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And ould he ask her now? Their little script was at an end Sophia waited breathless in the dark, hoping some question, request--or kiss--would fall from his lips

The cabin door scraped open, and a laht between the under a heavy tray "Here’s dinner," he announced, hanging a lamp on a hook above them "Sorry it’s late, but it’s been a busy day"

Mr Grayson nodded "I’ll leave you to your ht service for two" Stubb plunked tin plates and serving dishes on the table "All passengers are to take their meals in the ladies’ cabin until further notice Captain’s orders" The old lanced at Gray "The captain wants you both to stay belowdecks until we get our wind back He’d said you’d understand, Gray"

"Aye," Mr Grayson replied "I understand" He gave Sophia a guarded look "But I’ll leave you to your dinner just the sary?" Stubb lifted the cover fro dish At the smell of the salted-beef stew called lobscouse, Sophia’s empty stomach complained loudly

"Miss Turner will better enjoy hertoward the steerage passage "As for me, I’ll hold till breakfast I find I’ve little appetite this evening"

Then he left But not before flashing her one last searching, hungry glance

Sophia smiled He was a very poor liar

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Gray’s body coroused, when he ht have filled it at dinner His joints protested the cra a soft mattress with an even softer companion And of course there was the ever-present ache of unfulfilled lust in his groin

But beyond all this, his mind was in turmoil, and his heart--his heart was unmoored completely Wrenched free of its anchor and set adrift He’d no idea how to secure it again

She wasn’t a virgin

So she claimed

Don’t question it

At last, with that one bit of inforirl overness post The spark in her eyes, and the way she responded to his touch The way she touched him She understood passion; she knehat pleasure they could share Still he passed the night alone

Because she offered more than pleasure She offered her heart She offered trust God, she’d practically thrust it upon hih people to look after, and he’d already disappointed them all It was only a matter of time before he’d fail her, too Even so, by daybreak Gray had already washed and dressed He sat on a crate, tapping his boot and fidgeting with his pocket watch until eight bells sounded for the forenoon watch Breakfast tier Neither could he ignore this other gnawing ache inside him--the need to see her

He hadn’t the faintest idea what he’d say to the girl; as little as possible would be best Gray fetched up a book, tucked it under his arm, and headed for the ladies’ cabin door

The aroreeted hi a half-dozen small pots next to the breakfast tray After yesterday’s draht, it surprised Gray to see her standing there looking so … normal Almost domestic The knot of anxiety in his chest unraveled

"Goodup, she unscrewed the lid off one of the pots and dabbed at its contents with a fingertip

"Are you planning to poisonhis book down on the table and helping hi quite so dreadful" She looked up at hi around his ht of her, so beautiful, so close--stole his very breath Which left hioing to paint you"

"Paint ers threaded in his hair, her body pressed against his Gray doubted she even reht, drunk as she’d been Of course, he couldn’t forget it

"You don’tto pass the ti a small easel

"Unless you had some other activity in aze to his book He had many other activities in mind "I had planned to read"

"And so you still h the sleeves of a sh tih in the outline of your features, and then you can read your book while I complete the rest"

"I’ the out of subjects, you see I’ve sketched or painted nearly everyone else on the ship"

"I’d noticed"

She paused, staring hard at the brushes "Had you?"

"Yes"

Her gaze lifted to his "And … ?"

And what? What could he possibly say? That her sketches filled hi? That they revealed to hiside for years, and showed him more than he’d ever wanted to know of her heart? That he’d spurned this sao, precisely because he dreaded the moment she turned that artist’s eye on hied the corner of his mouth into a half-sment would be exhausted coain

He drained his auntlet "Very well"