapter Three

  I stared at him. His eyes were closed, but as I watched, he opened one lid a crack and peeked at me. His lips curved up.

  I ran my tongue over my teeth, rose to my feet, and walked over to the bath. He watched me, a hint of wariness appearing on his features as if he was worried I might dump the contents of the chamber pot on his head.

  I didn’t, though. I pulled a small wooden bench to the side of the bath, hoisted up my skirts, and knelt on it. Then I picked up the cloth and rubbed it with soap.

  Keeping my gaze fixed on his, I stroked the cloth across his chest.

  He tipped his head to the side, watching me, and a strange look passed across his features. “What are you doing?”

  “What the customer wants.” I moved the cloth over his muscular shoulders and down his arms. He was a fine figure of a man, and I took my time, not wanting to stop now I’d started.

  I washed his neck and up to his ears, then down over his shoulders. Beckoning him to lean forward, I waited for him to comply, then washed down his glorious back. Tom’s had been as moist and soft as a plum pudding and covered with tufts of black hair, but Sam’s was broad, tanned, and toned.

  Pushing him back, I continued stroking the cloth down his chest... and then stopped.

  He had an erection again—already.

  “What?” He huffed a sigh. “You’re surprised?”

  I swallowed hard at the sight of his long, thick cock jutting out of the water, and pretended exasperation. “Liza milked you dry literally five minutes ago.”

  “So? I’m sitting naked in the bath while a beautiful lady slowly soaps me. It would be odd if I didn’t get aroused.”

  I let my lips curve. “You really think I’m beautiful?”

  He dropped a hand over the side of the bath, flicked the water off it, then lifted it to cup my cheek. “You are like a May morning, Maddie. The sight of you has always made my heart beat faster.”

  “You’ve never said that before.”

  “Before, you belonged to another.”

  I met his gaze, his blue eyes boring into mine. Lord, but I loved this man. His hand slid into my hair, and when he pulled me, I didn’t fight him.

  I rested my arms o
n the side of the tub and leaned forward. “Don’t pull me in,” I whispered.

  “I won’t.” He stopped when my lips brushed his. “I just want to kiss you.”

  Closing my eyes, I let him.

  His lips were firm and dry, the kiss surprisingly tender. He took his time, his mouth moving slowly over mine, his lips caressing and brushing. When he’d kissed from one corner of my mouth to the other, he returned to the center, and I felt the light touch of his tongue in the middle, requesting entrance.

  Sighing, I opened my mouth, and he groaned and slid his tongue inside. His fingers tightened in my hair, and he tilted his head to slant his mouth across mine, his tongue slick and sexy, delving into my mouth, hungry to devour me.

  As if my lips had a nerve that ran down to my legs, I felt an ache grow between my thighs, and I sighed, knowing now that all the talk about his tenderness and care in the bedroom had not been a falsehood.

  He released the pressure on my head, and I moved back an inch, loathe to leave his lips.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to get into the bath?” His husky voice sent a quiver through me.

  “I have a meeting in about ten minutes,” I whispered.

  He chuckled. “It’ll only take us two, I guarantee.”

  I gave him a wry look and moved back to lean on the rim of the tub. “It seems a shame to rush it after waiting so long.” My heart was thundering. I wanted nothing more than to strip, climb into the bath, and sit astride him as Liza had done, but I had other, more pressing matters on my mind.

  Still, I did have ten minutes...

  I trailed my fingers down his chest, slid them beneath the water, and closed them around his thick shaft. “When we do eventually get to bed, it would be nice to take our time.” Holding his cock firmly, I gave him a long, slow stroke.

  He leaned his head on the rim of the tub, his eyelids dropping to half-mast. His cock swelled at my touch. “True.”

  I did it again, marveling at how hard he was. Tom’s member had been like an uncooked sausage, and had always seemed slightly flaccid, even during sex. Not that I’d held it much. Our love life had consisted of me lying on my back staring up at the canopy of our bed or on my front biting the pillow while he licked his fingers to make insertion easier then thrust away on top of me for half a minute before he collapsed on me with a groan.

  “You’re very impressive,” I said, enjoying the way the velvet skin closed over then slid back to reveal the shining head. My fingers didn’t meet where they encircled the shaft, such was his girth.

  “Thank you.” He sounded amused. “What do you want, Madeleine?”

  “What do you mean?” I was fascinated by the feel of the veins and ridges beneath my fingers. I could feel my body moistening and preparing itself for him.

  “You said you wanted to talk to me. I can’t shake the feeling that you want something from me.”

  I stopped stroking him and looked at his face. He raised an eyebrow. He thought I was only doing this because I needed him to do something for me.

  He was about twenty percent right. He would have been a hundred percent, but now he was here in Nassau, in my room, naked, I wanted him like I’d never wanted anything before.

  He caught my wrist and moved my hand away from his cock. “I would much rather be telling you this for a different reason, but spit it out, Maddie.”

  Heat filled my face at his reference to coming in my mouth. “Sam!”

  He grinned. “Come on, tell me. What can I do for you?”

  I hesitated. I wanted to carry on stroking him and watch him come again, but I did need his help, and my business had to come first. “It’s Henry Cook.”

  His smile faded and his expression turned exasperated. “That no-good bastard. What has he done now?”

