Harry pretended not to notice, but Lynnette knew full well he had gotten the point . she turned back, satisfied, and tried to return her wayward mind to work.
But images from her dreams kept returning to haunt her, images of that shadow kiss, Daniel's hands, muscled body atop her own , and the pleasure! Dear God , that she should create a fantasy , even unwillingly, of ecstasy between them, when she knew none such could be the reality...
Lynnette understood the pleasure men received from fornicating. Too , she recognized the fact that certain women enjoyed the act as well , But she could never, of that she was sure . Not after what she had seen. . . .her sister, brutally raped by two men, as she stood by, helpless to prevent it And then not so helpless she had killed one of the men that very night . The other she continued to hunt with a Vengeance none could deny.
Now, years later, she felt naught but a faint disgust for the mating act, her initial fear and misconceptions having disappeared. After being in the licentious company of buccaneers for more than seven years, she had witnessed a great deal and knew that sex was not always a violent thing. Lynnette had been forcibly educated to the point where nothing shocked her anymore, both by sight , and by the bawdy talk of sailors . One could not close one's eyes or ears to the realities of pirate life, not if one wished to stay alive . Still, she felt no desire to make forays of her own into the sensual world and discover for herself the truth of the matter.
The dream was mere foolishness, she assured herself, induced by too much drink and too much sun . she would not worry the issue further. And she would work herself to exhaustion tonight to ensure a dreamless stupor when she fell into bed . Lynnette had done the same countless times when plagued by other dream she still occasionally suffered through, and it nearly always worked. Much heartened by her resolve, Captain Thorne turned her attention fully to the repairs once more.
**************
Splintered wood on the aft gun ports was replaced carefully by men who had seen to such tasks many times before, and Daniel had no complaints. The ruined bowsprit was dismantled altogether to be used as firewood since it could not be salvaged. Even now, a gang of men were fashioning a new one on the beach close by ; the long , thin frontispiece of the frigate was carved from a tall cottonwood, since there was no oak to be had . The vessel had been minimally damaged because of Captain Thorne's fancy maneuvering, and he estimated the repairs would take no more than a few days to complete.
Over the sounds of hammering and sawing , Daniel did not at first hear the footsteps heading toward him . When he looked up from the bare , horny-toed feet that had stopped in his line of sight, the Maiden's first mate was standing beside him. He was curious, for the man --Harry, wasn't it ? had seemed sympathetic and kindly toward him in a rough sort of way . He raised a questioning brow.
" Mind if I join ye fer a spate? ' Tis mighty hot, I'm thinkin', an' this little bit o ' shade be about as welcomin' as a white on a Sunday morn ." He laughed wheezily, displaying blackened teeth. "In case her fancyship don't know , 'tis th' least busy time o' th' week fer a doxy ."
" I am aware of that, " Daniel replied dryly. " Be welcome; sit , if the ship were yet mine , I'd offer you refreshment aboard her, but as it is not, I can offer a cool place to rest in her shadow. "
" Ain't ye th' p' lite one ! They don't call ye peacock get naught , now do they ! I will take what ye offer an ' gladly. " Harry seated himself with a grunt.
Captain Bradley winced at the moniker. He hardly looked the part now, clad in sweat stained shirt and breeches , having discarded his heavy jacket once the reached the island. He had a feeling that the name was here to stay, however, and attempted with limited success to take the jibe in good humor. Harry, he knew, meant nothing by it.
Captain Thorne was another case entirely.
Once again, Daniel's eyes strayed to watch her figure as two men settled into a companionable silence. She moved with such purpose, unlike the other women of his acquaintance. Probably, he thought, because, while those ladies had none besides their newest bedroom conquest, their mien was languid, practiced ; hers was nothing if not unstudied. Captain Thorne seemed as unaware of her beauty as a creature of the jungle. A lioness, he thought her, stalking back and forth before her pride with energy to spare , fluid in her grace and strong as the regal feline he had just compared her to. His eyes grew a shade brighter with hunger.
" I've seen ye starin' at my lassie a time er two afore, with a look in them silver eyed like ye got jest now . Ye want her , I kin tell. " There was a smirk in Harry's tone.
Daniel startled at the older man's voice , jarred from his acute study . He turned his head to look piercingly at the man but answered lightly. "Who would not?" my lassie? just what sort of relationship did the two have ? then he shook himself in disgust . of course there was nothing between them; Harry was old enough to o be the wench's grandsire! no doubt she preferred younger bedmates. Besides his tone had been nearly paternal in it's nature . Daniel told himself he had been out in the sun too long . jealous of this old man? jealous at all ? Hardly! he scoffed.