Damn but the woman could kiss. He should have known. Julianna had kept him on his toes since the moment he’d met her. His cock was solid steel, his body blazed with sensation. Her delicate breasts pushed up into his chest and her hips undulated into him. He groaned low in his throat and entwined his tongue with hers. She tasted of coffee and something sweet—apple pie perhaps. The fresh sea breeze whirled around them but could do nothing to assuage the heat boiling inside him.

He’d nearly lost her. That shot had been too damned close. If that would have happened...

He released her arms and hauled her tight into him, a hand to her head and one to the dip of her back. He crushed her to him as though that might keep her safe from harm forever. She whimpered, and her fingers dug into his arms.

Drake broke away briefly. Long enough to suck in a gulp of salty air and to push a strand of hair from her face. He needed more. So did she.

“Julianna—”

She stiffened. A wash of horror came across her face. He went to release her, but she gripped his arms tighter. Whatever had caused the look, it wasn’t him.

“Julianna?”

“Shhh.”

He stilled and listened. Two voices drifted through the night from the docks. He twisted his head and saw a lantern a little way up the harbor. The light paused and lifted before continuing. It wasn’t customs men. They were not nearly so subtle. But it was clearly someone looking for something.

He looked at Julianna. Or someone.

She trembled from head to toe. “Oh Lord.”

Drake eyed her. He’d seen her enraged and full of desire and determined. He’d never seen her terrified. He never wanted to again, either.

“Please take me back to the inn, Drake,” she whispered. “Please.”

As tempted as he was to question what the devil was going on, the terror making her voice tremble cut right through to his heart. After that kiss, he suspected he’d do anything for her without question. Right now was not going to be different.

He tugged the hood of her cloak over her head and pushed her back behind the crates. He casually buttoned up his shirt and strolled across the deck, watching the two figures until they came to the bottom of the gangplank. He propped a leg up on the side and eyed them.

“Bit late to be snooping around the docks,” he said. “Are you thieving? Because I must warn you, my pistol is loaded, and I’ll happily shoot a thief.”

“Hardly.” The man with the lantern lifted it. He was a good several decades older than Drake with thick grey hair and a narrow face. His accent was as refined as Julianna’s. “Have you seen a woman by any chance? We think she might be trying to stow away.”

“I think I’d know if there was a woman aboard my ship. Besides, the Endeavor isn’t going out again for several weeks. She’d not do very well to stow aboard my ship.”

The man eyed him, his eyes hard. There was a coldness to his appearance that made Drake chilled to the bone. He’d met evil men—hell he’d even run one or two through during the war—and he recognized that look. No wonder Julianna was terrified of him.

Drake kept his tone light. “Be careful around here. Someone might mistake you for being up to no good. We don’t much like strangers in these parts.”

“Noted.” The man dipped his head briefly. “Good evening.”

“You want to tell me what this woman has done? If there’s something in it for me, I might be able to help. Send word your way perhaps. Where are you staying?”

The man paused and ran his gaze up and down him. “I think we shall manage ourselves. Come along, Gamble,” he said to his companion. 

Drake watched until the light vanished into the late-night fog that swirled about the harbor then waited for several minutes more before retrieving Julianna. She still shook from head to toe. He wrapped an arm about her shoulder.

“You would not really give me up?” Her teeth chattered as she spoke.

“What do you take me for, Princess? Of course not. I was hoping to find out where he was staying.”

She nodded. “G-good idea.”

“Let’s go. They might decide to do another search.” He led her down the gangplank then bundled her up against him once more to lead her back to the inn.

“You want to tell me who that man is?”

“I—” Another tremor wracked her.

“Never mind. Let’s get you to safety.”

He escorted her to the inn and up to her room. She drew out the key, but her fingers trembled so badly that she could not get the key into the lock. Gently, he took it from her and turned it in the door, easing it open and ushering her inside. He made quick work of lighting several candles.

Julianna stood by the closed door, her arms wrapped about herself. Her chin trembled, and her face was ashen.

He shook his head. “I cannot help you unless you tell me what that was about.”

Her gaze met his, those dark eyes filled with a hopelessness that dug a little more of the hole she was already boring into his heart. He drew her into him, wrapping his arms completely around her. She fit snugly against him while spasms wracked her intermittently. He waited, listening to her juddering breaths until they eased.

He rubbed a hand up and down her back and felt the tension ease from her body. If this were any other time, he’d be taking advantage, pushing back into that kiss that had him not knowing which way was up and which was down. If this were any other woman, he’d have her on her back by now.

But not Julianna. Because as much as he wanted more of those astonishing kisses, he wanted her to feel safe. This woman was different. He smirked to himself. He should have known. What other woman could shout at him and scold him for trying to help her and get away with it? Whatever the problem was, he’d be damned if he was going to let her live in fear. He’d do whatever it took to protect her.

