"How did you know about the ambush?" he asked.

The deep rumble of his voice interrupted the silence that lingered around them since she opened her eyes. He had felt her stir awake for some time but chose not to say anything and just enjoy her in his arms.

He did not want to break the tranquil moment in the cabin, but then remembering her words, he needed to know. She knew of the ambush. But how?

His skilled eyes should have caught it.

He lay still. Waiting for her to respond. She let the time pass before she gathered up the courage to tell him.

"It... was when I saw Lieutenant Haines," she said.

"You know him?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

He lay silent on the tone of her voice. He waited for her to continue. But her silence is all he got.

He shifted slightly and faced her.

His gaze steadily held hers.

"How well did you know him?"

A sharp possessive pang grew within him at the idea of her and Haines having anything more than a cordial acquaintance.

Although he had no right to feel anything of the sort, he could not help it.

She lowered her gaze. He gently tilted up her chin and waited for her to speak.

He could feel the slight shiver from her as she exhaled slowly.

"A year ago...He came to visit us in Port Royal," she began.

"He was a guest in our home during his stay."

She closed her eyes. She tried desperately not to let that day affect her.

"In my father's absence, he would look at me in a way that made me feel uneasy."

His jaw slowly tightened.

"He made advances towards me and tried to kiss me. When I threatened to tell my father, he laughed and told me he wouldn't believe me." she drew in a shaky breath.

His jaw clenched more. He was grateful that they were in the dark so she could not see the anger slowly crossing his visage.

"Did he touch you?"

"No. But the last day of his stay, he cornered me and pressed his body against me inappropriately in the stables and said things that frightened me."

He tilted her chin up gently. "What did he say?" he demanded.

The brief seconds of silence had him on edge.

"Tempest?" he whispered impatiently.

"One day I will be his," she mumbled.

A wrathful oath escaped him.

He pulled away gently from her and sat up; swinging his feet down on the ground. Gripping the wooden edge of the bunk he muttered another oath. She sat up wearily facing his back in the dark. At a loss for words and terrified that she said something wrong. She sat quietly behind him.

"I nearly delivered you to him." He whispered.

"Now I understand his insistence that you not be harmed. I thought it was concern because you are the Admirals daughter. Now, I know that is not the case," he shook his head.

"Tread lightly where she is concerned, pirate. Not a hair on her is to be touched or you will surely swing from the gallows," Haines warned him before letting him go.

Justin rose suddenly to his feet. "Damn him!" he cursed heatedly.

Hesitantly she knelt up and clutched the sheets to her chest and edged closer to him.

"Are you angry with me?"

"No, lass of course not," He murmured.

"It does not feel that way." behind him, her voice sounded sad. It jarred him.

He slowly turned to face her. He approached the bunk and gazed down at her upturned face. He gently caressed her cheek and smirked.

"I am more angry with myself than anything," he said.

Her beautiful aqua green eyes lit with confusion.

"Why?" she whispered.

For several long breaths, Justin didn't speak until finally, he tipped up her chin so that their eyes met in the dark, his sparkled like water.

"I nearly left you in his care. Because of this stubborn notion in my head that you are not safe on this ship." He swallowed. "Or .....safe with me," he whispered.

"Why am I not safe with you?" she frowned.

If she only knew...He thought.

"Isn't it obvious, lass? I can't help myself around you. I have done a deplorable job at keeping my distance from you. Look how I have you." he lowered his gaze down on her where she still gripped the sheets to her bare breasts.

" I..." he stopped looking her up and down sadly.

"How can you say that?" she shook her head. "You have been more than brave and honorable when you have done nothing but save my life, twice now, it was an unselfish risk of your own life," she looked up at him.

"An unselfish risk I should not have to take if I get you safe with your family."

"I don't think I have felt more safe than I have with you," she whispered.

He drew in a deep breath and pulled her closer. "I have passed my limit with you. And I fear if you stay any longer on this ship, your virtue will be in peril."

"If my virtue is in peril, it is because....," she swallowed. Shyly she lowered her gaze and glanced at his chest. "I want it that way."

He looked down at her in confusion and amazement. Justin remained silent, not knowing what to say.

She stood there and blinked at him, waiting, feeling lost in the brilliance of his steady blue gaze.

He held her captive there, studying her face intently. "Do you realize what you're saying?" he whispered stepping closer observing her as she bit her lip and nodded.

