Desire had filled the innocent depths of the Faryn’s eyes as she’d greedily taken in the sight of Wraith’s half-nude body. Just as quickly fear, anger and hurt had replaced it and she’d turned away.

He’d seen the calculation in Orelia’s eyes as she’d watched the interplay between them. She’d seen a way out of her bargain. A way to keep the girl, who he was sure she wanted for herself.

One hour.

Was one hour enough for him to convince the lass to be willing, to make her pleasure known? Noir was not at all in doubt he could give her pleasure, but asking a shy virgin to show it in front of others was a whole other difficulty.

He pulled on his shirt, hoping that by covering his naked chest he would be able to quell some of her fears, have her listen to and concentrate on his words.

She still stared up at the ceiling and now he could see moisture on her cheeks. She was crying. Pulling a thin sheet from a chest against the wall, he walked slowly forward and sat down on the bed beside her. Gently, he covered her with the sheet, and relief flooded him when she turned her gaze toward his, the hate gone from her eyes.

“Thank ye, but why did ye do that?” Her voice was small, and he hated that.

He hated that she was scared. That this woman who’d come at him with a flashing tongue could be cut down to something so small. Hated that when they’d raided Ireland, she’d been rounded up and tossed below decks. Hated that he’d not even bothered to see who had been taken, and only come to see her when she was being whipped at the mast nearly a month later. He wasn’t idiot enough to flatter himself that the would have rescued her for something better had he gone below to the slave hold to see their newly acquired flesh, but he liked to think he might have.

“Ye looked cold,” he murmured with a smile.

“Ye lie, Captain.” Her words were filled with mirth and accompanied by a small smile. “Ye seek to comfort me. But ye needna do such a thing. I know what I must do, and I promise I will do it. Ye shall have me, ye shall have my family’s coin. And I shall be free.”

More than her fear, he hated the fact that he would bed her only because she wanted freedom. He wanted her to desire him. He wanted her to beg him. But with a woman of her stature, her moral code, such a thing would be impossible without marriage. Marriage was not up for bargain.

But perhaps he could hint… and that would help to assuage her.

“Leannan,” he sighed. “I know ye to be of noble birth. And while a pirate may not be who ye’d thought would take away your most valued possession, it is so. If it pleases ye—”

She rolled her eyes and chuckled, shocking him into silence.

“Captain Noir, please dinna tell me ye are about to humble yourself and offer marriage to me?”

He couldn’t speak, only stared.

“Ye can if ye wish, but know that I will deny ye. I am betrothed already and he is sure to find us upon the open sea for my wedding date is set to be very soon, and rain holy hell down upon ye.”

“Do ye love this man?”

She crinkled up her face and snorted. “Does any woman ever love the man her parents have chosen for her to marry because it will strengthen both families’ place in the realm and their coffers?”

“Nay,” he said flatly, his lips thinning.

“I sense from your response that perhaps ye were at one time betrothed?” She shifted on the bed, the sheet sneaking down to expose the tops of her breasts.

Why did that bit of flesh entice him more than seeing her nude had? He could imagine every inch of her breasts. Imagine pulling the sheet away with his teeth to nip at her tender flesh.

He snapped his gaze back to hers. “I was once. But ’twas long ago and in another lifetime.”

“Truly?” Her eyes narrowed as she tried to read him.

The little imp. “On my honor.”

At that, she laughed aloud. “Captain, ye have no honor. Ye’re a pirate set to steal ladies from their beds and plunder their riches.”

At her choice of words, he too chuckled. He didn’t know why but a piece of the steel he’d surrounded himself with to protect his identity opened. This woman was able to wrench a hole in his armor. “’Tis true of me now but I havena always been Captain Wraith Noir, lass. Everyone has secrets.”

“Tell me yours.”

Her gentle demand was alluring. Made him want to open up to her, to tell her his secrets, confidences that had never passed his lips. Get hold of yourself, man! He was about to spill his entire life story in her lap when he should be enticing her to enjoy what they were soon to experience so they could both escape alive.

