Juliana Wright is on the hunt. Her father discovered an ancient treasure map�and was killed for it. Now she�s determined to find the treasure for herself in time for Christmas and escape the brigands pursuing her.

To complete her mission, she needs the help of devilishly handsome Captain Rawden Wood, a notorious pirate revered throughout the high seas. He is the only one capable of protecting her aboard his ship, but Juliana knows that with one single touch he could dishonor her�and worse, reveal her biggest secret�

The Pirate�s Reckless Touch

Linda Skye

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Historical Undone BPA

Copyright

Chapter 1

Rawden scowled at the winter chill, shoving his hands deeper into the pockets of his woollen trousers. Thick, heavy snowflakes drifted down lazily in circular patterns all around him, and a crowd of ratty street children bustled around his legs, laughing and sticking out their tongues to catch the flakes. It was only a few days until Christmas Eve, and even the poorest boroughs of London seemed to have swung into the festive season. A few of the local taverns that lined the narrow alleyway had even hung evergreen wreaths from their doors.

But to Rawden, it just didn�t feel like Christmas.

Not when his ship, the Golden Maiden, was in such disrepair that he feared going to Davy Jones�s locker every time they were at sea. Not when his mutinous, grumbling crew had to be kept in line with constant threats of keelhauling. And not when his personal coffers were practically empty despite months of scouring foreign seas for booty-filled ships.

So it was not the warm glow of the Yuletide season that had brought him back to the London docks; it was the hope of finding information about fresh plundering grounds.

Rawden�s eyes scanned the row of seedy back-alley taverns, stopping to rest on the crudely carved placard of a familiar door. The Mucky Duck. A favourite watering hole for London�s less savoury merchants. He strode over quickly and pushed his way past the heavy oak door and into the dank, dimly lit pub. Ignoring the late-night revellers and flirtatious ladies of the night, Rawden made his way over to the bar and lifted a finger. A heavy earthen mug slid his way almost immediately, filled with a dark, frothy brew. He quietly nursed his drink as his sharp eyes discreetly searched out the room for known traders or informants.

But all thoughts of piracy evaporated the moment he spotted her across the room. He didn�t know who she was or where she had come from, but she was almost blindingly beautiful. Her golden tresses were loosely pinned up so that a few wayward curls framed her delicate face. Her pale, slender neck was as elegant as a swan�s, and her bare arms were the colour of the finest fresh cream. Her light and flimsy frock was cut dangerously low, the sleeves just barely skimming the edges of her slim shoulders.

A drunken sailor might mistake her for a common whore�but Rawden knew better. Though her dress was similar to those of the other pub wenches, the fabric was too white, too clean. And rather than flitting from man to man with a salacious grin, she awkwardly wandered about, subtly cringing when meaty hands reached for her. But most of all, her dovelike face was just too innocent and too sweet to be mistaken for that of a tart. It was painfully obvious that she didn�t belong, despite her very best efforts to blend in. An amused smirk quirked the corners of Rawden�s lips as he watched her stumble from table to table. He wondered, briefly, what misguided notion had caused the young woman to engage in such a bold and foolish masquerade.

And then a cool blast of December air washed over him as the pub door swung inward and two marine police walked in. Conversation stilled for a moment as the burly men sauntered toward the bar.

Rawden frowned into his mug of ale before tipping it back and draining the bitter drink in one long gulp. Tossing a few coppers onto the bar, he stood abruptly, fully intent on leaving the scene. Finding information with police in the tavern had just become impossible, and he had no desire to get caught up in any shenanigans with the law. He had enough trouble as it was.

As he turned, he saw that the police had stopped in the centre of the tavern, their eyes roving over the raucous crowd of sailors and merchants. Feigning indifference, he casually ambled toward the exit. He felt the officers� eyes on him as he approached, and he carefully kept his eyes averted. A flash of golden hair caught his eye.

Perfect, he thought to himself. Something to pretend to look at.

Rawden fixed a leer on his face, gluing his eyes onto the young woman and grinning like a hungry dog. He heard the police snort disgustedly as he passed. But even after the police turned their attention elsewhere, Rawden could not tear his eyes from the innocent girl. It didn�t help that she was heading in his direction. Just before he managed to make it to the door, she seemed to trip on some invisible obstacle�which sent her careening into his arms.

A cacophony of catcalls and whistles erupted from the onlookers as Rawden steeled himself against the young woman�s soft flesh. She had landed against his chest in a tangle of smooth limbs, and her silky hair was brushing the underside of his stubbly chin. She pulled away more slowly than he expected, bracing her palms on the rough leather of his vest. Then, with her ample bosom still pressed up against his chest, she tilted her head back to meet his gaze. Rawden�s arms tightened around her slender frame as he looked down at her sweetly upturned face. She was even more beautiful up close. Thick lashes fluttered over sea-blue eyes, and her pink lips were slightly parted in surprise. Rawden inhaled sharply, and he was overtaken by her pure, bright scent. She smelled clean and fresh, like a crisp summer�s day.

Too clean, a voice niggled at the back of his head.

Rawden sighed, remembering himself. He slid his hands to her elbows and steadied her as he stepped back resolutely.

�You should go,� Rawden said gruffly as he watched the police from the corner of his eye.

His suggestion was met with silence, and he glanced down at the girl with a dark frown. She had tilted her head to one side and was studying him curiously, blue eyes unblinking.

�Why?� she asked quietly.

Rawden�s fingers tightened at her elbow and he leaned in, his lips brushing her ear.

�Because I know you don�t belong here,� he breathed, his warm breath moistening her neck.

He leaned back, certain that the daring gesture had shocked her to her senses�only to watch incredulously as the girl took a bold step forward and placed an open hand on his forearm. Leaning against him, she rose to her toes and mimicked his actions, pressing her open mouth to his temple.

�And what makes you think that?� she whispered, allowing the very tip of her tongue to graze the ridge of his ear.

She smiled and slid down the length of his body, letting him feel her every curve glide down the steel planes of his torso. Rawden felt raw heat surge through his limbs, pooling where her hips meet his. Logic lost to lust as he revelled in the warm glow of her body pressed to him. His eyes dropped to trace the curve of her bare shoulder and the swell of her breasts. His rough hands fisted in the fabric of her airy shift and he walked her back into the door�through which he had been trying to escape just moments before. He pressed her firmly up against the rough wooden surface and smoothed his hands down her sides to grip her hips. She responded by wrapping her arms around his middle, her fingers tracing a distracting pattern on his lower back.

�Girl,� he growled low in his throat, �this is a dangerous game.�

�So?� she answered coyly, nipping at his chin. �Are you going to play?�

�Perhaps,� he said as he twisted his fingers in her hair and gently pulled her head back. �You certainly need to learn a lesson or two.�

�Oh?� she questioned playfully, allowing him to plant a row of rough kisses up the length of her exposed neck. �What lessons would those be?�

�Foolish lass,� Rawden grunted as he reached down to give her pert bottom a light pinch. �For one, that innocent, high-born girls should not pretend to be strumpets in sailors� taverns.�

�I�m innocent, am I?�

Rawden stilled immediately, closing his eyes. For a brief moment, he allowed himself to imagine her creamy legs wrapped around him, her pliant flesh yielding to his desire and her cries of passion at his ear. He could have her now if he wanted�let her think she�d won at her game of masquerade and sate his lust with her sweet body without caring about her reputation. And then�he would leave her ruined and sullied.

His breathing heavy, Rawden reluctantly pushed away from her. Planting his palms on either side of her head, he lowered his face to hers. Yes, he thought as he took in her flushed cheeks and bright eyes, you�re stillinnocent. Though her seductive confidence may have been the result of some previous carnal experience, her expression was not the jaded, calculating look of a wharf prostitute. Neither was her face marred by the bitter wrinkle lines of a woman forced to pleasure others at her own expense. He inhaled deeply. Her skin was too soft and smelled of expensive oils. Rawden sighed.

�You don�t belong here,� he repeated gruffly. �Go home before someone ruins you.�

�Someone?� she asked, arching an aristocratic brow.

�Not me,� he warned through gritted teeth, pulling her away from the door. �But if you stay here, someone else will certainly force you to do something you�ll regret.� He stood back, his eyes hard. �So go home, little girl.�

With that, he brusquely brushed past her, pulling open the tavern door with enough force to send it slamming into the wall. He stalked out into the cold, frustration clawing through his veins. He tried to banish the phantom feeling of her body under his as he strode hurriedly away. It was so darned cold, and he quickened his steps. He shoved his hands back into his pockets�and then stopped cold.

Slowly, he reached deeper into his trouser pockets, fingers fumbling and searching. Jaw dropping, he turned out the fabric to be absolutely sure.

Nothing, he thought in disbelieving wonder.

That innocent young girl had just stolen all his money.

Chapter 2

Juliana Wright pulled her thick cloak more tightly around her shoulders and hurried through the twisting alleys. She was on a mission. She�d finally found the right man for the job�a rare type of honourable villain�and then he�d vanished into the night without so much as whispering his name. She frowned crossly. For a moment in that seedy tavern, she had really thought that she�d had him in the palm of her hand. Thankfully, it hadn�t taken too long for Juliana to pry his name off of a few inebriated sailors; apparently he was legendary for his former exploits abroad.

Captain Rawden Wood.

He had once been one of the wealthiest pirates in the Western seas, ravishing treasure-laden ships along the Mediterranean and African coastlines. His ship, the Golden Maiden, had been a shining example of marine engineering�a sleek and swift pirate vessel equipped with the latest cannons and the most cutthroat mercenaries. �Twas a shame for him that the illicit gold had all but dried up in Europe. It caused his ship to fall from the pinnacle of its past. It had his crew biting at the bit with restless greed. It made Captain Rawden Wood desperate for money.

And that made him perfect for her job, Juliana thought to herself with a sly smile. Just perfect.

Now, she just needed to find him again.

Her steps were light and sure as she skipped toward her destination. But when she rounded a corner, she almost stumbled to a stop.

A trio of shabbily dressed thugs was casually leaning against the walls, as if they had been expecting her. One of them was picking his teeth with the tip of a nasty-looking dagger. He turned to size her up, and a cruel grin lit his face. He took a menacing step toward her.