Slowly, he ended the tormenting silence by pulling her fully into his arms and pressing his face into her hair.

He felt his heart race as she circled his waist with her arms. His lips found her temple, then her cheek then gently near her ear, he murmured, "You're too innocent and pure to say such a thing. I struggle daily to keep you at a safe distance, Tempest," he paused then pulled back to look at her.

"I feared that if I did not leave you on Tortuga, I would no sooner let you go when we docked at Port in London," He caressed her jaw.

She took no time for his words to sink in before she blurted out softly her response. "Neither would I," she whispered so softly he nearly did not hear her, but he did. Loud and clear.

Her head spun and her body flooded with warmth at the unexpected boldness of her own confession. Wanting to stay on this ship...with him? It was preposterous. But the idea felt more sane than anything to her.

His eyes glinted down at her rather dazedly for a moment, as if he was having trouble getting his bearings on what she said.

He indeed heard her correctly.

But did she truly mean it? The terrifying question played dangerously with his emotions as he lowered his lips to hers, trying with all the restraint he could muster to not search her eyes for the truth. Instead, he felt it on her lips as they softened sweetly for him.

He shook terribly embracing her with a need he barely recognized. He realized that her kisses were no longer shy and inexperienced.

He caressed her gently as her tongue slowly explored the hollow heat of his own and he moaned deepening the kiss until it became one of reckless abandon. Suddenly, his mind, a muddled mess soon cleared with the reminder that she would be doing the same one day with her future husband.

...And that won't be him.

Envy seared through him like liquid fire forcing him to pull her tighter against his body; He thrust a hand at the back of her head, his fingers burying deep into her scalp as he explored her mouth with a thoroughness that left both of them trembling. She drank in the kiss, melting against him; she could feel his throbbing erection against her lower abdomen.

He gently tugged the coverlet from her fingers and pushed the material down to her waist with his other hand, then slid them up her shivering bare torso, slowly cupping and caressing her breast, his lips still holding hers captive.

Tempest felt heat wash over her entire body and shivered with anticipation and desire as his fingers lowered softly down her back, beneath the waistband to her breeches towards her rump, and caressed it.

The moment was so arousing between them that It swept them away in passionate sweeps that they barely heard the first knock at the door. It wasn't until Bellamy's voice rang through that they stood rigid to the spot. Breathless, in the throes of desire and lust still clinging to them, he felt her stiffen in his arms and slowly their lips parted.

His chest heaved and his fingers trembled on her soft skin as their heads pressed together. Trying to calm their rapid hearts they listened as Bellamy knocked on the door again.

Their eyes met. The swirl of desire still thick around them slightly lifted and parted as she shyly lifted her arms to cover her breasts. His eyes tightened shut as he sought some type of control to pull away.

He watched intently as she slowly drew on his discarded shirt and waited for her to be decent before he answered the door.

Justin turned to the door and called out. "Come in."

"Forgive me for interrupting, Captain." Bellamy's voice was gentle as he spoke from just inside the cabin door. "I'd like to go over the charts with you as we are slowly approaching Isle of Azores." He slanted a warm look at Tempest cozily sitting on the bunk. "And the crew opened the trunks you brought aboard ship from Tortuga. The lass may find some of the items in one of them useful."

A frown creased Justin's brow as he silently agreed.

With a curt nod, Bellamy shouted, and shortly after two men hauled it in through the cabin door. It was opened and they slowly stepped back.

Justin looked at it and stepped aside as he watched Tempest slowly lower from the bunk in timid apprehension. It wasn't until Justin nodded that she knelt before it in awe of the bundle of clothing.

Feminine clothing...

He stood rapt to the spot and watched her beam with delight as she pulled out gown after gown. Petticoats and shawls and bodices. Then her fingers landed on a beautiful white nightrail.

Then suddenly it dawned on him. Such refineries she was accustomed to. Who was he kidding? Such things were not needed at sea. She was accustomed to them and a good life, safe on land. He would never be able to offer her that as long as he sailed the dangerous open waters. He was rich indeed and could buy her anything and everything. Except for respectability.

He had no title. No name. Yet.

He looked down at her then. The sensation rippling through his chest was indescribable, the smile she returned to him was clueless to his inner torment but it was dazzling and breathtaking all the same. Dejectedly he left her sifting through the trunk and went above deck with the sinking feeling in his chest and burning question in his mind.

Could he let her go?

*******

Here we go my lovelies.....