“If I told ye, they wouldna be secrets anymore.”

“So mysterious ye are, Noir. Ye know nearly everything about me, and yet I know nothing about ye.”

“’Tis not about the knowing. Besides, I know naught of ye.”

She grunted skeptically. “Then what is it about?”

She had him there. How to answer her? Wraith sighed deeply. He was no good at this wooing thing. The women he cavorted with came to him, hopped on his lap and demanded a ride.

He grinned at her and winked. “’Tis about…” He found her fingers and entwined them with his. “This. The sharing. The sealing of one’s fate. ’Tis about opening up the most private part of yourself and allowing another to explore it. ’Tis about my soul touching yours in that one moment when earth shatters and disappears, and we travel up into the stars, melding as one being. That moment when nothing else matters but the person in your arms.”

“Ye make it sound so… Wonderful.”

“It can be.”

She swallowed, her throat bobbing as she did so, and the weariness in her eyes had not yet fully melted away.

“I promise, lass, that when we finish, I will take ye away from here. And I willna touch ye again, unless ye ask me to.”

At that promise, there was a tiny melting in her gaze. “How do I know ye mean what ye say?”

“I ask ye to trust me, but I know ye have no reason to.”

“Aye.”

Wraith brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles gently. “I’m sorry for taking ye away from your home.”

“Why?”

God’s bones, this was difficult. There were a number of reasons why, but most of them didn’t make sense even to him, so how was he supposed to make sense of them to her?

“Because, for one thing, we wouldna be in this situation.” He smiled wryly. “But for another, I admit a touch of worry over your betrothed and the supposed holy hell I am to be subjected to.”

“Ah, aye, ye will be sorry for it.”

“My men are not supposed to take ladies.”

“Someone made a mistake then?”

“Aye. And I will see them punished for it.”

“Ye would do that? For me?”

“Aye.”

“Might I impart some advice, Captain Noir?”

“Ye can try.”

She wrinkled her nose. “If your men knew ye were so willing to punish them over me, a mere slip of a lass, they might not respect ye as much as a pirate of your station deserves.”

“A pirate of my station? Have ye heard of me afore now?”

She smiled brilliantly, and for a moment, it might have been that they were not here on this bed, but in another place. “Nay,” she laughed. “But I do know pirates are supposed to be ruthless.”

Wraith ran his knuckles gently up her arm. “I am only ruthless when it comes to battle, lass, and generous when it comes to the lassies.”

He wasn’t sure which part of what he said exactly made her smile, made the fear slowly ebb, but he was exceedingly happy to see.

“What would ye consider generous?” There was a twinkle in her eye. “Swaths of gold silk, or sharing your best champagne?”

Wraith grinned at her choice of pleasures. “Both, lass, and a satisfied smile to go with them.”

“What would make a lass smile like that?” A spark in her eye showed she had an idea, even if only introduced in the last few hours to it.

He wasn’t certain, what had changed, but knew she was nearly ready. Her muscles had relaxed, her eyes widened, curiously.

“Do ye want me to show ye? Before they return?”

“Aye,” she whispered. Her lips glistened where she licked them.

Wraith could stand it no longer. He didn’t care if one hour had been reached or not. He was going to kiss her. He was going to make her want him and he was doing it now. To hell with the queen. The way to make this performance a success was to go at their own pace, to make Faryn comfortable, and he knew that would be anything but the case if they were surrounded by everyone.

Besides, he had a feeling that Orelia would like very much to walk in on their lovemaking, to be a voyeur.

He leaned forward, one arm bracing beside Faryn to hold him up, and brushed his lips over hers, feeling the warmth of her breath on his mouth as she sighed. She leaned her head up into him, not fighting his kiss at all, and he pressed his lips more firmly on hers. He stayed like that for a moment, breathing in her womanly essence, reveling in the sensation of such a sweet kiss. Taking a deep male satisfaction in that this was probably her first.

He nibbled her lower lip. Licked the crease between her lips. Slanted his mouth over hers, nuzzling and encouraging her to kiss him back. Her lips parted and her soft, warm tongue shyly came out to touch his. He let her explore his lips with her tongue as he had before touching his own tongue to hers.