�Well, well, well,� he said in a voice as gritty as sand. �What do we have here?�

Juliana spun around, ready to run back the way she came. But another pair of goons emerged from the gloom, their grubby hands reaching for her. She ducked out of their reach and turned to face their leader, realising grimly that she�d been cornered. Her eyes darted from him to his cronies and back again. Their clothes were crusted with salt, their hair matted with dirt and their fingertips blackened with grime. She recognised the sort immediately. Swabbies. They were the grunts of a ship, spending most days mopping up the deck. Their leader�a heartless, soulless pirate, no doubt�was still grinning maniacally as he invaded her personal space, thrusting his face close to hers. His greasy, foul smell assaulted her nostrils, so she did the only thing she could think of.

She turned up her nose at him.

He laughed. �Is that any way to treat an old friend? Surely you remember me�good old first matey Clegg?�

�What do you want, you dirty sea dog?� she demanded, tinting her tone with arrogance.

�You know what I want, my little lassie.�

�I am not your little lassie,� Juliana hissed.

She suddenly felt very crowded as the small group of scallywags tightened their circle around her, cutting off her view of the end of the alley. Her hand slipped instinctively to her thigh and she hitched up the hem of her dress.

�Plan on giving us a show?� the pirate asked suggestively, waggling his bushy brows at her exposed leg.

�Not likely,� she snorted as her fingers found the hilt of her concealed dagger.

�Come on now,� Clegg chuckled. �Just hand it over.�

�Not on your life,� she bit out.

�My life?� Clegg asked with a false smile. �I don�t think it�s my life you should be worried about, lassie.�

Juliana did not answer. She kept her eyes trained on his every move, her hand tightening on her weapon.

�Just give us what�s ours, and we�ll be on our way,� the pirate said, his voice unnaturally coaxing.

�It�s not yours. And it never will be,� Juliana declared.

The pirate�s face turned ugly in rage. Before she could blink, he grabbed her by the upper arm and began to shake her violently.

�Stupid wench,� he shouted, spittle flying. �Give me what�s rightfully mine!�

�Oh? That�s an odd coincidence.� A deep booming voice echoed off the alley walls. �That�s what I want too.�

Her assailant�s hand slipped from her arm as the thugs turned to see who had spoken.

Well, well, well, Juliana thought sardonically, if it isn�t Captain Rawden Wood. What impeccable timing.

But this was not the way she had wanted to approach him, and she considered slinking off into the dark�except that the swabbies� bodies formed a solid wall against her back. She tensed, waiting for whatever would happen next.

�Just be on your way, bucko,� Clegg sneered. �We have some unfinished business with this here lassie.�

�So do I.� Rawden paused and then added sarcastically, �Bucko.�

�You looking to get hurt, matey?� Clegg threatened.

Rawden paced calmly into the alley, his hands still lightly resting in his pockets. As he neared, Juliana saw just how intimidating he could be. He was tall and dark-haired with piercing green eyes. His gait was sure and measured, as deadly as that of a pacing lion. He stopped when he loomed over Clegg, who had to look up to meet his eyes.

�I hope you�re not mistaking me for a dashing young dandy out to save a damsel in distress,� he said, his voice pitched low. �Because that would be a fatal error.�

�No disrespect, matey�but why bother us?� Clegg said, unable to keep himself from stammering slightly. �She�s just one little wench.�

�That�s my business, not yours.�

�I�ve got men here��

Rawden interrupted him with a deep sigh.

�Look here, you rapscallion,� Rawden said, tapping the gold pin adorning the lapel of his coat. �Do you know this crest?�

Clegg squinted at the gold pin; a winged woman resting on a thin circlet of gold. It was a well-known symbol. He paled and stepped backward.

�Captain Rawden Wood,� Clegg rasped.

�Aye, then,� Rawden replied, his voice hard and dangerous. �So you do know of me.�

Clegg didn�t bother to answer. Instead, he waved a hand at his swabbies and backed his way out of the alley as quickly as he could, disappearing with the sound of scurrying feet. Silence reigned in the nearly empty back street as Rawden watched their shadows disappear around the corner. Juliana regarded him warily, her fingers still tight around her dagger.

�You can let go of that knife, missy,� Rawden grunted, his eyes sliding to hers. �I�ve no plans to hurt you just yet.�

Juliana didn�t so much as twitch. Rawden sighed.

�You have my money, girl.� Rawden held out a hand expectantly. �That�s what I�m here for.�

She raised a thin brow, her eyes slowly trailing down his body. His eyes were the most uncanny shade of emerald green, and they gleamed in the half light, making him look even more devilish than before. He had a hard-set, square jaw that was covered in light stubble, and his thick dark hair tumbled in messy curls around his temples. Though he wasn�t stocky by any means, he was tall and had sturdy, broad shoulders and a lean, muscular build. He was fairly well dressed for a down-and-out pirate, and his clothes were reasonably clean and neat. Yes, he would do. Juliana straightened, fixing him with a resolute stare.

�I will return your money,� she told him in a clear, unwavering voice. �If you will hear my request first.�

It was Rawden�s turn to arch a brow.

�Why should I?� he asked, curious.

�What have you got to lose?� Juliana countered.

�Time.�

�I will make it worth your while.�

�Do you think you are in any position to be bargaining with me?�

�Do you want your money back or not?�

�You realise that I can just take it from you, do you not?� he asked incredulously.

�You said you would not hurt me.�

�Yet,� he clarified pointedly. �I said I had no plans to hurt you yet.�

Juliana narrowed her eyes and planted her hands on her hips.

�You are an impoverished pirate at risk of losing your ship to decay. And any day, your gold-hungry gang of bandits will turn on you,� Juliana declared haughtily. �I think that you need to hear my offer.�

Rawden�s lips thinned as his patience waned.

�Not so innocent after all,� he muttered. �Well then, little lass, what is your offer?�

�I am looking for something,� Juliana began.

�What is it?�

�Not your concern,� she snapped before continuing. �I am looking for something of mine but I am also being pursued.�

�I can see that,� Rawden acknowledged. �And by some less than savoury characters, I assume.�

�So,� Juliana said with a quick nod of her head, �I need protection.�

�For how long?�

�Until I find what I am looking for.�

�Which is where?�

�I can�t tell you yet,� she said evasively. �But I require a ship to get there.�

�I see,� Rawden said curtly. �You�re looking for something�but you won�t tell me what. You are going somewhere along the coast�but you won�t tell me where. And you need me to be your personal bodyguard for an indefinite length of time?� He barked a laugh. �I think not, lassie. I�ll have my money and be on my way, thank you very much.�

Juliana remained impassive as she drew a small pouch of coins from her cloak. She tossed it in his direction, and he caught it deftly with one hand. Rawden chuckled as he dropped the pouch back into his pocket.

�Good luck finding someone,� he said as he turned away. �But I�m sure you couldn�t pay enough for anyone to��

�A gold sovereign,� she cut in sharply.

He glanced at her over his shoulder.

�One gold sovereign is not nearly enough to��

�One gold sovereign every day,� she announced, blank-faced. �Every day from today until the day I safely have what I am looking for.�

Rawden slowly turned on his heel, his eyes studying her serious expression.

�A gold sovereign every day,� he repeated carefully. His voice dropped to a deadly timbre. �That is quite the dangerous promise, young lady. How do I know you can deliver? After all, you did swindle me for just a few shillings.�

Her answer came in the form of a shining gold disc flying through the air, which he caught with a quick swipe of his hand. When he opened his fist, a single gold sovereign blinked up at him; he didn�t need to bite at it to know it was real.

�That�s for today,� she was saying as she flicked a second gold coin his way. �And this is an advance for tomorrow.� She paused before adding, �And I robbed you because it was the only way I knew to make you come find me.�

�And where is the rest of my payment?� Rawden asked slyly, still staring at the two shining pieces of gold in his palm.

�Hidden,� she answered sassily. �In spots along the way to what I�m after.�

�Clever girl,� Rawden mused aloud. He looked up, his eyes appraising. �One minute an innocent little aristocrat, the next a petty thief. And now,� he said, �a cunning little merchant.�

She wasn�t quite sure if he was praising or berating her tactics�but one thing was for sure. There was something in his intense green eyes that sent her heartbeat racing. There was an electric pull between them that she just couldn�t ignore. And if she played her cards right, their magnetic attraction might just work to her advantage�if she could keep her own jumbling emotions in check. Juliana tilted her head slightly, causing one perfect golden curl to fall over her porcelain cheek.

�Oh, I can be much more than just that,� she answered in a lilting voice.

�Is that right?� Rawden prompted, a feral grin spreading his lips.

With all the grace of a svelte cat, Juliana sashayed toward him. When she was so close that their misting clouds of breath mingled, she touched his cool cheek with a fingertip. Moistening her red lips with the tip of her tongue, she slid her fingers down the line of his jaw. He caught her wrist in an iron grip.

�Planning to rob me again?�

She smiled and pulled her wrist from his grasp.

�Not if you accept my offer.�

�It is quite a generous offer,� he said thoughtfully, his hands wandering instinctively to her waist.

�You have no idea,� Juliana purred seductively as she smoothed her hands up his arms and wound her arms around his neck. �Just imagine�a gold coin for every day you spend with me.�

�Protecting you, you mean,� Rawden corrected her, his voice a husky rasp.

Juliana felt him wind his arms more tightly around her as she stepped in even closer. She took a deep breath, inhaling his musky scent. He smelled of salt and oakwood, and his evening whiskers tickled her fair skin. She laid her cheek against his shoulder and pressed her lips to his neck.

�Yes,� she murmured against the skin of his neck. �Protecting me.�

Rawden�s hands fisted in the fabric of her thin shift as he pulled her even closer and buried his nose in her soft hair.

�And what is to stop me from taking your gold and whatever it is that you�re looking for?� he rasped.

�You couldn�t if you tried,� Juliana said with a short laugh punctuated by a soft moan as his hands slid to her bottom.

�Is that right? Won�t you need protection once you�ve found your treasure?�

�No one else will know I�ve found it.�

She twisted her hips against his and sighed when he thrust back.

�So how will I know when you have found this thing you are so keen on?�

�When I find what I want,� Juliana said in a seductive whisper, �I can assure you that you will be the first to know.� She laughed huskily. �Besides, I�m not so foolish as to keep paying a pirate for the pleasure of his company.�

She gently nudged the underside of his jaw with the bridge of her nose. Then she lifted her lips to graze his earlobe with her teeth. He groaned softly, lost in the sensations. He abruptly pulled her away to hold her at arm�s length.

