“Sounds puzzling,” Richard remarked.

“Probably just needs some sails fixed,” Bixley put in. “And I’m the man for that.”

“My sails are fine,” Drew disagreed.

“Not fine enough for that storm that’s a-brewing. I can smell it in the air.”

“He’s got eyes, Bix. He can see there is a storm heading this way.”

“But he hasn’t fixed those sails yet,” Bixley countered. “They’ll be ripped to shreds if—”

“Are you actually telling me how to run my ship?” Drew cut in incredulously. He’d wanted these three nervous about why he’d summoned them, but all they wanted to do was talk about the ship!

“We’re sailors, Captain, same as you,” Richard said with a grin. “If we see something wrong with a ship, we’re not going to keep it to ourselves.”

“I’ll fix the damn sails,” Drew replied. “Now answer me this. Which one of you planted your fist in my cheek last week while I was sleeping?”

Bixley started to laugh. “So that’s what that bruise was from? Wondered about it. And here I’d been thinking ye tripped over yer blankets in the dark.” Drew wasn’t the least bit amused. He moved to stand in front of the Irishman and said, “Shall we start with you, then, Bixley?”

“Start?” The man blinked and, his expression turned wary again.

“Why not?” Drew said. “It’s called process of elimination. I’m sure you’ve heard of it.”

“Ain’t heard of it, and don’t care to be in the front of the line to be experiencing it, either. It weren’t me that punched ye in the dark.”

“No?” Drew said calmly, then glanced at Ohr, then Richard, but those two were both wearing blank looks now. So he added with a sigh, “As I thought, we will have to find out the hard way, then.” The punch knocked Bixley down. Sprawled on the deck, he made no move to get back up for more.

Richard spoke up. “There’s no need for that. If you want a fight, untie me. I’m the one you’re looking for.”

Drew nodded and signaled the men he had standing by to take Ohr and Bixley back to the hold. He was somewhat surprised. Perhaps there was more between Gabby and the supposed Frenchman than he’d thought.

Bixley grumbled at Richard as he was helped to his feet, “Speak up sooner next time, eh.”

Richard winced and mumbled, “Sorry, Bix.”

Drew studied Richard’s handsome face as the other two men were led off. He felt anger rising up for what he was starting to suspect. What would stir up fighting emotions in the Frenchman? Drew had done nothing more to Gabby than kiss her a few times in England before he sailed. He’dwanted to do more, but she hadn’t cooperated.

Richard grew uncomfortable under the extended scrutiny and finally said in a sharp tone, “What? It was just one bloody punch.”

“I wouldn’t have guessed you,” Drew said now that he and Richard were alone.

Richard grinned. “Neither would I, if you must know. It was an impulse, quite unplanned.”

“Why?”

Richard shrugged. “Felt you deserved it and more.”

Since Drew felt nothing of the kind, he snarled, “You want a piece of me? Let’s hear the reason.”

“Are you joking, man? After what you did?”

That took Drew by surprise and brought forth a thoughtful frown. “I know what I’ve done recently, but we’re talking about last week when I was a prisoner in chains unable todo anything other than stew.”

“I told you, it was just an impulse.”

Drew didn’t buy that, but he gave Richard a thoughtful look. “Why do you pretend to be French?” The man just grinned wider. “Why do you assume I’m not just because my speech might change a bit occasionally? Maybe I’m a Frenchman who grew up in London.”

“Maybe you’re a liar.”

Richard shrugged. “What difference does it make, eh? We all pretend to be something we’re not.”

“Even Gabby?”

“Gabby is whatever she wants you to think she is,” Richard replied cryptically.

Drew snorted. “Which means?”

“That if you want to know about her, you should be asking her, not me.”

“Then let’s get back to you and your blasted reason for attacking me.”

“Sorry, can’t oblige you, Captain. I’ve been sworn to secrecy. How about you just accept my apology and leave it go at that?”

“How about you satisfy my curiosity before I beat it out of you?”

“Have at me, then. I don’t betray my friends.”

“You’re saying she’s just a friend?”

“You thought otherwise when she was thinking about marrying you?” That word “marrying” in reference to him actually had Drew taking a step back. The very thought of marriage made him shudder. But he was finding it hard to believe that Gabby had entertained those thoughts. And, in fact, Richard could be feeding him a pack of lies just to throw him off track.

But he was still curious enough to ask, “Did she tell you that?”

“I’ve said too much already,” Richard rejoined. “I’m saying no more.”

“So it wasn’t jealousy that had you attacking me?” Drew persisted.

Richard snorted. “You don’t listen too well, Captain. She’s my best friend. Whoever she ends up marrying will be fine with me, well, as long as it’s not you.”

“Then youare jealous!”

“No, I just don’t like what you did to her. I tried to give her some excuses for it, but I didn’t really believe any of them m’self.”

Drew ground his teeth together. He was so frustrated at the moment, it was a wonder he hadn’t knocked the pirate on his ass yet. But then it occurred to him…

“I got her drunk to try and seduce her, but my blasted brother interrupted us, so I didn’t get very far. Is that what this is all about? Did she think something else happened while she was tipsy?” Richard shrugged. “She never mentioned that, so I’ve no idea.”

“Whatdid she mention?”

“Nice try, Captain, but that secret is going with me to the grave. So have at me or send me back to the hold, because this conversation ends now either way.” Richard was taking it for granted that Drew wouldn’t lay a hand on him. His confident tone said as much. Drew should have disappointed him, if for no other reason than to get rid of the frustration he was currently feeling over learning next to nothing from this futile exercise. But he let him go. He was going to have to take this subject up with Gabby instead, obviously. But she wasn’t exactly in an appeasing frame of mind either, so she would probably just make his frustration a lot worse.

