Description: Miriam naively helps the devilish pirate seduce her.

Miriam screamed as the massive monster lifted her sister off the ground and swung her between the seesawing boats on a long rope. She fought free of the hands that held as she tried to get to Carly. She had barely taken two steps before a large palm wrapped around her upper arm and spun her about. The breath shuddered from her lungs as she came up hard against a warm, solid chest. She clutched at the soft cotton of his shirt for balance, her gaze fixed on the vee of golden skin before her as the world spun dizzily.

Slowly she tipped her head back, her long silvery hair tumbling over the arm anchoring her against him. Dancing green eyes met her wide, frightened blue ones. She drew in sharp breath at the sight of the wickedly handsome pirate, the scent of salt and male teasing her nostrils.

This couldn't be happening. She was the daughter of a Lord, and affianced to a Duke. How was it that only yesterday she sailed to meet her fiancé, and now found herself the prisoner of this heathen pirate who held her so...so intimately? A blush warmed her cheeks as she tugged on the fingers curled just below her breast.

As her lips parted to demand he let her go, he lifted her in his arms. He held her against him as they swung through the air, his thighs tangling with hers. Miriam screamed as water churned below them, clutching at the devil that held her. The thick, corded rope creaked above their heads; the wind rushed through her hair, whipping it across their faces.

Her whole body slumped against his when again she felt the firmness of the deck beneath her slippered feet. Heights terrified her, and she didn't think she could have let go of him right then even if she wanted to. He chuckled against her ear, and she realised she was praying beneath her breath. She would have smacked him if she wasn't holding on to him so tightly.

Without warning he scooped her up in his arms and carried her below deck. She pressed her face against his chest as men leered at her and whistled, fear and something else quivering inside of her. She had never known what it was like to be held by a man. No man had dared kiss her, for fear of her father. And even had she wanted one to, her mother had instilled in her the ways of a Lady. A Lady wasn't supposed to get her skirts dirty, was to smile prettily and sit quietly while the men talked. And most of all, a Lady was not to be familiar with a man that was not her husband!

He strode into a cabin and kicked the door shut behind him. He slid her to her feet, his muscular arm locked around her waist crushing her breasts against him. She knew he was gazing down at her, and blushed, her eyes fixed on the top button of his shirt. As the silence stretched she wondered what he was thinking. She was not as pretty as Carly, who was tiny and curvy with long curly hair and full, luscious breasts. Miriam was taller than most women, her legs long and slender, yet still she barely reached this pirate's chin. She was willowy and unfashionable, her breasts mere small handfuls. Her tiny waist was her one saving grace, her mother often told her. Her hair was a silvery blonde and completely straight. Her eyes, sky blue and placid, were passably pretty. Her lips were too lush, her mother complained, and too pink, lending her the look of a tart.

The pirate gently tucked a silver strand behind her ear, and a small shiver raced through her. She knew she shouldn't stand pressed up against him like this so that she could feel every breath he drew into his lungs, but her wobbly legs refused to move. Her nipples felt tight where they rubbed against the stiff tulle of her gown.

Would he kiss her? Miriam lowered her lashes, for fear of what her eyes would reveal. She wanted to be kissed, just once, before she was delivered to her elderly fiancé.

"Look at me," he commanded, his fingers tangling in the soft curls at her nape. Her lashes flickered, then lifted. The breath caught in her lungs at the intensity of those intelligent green eyes. Her lips parted on a soundless sigh, and his head dipped. Her lips trembled as his brushed against hers, light as a butterfly's wings. Blood pounded dizzily through her as he pressed light kisses over and over against her lips, like a bee sipping on honeyed wine.

"I never knew," she murmured breathlessly, "what it was like to kiss a man." Her fingers clutched at his magenta cloak as a soft sigh escaped her. He stilled against her, and she realised to her utter humiliation that she must have spoken aloud. How he must think her a ninny. He probably kissed a dozen women a day!

"Later, my innocent captive, I will show you how a man really kisses a woman. For now I must return to the deck and see to the cargo."