�Fine,� he said, meeting her playful eyes with a stern stare. �But I have one condition.�

�Name it,� she answered with a smirk.

�You are to obey me,� he stipulated firmly.

�Obey?� She arched an imperious brow.

He nodded and took her chin between his thumb and forefinger.

�I will not be bound to a wench who will not allow me to protect her in my own way.�

�Fair enough,� Juliana replied with a slight shrug.

�It�s settled then,� Rawden said as he released her and stepped back.

With a curt nod, he turned and stalked away toward the docks. She followed, one step behind him. Her sharp gaze trailed over his masculine form. She knew it was a dangerous game she was playing, stoking the flames of desire between them while trying not to get burnt.

But she had cast her lot�and she was determined to win.

Chapter 3

�I didn�t expect you to get us into trouble this soon,� Rawden muttered darkly.

�Apologies,� Juliana said tightly, her slight form hidden behind his. �I most certainly did not plan for this to happen.�

They stood at the edge of the docks, their backs to the channel. Nearly a dozen men brandishing pistols had them surrounded. Rawden�s eyes flicked from one man to the other, his mind racing. They were clearly pirates, probably sent after them by Clegg. He might have been able to escape had he not been hindered by two very important facts: first, he had the girl to worry about. And more importantly, he had no weapon.

He sighed deeply and slowly raised his hands, ignoring Juliana�s hiss of protest.

�Fine,� he conceded with a flippant grin. �You win.�

The pirates eyed him warily, their fingers tightening on their triggers.

�What?� Rawden said innocently. �You don�t trust me?�

�Throw your weapons into the channel!� one pirate shouted.

�I don�t have any on me,� Rawden said with a slight shrug. �You can check if you want.�

None of their attackers seemed to be inclined to get near the notorious captain. Instead, they began muttering softly amongst themselves.

�Look,� Rawden said impatiently, �why don�t you just take us to your fearless leader. It�s what you were supposed to do anyway, right? If you don�t trust me, just keep pointing us in the right direction with those shiny pistols of yours. I can assure you that I won�t try to outrun your bullets.�

�We just want the girl,� one of them called out.

Rawden felt Juliana stiffen beside him. She dug her fingers into his sleeve, and he gently placed his hand over hers in what he hoped was a reassuring gesture. Really, did she think he would renege on their contract so soon? It hadn�t even been a quarter of an hour since he�d given her his word. Besides, he had only gotten two sovereigns out of her so far.

�Unfortunately, we�re on a two-for-one deal at the moment,� he called back unyieldingly. �And I�m sure you�d rather I tag along willingly rather than pick you off one at a time from behind.�

The pirates grumbled but reluctantly acquiesced, waving them toward the looming shadow of a ship moored a short way down. Rawden tucked Juliana�s arm in his and strode along, his gait relaxed but his hand firmly gripping hers. Though she was stone-faced, he could feel the faint tremor in her fingers. He cast her a meaningful look, hoping she would fulfill her end of the bargain to follow his lead.

Not very long after, Juliana and Rawden found themselves standing on the deck of a massive ship�and, yet again, completely surrounded. The first mate, Clegg, pushed his way to the front.

�Remember me, dearies?� he drawled, spinning a blade with his fingers. �You were quite rude that last time, so I won�t be so lenient now.�

�Hold your tongue, Clegg.�

The harsh voice rung out over the deck, and the whole crew quieted. As Rawden and Juliana watched, the captain of the ship slowly descended the wooden steps from the forecastle toward them. His eyes were sharp as he thoughtfully thumbed his greying beard.

�Greetings, Captain Wood,� he said to Rawden amicably with a toothy grin. �Welcome to my vessel, the Grey Gull.�

�What a pleasant surprise, Captain Elijah Hawkins,� Rawden said, bowing with a flourish. �You�re certainly looking well.�

�More than I can say for you,� Elijah replied lightly. �This is an awkward situation, isn�t it?�

�Yes, isn�t it?� Rawden echoed softly, his eyes never leaving Elijah�s wizened face.

But Elijah�s eyes were already sliding to Juliana, who stood half-hidden behind Rawden.

�Well now,� Elijah said with false affection. �Aren�t you all grown up now, Miss Juliana Wright.�

Rawden felt Juliana tense and slide even further behind him. She was not even trying to hide her trembling now. Though he certainly understood her fear, such a blatant display of fright surprised him. She had not seemed the type to cower under pressure.

�Now don�t be rude, young miss,� Elijah chided, his voice dangerously soft. �We were good friends once, you and I. In fact, wasn�t it your father who��

Juliana stepped out from behind Rawden suddenly.

�Don�t you dare speak of my father,� Juliana demanded in a flinty voice, her eyes dancing in anger.

Rawden�s eyebrows rose slowly. The fine tremors shaking her body hadn�t been the result of fear at all. She�d not been afraid; she had been angry�no, not angry, absolutely furious.

�There she is,� Elijah said, rocking back on his heels. �I thought you�d become a proper little damsel in distress for a moment. But that never was your style, was it?�

Juliana�s lips tightened into a thin line, and she simply glared at him silently.

�I guarantee you won�t be giving me the silent treatment for very long,� Elijah said with a cruel smile. �But it will be easier on all of us if you would just give me the map.�

Rawden studied Juliana�s stony expression from the corner of his eye. Map, he thought, what map?

�I won�t.�

Elijah sighed heavily.

�I thought you might say that, my dear.�

He shook his head, imitating regret. He turned to his crew and raised one hand high. While his back was turned, Rawden leaned down to whisper in Juliana�s ear.

�I hope you can swim,� he breathed quietly.

Juliana was about to ask what he meant when Elijah�s booming voice rang out again.

�Shoot Captain Wood and feed him to the fish,� Elijah commanded. �Then strip the girl and tie her to the mast. Have some fun too, while you�re at it!�

The crew roared with delight as their captain egged them on with more promises of violence. But when Elijah turned back to his captives, he found them near the railing of the ship.

�Stop them!� he called belatedly.

But it was too late. With a wink and salute, Rawden jumped overboard with Juliana under one arm. The crew rushed to the edge of the deck and fired blindly into the dark water.

�Stop, stop you fools!� Elijah raged. �We need the girl alive!�

But only the faintest sounds of the commotion aboard reached Rawden�s ears. Frigid water sloshed around him as he struggled to free Juliana from her heavy wool cloak. For once, he was happy that he wasn�t carrying a firearm�at least he wouldn�t lose anything to rust! Then, ignoring her sputtering and coughing, he dragged her kicking body through the water.

�I can swim,� she panted. �Let go!�

He released her immediately, and she pushed away to tread water. He paused to stare at her pale silhouette as they rose and fell with the swell of the waves.

�Let�s go,� he said finally.

�Where?�

He didn�t answer but turned and began to cut through the water in a strong, elegant front stroke. He glanced back over his shoulder to see Juliana catch up to him with equally skilled strokes. They swam for what seemed an eternity in the chilly water, forcing their muscles to strain against the cold. Rawden muttered curses on his salty lips as he cut through the icy waves. It just had to be wintertime, with the warm lights of Christmas blinking at their back and nothing but bone-chillingly cold water pulling at their heavy limbs. Just perfect. He could have been enjoying a sweet Christmas pudding in his cabin by now if he hadn�t met this confoundedly alluring woman.

Finally, when the Grey Gull was a mere shadow behind them, a smaller shape emerged from the dark in front of them. It was a small rowboat, manned by two men�one at the bow and one at the stern. As soon as Juliana touched the rough wood with her fingers, she felt herself being hauled aboard. She collapsed at the bottom of the boat in a wet tangle of soaked limbs and cloth. Coughing and shivering, she rubbed her hands up and down her arms, trying to revive her numb limbs. She felt Rawden sit on the bench in front of her and heard him bark orders to his men, who began to row immediately. Juliana slowly crawled into sitting on the bench opposite her pirate protector. When she lifted her eyes to his, he was glaring at her with a clenched jaw.

�Care to explain that to me, little miss?�

�Explain what?� she asked shortly.

�This business of a map.�

�What business is that of yours?�

He leaned forward, and shook the excess water from his hair with long fingers.

�Don�t fool yourself into thinking that I�ll blindly endanger my life or the lives of my crew for you, Miss Wright,� Rawden said in clipped tones. �I don�t care what history you seem to have with Captain Elijah Hawkins, but he is a dangerous opponent. And I�ll bet my boat that he�ll come after you again. So you�d better tell me right now�what kind of map do you have that makes you so important to him?�

Juliana looked away into the darkness, her fingers tightening around her arms until her knuckles were white. Her gaze grew distant as her lashes lowered.

�There was once a legendary map,� she began softly, �that was hidden in the Royal Navy�s archives.� Her tone took on an almost singsong quality. �It was an ancient map�so old that the paper would crumble into dust if you touched it carelessly. It was so precious that no one knew of it except the highest ranking officers, and they were sworn to secrecy. The map may have even belonged to the great King Arthur. It may have even been penned by Merlin himself.�

Juliana closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she spoke again, her voice was hard and cold as stone.

�My father found this map. And Captain Elijah Hawkins killed him for it.�

�But your father kept its secret safe.� Rawden�s voice was flat. �And now only you know where the map is.�

�Only I.�

For a few long moments, there were no sounds but the lapping of the water against the sides of the dinghy and the grunts of the rowing men. And then Rawden heard something else�the chattering of teeth. With a sigh, he shrugged out of his long coat and reached forward to drape it over the girl�s huddled form.

�And,� he asked quietly, �what does this map lead to?�

�Treasure.�

Rawden gripped the lapels of the coat he�d put on her and pulled her closer. She met his sharp eyes and stared back defiantly.

�What kind of treasure?�

She pulled away from his grip, her chin tilted back.

�Roman gold,� she informed him. �More Roman gold than has ever been found before. And all hidden in secret sea caves.�

�Where?�

She glared.