  I knew Sam and Henry bore a mutual dislike for one another—indeed, Sam was the reason that Henry had a front tooth missing. The two of them had fought one night several years ago, over a woman by all accounts. Needless to say, Sam had won.

  They might both have been pirates and rogues, but apart from the fact that he attacked other ships, Sam at least tried to be honest and just, whereas Henry was a conniving scoundrel through and through. He might run the town gaol now and act as if he was a law-abiding citizen, but everyone knew he was entirely corrupt.

  “He has a document that states he lent Tom money,” I said. “He claims that if I don’t pay him back, he’ll take the Twisted Lime in payment. I don’t have the money, Sam, and I can’t lose my business—I have nowhere else to go.”

  Sam surveyed me thoughtfully. “Is the document legitimate?”

  “I’m certain it isn’t. It has a signature at the bottom, witnessed by a local lawyer. I don’t think it’s Tom’s signature, and I’m sure Henry paid the lawyer off. But I can’t prove it.”

  Sam shifted in the tub, causing the water to swirl around him. His eyes gave away none of his thoughts. “What do you want me to do about it?”

  I felt a wave of despair. “I don’t know.”

  “You want me to kill him? His crew won’t thank me for it. He’s a bastard, but his men are loyal. They’ll come after me.”

  “And that worries Black Sam Bellamy? I thought you’d altered the Whydah. I heard you’d removed the captain’s quarters and upgraded the ship to twenty-eight guns.”

  His lips twitched. “So?”

  “So I didn’t think you’d be afraid of him.”

  His eyes cooled. He tipped his head a little, giving me a look that said You really think saying something like that to me is a good idea?

  I swallowed down the nervous lump that had formed in my throat, and fought against sudden tears. “Sorry, Sam. I don’t know what to do. I’d call him out myself but he’d just laugh in my face.”

  That made him smile. “I bet you’d fight him too.”

  “I would, and I’d beat him.”

  He chuckled. Then he flicked his fingers at the bench. “Pass me that towel, would you?”

  I did, and he rose and stood in the bath to dry himself, unashamed of his nakedness. “I’ll think about it.”

  “Well, I’m having a meeting with the town council now. We meet every Friday. I thought maybe you’d like to attend.”

  He stepped out of the bath and reached for his clean clothes. “I doubt they would appreciate my being there.”

  “I thought you could hide behind the curtains.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Seriously?”

  “He’s asked to see me after the meeting. I’d like you to hear what he says.” I knew Henry was going to threaten me, and I wanted Sam to witness it.

  He tugged on his breeches over his linen undergarments, then pulled his fresh white shirt over his head. Damn, but the man looked almost as good with his clothes on as without them. Almost.

  “All right,” he said, donning his black velvet coat. “I’ll come. But I can’t promise to behave.”

  “When would I ever expect you to do that?” It was my turn to roll my eyes. “Come on, or we’ll be late and they’ll start arriving.”

  He caught my hand as I walked past him, and pulled me up against him. “I haven’t forgotten,” he murmured, sliding an arm around my waist.

  I held my breath. Moisture glistened in the hollow at the base of his throat. I was tempted to lean forward and lick it. “Forgotten what?”

  “‘It seems a shame to rush it after waiting so long,’” he said, quoting me. “I’ve wanted you for years, Maddie. Don’t think I’m going to leave Nassau without taking you to bed.”

  I met his blue eyes, heat flooding my body. “You’ll be disappointed,” I whispered. “I’m not as experienced as you think.”

  He brushed his nose against mine, and kissed me softly. “Why do you think that would matter to me?”

  “You’ve been with a lot of women, Sam. I’m sure you have certain... expectations.”

  “The only expectation I have is that it will be wonderful to finally get you in my arms.” He kissed me a
gain. “To feel your body against mine.” He removed his lips a hair’s breadth, his hot breath making me tingle. “To be inside you.”

  “Sam...” His words, the sultry look in his eyes, and the hungry desire he was exuding, made me breathless. “Stop or I’ll faint.”

  “Corset too tight?” He chuckled and spanned the boned bodice with his hands. “Later, I will enjoy unlacing this slowly to reveal the buried treasure.” He touched my breasts where they swelled over the top of the bodice, and traced a line across them.

  I pushed his hands away. “You have to stop or I won’t be able to concentrate.”

  He chuckled, turned me, and smacked my bottom. “Come on, then. Let us sort out Henry Cook, and then we can concentrate on each other.”

  Chapter Four

  The town council met in my business chamber every Friday at ten o’clock. I’m sure in other parts of the world a tavern wouldn’t be thought appropriate for such a meeting, but in the pirate port of Nassau we didn’t have such high standards. After the leaders of the various businesses had discussed the matters of the day, it was quite common for them to follow with a visit to one of the rooms with a girl.

  I led Sam to the chamber and shut the door behind me. It was empty, but it wouldn’t be for long.

  I was proud of my meeting room. While Tom was alive I hadn’t been allowed to attend the meetings, and the room had reflected the all-male presence there, with its burgundy drapes, dark carpet, heavy table, and dour paintings on the walls.

  I hadn’t exactly fitted it with lace curtains and painted it pink, but I had given it a female touch, and I thought it was the better for it. The long table and chairs down the center were the same, but I’d replaced the carpet with a light brown one, re-papered the walls with a plum-and-cream striped paper, and changed the drapes to light cream ones. I’d taken down the dark portraits and replaced them with beautiful landscapes painted by a local artist.