He left her, and she heard the scrape of the key in the lock and soft footsteps fade. What did he mean? Was that not a kiss? She pressed her hand against her tingling lips as she gazed about her with wide eyes. He had brought her to a small cabin, with a wide bed suspended to the wall by leather straps that could be pushed up to create more room. One side of the cabin was lined with cupboards with different sized drawers, all with tiny polished brass knobs. Beneath a long narrow table rested a wide metal tub, and her breathing hitched as she imagined herself in it, his eyes watching her as she ran the soapy cloth down her bare arms.

A huff escaped her, no doubt it was his heathen piratical influence that created such wicked thoughts. Stomping over to the bed, she then sat down primly, smoothing her skirts and clasping her hands neatly in her lap. She was a Lady, not a hussy. If he thought to seduce her into kissing him again, he would have to think again. Yet thoughts of his kiss haunted her, and that unfamiliar churning sensation in her belly returned. The devil takes him!

~*~

Miriam wiggled beneath the sheets, warm and safe. Blinking against the morning light filtering through the trio of portholes lining the adjoining wall, she arched, stretching her slender limbs.

She frowned sleepily when she realised a tanned muscular arm pillowed her head, and another lay heavily over her waist, fingers splayed across her belly. Her pulse skittered in alarm as the she realised the warmth pressed along her back owed not to a blanket, but a man!

Dear God, what would her mother say if she saw her now? She attempted to scramble up, but found herself pressed flat on her back, an amused face gazing down at her from where it rested propped on his hand.

"W-what do you think you are doing, sir?" she demanded breathily, her belly clenching under the caress of his fingers.

"I thought perhaps you would like me to show you how a man kisses a woman. Properly."

"Oh," she murmured, mulling over the idea. Would it be so wicked? Surely no-one would find out? "Perhaps quickly," she replied, then quickly added "but only if you promise not to tell my fiancé."

His eyes narrowed. "I promise," he said softly. She swallowed hard. What would her mother say if she discovered Miriam had let a wicked pirate kiss her?

But any thoughts quickly flew from her mind as his lips settled over hers. They were warm as they moved over hers in coaxing kisses. She slowly relaxed, her lips softening, her fingers curling around his upper arm.

His mouth slanted over hers, more demandingly. She gasped when his tongue flicked against her lips, only to slide deeper into her mouth. Her toes curled as his tongue touched hers, her fingers tightening on his arm.

Her breasts rose and fell as the kiss deepened, turning into something drastically different. Fire licked through her, and her thighs scissoring restlessly among the sheets.

She moaned as he sucked lightly on her tongue, feeling an answering throb between her thighs. He shifted, pressing against her thigh as one of his wedged itself between hers. His hand slid up over her belly to rest just below the swell of her breast.

She tore her mouth from his, gazing up at him dazedly. "Do Lady's really kiss like this?"

He nodded, a tiny smile curving his lips. "Mmm, although, if you want to do it properly, the way Lady's do..."

"What do you mean?" she demanded breathlessly when his words trailed off.

His fingers tugged at the ribbons of her bodice, and it was only then that she realised all that she wore was her frilly white chemise. Her hand pressed against his, preventing him from unlacing her further as she gazed up at him, wide-eyed. Her swift inspection of him revealed he wore breeches and nothing else. Her stomach clenched at the sight of all that golden male skin with its sprinkling of black hair.

"To do this properly, it is important that I see your breasts."

"W-why?" she demanded suspiciously, her eyes lifting from the expanse of his chest to search his handsome face.

"To experience the full pleasure of a kiss. That is what you wish me to show you, is it not, before I deliver you to your fiancé?"

She chewed on her lip. Surely feeling this good couldn't be a wrong? If it were a sin, some part of her would surely recognise that, and stop him immediately? Some of her friends had admitted to kissing boys on terraces at balls when their chaperones were not looking, and nothing bad had happened to them. She nodded jerkily, removing her hand from where it covered his much larger one.

She unknowingly held her breath as he drew the ribbons through the tiny embroidered holes, her face watching his. She squeezed her eyes shut when he peeled the thin silk cloth apart, revealing the tiny thrust of her breasts with their taut rose nipples to the intensity of his gaze.

"You are beautiful," he whispered. "So pale and perfect, like a velvety cream rose bud plucked from an English garden."

Her breathe shuddered from her lungs as his hands lightly traced her breasts, caressing the sensitive skin. Her lips parted instinctively beneath his as they closed over hers.