�Tell me,� Rawden demanded. �Our agreement will still stand.�

�In Cornwall,� she said in a hushed voice. �Sea caves in Cornwall.�

Rawden leaned his elbows on his knees and steepled his fingers in front of his face. He regarded her calm expression through hooded eyes. His job had just gotten much more complicated. On top of protecting a headstrong lass with more secrets than she cared to share, he would have a bloodthirsty pirate on his tail looking for an unmatched treasure map. He considered her serious face with calculating eyes. She was watching him with guarded hopefulness. His lips spread into a slow smile. He had much to lose�but so much more to gain: his pay in gold and perhaps a cut of the Cornish treasure. Yes, he thought, he would see this adventure to its profitable end.

�Well,� he said, leaning back with a mild chuckle, �at least now I know the direction we are sailing in.�

Chapter 4

When Juliana set her bare feet aboard the infamous Golden Maiden, she knew she was getting a small glimpse of the Golden Age of piracy. Smooth wood gleamed and billowing sails hung from imposing masts. It was a beautifully designed ship.

And then she felt the stares. All the men�from the burliest swabbie to the scrawniest deck hand�had stopped whatever it was they had been doing to stare, slack-jawed. Juliana�s chest tightened. She recognised the look in their eyes.

Hungry. Wanting. Waiting.

Even if they may have once been the most disciplined and steadfast pirate crew in existence, they now resembled a pack of rabid dogs more than anything else. A hand descended heavily on her small shoulder, and she looked up in time to see Rawden level his crew with an uncompromising glare.

�Listen up,� he boomed thunderously. �This here girl is my guest�so no one touches her but me.�

A collective cloud of loud grumbling rose from the mean-looking crew.

�She�s also your meal ticket, you scallywags,� Rawden announced. �She�s leading us to a stash of gold. So no one�and I mean, no one�� he punctuated dangerously ��is to lay a finger on her. Except me.�

The groaning turned to cheers as Rawden took her by the upper arm and began to drag her away from their leering eyes.

�Give it all away, will you?� Juliana hissed angrily.

Rawden hustled her towards the forecastle, and her feet slapped against the deck as she skipped to keep up.

�You should know it�s important to give them a reason not to hurt you,� Rawden muttered under his breath. �Now where to first, missy?�

�Portsmouth,� she said without hesitating.

�Wilkins!� Rawden shouted above the din. �Full sails to Portsmouth harbour.�

�Aye, aye Captain!�

And then Rawden pushed her into his quarters, closing the door behind him.

Juliana padded slowly into the centre of the luxuriously appointed cabin, tossing away his sopping long coat. The room was filled with dark wooden furniture and rich carpets. The cabin was lit by a slow-burning fireplace at the far end. In the centre was an imposing, ancient oak table, and in one corner was a wide, magnificent bed.

�And I suppose that this is where I�ll be sleeping?� she asked sweetly.

�This is where we will be sleeping, my darling,� Rawden corrected. �Unless you�d rather take up a cot down below with the crew.�

�No, thank you,� Juliana said caustically, flipping her dripping hair over one shoulder. �Though your decor is sorely lacking. No Christmas candles, no holly�not even a pine bough to celebrate the season!�

�Well then,� Rawden returned curtly. �You�ll have to make do with my company.�

�Why don�t you take up with your crew,� she snapped, hands on hips. �And leave a lady to her private space.�

�A lady�� he slurred the word ��wouldn�t have taken up with a pirate in the first place.�

Juliana�s eyes narrowed.

�So what would you say that I am, then?�

�Important cargo, perhaps?� Rawden quipped, tapping his chin lightly with a finger. �And for your information, cargo does not move around my ship.�

�What is that supposed to mean?�

�It means that you are not to leave this cabin�not for anything and not for even an instant�unless I am escorting you,� Rawden commanded sternly.

�You cannot be serious,� Juliana countered, her voice rising.

�I assure you that I am.� Rawden shook a finger at her. �You will not venture from these quarters.�

�Important cargo?� Juliana protested indignantly. �More like a prisoner! I will not be so treated, dear sir!�

Rawden took a good, long look at her. Her dress was still soaking wet, and the sheer material clung to her curves scandalously. Desire spiked in his gut as he traced the shadowy lines beneath the thin fabric, trailing from her shapely calves up to her flushing shoulders. When his hooded eyes reached her face, he discovered her sweetly blushing despite her angry glare.

�You are quite the sight for hungry eyes,� he said huskily, his feet moving before he realised it. �Do you even realise what my men would do to you if they caught you alone?�

�I can protect myself, thank you very much,� she huffed.

�What? With this?� Rawden asked, his fingers nimbly clamping over her thigh, blocking her access to her only blade. �You�re much too naive, my dear.�

�I do not like being handled, Captain Wood,� she breathed in a furious hiss. �Remove your hand at once.�

�No,� Rawden answered, fingers clenching around her shapely thigh. �You need to understand. You are not as invincible as you think.�

His other hand shot out to grab a fistful of her long hair. Though his grip was not at all painful, it was firm. He drew her closer slowly, his eyes smouldering and resolute.

�Even if my men are loyal to me, their�baser instincts would override logic.� He leaned in to inhale the scent of her. �And not one of them would be able to resist plucking such a ripe fruit. The minute one of them caught you alone, you would find your clothes ripped away and your body ruined. Is your freedom to roam the deck worth such a price?�

Juliana studied his earnest expression, her lips turned down into a frown.

�Are you trying to tell me that keeping me a prisoner in your cabin is for my own good and not for your own?�

Rawden shrugged, adopting his cavalier facade once more.

�Believe what you will, little missy,� he chuckled. �But like it or not�you will not be leaving this room without my say-so.�

Juliana did not like the current turn of events. She felt another string slip from her control as the pirate captain took command of yet another aspect of their tenuous relationship. She forced a flippant smirk to her lips.

�Fine. As long as you understand the repercussions of annoying a lady,� she quipped.

�Which are?�

�You�ll soon find out. Have you never lived with an irritated before?� she said breezily.

He let his gaze trail up and down her svelte form.

�I�m sure the magnificent view will temper any minor inconveniences,� he said with a sultry grin. �You do cut quite the scene, my darling.�

She did not flinch when his arms closed around her; rather, she twined her wrists behind his neck. Rawden smoothed his palms up her sides, relishing the feel of the wet fabric sliding over her slick skin.

�As do you,� she replied, fingering the edge of his open collar.

�I am quite sure that you cannot see through my clothing,� he answered devilishly, his lips at her neck.

�Perhaps,� Juliana countered with a laugh. �But from this angle, I am quite sure that my modesty is intact.�

In response, Rawden spun her in his arms, anchoring her to him with a forearm around her waist. His other hand skimmed the swell of her breasts. He leaned forward to peer greedily over her shoulder and got an eyeful of her heaving bosom and her erect nipples under sheer fabric.

�And now?�

�Now, you are being quite cheeky.�

�I�ll show you cheeky,� he grunted.

With his free hand, he began to massage her chilled flesh, his fingers deftly searching out the curves and crevices of her body. Juliana�s breathing hitched in her throat as she threw her head back against his shoulder, her nails digging passionately into his bicep. Rawden smiled at the wanton flush creeping up her chest. As he smoothed his rough palm under the hem of her wet dress and up her silken thigh, he began to tug at her short sleeve. The damp material slid down easily, baring the curve of her creamy shoulder. He nipped lightly at the exposed flesh, his breath making her shiver.

�Now,� he whispered against her skin as his hands began to search her body with more fervour, �I wonder where you�ve hidden that map.�

In a sudden flash of white cloth and golden hair, Juliana was halfway across the room, standing by the fireplace. Though her chest still heaved with desire, her eyes were cold and wary. She was tense, and her hand was again at her thigh. Rawden watched as she gripped her dagger�s hilt with white-knuckled ferocity.

She�s too quick, he thought, and more dangerous than she seems.

�You press too far,� she warned, her gaze unblinking.

�And you assume too much,� he returned evenly. �Why would I settle for just one sovereign a day when I could have a whole cave of Roman gold?�

�You will not reach the Roman gold without my directions.�

�And yet,� he said, taking a step forward, �here you are, in my quarters with only your short dagger as a defence.�

�You promised to protect me,� she reminded him.

�And I will,� he affirmed with a smirk. �But I did not promise to let you keep your map.�

�Do you mean this map?�

Juliana dropped the hem of her skirt to lift a damp, folded-up square of aged paper between two fingers. Then, without a moment�s hesitation, she flicked the paper into the low-burning fire. It crumbled into ash and disappeared with a quick plume of grey smoke.

�There now,� she said, voice steady. �Now I am well and truly the only one that knows the way to my treasure.�

Rawden narrowed his eyes and studied her for a brief moment.

Quick-witted. Defiant. Fearless. Miss Juliana Wright had once again proved herself a force to be reckoned with. A breathtakingly beautiful force.

He walked to her with slow, deliberate steps. Though she stiffened at his approach, she did not flinch when he reached out to brush a stray strand of hair from her cheek with the back of his hand. His touch was tender, but his eyes were hard and calculating.

�Clever girl,� he said softly, dangerously.

He moved in closer, sliding his palm up her neck to cup her cheek. Lowering his face to hers, he dragged one fingertip across her bare shoulder. Briefly, he caught a glimpse of black-and-green inking on her shoulder blade�a tattoo, perhaps? But he did not have time to dwell on the curiosity; at the moment, there were important negotiations to be made.

�I believe we need to revisit the terms of our agreement,� Rawden told her, his hands gliding down her arms.

�And why is that?� she asked, tilting her head to give his lips access to her collarbone.

�Because there is something new on the table, Miss Wright,� he announced.

�Something new?�

He spun around suddenly with her in his arms. Lifting her effortlessly, he set her atop the wooden table so that she was perched on its edge with his hips wedged between her thighs. With one hand, he carelessly swept a pile of papers to the floor; with the other, he gently pushed her shoulder to the rough tabletop. He planted one open hand beside her surprised face and stared down, leaning over her.

�Yes, there is the matter of the gold�and my share of it.�

�I already promised you one gold sovereign for every��

�Every day until we find your treasure.� He paused to pin her with a serious stare. �Will you make me your enemy after that? Your gold coins will be nothing butcrumbs when we lay eyes on the treasure.�

�Clever man.� Juliana threw his words back at him with brief smile. �So you would claim a share of what is mine?�

�Yes. And why not? I will have helped you find it.�

�Very well,� she acquiesced. �You may take ten percent for your troubles.�

Rawden chuckled and then lowered his face to press a kiss to her jaw. The bargaining had begun.

