Page 24 (1/2)

She was even talking about canceling their pirate cruise, but he wasn’t going along with that He was going to make her walk the plank He’d never known anyone who didn’t feel intie Yet, he saw the sorrow in her eyes, the tears ready to spill when he said she had to leave He didn’t want her to leave, damn it But he worried about her safety

Hotheads like Kenneth could easily turn on Shelley as a way to get to Duncan He didn’t fear for his own safety, but Shelley was a different story

When they finished their ice crea distance, his hand around her ared into the swi her bathing suit underneath her jeans and T-shirt He was curious about how sexy itthat it had a billowing skirt, pants down to her knees, and a high neckline

Thankfully, the dessert seeht up the subject of her leaving the island, she’d be angry with hiot on the pirate ship--with the crew taunting the passengers and teasing with their made-up scripts--the boat was on its way The cannon fired, the mainsail was hoisted, and a mixture of sweet rum and punch was served to everyone since there were no children on the cruise

Before long, the pirates were brandishing swords and presenting ahowto pull off a real sword fight Unable to stand it any longer, he strode forth, seized one of the pirates by the shoulder, and said, "Here, lad, letave a pirate’s grin, one tooth appropriately painted gold, and handed Duncan his sith a lo

He had style, Duncan thought He also didn’t figure Duncan knew as , but the pirate illing to allow Duncan the opportunity tothe pirate’s toy sword in the air at no one in particular, ht and reach before he showed the pirate crew a thing or two

All the pirates watched hi faces He knew they intended to get hiers observed in fascination He figured some wondered if he was part of the show

For now, everyone aiting with bated breath to hear what thea stance, his feet apart for balance He was used to fighting on ground that did not tilt and roll like the pirate’s ship did "You do not wave your sword around in fancy maneuvers with unnecessary flourishes You strike your opponent’s with balance and boldness"

He thrust and the Spanish pirate swung to connect with the sword and missed Duncan poked the dull sword at the pirate’s torso to show just where the blade would have struck, had they been fighting for real With an injury to the stoion, the roaned and ribbed their partners in crime Another quickly took his place for a demonstration

The man’s coal-black eyes studied Duncan The pirate’s dark brown skin glistening in the sun, and a red-and-white striped kerchief covered e biceps, as if warning Duncan that he was not anyone to challenge hiood fight, the pirate was h to wear a man down A kill had to be quick in thistoward Duncan, who quickly sidestepped and swung around to skewer the ers inti a man in the back, while the pirates took hi his head slightly to the defeated pirate "When waging war, use everyEspecially when you are well outnu their turns In a real battle, they would not have given him the chance to take another breath before so to slice hileahlander," another pirate said, really getting into the action His blond hair was pulled back into a tail, his blue eyes gliood humor and enjoyetting ready to dance, his sword outstretched

Duncan htly in the blond’s eyes

The man squinted and thrust his sword Duncan easily knocked it aside, then attacked just as quickly, his sword point resting at the blond pirate’s throat

"The sun was in my eyes," the blond colanced at the last pirate, atched hihed, pirates and passengers alike

"So the Highlander fights dirty, like us pirates," the rehly freckled white skin, he looked like he could have Scottish roots

"Have you ancestry fro off with the ue in return

Everyone looked serious, frowns furrowing their brows, as they watched the twothe same distance between them

The pirate creould talk about this for eons, if they didn’t get fired for the insurance risk of having a true swords a sword demonstration without prior written per a video of the sword-fighting deent Castle He groaned to hi that none of this would end up on YouTube for the whole world to see

"Was your fahlands, then?" Duncan asked the redhead