Quivers raced down between her thighs as his fingers toyed with her breasts, tugging and pinching their rosy tips. She arched against him, pressing against his hands as she tentatively kissed him back.

He groaned against her mouth, his hand sliding down over her hip and thigh. She barely registered the feel of cool air against her heated flesh as he drew up her chemise. It was only as his fingers massaged the soft flesh of her inner thigh that she stilled, her eyes widening.

She struggled beneath him, tearing her mouth from his. "No!"

"No? You do not wish for me to kiss you as I would a woman? Perhaps you are not woman enough, my innocent captive?"

She whimpered as his fingers lightly caressed the sensitive crease of flesh where her thigh joined her body, unsure what to do. She gazed up at him helplessly, her throat locked. If it was as he said, and merely a kiss, then how could it be so terribly wrong? Yet the thought of him touching her there where she had never dared herself, was shocking.

When she said nothing, her uncertain eyes locked with his, fingers lightly brushed the thatch of curls at their apex. Heat scorched through her as he gently explored her secret place with the lightest of touches. Her lips parted as his fingers became more daring, stroking her pink channel.

"I do not believe that is so," he continued softly as he pressed kisses along her nape. Blood coursed through her, her skin felt feverish, the flesh between her thighs churning. "I believe that you are more than woman enough to kiss me properly, all of me." His fingers caressed her until she bucked against his hand, the world dimming. Her back arched off of the bed, her hands digging in to his waist as indescribable sensations thrummed through her.

Yet still his fingers continued to stroke her, pushing her toward some unknown peak. She never noticed the hand struggling at the ties of his breeches, simply glorying in the feel of his fingers and mouth on her as he shifted above her.

She felt his finger nudging at her, as though seeking entrance into her body. She wiggled breathlessly against him, her brow furrowing. His mouth returned to hers, capturing her mouth. He pushed harder against that place between her thighs, and she was amazed to feel it give. Her eyes widened as she felt something moving up slowly inside of her. She stilled, not sure what it was, feeling a tense stinging sensation as her body was stretched. The pain began to increase, and she pushed at his chest, seeking to gaze down between their bodies.

She cried out when she saw the thick shaft of flesh rising from a nest of black curls pushing up inside of her. She struggled then, her nails scraping at his face as she fought to move him off of her. She pushed down against him, seeking to expel him from her tender flesh, and felt something wrench inside of her. She gasped at the agony of it, tears flooding her eyes as her body tensed.

He moved, she didn't know whether forward or back, but she cried out again as lightening pain stole through her, her struggles ceasing.

"Relax," he whispered against her ear. "The pain will pass. "

"Get off of me!" she screamed. She moaned in relief as he withdrew from her, turning on to her side to face the wall, refusing to so much as glance at him.

His hands smoothed down over her back, and she flinched, hot tears rolling down her cheeks. "It isn't always like that. There is only pain the first time, and then it starts to feel better."

She squeezed her eyes shut, unable to control the trembling. "You - you tried to seduce me!" she accused him.

Devlin closed his eyes against the pain he heard in her voice. It would not do to mention that in the eyes of the Church, he already had. He had known she was an innocent that day he followed her and her sister to the markets. Men had stopped to stare at the pair of them amidst the small cluster of woman from the Ambassador, a couple of sailors a few steps behind to afford them some protection from predators. Like him.

She had never seen him, her back straight, her face placid, hiding all the thoughts behind the Ladylike exterior. His hands had itched to release the tightly pulled back hair that glinted silver beneath the warm sun. Despite the humidity, she had worn a gown that had buttoned up to her throat. In that dusty, crowded market place, she had seemed a perfect, icy rose. Yet those eyes had told another story, soft and innocent and in awe of the exoticness that surrounded her. He followed her for most of the day, until his brother had found him. Word had got back to the ship that Devlin was acting like a love-sick fool over a bit of fancy lace. Only Devlin found he was to have the last laugh when Daemon spied Carly.