�Half of the treasure,� he countered. �And no less.�

Juliana gave as good as she got, tightening her thighs around his waist and twining her fingers in his hair as she twisted just so.

�Too much,� she sighed into his hair. �You can have twenty percent.�

Rawden groaned and thrust the evidence of his arousal against her core. He splayed his fingers over her ribs and bent lower to drag his teeth against her earlobe. The air became heady and thick with the heat between their bodies.

�You drive a hard bargain, my dear,� he grunted, at the edge of losing all control. �I�ll take a quarter of the treasure�and in exchange, I�ll protect you for a fortnight after you�ve found your treasure.�

Juliana stilled, pushing him back to face him squarely. Her blue eyes searched his expression, weighing every nuance in his face. After a moment, she grinned and pulled him close�and the deliciously carnal spark they had been nursing burst into full flame.

�I accept your terms, Captain Wood,� she said, her pink tongue darting out to lick her bottom lip. �How shall we seal this agreement?�

�Let me think,� he answered, leaning down and bracing himself against the table. �A kiss?�

She arched a coy brow before tugging his face close to hers, and he was briefly surprised by the sheer intensity of her kiss. The minute her lips touched his, it was as if they had both been swept up in a raging typhoon of lush sensations. She suckled greedily at his lips, and he returned her open-mouthed kisses with equal fervour, his tongue sweeping past her sweet lips. His hands found their way to her smooth thighs as hers found the opening of his shirt. With a swift jerk, she pulled his shirt open and slid her hands over his chest. As the pads of her fingers swept over the ridges of his abdomen, he pulled his shirt off and threw it to the floor. Her hands kneaded his taut muscles, and he tangled his fingers in her long hair, pulling her into an even deeper kiss. She rocked against him and moaned, hands clawing at his back. Growling with desire, Rawden pushed her back down onto the table and stretched her arms up above her head, threading his fingers between hers. He continued to ravage her with hot, insistent kisses, and she bucked beneath him in response. Rawden smoothed his rough hands down her long arms, around the column of her neck and over her slender shoulders. Then, with his palms flush against her heated skin, he pulled down the thin fabric of her gown, hitching the elasticated collar under the generous swell of her breasts. Juliana�s teeth raked his bottom lip, and she arched up off the table as Rawden�s calloused fingers grazed the smooth contours, catching lightly on her hardening caramel peaks. He wound his arms around her waist and drew her upward as his lips left hers to trail nibbling kisses down her throat and past her collarbone. He trailed a slick line down her sternum with his tongue and grinned when she gasped and clutched blindly at his hair. He cupped one generous mound with a hand and then latched on to the other with his mouth, his tongue swirling seductive patterns on her sensitive flesh. Juliana could not help but cry out in pleasure, her toes curling and her thighs tightening around his grinding hips.

It was perfect. It was absolutely perfect. And their agreement was about to be sealed with much more than just a kiss.

Rawden was just getting ready to reach down to unbutton his trousers when a loud knock sounded on his door.

�Not now!� he barked shortly, his lips barely leaving Juliana�s exposed skin.

�We need you at the wheel, Captain,� his first mate called insistently, rapping on the door again.

Rawden growled, gathering the girl into his arms and pressing his nose into her skin to inhale her sweet scent. Then he straightened and pulled her off the table, gently setting her down on her feet. She slumped against his chest, and he could feel her heart racing.

So close, he thought to himself, they had been so close.

Juliana sighed disappointedly�and then stepped away. She moved closer to the fire, unobtrusively fixing her garments as she did so. Rawden let loose a string of expletives under his breath before turning to scowl at the closed door.

�Wait for me at the wheel,� he commanded, his voice rough with unspent passion.

He glanced at Juliana, eyes still slightly wild.

�You should dry out that dress,� he suggested. �We have no other women�s clothes aboard. We will reach Portsmouth by tomorrow�s eve.�

Juliana nodded and watched as he stormed away, his footfalls heavy with frustration. Just before he pulled the door open, he spun around to wag a finger at her.

�This conversation isn�t over, my dear,� he said with a wicked grin that promised more to come.

But by the time Rawden stumbled blindly back into his quarters, the fire had died down to burning embers and the dark furnishings were cast in shadow. The ship still shifted in the angry waves, but after a moment of adjusting his eyes to the semi-darkness, Rawden strode into the cabin easily, shutting the door firmly behind him. Heavy silence hung like a blanket, and he spied a small figure curled up in his sheets. He sighed.

Apparently their steamy conversation was over after all.

Rawden slowly stripped to his underclothes, tossing his damp, salty garments over the back of a chair. His attention turned to the bed. He briefly wondered if she�d taken his advice to dry her damp clothing, or if she�d stubbornly been shivering away all night long. She looked warm enough at the moment.

His eyes surveyed the scene. Juliana had evidently decided that his entire bed was now her personal domain; for though she was small, she had planted herself firmly in the middle of the mattress.

Well, that was a misconception that just begged to be corrected.

Setting his jaw, Rawden stalked over to the bed and sat on the edge. Lifting the corner of the blankets, he slid under the warm sheets and lay down. As soon as his bare skin touched hers, he felt her stiffen. He smirked and slid even closer.

�A gentleman would take the floor.�

Her voice was clear and sharp, untainted by sleep.

�I am not a gentleman.�

Juliana let out a low growl and scooted to the far edge of the bed, wrapping the sheets around her like a protective cocoon.

�Now, now,� Rawden crooned, edging closer. �You were so�amiable before. And we are to be bedmates for a while, after all.�

His hands slid over her curves under the covers, his rough skin sending prickles of pleasure through her body. Juliana tensed as he hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her back into his warm chest, his hands smoothing over the flimsy shirt she had thrown on as a substitute for proper nightclothes. He began to rub slow, sensual circles over her slim limbs with his calloused palms, and Juliana felt her muscles yield to the exquisite pressure. His warm breath tickled her ear as his hands trailed lower, and Juliana bit back a sigh, her fingers twisting in the sheets. Almost lost in a fog of warm and budding desire, Juliana felt the insistent tug of caution at the edges of her mind.

No, she thought hazily, this isn�t right.

How did the pirate see her? As a meal ticket. A luscious treat to be had in his cabin. A wanton woman who needed him�needed his ship, needed his help, needed his protection�and needed his affection?

Her mind at odds with her body, Juliana tried to reason through her conundrum. She couldn�t let him control that one last bit of leverage she had over him or she would be completely at his mercy. She had to seduce him and not the other way around.

Rawden�s fingers dipped lower. And when they skated down the length of her inner thigh, Juliana felt a jolt of pleasure that shocked her into action. She pulled away suddenly, rolling away so that she faced him in the dark.

�Stop it,� she panted, curling her fingers around the coverlet and pulling it close to her chin.

Rawden raised an eyebrow and met her eyes, which were luminous in the half light.

�Don�t be coy,� he urged, reaching a hand out to her.

�No!� she cried out. Using her very last trump card, she whispered pitiably, �You�ll ruin me.�

Rawden froze and stared, slowly retracting his hand. Cursing, he rolled away and pulled the covers over his bare chest. Juliana watched his hulking form in the dark and gradually edged even further away. She could practically feel his unspent desire building into tense frustration.

There, she thought triumphantly, now you want me. Once again, she had gained the upper hand.

Chapter 5

Most Britons wanted a bit of snow around the Yuletide season�if only to watch the large, heavy snowflakes drift down from the sky. But sailors hated the blanket of ice and snow that turned the decks into deadly ice rinks and churned the waves angrily.

Sailing had been miserable all day, and the gale-force winds had only died down once they were nearing Portsmouth harbour. Rawden had been wrestling with the wheel for hours on end, barking orders to his exhausted crew and cursing the tumultuous waves.

Even so, his thoughts had managed to stray to the vixen residing in his room. He doubted she�d been much perturbed by the inclement sailing conditions. Recalling her ease in swimming and her steady footing on the ship, he reckoned she�d spent quite a bit of time at sea. He�d even glimpsed lines of green and black on her shoulder�a tattoo? What decent young lass had a tattoo? He began to suspect that her father had been more than just a man holding a legendary map; could her father have been a pirate? That would explain how she knew Captain Elijah Hawkins, and how she could face his kind so fiercely and fearlessly.

And yet�

Her voice was so velvety and sweet�not roughened by the salty sea air. Her manner of speech was elegant and smooth�not crass from a life lived in taverns and brothels. And her skin smelt of roses and peaches�and was just as soft to the touch and sweet on the tongue. Just thinking about having his hands and lips on her body was enough to send Rawden into a dizzying state of desire, his very skin tingling with need.

He was hungry�and not just for food.

So, when he finally managed to leave the upper deck, he made a brief stop at the galley before striding impatiently back to his quarters, a tray of food on his arm. He pushed his way into his cabin, kicking the door closed behind him. Then he stopped abruptly, his eyes transfixed on the vision waiting for him.

Juliana was standing with her back to a floor-length mirror. In one hand, she held up a priceless, ornately fashioned hand mirror. Her head was tilted back as she studied the reflection, her long curls cascading over one shoulder. She was wearing nothing but one of his white shirts, the buttons undone. It hung loosely from her elbows, and Rawden caught a glimpse of her back in the tall mirror before she stepped away. He registered more ink lines in blue and green, but quickly dismissed the observation in favour of watching her glide toward him. She pulled the shirt up to cover her shoulders and only bothered to close the bottom few buttons, leaving a long line of creamy skin down to her navel open to his greedy eyes. She swayed over to the large wooden table and carefully set down the mirror, leaning to rest her hip against the table�s edge. His shirt�s bottom hem just barely covered her bottom, gently grazing the top of her thighs. She cocked her head to one side, watching him expectantly.

�Hungry?� Rawden asked, his throat suddenly dry.

He set his tray�which had nearly been forgotten�on the table. Then he pulled out a chair. Juliana smiled. Her eyes never leaving his, she stepped close and ran a finger from his temple to his chin.

�How considerate of you,� she murmured, pressing a kiss to his stubbled chin.

Rawden swallowed. Just moments ago, he had imagined himself as the dominant one, intent on ravishing her after two quick bites of food. But now� now it seemed that she had caught him in a web of feminine charm he had never experienced before�and she knew it.