He should have just put her in the hold with her crew. It was no more than she deserved for trying to steal his ship. But she’d given him more pleasure than he’d expected when he found her sleeping in her cabin that night, an experience he couldn’t get out of his mind.

God, that had been sweet, but making love to her had its drawbacks, too—in particular, that that one time with her should have been enough for him, but it wasn’t. With every other woman, once was just fine. He revisited his many sweethearts merely for convenience, not because he was eager to see them again. But with Gabby, he wanted more. Despite his guilt.

And that was another thing that perplexed him. Who would have thought a damned pirate would turn out to be virginal. That still amazed him. But it was kind of sweet, too, that he was the first man for her.

Another new experience for him, though, because it certainly wasn’t something he looked for in his women. Just the opposite. He preferred women with a good deal of experience. They knew the game, and that marriage wasn’t one of the prizes.

Had Gabby really thought about him for a husband? He smiled and shook his head. He was going to find out.

Chapter 37

THE STORM THAT HAD BEEN THREATENING ALL DAYarrived that afternoon with a vengeance. Gabrielle had been hoping that it would just blow away, or at least thatThe Triton would outrun it, but neither occurred.

In the middle of a violent torrential onslaught was the one time she didn’t like being on a ship. Actually, ever since she’d lived through that hurricane that struck the islands, she didn’t like rainstorms no matter where she was. But being at sea added an extra element of danger. Sinking.

It was a fine ship, though—sturdy, well maintained. The creaking of its planks was minimal. Even the sharp dipping and careening didn’t get out of hand, at least not right away. It was inevitable, though. And so was Gabrielle’s nervous reaction, made ten times worse by the fact that she was locked in a cabin. If the ship did go down, she wouldn’t even have a chance to find a dinghy, piece of wreckage, or any other sort of raft where she could then hope for rescue. No, she’d be going straight down to Davy Jones’s locker.

She sat there huddled in her blankets for the longest time, watching the few things in the room that weren’t nailed down roll back and forth across the floor and, at one point, halfway up the wall. That had been a terrifying moment, when the ship dipped almost horizontally as it rode down that one particularly huge wave.

Even the lantern went flying off its post in that moment of gut-wrenching fear. The glass in it shattered as it rolled across the floor and smashed against the wall, leaving a trail of spilled oil in its wake.

She stared at it with a mixture of horror and relief. The fire probably would have been instant if the lantern had been lit. While she’d actually thought about it, if she were going to start a fire to try to make her escape, this absolutely wasn’t the time to do it, when Drew and his crew were fighting the elements to keep them afloat and wouldn’t notice a fire until it was too late. But at least she’d had the wits to extinguish it when the storm began, leaving only the lamp that was secured solidly to Drew’s desk still burning.

She wished she could sleep through the storm. That would be an ideal way to put her worry aside, to just wake up when it was all over. But it was impossible to even try in her position on the floor, where she was holding tight to her chain to keep from being tossed about just as much as everything else was that wasn’t nailed down. She could probably find better purchase in Drew’s bed, at least a softer cushion for all the sliding she was doing. But that was one place she wasn’t getting anywhere near, now that it was his again.

She didn’t expect to see him again until the storm was over. Night had arrived, though it was hard to tell

with that solid sheet of rain outside the windows and nothing but black clouds beyond it. Several more hours passed, but the storm still gave no sign of abating.

And then a cold blast of wind and rain entered along with Drew. He had to shove the door to get it to close. He didn’t bother to lock it again. He turned and leaned back against it as his eyes located her. He didn’t look the least bit worn out or downtrodden after spending hours out in that downpour. He looked exhilarated, full of vim and vigor, as if he could take on anything without batting an eye.

He tossed off the rain slicker he’d been wearing, though it hadn’t kept him from getting soaked. “Are you all right?” he asked.

Her nerves shot, she said, “No, I’m frightened, I’m cold, I’m hungry, and my arse is bruised from all this tossing about. I’m bloody well not all right.”

She expected him to laugh and call her a ninny. Instead he amazed her by making his way to her, kneeling down beside her, and drawing her into his arms. She didn’t have a single urge to resist the closeness he offered, even though he drenched her with his wet clothes.

He made himself comfortable against the wall, then pulled her halfway across his chest. He took a napkin out of his pocket, opened it to reveal a handful of cold sausages cut in little chunks. He put one in her mouth.

“Leftovers from breakfast,” he said. “The galley is closed for the duration, so there won’t be a full meal, probably not until tomorrow. You should know that’s standard procedure.”

“Yes, I know,” she replied as he fed her a few more chunks that took the edge off her hunger.

“Are you really bruised?” he asked.

The question made them both think of the last time he’d asked about her bruises, when she’d accused him of leaving her with some after their first meeting on the docks. The thought made them grin at each other.

“No, just a bit sore,” she admitted. “I doubt I’ll feel it tomorrow. Be careful crossing the floor, though.

We haven’t been steady enough for me to try to pick up that glass that broke from your lantern yet.”

“I should have thought to remove that lantern when the storm started.”

“You weren’t here to do that. I was, but all I thought to do was turn it off.” She realized too late that she’d just admitted that she could move about the cabin just fine, that the shackle was no restraint for her at all. But he gave no indication that he caught that slip, merely fed her a few more sausages before he ate some himself.

She shouldn’t be sitting like this with him, pretty much cradled in his arms, but she couldn’t bring herself to move yet, she was so comfortable. His wet clothes had been cold to start, but where her body was pressed to them was now warm from her own heat. In fact, steam could have risen between them, it was getting so warm.

There was simply no way she could ignore the body she was leaning against, or not think of what it had done to her the other night. The kind of pleasure he’d introduced her to had been beyond her