Miriam's reaction to his kisses had thrown him. The layer of ice surrounding her was paper thin, melting at his lightest touch. He had lost control, wanting nothing more than to sheath his cock in her tight, slick channel. Only now he realised that she knew little in the way of men. Her look of horror when she spied his cock merely demonstrated this, and he ground his teeth in frustration. To feel her soft warmth begin to open itself around the tip of him, then to be relegated to the far side of the bed, did little for his temper.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed, dragging up his breaches as he rose. He found a clean shirt and tugged it on. Then he strode from the chamber and up the steps, taking them two at a time. Upon spying his brother, an idea formed in his head. He strode back to the cabin and flung open the door. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, struggling to tug on her gown. He strode toward her, and she cowered from him.

He felt his anger boil, but at himself, for he had done this to her. She was an innocent, and he had forged ahead too soon. She was a Lady, to be seduced with gentle kisses and wine, and he had made a complete hash of it.

He helped her yank down her gown and his hand on her wrist tugged her to her feet. Perhaps her sister could explain the ways between a man and a woman better than he could without offending Miriam's delicate sensibilities.

He drew her along behind him until he reached his brother's cabin. He pushed the door open, sighing angrily at himself as Miriam ducked beneath him with a cry of relief and rushed into the arms of her sister. With another grimace of disgust for himself he turned on his heel and slammed the door shut behind him.

~*~

Miriam threw herself at Carly where she sat on the edge of the bed running a brush through her long mane. Sobbing with relief, she clung to her sister, glad she was safe. Guilt consumed her, for she had barely given her sister a thought upon finding herself alone with the devilish pirate.

Carly rubbed her back, as Miriam clung to her, and slowly the tears eased as her thoughts turned dark. What if what that pirate tried to seduce Carly, as Devlin had her? She lifted her head and gazed worriedly at her far prettier sister.

"Did he hurt you?" Carly asked kindly.

"Yes!" Miriam cried, and then slowly she shook her head. The pain had only begun when she struggled, so she doubted whether she could blame Devlin fully for that. "Well, no, not really. But he wanted to!" Miriam mumbled.

"You mean he didn't try to..."

Carly didn't finish what she was trying to say, and Miriam shook her head. "He said I was pretty, and that I had nice pale skin..." her voiced tapered off. "But he was so huge, and I..." she whispered, tears filling her eyes.

"You what?" Carly demanded.

"Oh, it's all so humiliating." she said, pressing her face into her hands. She couldn't look at her sister, knowing that she had brought this upon herself. It was Miriam who had asked him to kiss her. "He tried to undress me, and he was kissing me in all these strange places, and it was nice at first. Are you shocked?" She didn't want to hear Carly's answer, knowing she could not be anything but, and quickly went on, "but...but when I saw his breeches were undone, and it hurt between my legs, I got scared and started to cry. He got really disgusted and angry with me and he stormed out," Miriam wailed.

"Shh, it's ok. It's ok. There was nothing you could have done."

Miriam clung to her sister, knowing that wasn't the truth. She had all but invited him to seduce her. She was a hussy, a tart. If her mother could only see her now, she would beat Miriam black and blue with her strap.

~*~

She must have fallen asleep, for she jerked awake when the monster kicked open the door and ordered her out. Her eyes widened at the sight of Carly tossed over his shoulder. She hesitated, unsure what to do.

"Go", Carly mouthed to her, and Miriam bit her lip as she quickly skirted the man and slipped through the doorway. The door slammed shut behind her, and she turned to face it, unsure that she had done the right thing. Would he hurt Carly?

Her hand rested on the doorknob when a voice spoke from behind her. "I would leave them be."

Miriam spun around, pressing her hand against her breast. Devlin had somehow snuck up on her. "But..." There was no sound emanating from the cabin, and she looked at Devlin warily. "Will he hurt her?"

"No, that's the furtherest thing he has in mind, I promise you." He reached out and caught her hand, tugging her along behind him down the narrow walkway and into his cabin.

She frowned at him as he turned to face her, trying to tug her hand from his warm one, but he didn't let it go.

"I want there to be no distrust between us, Miriam. I know I hurt you, but I will make it up to you."

He let her hand drop and slid his hands around her waist, drawing her closer. Her heart fluttered and her lashes lowered shyly as his mouth brushed against her forehead. Dare she trust him?

"I have to go back up on deck. I want you to stay here, where it is safe."