Juliana�s eyes gleamed as she watched Rawden go rigid with want. She had him just where she needed him to be for her plan to work�completely enamoured with her. But as she gently pushed his damp overcoat from his shoulders, she wondered if she had already fallen for him as well.

No matter, she thought as she admired his broad shoulders. It was far too late to back out now.

Juliana took him by the collar of his shirt and gently pushed him into sitting in the chair he had just pulled out for her. He began to protest, and she smiled at his apparent show of chivalry, her heart warming to her cocky pirate captain. Confidence in her choice grew.

�I�m cold,� Juliana purred, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. �Don�t make me sit alone.�

With that she eased herself into sitting across his knees, revelling in the feel of his hard, corded muscles under her thighs. Rawden immediately placed his hand at the small of her back for support.

�So,� she asked conversationally. �What have you brought us to eat? I�m absolutely starving.�

�You�re lucky,� Rawden said, his eyes drifting to her exposed legs. �We were just in port so the food hasn�t had a chance to go rotten yet.�

Juliana surveyed the tray. There were two bows of steaming meat stew, a few hardtack biscuits, a couple of pieces of fruit and two small mugs of hot rum. It smelled delicious. Her stomach rumbled, and Rawden chuckled.

�I haven�t had a meal in half a day,� Juliana huffed. �And I can�t eat the gold stashed in this cabin.�

�True,� Rawden said, dragging the tray closer. �So eat up. We are almost in Portsmouth.�

Juliana began to delicately lift spoonfuls of the hearty stew to her lips, carefully savouring each bite. Rawden reached around her to dip into his own bowl, amusedly watching her dainty way of eating. When both bowls were scraped clean, Rawden grabbed one of the apples. With his arms still around her, he began to cut the apple into slices. Then, with a teasing smile, he offered her one of the slices, holding it in front of her. Juliana took the crisp slice in her mouth, suggestively sliding her lips over it before taking it with her teeth. While she chewed, she selected another slice and offered to him. She giggled as he took the whole piece in one bite, his teeth lightly grazing her fingertip.

Rawden tightened his arm around her waist and leaned in, nosing his way forward until their lips touched. But unlike before, this kiss was languid, slow and deliberate. With the taste of fresh apples still on their tongues, they indulged in each other, feeling every nuance of lips, tongue and teeth. The orange glow of the fire warmed their skin, and they engaged in a slow exploration of each other�s bodies. Hands sliding up limbs, fingers tangling in hair and sighs escaping moist lips. They hadn�t even realised how much time had passed or how closely they were twined around one another�until there was another loud rapping at the door.

Rawden dropped his forehead onto Juliana�s shoulder.

�Not again,� he groaned.

The knocking came again.

�What?� Rawden shouted, exasperated.

�We are docking in Portsmouth harbour, Captain.�

�Fine, fine,� he answered with a drawn-out sigh. �We�ve arrived at your first stop. Shall we go, my lady?�

Juliana offered him an apologetic shrug and stood reluctantly.

�I suppose we should,� she said with a rueful smile.

She walked over to the fireplace and carefully pulled her dress from the mantle, where it had been hanging to dry. To Rawden�s surprise, she spun around to face him before dropping his shirt to the floor, giving him a quick glimpse of her naked body before she pulled on her high-waisted evening dress.

�It�s cold,� she said, grinning at the way he had dropped his jaw. �May I trouble you for a cloak?�

He wordlessly grabbed a heavy, hooded cloak from a trunk while she rummaged through his things for some semblance of small footwear. Finding a worn pair of slim leather boots�which looked as if they were from his childhood�she pulled them on and laced them up. When she stood, he draped the cloak over her shoulders. Juliana pulled the wide hood over her head and took his proffered arm. Together, they stepped out onto the deck and headed for the gangway.

�Will I need to take my men?� Rawden asked.

�I�m sure you can handle me on your own,� Juliana quipped lightly as she nimbly skipped down the ramp.

Rawden raised a brow but followed her lead as she marched straight into the roughest borough of Portsmouth. With Christmas only a few days away, even this dimly lit neighbourhood was awash with festive trimmings. Holly boughs and brightly coloured lanterns adored the doorways and window sills of many a public house. And there were even a few drunken revellers singing traditional Christmas carols in the streets.

Juliana walked purposefully through the sludgy streets, her eyes fixed on some unknown goal. Then without batting an eye, she pulled them into the seediest tavern of them all.

It took Rawden a minute to adjust his eyes to the dimly lit pub. It was crowded and dark, crammed full of burly men hunched over rickety tables. No one seemed to notice their entrance, however�it seemed the tavern�s patrons were already far too drunk to even lift their heads. Juliana quickly scanned the room. Her hand tightened on his arm before she slipped away toward a dark corner booth.

�Wait for me here,� she instructed him quietly as she glided effortlessly through the boozy throng.

Huffing, Rawden eased himself into leaning against the doorpost, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes trained on Juliana. His overlarge cloak seemed the perfect camouflage for his stunning prot�g�e. Her golden tresses were completely hidden, and the bulky material obscured her feminine form. He watched as Juliana slid into a shadowy corner booth at the other end of the room. A man leaned forward to greet her, his expression relieved. He was handsome in an older, dignified way, with silver hair at his temples and wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. As they began to talk, the man fervently clasped both her hands between his.

Rawden stood straighter. He�d guessed that she had planned to meet someone in the tavern�probably some business associate�but she was meeting a man who was acting much too friendly for his taste.

For her part, Juliana gently extricated her hands from the man�s grasp and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Rawden could not hear their conversation, nor see Juliana�s face because of her hood, but he could very clearly see worry etched into her companion�s handsome face. Juliana�s slender hand reached out to pat his, her head bobbing underneath the voluminous hood. The man gripped her fingers tightly, his expression ardent as he leaned in. Rawden frowned. This was no ordinary business meeting.

He pushed away from the door frame, intent on stalking over to the booth to find out exactly what was going on. Was he a friend? A lover? An accomplice?

But before he could take two steps, Juliana had risen from her seat. Though the man looked longingly up at her, she only patted his shoulder before turning away. She wove her way back through the crowd, pausing to touch Rawden�s elbow and then turning to the door.

�Let�s go,� she whispered urgently.

Rawden remained rooted to the spot.

�You two seemed cozy,� he commented blandly.

A line appeared between her brows.

�So?�

�He looked a bit old for you, don�t you think?�

Juliana looked up at him, her blue eyes flashing. Rawden stared back down at her, stone-faced.

�Yes, he is a bit old for me,� she retorted sharply.

�So then, you�re stringing him along?�

Juliana stepped back, momentarily stung by his words and the bitterness in his green eyes. A spark of bitter anger took root in her heart.

�Aren�t you doing the same to me? In any case, what business is it of yours?� she blurted before she could check herself. �I�m paying you to be my bodyguard, not my conscience.�

Rawden�s face went blank, his eyes shuttering all emotion.

�Indeed,� he said tonelessly. �So you are nothing more than a common strumpet after all.�

Rendered speechless, she glared at him, slack-jawed and indignant. She allowed him to take her by the arm and brusquely pull her from the tavern and into the cold night air.

�Minx,� he muttered as he towed her back toward the boat. �Clever little liar.�

The chill in his voice was colder than the biting wind that whipped through the December air. All the Christmas merriment around them did nothing to lighten either of their dark expressions or moods. Juliana fumed silently, occasionally skipping to keep up with his long strides. Confusion thickened her thoughts; she didn�t know why she was so angry�so much so that hot tears stung the corner of her eyes. She shouldn�t be angry at all, she told herself. She shouldn�t even care. Captain Rawden Wood was nothing but a means to an end, a tool to be used.

But still�

His wrongful, caustic accusations had her stewing in offended ire. She wasn�t sure why she was so affected; only that she was�and thus the situation needed to be rectified.

So, just before they reached the gangway to his ship, Juliana wrenched her arm away and spun around to face him, the edges of her cloak flapping in the wind. Throwing back her hood, she jabbed at his sternum with one finger.

�Just what is your problem, Captain?� she demanded furiously.

�My problem?� He barked a short, humourless laugh. �Only that I�ve been taken for a complete fool.�

�What are you on about?� she exclaimed incredulously.

�That old geezer,� he said frostily. �You had him wrapped right around your little finger.�

Juliana nearly stomped a foot in irritation.

�Joffrey? He�s old enough to be my father!�

�Precisely,� Rawden spat. �And yet you still stooped low enough to seduce him.�

�Seduce Joffrey?� Juliana shook her head in frustration. �I don�t know what you�re talking about!�

Rawden snorted and leaned in to say, �You nearly had me fooled too, you know. Your sweet little act almost reeled me in completely. But all this time, and I wasn�t the only one!�

Juliana reeled backward, her eyes wide.

�Now wait just a minute,� she said, her voice dropping to an icy whisper. �You actually think I take Joffrey to my bed?�

Rawden threw his hands in the air.

�Why else would you hold his hand and cozy up to him in a tavern?� he sneered. �I just wonder what deal you made with him!�

Juliana stared, blinking hard. Then she suddenly doubled over, choking in laughter. He was jealous. The thought was at once a source of relief and amusement. Just jealous. And then a realisation hit her�she was happy that he hadn�t truly been disgusted by her, and that somewhere deep inside of him, he wanted her for his own. A second, more important realisation dawned on her then: she wanted him for her own as well.

Rawden looked on, feigning indifference. After a long moment, Juliana straightened, blinking away tears. Then, with a burst of speed, she rose to her tiptoes and grabbed Rawden by the lapels of his jacket, pulling him down so that they were nose to nose.

�Listen closely, you fool,� she said sternly. �Joffrey�that old geezer as you put it�was my father�s first mate. He has been watching out for me since the day I could walk�so no,� she emphasised, �I was not seducing him. I was just telling him about our arrangement and collecting a few important items from him.�

�Like what?� Rawden challenged stubbornly.

�More of your payment, for one. But that�s not what�s important,� Juliana said with a sly smirk. �But there is something you need to understand.�

�Oh?�

�Yes, that�s right. You need to understand that I do need you to take me to the gold. And I do need you to protect me. But I�m not playing you for a fool�because there�s something else I need from you.�

�And what�s that?� Rawden asked skeptically.

�I also need this.�

Without warning, Juliana pushed her lips against his, capturing him in a searing, passionate kiss. She hooked her arms around his neck and let him drag her to his body with eager arms. After showing him just how much he wasn�t a simple cog in her plans, Juliana pulled away to offer him a triumphant smirk.

