He watched her sprinting across the sands, weaving just a little, to chase a squealing pig . She corralled it into the arms of another pirate , laughing all the while . The unfortunate pig was destined for roasting , and it must have guessed it's fate , for it swerved away just in time , tossing the man into the sands as well. And Daniel felt an answering smile come to his lips .
She enchanted him in this playful , carefree mood . He doubted, sadly , that that blinding smile would ever be turned his way . The thought hurt him strangely, and he resolutely dismissed it as absurd. Why should he care , he did not need her affections, he needed her negligence, so that he could get off this blasted island and make his way to England before he lost everything to her.
But even teling himself this did not help, he still wanted her . Finally , as he looked on , she and the other pirate gave up the chase as unfairly biased in the desperate pigs favour and let it go.
After a long while , during which Daniel watched anxiously to see who she would take to her bed, the woman rose to leave ,Alone.
He felt relief sweep him as she headed for the path . He left the terrace, the object of his interest having departed, and stripped his breeches and climbed his bed for sleep .
As he was settling on the bed , he heard her footsteps in the corridor. They paused at his door, and Daniel's heart pounded for an instant, and then he heard her.
"Goodnight, peacock," she called airily, the footsteps crossed the hall , and a door creaked open. God 's balls, Captain Thorne's quarters were just across the hall from his !.
To know she slept feets away from where he languished in painful desire was cruel, indeed.
He cursed and reached for the rum bottle the servant girl had bought in earlier with his food . he did not put it down until it was empty.
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The sun sent streaks of light through the chamber where Daniel slept, causing him, still deeply asleep, to throw a well muscled arm up to shield his eyes . He mumbled incoherently at the bright intrusion, not wanting to rise and face the day . in effort to deny the sun , he flipped over onto his stomach and buried his head under the feather pillow.
But his body accustomed to waking at first light , would not allow it. Finally with profound reluctance, Daniel gave up . levering himself to one elbow , he surveyed his surroundings.
Different , he thought muzzily , then slowly recalled the events of the previous day. He was in Captain Thorne's villa, in the" guest" chamber . And he had one hell of a hangover.
The night before, knowledge of the pirate queen's close accomodations has sent him racing to the rum bottle in an effort to cool down. He had to reach oblivion before he could manage the slightest cessation of the burning ache her presence caused. This morning , it was easier not to care.
Daniel's head pounded unmercifully , but worse than that was the twisting sensation in his stomach. He felt as if he had been poisoned, and his suspicion was not far wrong.