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Why was he allowing his thoughts to travel down such wicked paths that resulted in little more than pure torture? He couldn’t rerown bored with the ones in London two years ago During his travels since, none had ed to entice him He would think he’d becoly to Anne’s presence What was it about her that called to hi on the deck, he’d been content to simply hold her in his arh she’d released as she nestled against hioith so many layers of skirts and petticoats she’d have realized how very difficult it had been for him not to kiss her then She’d have been aware of his iht Not unless he took a quick dive into the waters to cool his ardor Not a wiseto doubt that he was as sht he was

When it came to Lady Anne Hayworth, it seenored her A new strategy, Anne was fairly certain, he’d adopted, designed to torment and lure at the same time He would discover she was one to the trouble of having so suspended so a portion of the quarterdeck was in shade She and Martha could sit there without having to worry about winds whipping away her parasol In addition, Martha discovered tide-brientle Squinting against the sunlight reflecting off the water, they wore theainst the harsher ele She found herself wishing she could be so carefree

She also felt a tad guilty that she was doing littlethe day while around her the men worked Some scrubbed the decks, others wove rope, a few sca She suspected if she and Martha weren’t out on the deck that a goodabout without shirts As it was a good many buttons were left undone From what she could see of their skin, thedown on theh skinned But not the captain His flesh wasPerfectly shaded

"How old do you suppose he is?" she asked

Martha startled and Anne realized she’d been absorbed in watching Mr Peterson going about his labors "Who?"

"The captain"

"Oh, I don’t know Late thirties, early forties, I suppose"

"So old? No, I think he’s er"

"He has his own ship"

"Still, I can’t quite picture hi captain of a ship I think he would pull at the traces if so his own ship would have been a priority for hi"

"You seem quite infatuated with hi specientle like Walter, or his brother Or her brothers for that reat deal trouble, m’lady"

Oh, she didn’t half know that But only if I let hiive me some credit, Martha I’entleentlemen He’s more scoundrel"

He was temptation Anne couldn’t help but think that if the devil wanted to lure wo their souls for pleasure, he’d have used the captain as his lure