He released her and with one last look, closed and locked the door behind him. Miriam gazed after him in bemusement. How long would she be locked up in here alone before he ransomed her? Could she trust him when he promised her that the monster would not hurt her sister?

She looked about her, and spied the quill resting on the desk. Miriam walked across the cabin and sat down before it. Perhaps there was some parchment and ink to pen a letter to her parents. It may be days before word of their capture reaches their ears, and hopefully a swiftly followed letter would allay their fears. She sat down and pulled open the long narrow drawer just below the surface of the desk.

Her fingers curled around a sketch resting on top of the papers and quills and charcoal. Slowly she withdrew it and placed it on the desk, smoothing its curling edges. It was a drawing of her.

But not her. The woman in the picture lay on her side asleep amongst rumpled sheets, her hair spilling across the pillows in seductive abandonment. The strap of her chemise had slipped down her arm, baring the swell of her breast and a hint of nipple above the frilled edge. The picture was alluring, beckoning, as if she waited to be wakened by a kiss.

Had Devlin drawn this as she slept, watching her?

~*~

A conversation that could be heard from the hallway roused Miriam from her drowsy nap, and she stiffened as she recognised the monster's and Devlin's voices. She couldn't make out the words, and they faded as did their footsteps. She slid from the bed and tried the door, and found it unlocked. Slipping from the cabin, she padded quietly down the hallway and into her sister's cabin, closing the door softly behind her. Something about Carly's stillness frightened her, and she settled beside her on the bed, smoothing her silvery curls back from her pale face.

Her sister did not move as the bed dipped. It was clear what that animal had done to her sister, and she castigated herself a fool and worse for believing Devlin.

The noisy scraping of crates above them and shouts from the crew floated down from above deck, and Miriam realised they must have anchored.

"Did he hurt you?" Miriam asked softly.

Carly shook her head, never taking her eyes from the porthole. Tears filled Miriam's eyes at the obvious truth. Gently so not as to hurt Carly, Miriam ran her hands through her Carly's mane, untangling small snarls with practiced fingers. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Again Carly shook her head, and Miriam fell silent. Her sister was younger than her by eight months, but despite the age difference Carly was so much more confident and self contained than Miriam was. Miriam had not known of their true relationship until two years ago. Carly had been a maid in their household ever since she was a young girl, and Miriam had always been jealous of her. Carly had been allowed to run and play with the other children on their country estate while Miriam was forced to learn musical instruments such as the piano and harp, and to stitch pretty patterns on hanker chiefs under the watchful gaze of her mother.

Miriam had become increasingly aware of the attention her father gave Carly, a mere maid. He barely spared a moment for Miriam or her older sister Gwen. It wasn't until she overheard the maids whispering about how Miriam's mother had trapped the Earl into marrying her, when it was Carly's mother that he loved, that Miriam finally understood why her father didn't love her.

After an eternity, Carly finally spoke. "Do you remember the summer we spent in Brighton, and how we swam in the sea?"

"Oh, yes, it was absolutely freezing, and my toes turned blue!" Miriam shuddered in recollection. Miriam had watched enviously as Carly and the other maids had swum in the sea. She had begged her mother to allow her to swim also, and finally she had relented, only letting her swim for a minute of two, lest someone thought her unladylike.

"The sea would be warm here." Carly rolled onto her back on the bed and looked up at her.

Miriam gazed back at her with her head tipped the side, before enlightenment dawned. "You want to-to..."

Carly nodded intently, grasping her hand in a painful grip. "We are both narrow enough to fit through the porthole. It would be a small drop to the sea, and then we could swim toward shore and get help."

"But they would surely see us and stop us!"

"It will be dark soon."

"But what if we can't make it that far?"

"We will," Carly almost pleaded.

"He did hurt you!" Miriam exclaimed at Carly's look. She had never seen Carly like this, so desperate, and guilt surged through Miriam. It was Miriam that had pleaded with her mother to allow Carly to come on the voyage. Miriam had done so for her own selfish reasons, for she had wanted a familiar face to be there when she wed a stranger.

Carly sat up and turned from her, and Miriam caught sight of her back. Horror welled in Miriam at the sight of tiny bruises on her hips and back, before her hair tumbled down, covering the evidence of the monster's abuse.

