Destined for the pirate Beta

The cry of whales

*Anne*

It's cool on deck, with the wind whipping around me. I hadn't considered that, and hadn't thought to grab my cloak before we left the cabin. I'm considering returning for it when he shrugs out of his jacket and places it on my shoulders. The warmth from his body is lovely as it envelops me. I draw the jacket closed as we stare out at the inky blackness of the sea.

He stands near enough to provide a partial buffer from the breeze. I would only have to move a hairsbreadth to be nestled up against him. Perhaps I have had too much wine because I feel slightly off-balance and I'm half tempted to lean into him, to let him hold me up.

Instead, I gaze up at the twinkling velvety sky. A star arcs across it, quickly followed by another. I release a small laugh. "I'm not certain I have ever seen stars so clearly before."

"Because there is nothing between us and them. No dirty air, no artificial lights, no fog." He says softly.

"Do you think it fell into the ocean?" I ask.

"I'm certain of it. That's where starfish come from, you know." He mumbles.

I peer over at him. "That's a fanciful thought. You don't strike me as a man who would have them."

His white smile flashes. "I have seen mermaids."

"No." It comes out on a small gasp.

He tilts his head slightly. "Well, they looked like mermaids. But when they came out of the water, they did have two legs instead of a tail."

"I can't imagine all the things you have seen." I say on a sigh.

"None compare to you." His smile is as soft as his voice.

I laugh. "You are impossible with your flirtation."

"Why do you not believe me?" He asks.

The seriousness of his tone informs me that he is baffled by my reaction, truly curious regarding my reasoning. "I own a mirror, Captain. Several, in fact. My features are not particularly appealing."

"Did your fiancé never…" he starts.

"He told me I was pretty; pretty is not beautiful. I don't wish to talk of him." Not tonight. Not when I have enjoyed dinner with a charming man, when that same man has brought my senses to life as they haven't been in a good long while.

A deep mournful moan echoes in the distance.

"What's that?" I ask.

He looks in the direction of the sound. "A whale."

"That's a rather lonely sound, isn't it?" It somehow seems to speak to me.

"He is probably searching for his mate." The captain says, a sad light in his eyes.

I find myself looking at him once again, studying him. "Do you ever get lonely out here?"

He doesn't answer right away, but his gaze is focused on me as though he is striving to determine how much to reveal, how much to trust me. "Sometimes," he finally says quietly. "But I'm not lonely now."

I'm not certain when, but he has moved closer, and the motion of the ship causes us to brush up against each other from time to time. His stance is steadier than mine, but I no longer fight the rolling toward him.

We don't have much more moon tonight than the night before, but with no fog, the stars stretch into eternity. His face seems to be lost in fewer shadows, although perhaps it's only that I now know every mountain and valley that comprise his strong, noble features.

How simple it would be to just lift up on my toes and press my mouth to his. Give him the kiss he demands. I have no doubt that it would be as slow and leisurely as he has promised. But I also think it would be incredibly warm and very, very intoxicating.

I hear another whale, the sound is slightly different from the first. Is it the whale's mate? Or just another desolate creature? Until this moment, I hadn't realized how terribly lonely I am, how I long for this emptiness inside me to be filled.

I have no doubt that the man standing near could fill me to overflowing, but then he would leave, and I would once again be empty. Is it better to have the fullness for a little while than to never experience it at all? Is it worth the pain that would surely follow?

My lips tingle, my breasts tingle. My toes curl. I realize that my fingers are clutching his waistcoat, and I wonder when I released my hold on his jacket and grabbed him instead. We are facing each other, and that, too, I don't remember making a conscious decision to accomplish. But here we are, so close again that our breaths are mingling, his warming my cheek. "Are you going to kiss me now?"

"No." He says softly, his breath fanning over my face.

"Why?" I ask.

His smile is kinda teasing. "Anticipation will serve only to make the moment that much more unforgettable."

"It might also serve to disappoint, to build up expectations that cannot be met." I point out.

"I think that's highly unlikely." He grins, and winks.

"You do realize that you are tormenting me." I sigh.

He flashes another grin. "Not nearly enough. Not yet. One kiss is all I shall have, Princess. When I claim it, I want you yearning for it so desperately that you hold nothing back."

"I won't hold anything back now." I mumble.

He lowers his head. I close my eyes, feel his lips skimming along my cheek.

"Not yet," he says in a low voice near my ear, sending shivers of pleasure gliding through me.

I almost grab his hair, yank on it, and force his mouth onto mine. But if he can resist, so can I. Inhaling deeply, I open my eyes. "You are a cruel man, Captain."

To my surprise, chuckling low, he turns me to face the sea, steps behind me, and winds his arms around me. "So I have been told."

I don't know why at that moment, protected by the curve of his solid body, I am happier than I have been in a good long while.