Easing back, he held her by her shoulders and made her look him in the eyes. “Will you be well?”

She nodded slowly. “Yes, thank you.” Her voice was a hard shadow of itself and her eyelids dropped from exhaustion. No doubt the rush of fear was fading quickly, leaving her drained.

“Julianna, you need to tell me—”

She nodded. “I will. Just...just not now. In the morning,” she promised.

“Very well.” On impulse, he gave her a kiss on the forehead. “Nothing will happen to you,” he vowed. “Not while there is breath in my body.”

She nodded again and gave him a half-hearted smile.

“Lock the door behind me,” he ordered before he left the room.

He waited until he heard the clunk of the key. If they had not been interrupted, he’d have had no doubt they’d have been continuing this in his bed—Knight’s sister or not. Hell, he’d bear Knight’s wrath for Julianna. With ease. She’d be worth every broken rib and bruise.

He’d planned to stay on the ship tonight. With calm waters in the harbor and no rain or wind whipping up a storm, he would have slept peacefully enough. But he needed to be here for Julianna, so he’d have to beg his usual room off Louisa. He trudged downstairs. At least playing Julianna’s protector would help him forget the blood. He curled a fist and paused to take a breath at the bottom of the stairs.

The images had faded as soon as he’d kissed her. The memories of the acrid scent of blood, the sounds of cannon fire and pistol shot. They’d all drifted away into nothing and been replaced by the scent of a soft, clean woman. He’d swear he could still taste her on his tongue. She kissed like he would have expected—with fire and determination—but nothing could have prepared him for that. Julianna Knight had him well and truly at her mercy.

He found Louisa in the taproom, cleaning the almost empty room. One lone patron remained, slumped over a table, his snores rattling the rafters. She wrung out a cloth and wiped around the man.

“Do you ever rest?” He leaned against the doorframe.

She turned and smiled at him. “Do you?”

“Sometimes.”

“We had a few guests arrive tonight and with Amy sick again, I had to stay up,” she explained, tucking the cloth into her apron and heading toward the bar.

Drake straightened. “Not two men? One tall with gray hair?”

Louisa shook her head. “No, a man and a woman. Both short.”

Good. Whoever it was who was looking for Julianna was not here.

“Let me guess, you’d like a whiskey.” She’d pulled out a bottle and two glasses before he could say no. He gave a shrug.

“It wouldn’t hurt. Just one, though.”

She arched a brow.

“And my room.”

Louisa eyed him. “It’s not stormy tonight.”

Settling onto a barstool, he took the drink she offered. “I know.”

She masked a yawn behind a hand and came to join him on the other side of the bar. Louisa knew well enough that he only stayed at the inn when he could not sleep on his ship. When the wind and sea battered it, it reminded him too much of battle. Of how a cannon blast had rocked the ship he’d commanded, of how it had torn it apart.

It was funny, though, that being at sea was different. He could cope with the waves and the weather because when he was out at sea, he was in command. He was the master of the waves, in charge of whether he lived or died.

He glanced at the innkeeper as he took a sip of whiskey, feeling it slide down his throat and warm his gut. If Louisa understood the reason for him staying at the inn, she never said, and for that he was grateful.

“At least now I have Julianna, I can stay abed in the morning. She’s becoming quite invaluable. I hope she does not run back to wherever she came from.”

“Northumberland,” he commented.

“Well, I know that, but do you know anything more of her?”

He peered at Louisa. “She must talk to you, surely?”

Louisa shook her head. “I’ve told her she can, but she has remained quiet about it all. It does make me wonder what happened there, though, for both Knight and Julianna to run.” Louisa chuckled. “Who’d have thought Knight would have such a beautiful, refined sister?”

“They are certainly nothing alike,” he agreed.

“And has Knight said anything? About his sister or why they left?”

“You know Knight. If he says anything, it’s few and far between. They come from money, that much I can conclude. Came as quite a shock to us all considering Knight’s barbaric manners.”

“Oh, he is not so barbaric,” she said softly.

Drake shook his head and grinned. “If you say so.” Throwing back the rest of the whiskey, he ducked behind the bar and snatched up the key for his usual room. “It’s been a long day. I think I’d better turn in. And so should you.” He gave Louisa an impulsive kiss on the cheek, laughing when she scowled at him.

“Don’t think you can charm me, Drake, I’m immune to you.”

“I would never assume otherwise. Sleep well, Louisa.”

“And you, Drake.”

He left her nursing a drink and headed upstairs again. Pausing outside of Julianna’s room, he listened. Nothing but the drip of a tap and the creak of the old building greeted him. Hopefully she was able to sleep. He’d never seen the bold woman so terrified and he hoped to never have to see it again. Whoever that man was that had scared her so, Drake would have to ensure that did not happen again.