�Do you understand now?� she asked affectionately.

�Oh I think I do,� came a strange voice from a distance.

Rawden carefully set Juliana on her feet and wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders. He was absolutely exasperated. Completely and utterly frustrated. Not only had they been interrupted again, but now�for the second time in as many days�they were completely surrounded by a crowd of enemies.

Chapter 6

�Don�t you know when not to interrupt a couple?� Rawden lazily drawled, adopting a relaxed stance as he faced their adversaries.

�So,� Captain Elijah Hawkins leered. �You�re a couple now? You�ve really grown up, Miss Wright.�

�You still can�t have the map,� Juliana told him, sassily placing a hand on her hip.

�If I can�t have that map,� Elijah threatened, �then I�ll take your ship, Captain Wood.�

He snapped his fingers and his gangly crew lit up dozens of bottles, all filled with oil. The home-made bombs glittered menacingly in the dark, illuminating the cruel smiles of the rival pirates. Rawden�s jaw clenched. There was no way that his crew could put out the fires fast enough�but they would definitely try, leaving himself and Juliana vulnerable to any sort of attack that Elijah could devise. Even Rawden couldn�t best two dozen armed men. He glanced down at Juliana, his mind scrambling for an out.

�Ready to really make the Golden Maiden glow, boys?� Elijah hooted, lifting a hand to give the signal. �It will be a most beautiful Christmas ornament!�

�Wait!� Juliana called out suddenly.

Elijah grinned and lowered his hand slightly.

�Had a change of heart, lassie?�

Juliana stepped out from under Rawden�s arm and drew a weathered scroll from her cloak. She held it up so all could see it.

�Will you leave us in peace if I give you this map?� she asked, her voice grave.

�Of course,� Elijah answered with a gracious shrug. �That is all I ever wanted from you.�

Juliana�s lips thinned.

�I will give you this map, and you will leave without causing us or the ship any harm,� Juliana stipulated calmly. �Swear by the sea.�

Elijah dropped into a gallant bow.

�I swear by the seven seas,� he said with a flourish.

Juliana nodded and then tossed the scroll high in the air. Elijah caught and unrolled it, his eyes greedily poring over the parchment. Then he chuckled deeply and re-rolled the ancient map.

�Finally,� Elijah said in a self-satisfied voice. �How does it feel to know that if your father had only done what you did just now, he would still be alive today?�

�Stow it, Hawkins,� Rawden snapped, voice tight with anger.

Rawden�s fists clenched at his sides. They had been defeated. All had been in vain. There would be no treasure now, not even the promise of gold sovereigns.

�And a merry Christmas to you all!� Hawkins said with a mocking bow.

Elijah laughed viciously while Juliana just glared, tight-lipped. One of his crew took up a mutilated version of a Christmas carol, and the others joined in cruelly. Beckoning to his men, Elijah turned and melted into the mists. Juliana stared after them until the last traces of his infuriating humming died out. Then, with a heaving sigh, she turned and began to march up the gangway. She headed straight for Rawden�s cabin and entered the lush quarters without saying a word. Rawden followed a step behind, his eyes leaving her only when he turned to push the heavy oak door closed, shutting the world away. He watched as she let his cloak drop to the floor with a thud. Yet, she still did not look back at him.

Rawden felt regret creep up his throat as his eyes traced the swirling lines of her shimmering gold hair. He had broken the terms of their agreement. He would not be able to take her to the sea caves in Cornwall. He had not been able to protect her or her map from her enemies. In fact, he thought crossly, it had been she who had protected him in the end. She�d saved his ship from imminent destruction by giving up the one thing she had left of her murdered father. Self-loathing joined regret as a bitter taste on his tongue.

But a small detail began to niggle at the back of his mind. Rawden frowned. If she had just given away her father�s map�then what map had she burned in front of his very eyes on that first night?

�I thought you burned your father�s map,� he blurted suddenly into the awkward silence.

�Yes, I burned a map,� she replied evenly. �Just not my father�s. It was yours�I stole it from your table when you weren�t looking.�

Rawden smiled ruefully. Always the trickster, he thought fondly.

She had said she�d needed his ship and his protection�but those were only two of the three things she�d demanded�a point she�d made abundantly clear with her lips before their disastrous trip into Portsmouth.

So, was this a complete loss?

He had lost the treasure and his pay, but he might still have�her.

�I see,� Rawden said slowly. �It�s a shame you had no maps to pinch tonight.� He paused, then added quietly. �I am sorry you had to surrender your father�s map to Elijah Hawkins.�

Juliana let out the breath that she�d been holding. She looked at him over her shoulder, her eyes searching. He might think she was useless to him now.

�You are?�

�I am,� he replied, meeting her eyes sincerely, �You protected that map for far too long to just hand it over to protect my ship.� He stopped for a moment, and then continued. �I am grateful for that sacrifice,� he said in a voice gravelly with pent-up emotion. �And I want you to know�� He stopped again. �I want you to understand that it�s not the treasure that I�m worried about right now.�

�It�s not?�

�No,� he said, looking away as he awkwardly scratched behind one ear. �It�s you,� he admitted finally in a soft voice. �I want the map and the treasure�but I want you more.�

Juliana stared at him, trying not to gawk in amazement. Her heart felt full to bursting, and all doubts melted away.

�You can still have all three,� Juliana said with a happy laugh.

�What?� Rawden asked, stunned. �How?�

�I didn�t give Hawkins the map,� Juliana announced mischievously.

�I saw you��

�That wasn�t my father�s map,� she interrupted, a devilish glint in her eye, �I�m sorry to say that the map I gave to Elijah was just another of your old maps. I took one before we left.�

�You stole another of my maps?�

�Yes,� she said with a nonchalant shrug. �And I�m glad I did. Hawkins will figure out sooner or later that it�s a fake�but it�ll be too late in either case.�

�Just how many of my maps are you going to burn or give away before this is over?� Rawden exclaimed with mock exasperation.

�No more, I hope!�

�But see here,� Rawden demanded, shaking a finger at her. �I demand you show me the real map, right now and once and for all. I need to see the real thing with my own eyes.�

�Say please.�

�Please.�

�Very well,� Juliana said, lifting her chin. �Since you asked nicely.�

With that, she turned away once more. She pulled her arms from her sleeves and let her gauzy dress slip down her body and pool at her feet. In one graceful movement, she swept her thick golden locks away from her back and pulled them over her shoulder.

Rawden understood immediately.

An elegantly beautiful tattoo was spread over her svelte back, from the base of her spine to her shoulder blades. It was the most intricate and complex design he had ever seen in his life, inked with delicate swirls of blue, green and black.

The map had been tattooed to her back.

�Do you understand now?� Juliana asked.

Yes, Rawden said to himself, yes.

This was the true reason she could never give away her father�s map�not to anyone. This was why she had been peering into a hand mirror earlier that day�not to admire herself but to study the reflection of the map on her back in the mirror behind her.

�My father knew that all sorts of men would come after the map,� Juliana supplied quietly as Rawden paced slowly towards her. �So he had the map copied onto my body�and then he destroyed the original. Now there are once again only two people in the whole world who know the location of Merlin�s map.�

Rawden stopped when he was right behind her. He placed his hand at the base of her spine and lightly traced the curving lines of her tattoo with his fingertips. She shivered, a curl of excitement spreading up from her lower belly.

�This is my father�s legacy.�

�You were wise to hide it,� he rumbled approvingly.

Rawden placed his other hand on the curve of her hip and lowered his lips to the shell of her ear.

�Let me touch you,� he murmured.

His breath sent frissons of pleasure skittering down her neck to pool in the tips of her breasts. She turned her head so that his lips brushed her temple. She met his heated gaze, and the wide, wanting look in her eyes was answer enough. He gently pressed a row of kisses on her shoulder as he splayed the fingers of one hand over her lower belly. Then, with slow, deliberate, feather-like touches, he traced every line of black ink on her back with the very tip of one finger. As he did, the hand he had planted on her stomach dipped lower, and lower�until she gasped with pleasure and curved her body over his muscled arm. She grasped at his sleeve and moaned aloud as his swirling fingers continued their devastating patterns. He was merciless in his lewd ministrations, not even stopping when her nails dug into his bicep and her panting grew desperate. He caught her lower lip between his teeth and teased her with his tongue.

�Rawden,� she whimpered, twisting in his arms. �Oh, Rawden.�

With a grunt, he swept her effortlessly into his arms and carried her to his bed. He sat down with her cradled against his chest. She straddled his thighs and rocked her hips against his, mewling plaintively as he showered her with open-mouthed kisses. As his calloused hands swept over the smooth planes of her body, he realised one very important fact: that she was completely naked and that he�was not. Grunting as she tangled her fingers in his dark locks, Rawden shrugged off his shirt. He stood for a moment, and Juliana wrapped her long legs to his torso, anchoring herself to his body as he jerked open his trousers and quickly kicked them off.

When he sat back down, the feeling of his naked skin on hers nearly made him lose all control. He could feel the moistness between her thighs, and she could feel his stiffness rubbing against her. They ground against one another until they could take no more. So when Rawden finally lifted her hips, Juliana eagerly positioned him at the entrance to her core. Hands on his shoulders, she slowly eased herself down onto him. She cried out passionately at the sensations coursing through her entire body; his hands hot on her hips, his velvety voice cracking with pleasure�and his wide girth entering, parting, stretching her very core. They were fully joined, as close as humanly possible.

They both leaned back, planting their hands behind them�he on the mattress and she bracing herself with open palms on his knees. She began to move up and down, gradually increasing her speed until she had to throw her head back in joyous passion. Rawden watched as her heavy breasts bounced, and unable to resist, he leaned forward and grabbed them with greedy hands. His lips closed around one of the tight caramel peaks, and his tongue swirled delicious patterns that made Juliana cry out in ecstasy. She arched into his touch, riding him desperately. Juliana felt as if something electric was trying to crawl its way out of her pores, and her movements became wild jerks.

�Not yet,� Rawden growled huskily. �Not just yet, my dear.�

He gathered her in his arms and stood, turning to lay her down across his bed. Still joined, he lay over her and braced himself against the mattress on his elbows. He kissed the tip of her nose and slowly, slowly withdrew. She felt every ridge of his shaft as he pulled away. She almost protested, but when he was just about to pull free, he then pushed back in�again, ever so slowly. He repeated this slow torture over and over again until Juliana dug her fingers into his shoulders and sobbed for more.