She gasped when their tongues collided, and shuddered beneath him. Or was it he who shuddered? Perhaps they both had.

He moved to lay atop her, settling his hips between her spread legs, his bare belly to her sheet-clad stomach and his chest pressed against her breasts. The warmth of her seeped through the thin cloth and his shirt, igniting against his flesh, making him burn to tear the thin sheet from her body and feel the delicacy that would be skin on skin. She rubbed her breasts against him, tugged at her restraints. Should he untie her? He wanted to feel her legs wrapped around his hips. He wanted to feel her hands stroke over his back, run through his hair. Aye, he would untie her. And he wouldn’t have to worry about her escape, for she knew what was at stake, and her freedom was important but even more so…the sexy little mewls she was making showed that she too was enjoying his kisses and wouldn’t be so quick to up and run from his touch.

Perhaps for now he would only untie her arms…

Wraith continued to kiss Faryn, deeply, carnally, his tongue sinking into the depths of her mouth. Giving her what he’d promised, metaphorical golden silk and champagne. She eagerly returned his kiss, startling him for a moment. She was a natural kisser. No virgin’s kiss was this. Once again, she’d pleasantly surprised him with her inner fire, her spirit. She would be a passionate lover.

He slid his hands up her arms until he reached the knots that restrained her. Keeping his lips on hers, he untied the bonds that held her, tossing the silky ribbons to the floor.

Immediately her arms came around him, rubbing over his shoulders, exploring the expanse of his back. He let her touch him, get used to the feel of his body while he trailed kisses from her lips to her neck, nipping at the lobe of her ear.

Her head tilted back, eyes closed, Faryn was completely unaware when the air around them grew charged with wanton energy. Orelia had returned and with her the nearly one hundred slaves and servants of the hedonistic castle. They stood ’round the bed and beyond, watching, some pushing for greater view, greed and desire in their eyes. Wraith gave them only a moment’s notice before returning to the task of deflowering sweet Faryn.

Tenderly he stroked over her ribs, tugging the sheet down and over her breasts. She clutched his shoulders with both hands. He trailed his tongue from the nape of her neck down her chest to the valley between her breasts. He cupped a breast in each hand, massaging the pink tips with the pads of his thumbs.

“Oh,” she murmured, pushing her chest further into him, her breasts filling his hands.

“Aye, Faryn, tell me ye like it.”

“Aye…”

“Aye, what?” he teased, his tongue snaking out to flick over a turgid nipple.

She sucked in her breath and crooned her pleasure.

Wraith flicked her nipple again with his tongue and then flicked the other, back and forth, massaging her breasts with his hands until she panted with pleasure.

“Please,” she begged.

He knew what she wanted, but did she know? “Please what?”

She bit her lip and opened her eyes a fraction, the once-clear depths now cloudy with desire. He’d never wanted a woman more than he did now. And he didn’t think he’d ever seen a woman show so much desire and truth in lovemaking before. All his worries about whether or not she’d be able to pull of this little ruse evaporated. She was a good actress, and she must have realized that the crowd had pushed in.

“Tell me, sweetness, what do ye want?”

“I want…I want ye to…”

“Suck on your nipples?” he murmured, sucking one into his mouth.

“Oh…” Her back arched.

He chuckled against her flesh, delighted in her innocent reaction, her pure expression of pleasure and desire.

She raked her nails down his back, thrusting her chest upward. He answered her call for more, teasing her relentlessly with his mouth against her flesh.

He moved upward and buried his face against her neck, caressing her thighs up and down with his fingertips, tugging the sheet higher and higher.

His pants grew tighter and tighter as his cock engorged. He’d never been harder in his life. What was it about this lass that gave him this reaction?

He couldn’t wait any longer to touch the center of her. Shifting to the side, he trailed a hand over her hip, across her flat belly and to the triangle of soft curls covering her core. He moved his mouth to her lips and kissed her gently, teasing her lips as he teased the folds of her sex with his fingers. He found her pleasure bud and stroked over it with his thumb. Faryn moaned into his mouth, her hips bucking upward. He smiled against her mouth, continuing to stroke her pearl as he moved two fingers to slide inside her wet warmth.

