Danielle woke the next morning to the smell of sea air and … an aching back. Not just an aching back—an excruciatingly aching back. It had been a long while since she’d slept on the floor. How long had it been? She’d got her sea legs back so quickly. She’d assumed all the other aspects of life aboard a ship would come back to her immediately. She sat up, braced her hands behind her on the planks, and groaned. Sunlight streamed through the windows. She glanced over at the bed. Cade was gone and his bed was neat as a pin.
She made her way slowly to her feet, groaning again as she stood. The pallet was even thinner than she’d thought. She stretched and rubbed the small of her back. Then she raised her arms to the sky. First things first. She needed to answer the call of nature.
She tiptoed—she didn’t know why she tiptoed—over to the washbasin and peered down into the chamber pot. Empty. She breathed a sigh of relief. Merci dieu for small favors. At least Cade didn’t expect her to perform that odious part of the job of cabin boy. She did her business quickly, hoping against hope that Cade didn’t return while she was in the middle of it.
Thankfully, she was left alone and when she finished she was left with the chamber pot filled with the contents of her bladder. She tiptoed to the window, careful not to splash. She couldn’t toss it out because the side of the ship jutted out too far. Maudit. She’d have to find another place to dispose of it. She closed her eyes. Why did she have a feeling this was going to end in nothing but embarrassment?
Ensuring her hair was properly tucked into her hat, she tentatively opened the door to the captain’s cabin and peered out. No one there. She managed to climb the stairs to the quarterdeck without spilling on herself. Well done, Cross!
She scurried across the deck to the lee side, the wind at her back. She’d just finished tossing the lot into the water when a voice startled her.
“Cross, there ye be.” O’Malley’s jovial voice rang across the deck. “How did ye manage to get a demotion in the span o’ one night’s time?” The man laughed.
Still clutching the chamber pot, Danielle turned to face the second mate and lifted her chin. She was prepared for this question. Had been planning for it all night. “The cap’n decided he didn’t believe me credentials as a cook’s assistant.”
O’Malley laughed again and slapped his thigh. “Ye can’t be no worse than Martin. Boy don’t know a spoon from a fork.”
Danielle shrugged. “I don’t much care what I do as long as I’m out o’ London.”
O’Malley laughed more and clapped her on the back. “I hear that, lad. I hear that.”
Danielle was still clutching the thankfully empty chamber pot minutes later when Cade’s booming voice rang out. “Cross! What are you doing there?”
She jumped and turned, clutching the pot to her middle. Cade strode toward them.
“I hope I don’t have ta explain, sir.” She glanced down at the pot.
She could tell he was fighting a smile. “I see. Are you finished?”
If she were a blusher, now would be an excellent time to blush. “Aye, Cap’n,” she managed.
“Then get back to the cabin.”
Danielle ground her teeth. To defy a direct order from the captain was a whipping offense on a ship.
He must have seen the hesitation in her eyes because he gave her an intimidating stare and put his hands on his hips. “Thinking about disobeying me, Cross?”
She choked down the sassy reply that was on her lips. “Never, Cap’n.”
* * *
By the time Cade returned to the cabin hours later, Danielle was fuming. She was also nearly starving. She had inventoried the entire contents of the large room, inspected all of Cade’s clothing, studied every square inch of the torn map, and washed the blasted chamber pot until it shone. When he waltzed into the room, she nearly threw it at his too-handsome head.
“How dare you order me down here and leave me to rot?” she demanded, setting the pot back in the cabinet so forcefully it nearly cracked.
He lifted a brow in a questioning manner. “I’m trying to keep you safe. What else do you think you should be doing?”
“Being the cook’s assistant!”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Weren’t you the one who told me you can’t cook a thing?”
She plunked her hands on her hips. “Yes, but you’re not supposed to know that.”
“That’s a ridiculous excuse.”
“At least I could be learning a new trade.”
“To cook? Are you serious?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
Cade strode over and stood in front of her, trailing his finger along her arm. “If you’re bored, I have a suggestion for what we could do to pass the time.”
A thrill shot through her belly, but she forced herself to look away. He was too tempting. “What would that accomplish?”
“Accomplish? If I have to explain it to you…” He sighed. “The point is that it’s fun. It’s a much better time than cleaning chamber pots.”
“Confident, are you?”
“Exceedingly. Besides, you were interested the other night. What’s changed?”