Rawden chuckled darkly. Then, just as he was about to pull out, he drove into her in one quick motion. Juliana gasped in delight. He pulled away slowly, and then slammed back into her, hilt deep. This new, sweet torture drove Juliana half-mad, and she writhed beneath him.

Finally, he paused. Leaning back, he took her chin between his fingers.

�Look at me,� he commanded hoarsely.

Juliana blinked up at him with hazy eyes. Rawden waited, his eyes dark with desire. But still he waited.

�Yes,� Juliana breathed with a soft smile. �Yes, I�m yours.�

His response was immediate. Hooking her knees over his elbows, he began to plunge in and out of her with such force that she was driven back against the headboard and had to brace herself with her hands above her head. Their bodies, slick with sweat, crashed together. It was wild, it was furious�it was love at its basest and most passionate. Juliana could not fight the flow of pleasure that crashed through her body, so she just hung on blindly. And just when she thought their lovemaking could be no more intense, Rawden grabbed her hips and turned her so that she was on her hands and knees in front of him. He dug his fingers into her hips and began anew, his thrusts hard and fast.

Juliana had never felt anything so deep or so wonderful in all her life. Her hands fisted in his sheets, her sobs of bliss echoing though the cabin. Rawden leaned forward, and Juliana felt his tongue on her skin. Her breath caught in her throat as she realised he was trailing his tongue over the lines of her tattoo, lines she had studied and hidden for so long. Tears welled in the corners of her eyes as she relished the feeling of him laving the precious design on her back with his open-mouthed kisses. Then he rose, hooked an arm around her shoulders and pulled her up. He grabbed onto her for leverage as his pace became more frantic. His frenzied thrusts hit deep, and she felt a carnal exhilaration spread through her veins, she lost all control over her voice. Stars burst behind her eyes as she heedlessly screamed his name. She felt him shudder inside her, and she clenched around him as he released deep within her core.

Panting harshly, they sagged against each other, limp and sated. As one, they collapsed to one side. He curled around her, pulling her back into his chest. Nuzzling her tattooed shoulder, Rawden sighed into her moist skin. She trembled under his touch.

�I think I should study this map more often,� Rawden said, pressing his lips to her neck.

�Any time you want, my dear captain,� Juliana giggled, squirming deeper into his embrace. �Any time you want.�

Chapter 7

They spent the next few days holed up in the cabin. Rawden would spend hours poring over the map on her back, leaving only when it was necessary to guide the ship or supervise his crew. Juliana would sometimes venture out onto the deck to breathe in the fresh salty air and catch a glimpse of the distant shoreline. On occasion, Rawden would let her hold to the ship�s wheel, his hands on hers, as they cut through the waves. There was laughter and song and lovemaking even when the fresh rations dried up. One day, when Juliana thought she would rather go hungry than eat hardtack biscuits and broth again, Rawden breezed into the cabin bearing a tray of something that smelled�impossibly�of Christmas. Hopping up from her perch by the fire, Juliana crowded in to see just what treasures her captain had brought. With a proud, boyish smile, Rawden gestured to his surprise: two bowls of hot Christmas pudding and two mugs of sweet-smelling malt wine. As Juliana savoured a spoonful of gooey, sticky pudding and sipped her mug of wine scented with orange and cinnamon, she thanked the seven seas for sending her such a marvellous pirate. And excitement continued to grow as they drew nearer to the majestic coastline of Cornwall.

Finally, on Christmas Day, Juliana heard the barked command.

�Drop anchor!�

They had arrived. Rawden pulled her from the cabin and led her onto the deck. With a sweep of his arm, he showed her the towering cliffs of Cornwall. Juliana felt light and warm, despite the cold Atlantic wind whipping through her hair.

Grey, jagged rocks jutted imperiously from the sea. Grey-green grass covered the tops of the cliffs, draped over the sloping hills like a thick, mossy carpet. A blanket of snow and ice shimmered here and there�the only indication of the winter weather apart from the icy mist of the waves.

And there, nestled atop one of the flat peaks were the ruins of an ancient castle�Tintagel Castle, the rumoured home of the legendary King Arthur. Juliana�s eyes dropped lower. For it was not the imposing castle that interested her; it was the secret that lay hidden beneath. The winding sea caves below: Merlin�s caves. She looked eagerly up at Rawden, who chuckled.

�Aye then mateys!� Rawden called to his crew. �Get a longboat ready! We sail to treasure today!�

A great guffaw rose from the crew as they scrambled to prepare for the landing. And within the hour, Juliana and Rawden were perched at the centre of the lead longboat, headed for shore. They tied up the boats close to the rocky shore, and Rawden lifted Juliana into his arms before she could protest, gallantly wading through the cold water to set her booted feet on dry stones.

�Lead the way, my lady,� Rawden said with a flourish, taking her hand as she nimbly skipped from one rock to the next.

Soon, they were marching up a pebbled beach, and the dark, cavernous mouth of Merlin�s cave loomed above them. The tide was out, so the entrance was clear of water, leaving only a smooth sandy passageway in its place. Juliana took the torch that Rawden had just lit, holding out in front of her to illuminate the dark passageway. She smiled.

�Follow me,� she said confidently. �I know the way.�

They trod slowly into the yawning cave, their feet leaving deep marks in the soft sand. Juliana led the group through the snaking passageways without fear. She had been preparing for this day for more than a decade, and she already knew which turn to take at every fork in the passage. The rocks were slimy and slick, so Rawden steadied her with a hand cupping her elbow. As they progressed deeper and deeper into the forbidding cave, the tunnel grew tighter and the air staler. It was a frightening maze.

Just when the crew began to grumble about unending marches and unlikely treasure, they rounded a tight bend and spilled into an unbelievably vast chamber. It was so wide and large that their footfalls echoed off the rock walls. Anyone who thought to look at the walls would see intricate carvings and tall pillars. The uneven ground beneath their feet turned to carefully tiled marble slabs. And then, Juliana dropped her torch into a round basin.

Fire shot out from half a dozen railings, almost instantly lighting a series of lamp stands around the colossal chamber. The shine of gold flashed from every corner; coins were piled in pyramids taller than most men, golden jars and vases were haphazardly heaped together, weapons glittering with precious stones were scattered everywhere. It was more treasure than Rawden had ever seen in his lifetime, much less in one place.

With hoots of glee, the crew surged past them, digging into the coins and shouting to one another. After a few minutes of revelry, they turned to their captain, wondering how they ever dared doubt him. Rawden grinned from ear to ear.

�What are you waiting for?� he shouted. �Pack it all up!�

The men began scooping gold into the chests they�d brought along. Rawden surveyed the treasure. It would take more than a few trips to empty the chamber. Nay, more than a few ship loads! He shook his head in amazement and turned to look at Juliana, who had stooped to pick up a single gold coin. She turned it over in her fingers, marvelling at the Latin inscription and engraving of an unknown Caesar.

�Roman gold,� she whispered to herself, closing her fist around the coin. �It was here all this time.�

She looked up at Rawden, her face glimmering with the reflection of a century�s worth of gold.

�Merry Christmas, Rawden,� she said with a laugh and outstretched arms. �This is my gift to you.�

�You found it,� he said, pulling her into his arms and resting his chin on the top of her head. �Your father would be proud. A true daughter of a pirate.�

Juliana pulled away slightly to peer up at him, an impish smirk playing on her lips.

�Who said I was the daughter of a pirate?�

Rawden frowned lightly, his mind whirring.

�You have a treasure map. You know ships. And you can be a right little swindler.� He inclined his head to one side. �What else would you be?�

Her sly little smile grew wider.

�I have another Christmas gift for you, Captain Wood,� she said, flouncing out of his arms.

�Oh?�

�Yes,� she said with a toss of her head. �And I�ll have you know that I am not the daughter of a pirate. My name is Juliana Wright, and I am the only daughter of the late Rear Admiral Wright of the Royal Navy.�

Rawden felt his bones grow stiff with dread. The Royal Navy? Just what was going on now? But Juliana wasn�t done speaking, so he forced himself to focus on the melodic sound of her voice.

�As his daughter, the Royal Navy has tasked me to complete his mission in his stead. I have been given the honourable duty of selecting a privateer to be in the service of the Crown. I have chosen to offer this privilege to you.�

�What?� Rawden nearly choked.

�This is a letter of marque,� Juliana said, and pulled a sturdy scroll from her cape. �It entitles you to pillage and plunder foreign ships for your own profit and with no risk of prosecution by the Royal Navy or any other law enforcement serving England. Should you accept, you will no longer be a fugitive pirate, but a respectable privateer. And,� she said, opening her arms, �you may consider this Roman gold as your signing bonus. Do you accept, Captain Rawden Wood?�

�Do I accept?� Rawden took two long steps and pulled her off her feet, muffling her giggles with a kiss. �Of course I accept!�

�Well, there is one more condition,� she cautioned, tapping him on the nose.

Rawden groaned. This woman and her conditions!

�The Royal Navy requires you to have a watcher, someone to send reports back to headquarters. So you�ll have to take me along with you, wherever you sail.�

�Wherever?� Rawden asked, raising a crafty brow.

�Yes,� Juliana whispered conspiratorially. �Even if you plan to sail to a tropical island somewhere in the South Pacific, you must take me with you. Perhaps you can bribe me into silence by ravishing me on a secluded white sand beach somewhere,� she added thoughtfully.

Rawden laughed and spun her around once before sealing her lips with his in wild abandon. Breathless, he pulled away to meet her brightly cheerful eyes.

�You had this planned from the very beginning, didn�t you,� he playfully accused.

�I did,� she admitted, kissing his cheek.

�Well, then,� Rawden said, gathering her close, �it is a merry Christmas, after all.�

�Yes, it is,� Juliana murmured, pressing her lips to his. �Merry Christmas, my pirate protector.�

* * * * *

Enjoy more passion through the ages with the sensual Harlequin Historical UNDONE titles on sale now:

Some Like It Scandalous by Carole Mortimer

ISBN: 978-14592-4800-7

The Pirate�s Reckless Touch

Copyright � 2012 by Linda Skye

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