It was how Miriam found herself floundering in the inky dark water, trying to keep afloat. Carly was far ahead of her, heading toward the lanterns from the distant shore that seemed to bob up and down as Miriam coughed up water.

Her chemise tangled around her legs, and she felt she was drinking the whole sea. Her arms burned and her kicks grew less forceful as she neared the beach. She could see Carly climbing ashore, and struggled to cover the distance. It was only when she next raised her head that she couldn't see Carly.

She blinked the seawater out of her stinging eyes as she searched the dark beach. She saw a figure then, and her eyes narrowed as she tried to see. It was a short, bulky man, and he was carrying someone. The air burned in her lungs as desperation clawed at her. She tried to call out, but water smashed her in the face, spinning her about as she struggled to stay afloat.

When next she spied them, he was lowering Carly into a small dingy. He was rowing her out to the other ship anchored in the bay! Miriam didn't know what to do. Should she search for help along the shore? What if they asked for payment? Carly carried the small pouch of coins she had found in the Captain's cabin. Another wave hit her, then another, and she found herself sucked out back to sea. It was as though it was a sign, and she struggled to swim back to the ship, praying she wouldn't be too late.

She cried out hoarsely as she reached the side of the boat. She coughed up salty water, her throat burning. Again she cried out, and tears of relief flooded her eyes as a face peered down at her before calling out over his shoulder.

Soon she saw Devlin, and without hesitation he plunged into the water. He came up beside her as a rope ladder was lowered. Somehow she managed to cling to his shoulders in a death grip as he climbed the creaking rope, her face pressed between his shoulder blades.

He lowered her to the deck, and someone handed him a blanket and he tucked it around her.

"Carly," she whispered, but he couldn't hear her. He leaned closer, sweeping the hair back from her face. "Carly. He rowed Carly out to the other boat."

"Hell," he muttered, turning to gaze at someone over his shoulder. "A man's taken Carly on board the Orient."

"Please, you must get her," she cried into the unearthly silence, her voice strained. "I'll do anything. Please, she's my sister."

A sharp voice barked out orders, and men ran across the deck. It was the last thing she remembered before passing out, exhaustion washing over her.

~*~

She woke, a warm, thick blanket tucked around her. She felt fingers smoothing her hair back from her face, and a light kiss press against her forehead. She blinked sleepily, gazing up into her sister's concerned face. She looked like a drowned kitten. Miriam must have said the words out loud, for her sister laughed. "So do you, brat."

The warmth sucked her back down, and she closed her eyes, everything turning vague.

When she next woke, it was to the feel of fingers massaging sweet smelling soap into her damp hair. She moaned, her body languid in the steaming hot tub. She gazed down at herself, her creamy skin glistening in the candlelight. The water was clear, none of her usual lavender bubbles, and she could see the floor of the tub between her thighs.

Water was dumped unceremoniously over her head, and she spluttered, trying to wipe the soapy suds from her eyes. Her head lifted to glare up at her maid, only to discover it was no maid.

"Devlin!" she cried, and belatedly placed her hands across her breasts. "Get out!"

He merely smiled that dangerous smile of his that she was becoming familiar with, and a trickle of heat swirled low in her belly. He crouched by the tub, his arms resting along its edge, a mere fraction from her glistening shoulder. His gaze lazily swept over her, and blushes swept over her body.

"This is my cabin. If anyone should leave, my little captive, then it should be you."

"But I'm not wearing any clothes." He smile merely deepened, and her grey eyes narrowed. "Why did you undress me?" She didn't know whether he did or not, but his reply confirmed her suspicions.

"You, my salty mermaid, needed a bath. I refuse to share my bed with someone encrusted with salt." he replied dryly.

"You are no gentleman," she declared, her ears burning. He threw his head back and laughed.

"And you are every inch the Lady," he teased.

She ignored his comment, hating the blushes deepening over her breasts. "I refuse to share a bed with you. I am engaged to another man."

"If you choose to sleep on the floor without the benefit of a blanket or pillow, then I will have to abide by it." His voice turned suddenly serious. "However, should you share the bed with me, I promise not to do anything you don't wish."

The silence stretched as she measured his words, her head tipped endearingly on its side. "You are not angry with me?"

