I FELT THE MAN TREMBLE, as he held me in his arms. Gasping, I pushed out of his grasp and nearly flopped onto the floor. He held me against his chest, until I was steady.

“What did you call me?” he was glaring at Tink.

She winked saucily, “It is you! Peter, I have missed you!”

Tink leaped into his arms and tried to smother his face with kisses. All the while Lilly and I were staring. How could this positively gorgeous piece of man, be the terrible Peter Pan? He looked dangerous, nothing like the playful youth that I remembered from my past.

Peter pushed Tink off of him, forcefully, “I am not who you think I am.”

I felt a wave of relief wash over me.

“You are Peter,” Tink stated emphatically.

“We can’t discuss this here,” Peter looked at the other man Rocko, “We will be in my office. Do a sweep of the bar, if you could. I was headed there.”

Rocko nodded and walked away looking powerful in his black suit. But he was nothing compared to Peter.

As we followed him to his office like little lambs, I couldn’t help but think that I was in way over my head. The strength of his powerful shoulders underneath his suit jacket mesmerized me.

“You can’t kill him,” Lilly hissed. “Remember! You promised me there would be a kiss.”

My face heated at the picture her words brought to mind. Rather than the kiss of my dagger at his throat, I pictured Peter’s lips crashing down on mine. I had never kissed a man before, and found myself curious as to what a man tasted like. More specifically, I wanted to know what he tasted like.

Peter stopped suddenly, and his eyes flew to mine. My body felt like it erupted into flames as his green eyes took in every inch of my corseted chest and tiny skirt.

He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing as he opened the door to another room.

“Please, we can discuss things further inside.”

Was it just me? Or did his voice sound huskier that before?

Peter’s eyes never left me as I crossed in front of him in my wobbly heels and made my way into his office. It was sleek and modern, having all kinds of contraptions that I hadn’t a clue what they did.

A large part of me wanted to explore. That was just my nature as a pirate, that and plunder. I had always liked the plundering.

“Tink,” his voice brought me back to the presence. “Why, after all these years have you sought me out?”

Tink looked at me, “Because Captian Hook wanted to kill you.”

At this point, I could have killed her.

I blushed, “How do you do?

His lips twitched, “You are here to murder me?”

A wrinkle formed between my brows. This wasn’t how things went in Neverland.

“But not before I kiss you!” Lilly blurted out.

Peter’s eyes widened, “Princess Tiger Lilly, I almost didn’t recognize you.”

She beamed, “I am all grown-up now.”

His eyes settled back to me as he answered her, “Yes, I can see that.”

I felt the place between my thighs heat.

“It’s only been fourteen years, Peter,” Tink smirked. “Although, your ‘real world’ looks much different than it did when I first found you lurking in ladies boudoir.”

Peter drew a breath, “Please sit down.”

We each took a seat in the plush chairs in front of his large desk. There was a window behind us that looked out over the city, and I couldn’t help but be captivated by the lights and bustle below.”

Peter settled into his large desk chair, “It might have been fourteen years for you, but it’s been well over a hundred for me. Forgive me, but those times seem more like a dream.”

This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. I felt myself standing and leaning over his desk before my brain caught up with my actions.

“I am here to avenge my father!” my hand went to the place where my dagger was usually kept by my side. And then I remembered that I didn’t have it.

He didn’t even look alarmed. In point of fact, his eyes darkened, and I looked down to see that my breasts were on full display leaning over his desk. I wanted to back away, but pirates didn’t back away from danger. They embraced it.

He leaned forward, and I felt his minty breath against my lips.

“I thought there was to be a kiss before you ran me through?”

I hated the amusement that I heard in his voice.

“The kiss of death?” I growled out.

His lips curved up, and I felt it at the base of my stomach. This man was lethal.

And then Lilly cried out, “It was my kiss!”

But Peter wasn’t listening.

His eyes had narrowed to my lips, “Are you truly Hook’s daughter?”

I jerked back. His words reminding me of who I was and what I had come to do.

“I am Captain Ebony Hook, and I am here to avenge my father!”

Peter rose to his feet. He towered over me.

“Feel free to try, Sweet Ebony, I welcome the challenge.”

Clenching my hands into fists, I blurted out, “Pistols at dawn or swords?”

Peter was enjoying this entirely too much. I could see it in his eyes as they blatantly skimmed my body.

“Whichever you prefer, although to be fair, you have just taken a long journey and must be exhausted.”

I was rather tired.

“Pirates don’t need rest!” I blurted out, and Tink snickered.

I turned to glare at her and didn’t notice that Peter had crossed from behind his desk. He gently brought my face around and tipped my chin up so that I could see his eyes.

Need and want surged through my body.

“At least get a decent meal and a good nights rest,” his tone was soothing. “You are all welcome to stay at my home until my demise of course.”

Bastard, he was making fun of me!

“I will run you through!” I demanded hotly.

He stepped closer so that there was less than an inch between us, “You are certain of that?”

“I am the best swordsman in Neverland,” and I was.

He smiled, and I felt my pussy throb. This intense attraction was a nuisance.

“Then you have nothing to worry about,” he purred low into my ear. “Think about your friends. They must be tired and hungry as well. You larder is empty by now. I know that the journey is long.”

He was right, damn him.

“How do I know that you won’t slit my throat in my sleep?” I demanded.

He brushed a silky hair behind my ear, “I would no sooner harm a masterpiece like yourself than I would a butterfly. But, if you wish, you may arm yourself with whatever weapons or guards you deem necessary.”

I thought of Alex and the lost boys.

“You will take all of us in? And give us food for the return trip?”

He nodded gravely, “It is the least I can do since you came all this way to see me.”

I stuck my hand out, “Gentleman's agreement then?”

His eyes flared as he grasped my hand. Fissions of awareness shot up my arm, and I tried to pull away, but he held me a moment longer.

“Gentleman’s agreement,” he concurred.

I turned to the girls and saw that Tink looked bored, and Lilly a bit confused.

“You are not the boy that left,” Lilly murmured.

Peter turned to her, “I am sorry, Princess. But no, I am not the boy who left all those years ago. Time has a way of changing one.”

He glanced at me carefully, “Perhaps you might see that in your stay here.”

I bristled, “I am still going to kill you eventually. I am just seeing to the needs of my crew.”

His face was impassive, but I couldn’t help but note the challenge in his green eyes.

It was like a spider leading its prey, but I wasn’t particularly certain if I was the spider or the fly.