She took several steps away from him so she could think better. There was a very good reason why they couldn’t have “fun” and she needed to remember it. “It’s obvious Grimaldi wants us to work together.”
“And?”
“And if we sleep together that will complicate everything.”
“I haven’t agreed to work with you or Grimaldi,” Cade replied. “Even if I did, it would still be fun.”
Mon dieu. The man personified the word incorrigible. Was he seriously arguing with her about this? “I’ve little doubt, but having fun is not always the most important thing.”
“You’ve little doubt? Oh, sweetheart, you just sealed your fate.”
She scowled at him. “What does that mean?”
A knock sounded at the door.
“Captain, I have your dinner,” Martin’s voice announced through the wood.
The smile faded from Cade’s face. He strode over to open the door. Martin marched in. He was a medium-sized boy with dark brown hair and dark eyes and a pair of silver spectacles rested on his cheeks. He looked intelligent and seemed pleasant. He had a towel over his arm and a platter balanced in his hand. He eyed Danielle carefully while he set about efficiently preparing the place for Cade at the dining table in the center of the room. The smell of the meal nearly sent Danielle to her knees.
“How are you enjoying your new position?” Cade asked him.
“I’m happy to learn something new, Captain,” the boy replied, looking perfectly pleased.
Maudit. Martin was apparently content with his new role. If that were true, he wouldn’t prove an ally in switching back. She’d been planning to speak with him and ask him to try to convince Cade he’d made a mistake.
“Glad to hear it,” Cade replied.
Martin glanced at Danielle again, obviously interested in the person who’d replaced him.
“Anything else, Captain?” Martin asked.
“Yes, Martin. Will you please bring a meal for Cross here as well?”
Danielle started. “I can eat in the galley with—”
“No. You can’t,” Cade said calmly but firmly. “Martin, another plate, if you please.”
“Right away, Captain.” The boy bowed and hurried away back to the galley.
As soon as Martin had quit the room, Danielle turned on Cade. “Are you mad? Now they’ll all think—”
“They’ll all think something preferable to discovering you’re a beautiful woman.”
That knocked the anger out of her. She couldn’t help it. “Beautiful?”
The shadow of a frown crossed his face. “Quite beautiful.”
She snapped her mouth shut. She couldn’t stay angry with him after he’d called her beautiful and added a “quite” to it. She was seriously trying and having no luck. Not to mention she was famished. Perhaps eating in the captain’s cabin would be preferable to scrounging for seconds in the galley with the rest of the crew. She took a seat across from him and waited patiently until Martin returned with her plate. Danielle pulled the cover from the meal and stared down at white fish, green beans, and fried apples. It smelled heavenly. Her stomach growled like the traitor it apparently was. She snatched up her fork and took the first delicious bite. The food on The Elenor was a sight better than on most of the ships she’d worked. Probably best that she wasn’t in the galley to make it worse, but she’d hang from the mast before she admitted that to Cade.
She waited until Martin had left before speaking again. “So, I’m beautiful, eh?” She stabbed her fork into a plump apple slice swimming in cinnamon.
“Fishing for compliments?” he replied.
“Never. I don’t fish … or swim.”
One of his eyebrows arched. “A sailor who doesn’t swim?”
“I know many who don’t.”
“And fishing?”
“Never tried.”
“Care for a drink?” Cade stood and pulled the bottle of whiskey down from the cabinet.
“I already had my inaugural toast,” she replied.
“That’s no reason to stop drinking.”
“If I didn’t know better I’d wonder if you’re trying to get me foxed.”
“And if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to avoid it. It’s fortunate that I do know better.”
The man was outrageous. “How do you know better?”
“Because we’ve had drinks before, you and I. Don’t you remember? The library? The wine?”
Her eyes flashed. “That was … before.”
“Before what, love? Before you were working? We both know that that’s not true.”
She lifted her chin. She wouldn’t insult his intelligence by claiming that wasn’t true. “So.” He handed her a half-full glass of whiskey. “Are you ready to have a drink with me or are you still pretending you don’t want to? I, for one, could use a drink after today’s events. I’m guessing you could, too.”
The man had a point. She took the glass and knocked back a healthy portion.
“Excellent.” He grinned at her. “Now, should we discuss whether we will spend the night together?”
The man was incorrigible. Very well. She’d play into his little game. Her grin was devilish. “How about a proposition?”
“A proposition? I love the sound of that.”