"No, Miriam," he replied. "I'm sorry that things ended badly, I would not have wished that for you for your first time. You are young and innocent, and it was my own brutish stupidity that made you fear me. I do not blame you for trying to escape me. I only ask that you let me make it up to you."

She swallowed hard as she met his sombre gaze. "You promise to ransom me to my fiancé as soon as possible? "

"I will send a letter to him on the morrow. Now, let's get you dry and into bed."

She shyly asked him to turn around. He did as she beckoned and she stood in the tub and took the towel held out to her. She turned, putting her back to him as she swiftly patted herself down, propping first one leg then the other on the rim of the tub as she dried her thighs. She then wrapped it around her damp hair, and holding onto the edge of the tub, stepped over it carefully onto the waiting towel. She padded over to the chest, calling out over her shoulder "don't look, I'm not ready."

She rummaged through a drawer until she found a soft white shirt. She slipped it on, and hastily did up the buttons to her throat. It reached her knees, and dangled well below the tips of her fingers. She rolled up the sleeves, and then glanced down at herself. It was roomy and hid her body, although she was conscious of the indecent amount of legs on display as she turned to face him.

The breath caught when she found him lying on the bed facing her, propped up on his elbows, his eyes closed. Had he looked?

"Miriam, if you do not hurry up, I will dry you and put you to bed myself."

"I am ready," she mumbled with relief, fiddling with the buttons of the shirt.

Devlin swallowed hard at her poor choice of words. Opening his eyes, he gazed upon her standing shyly before him, clutching his shirt before her. He wanted nothing more than to peel it off her and taste her delightful breasts as she writhed against him, yet he knew he had to bide his time. He would not make the same mistake twice, even if he burned with frustration at the mere sight of her.

"Come, I am tired and am in need of sleep," he murmured huskily, patting the mattress at his side. Her eyes on the floor, she walked toward him and climbed up on the bed, keeping as much distance between them as possible. Which was not much.

He pulled the blanket over both of them and pinched the flame out with his fingers. Turning on his side, he pulled her stiff body up against his. "Relax," he murmured against her sweet smelling hair. "There is more room this way."

After a time, when all he did was merely hold her, she eased against him. He brushed his lips against her hair as her soft, even breathing reached his ears. Sleep, he knew, would be a long time coming.

~*~

When Miriam woke, he had gone, yet his warmth lingered. She lay there, stretching on the bed as she remembered his kiss. Her belly fluttered and a small smile curled her lips as she propped herself up on her elbow, pushing her curls over her shoulder. She touched her fingers to her lips. Would her soon to be husband kiss her like that?

"So you're finally awake, sleepy head?"

"Carly!" she cried, sitting up in bed. Carly stood in the entrance to the cabin, and the breath caught in Miriam's throat at the sight of her. She wore a long sweeping gown of light blue intricately beaded with seed pearls. Her hair was loose and slightly damp.

"Thank you for what you did last night. I shouldn't have made you swim to shore, and put us both in danger."

"Carly, you didn't make me. I wanted to. And I'm so glad you are safe." Carly smiled nervously as she crossed the cabin to sit on the edge of the bed. Miriam's heart fluttered. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

"No, no. I...I'm going to marry him, Miriam."

"What!"

"I love him, and he loves me." Miriam stared at Carly in shock. Carly had been so desperate to escape the man not long ago, and now she wanted to marry him?

"I know you wanted me to stay with you when you married your Duke, but Daemon and Devlin own several vineyards in the south of France, and he wants me to live there with him."

Miriam could say nothing as she gazed at her sister. What about me, she wanted to cry, but knew that would be selfish. Her sister finally had a chance at happiness, and Miriam couldn't ruin that for her.

"I'm happy for you," she whispered, blinking back tears at the thought of never seeing her sister again. Would Miriam's husband allow her travel to visit her sister after she had borne him some heirs? She hoped so.

Carly threw her arms around Miriam and hugged her. "It will all work out, you'll see," her sister whispered. "You will come, won't you? Word can be sent to your fiancé, and to our parents."

Miriam murmured "yes, of course". Something shifted on the edge of her vision and her lashes lifted. Her lips parted as she caught sight of Devlin standing in the doorway. He smiled a lazy smile and winked, before turning and disappearing from view. Miriam found it suddenly hard to breathe.