She was tight, so damn tight, against his fingers. His cock jumped as he imagined burying himself to the hilt within her. But before he did that, he needed to show her the pleasure he’d promised. He wanted to feel her flutter and clench against his fingers, feel her writhe and pulse beneath him, hear her cries of pleasure before he took her. He wanted to hear her tell him that she wanted him. That she needed him.

Needed. Where had that come from? He’d never wanted anyone to need him before. No indeed. Even scarier was that it wasn’t just a want for her to need him, he needed her to need him. Wraith thrust the disturbing thoughts aside and focused on the woman beneath him. Her hips moved against his hand as he stroked. Her moans were more frequent, her breathing erratic. The walls of her slick sex grew tighter and tighter as she clenched her muscles.

Then, there it was. The flutter and clench against his fingers that he sought. She writhed beneath him. Fingernails raked down his back, her mouth open against his as she shrieked her pleasure.

Wraith did not wait for her to recover. Instead, he demanded she look at him. Her eyes opened slowly and something jerked inside his chest. Her gaze was passion filled, needy.

“Noir… I…”

“Shh… Just tell me ye want me,” he whispered.

“Aye, aye, I want ye,” she said quickly.

He unlaced his breeches, too desperate to be inside her to yank them off all the way, only releasing his engorged arousal.

“My legs,” she protested. “I want to wrap them around ye.”

His blood surged at her words, and he was eager to have her long, soft legs wrapped around him. He’d forgotten all about her legs being tied up. Forgotten all about their audience as well. Someone stepped forward and freed her legs, which she lifted her legs tentatively and curled around his hips. There was a spark of panic in her eyes that made him wonder if she hadn’t been aware of their audience after all. He leaned down, their gazes still locked. “Look at me, Faryn. Only me.”

She swallowed, her lower lip trembling but still she nodded, eyes fastened on his. Wraith pressed his forehead to hers, kissed her lips, sucking the bottom one into his mouth to still her trembling.

“Will ye say it again, lass?” he murmured.

“Say what?” Her fingers on his shoulders trembled.

“What ye said before,” he urged, not wanting to put the words in her mouth, needing her to realize that she had desired him of her own accord.

“I want ye?” she questioned.

“Aye, that.”

“I want ye.”

“Och, but ye dinna know what that does to me, lass. Tell me ye need me. Ye want me inside ye.” He licked at her mouth, pressed his hips against hers, his shaft teasing her folds. Her eyes started to roll back and she let out a soft moan, rocking her hips with him.

“Aye, I need ye. I want ye inside me.”

Finally, the moment came where he placed the tip of his arousal at her entrance. Wet, slick, hot… He gritted his teeth in ecstasy as he slowly inched forward until he reached her barrier. His forehead pressed to hers—he wanted to thrust deep inside but had to go slow. He pressed forward. She was tight. Heaven help him… He’d never experienced the pleasure of loving a woman as he did now with this blonde-haired beauty. He wrapped her hair around his fist and tugged lightly. She nipped at the skin of his shoulder and he buried his head further against her neck, sucking at the skin pulsing with her heartbeat.

He sank a little deeper. He’d bedded a virgin once—so long ago he’d nearly forgotten, and now wasn’t the moment he wanted to remember, but he’d yet to feel Faryn’s maidenhead—and he should have already. Perhaps he remembered wrong and her maidenhead was in a little farther. Soon…he’d be there soon, and then he’d have to drive home, quick and easy as to lessen the pain of it. Inch by inch, painstakingly slow, he plunged a little deeper.

The walls of her center pulsed around him, stretching, and she moaned against his ear. He wouldn’t be able to stand the torture much longer.

Faryn arched her back, tilted her hips up and thrust against him, impaling herself all the way. There was no breach, there was no cry of pain.

What the—?

One thing was for damn sure, Faryn was no virgin.