Danielle contemplated her options. Her conversation with Mary flashed through her mind. She’d told Mary that a drunken man’s words were a sober man’s thoughts. The idea had merit. Cade seemed intent upon trying to get her foxed. He deserved it, really. Danielle nodded and gave Cade a catlike grin. “If you can outdrink me, I’ll go to bed with you tonight.”
* * *
Two hours and many, many drinks later, Cade set his empty glass on the table and wiped his mouth with the back of his arm. The two had managed to drink an entire bottle of whiskey.
“By God, woman, aren’t you foxed yet?”
She wasn’t entirely sober, but she was also a long way from being door-knobbed. Besides, Cade had yet to tell her how he really felt about her. It was time to begin asking questions. He was at least as drunk as she was. Not the type of drunk that caused a man to pass out, but certainly in a state that would have him speaking a bit of truth were she to ask the right questions.
Might as well get right to it. She propped her chin on her fist atop the table and blinked at him. “So, you said I’m beautiful. What else do you think about me?”
He narrowed his eyes. “I think you’re the most confounding woman I’ve ever met.”
Confounding? That was hardly satisfying. “And?”
“And I want to kiss you.”
“Because?”
“Because you simultaneously drive me mad by degrees and make me want you.”
She narrowed her eyes back at him. “Are you foxed?”
“Are you?”
“I’ve been drinking since I was thirteen. I know how to handle my alcohol like a true sailor.”
He snort-laughed at that. “Better than a true sailor if Danny and Sean are the comparisons. Those two are cockeyed every time they’re in port.”
“Be that as it may, if I decide to spend the night with you, Captain, it won’t be because I’m intoxicated.”
Cade opened his mouth to make some sort of retort, no doubt, but a knock on the door interrupted their conversation. McCummins came bowling in to consult Cade about the navigation.
“We’re on course, Cap’n,” the first mate announced. “Baptiste’s ship is at least two leagues ahead.”
“And Spain?”
“We should be there in two days at most.”
“Excellent.”
The men spoke of a few other things while Danielle cleared the table and prepared her pallet on the floor. When McCummins left, Danielle glanced back at Cade.
He stood in the candlelight, staring at her intently. The strains of some music floated up from the hold where the majority of the sailors slept in wooden bunks. Someone was playing the harmonica. It was a long, slow, pretty song. She stood and made her way over to the wardrobe and prepared to put away his clothing as he flung them at her like he had last night.
“Care to dance?” Cade whispered as she passed by. She stopped, closed her eyes, and breathed in the scent of him just behind her.
She was being churlish. Had been since she’d come aboard. Cade hadn’t known she would be here any more than she’d known he was the captain. If she was angry with anyone it should be Grimaldi but he wasn’t here right now and it was easier to take out her anger on Cade.
A memory of their dance in her bedchamber floated through her mind. It had been romantic and candlelit and dreamlike. She’d been forced to cut short that magical night. She would not have to cut short this one.
She faced him, curtsied in her boots and breeches, glided into his arms, and danced with him.
“I cannot tell you how fetching you look in those breeches.” He smiled down at her.
“You don’t look half bad in yours,” she admitted, returning his smile.
He pulled her close and she breathed in his scent. His lips brushed her forehead.
“Are you foxed?” she asked.
“No.” He sighed. “I, too, have been drinking far too often for far too long. It takes a lot more whiskey than we had tonight to do the job. I was merely hoping to get you foxed.” His grin was roguish.
“Sorry to disappoint.” She laid her head against his chest.
“Not to worry. I’ll just have to rely on my charm instead of my alcohol.”
They both laughed at that, his chuckle rumbling in his chest, vibrating against her cheek. They danced for the next several moments, Danielle memorizing his heartbeat beneath his shirt. She closed her eyes and imagined he was her beau and they were at a beautiful London ball. The song came to an end and she pulled away from him.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Thank me?” His voice held a note of surprise. “For what?”
“For dancing with me. Twice. I’ve never danced with anyone before I met you. I probably will never dance with anyone else again.”
He pulled her back to him. “Nonsense.” He smiled at her. “We can dance whenever we like. It’s an advantage of being a pirate.” He slowly pulled her back into his arms and they gently swayed together in silence.
Warning bells sounded in Danielle’s head. It was one thing to stop being so churlish. It was another to get so close to him that his arms were around her waist and she was breathing in his musky scent. Nothing good could come of this. Nothing but …
His voice sounded huskily in her ear. “I’m going to kiss you now.”
She sighed and tipped back her head. “What took you so long?”