She settled herself comfortably in the chair, folding her legs beneath her and tucking his shirt that gracefully fell to her knees over her slim limbs. “How charming. You actually understand the dictates of polite society.”
Lucian stood and walked around to the front of his desk. He braced his backside against it and folded his arms across his broad chest. “Polite society be hanged. You, madam, shall behave as I dictate.”
Catherine presented a calm exterior, not even raising a brow in response, though her skin crawled with gooseflesh. She still feared his intimidating manner and his size. Lord, his size alone could bend a person to his will. Add to that his arrogant swagger of self-confidence, his ability to command those around him with a single word and his eyes that penetrated so deeply that she thought he could capture a person’s most profound secrets with a mere look. All of this only served to heighten her own inadequacies and make her fear him all the more and doubt, doubt so very much, her ability to find, and hold on to, the courage and wisdom to carry out this charade.
Catherine forced a smile and responded before she could doubt herself. “As I’ve offered before, I’m at your disposal.”
Lucian lunged forward and was upon her in three quick strides. His large hands latched on to the arms of the chair, locking her into her seat. His face hovered a mere inch from hers. She could smell the spicy scent of his clean-shaven face, see the spark of anger in his blue eyes, and catch the tensing of his jaw muscles.
She shivered.
His voice questioned without emotion. “Cold?”
The truth ran from her lips. “No, you frightened me.”
He looked at her strangely, his eyes searching for an answer that appeared to puzzle him. “I didn’t think any man frightened you.”
She had allowed her guard to slip. She had stepped out of her character and had responded foolishly and without thought.
He waited patiently for his answer. His eyes had lost their anger, but not their intensity. His jaw muscles had relaxed and his lips parted slightly, almost as though they waited to capture…
A kiss. The thought struck her suddenly. An experienced woman would have recognized the fact immediately. A harlot would have stolen one from him by now. But she was neither and her response was her own.
Her hand grabbed hold of the pearls and her other hand moved upward to his face. Her fingers glided in feathery softness over his smooth, warm cheek.
He tensed, every muscle tightening like a taut rope secured to the mast.
Her hand stilled, but only for an instant. She moved with precise slowness to his lips, running her fingers over his exquisitely shaped mouth. Her fingers tingled strangely, the sensation rushing up her arm.
He shot her a glaring look.
Her fingers remained on his lips as she gathered all the courage she possessed to calmly announce, “I won’t hurt you, Captain Lucifer.”
He moved away from her in a flash. His eyes cast venomous look and his tone was just as lethal. “But I have yet to determine if I shall hurt you, Catherine.”
Think, Catherine, think. The little voice in her head warned. You mustn’t show fear. You must remain strong and conquer this giant with your wit. What wit? Her own senses argued.
Feeling smug that his retort had rendered her speechless, he said, “No response, Catherine?”
Catherine placed her finger to her mouth and chewed softly on it in contemplation. Her thoughts raced to recall anything that would help her to respond wisely or in this case unwisely, to this situation. Unintentionally a slow sensuous smile spread across her face. “I was thinking, Captain. Pain sometimes can bring pleasure.”
Lucian released a low frustrated growl.
Catherine decided to take her response one step further, hoping it would send him out of the cabin for the entire night as had been the case since she had boarded his ship.
She stretched her arms out to him and in an aching whisper said, “Let me pleasure you with pain, Captain.”
Lucian’s angry roar bellowed through the entire ship before he stalked out of the cabin, slamming the door behind him, causing not only Catherine to tremble but the room as well.
Catherine slumped in the chair. Her hands shook so badly she had to release the pearls she held. How much longer could she continue to play this game? Her nerves were near to shattering. Each time she offered herself to him, she feared his response. What if he accepted? Then what?
She shook her worries away. She couldn’t waste time pondering the consequences of her actions now. She had to take the time to search the cabin for the papers that would prove her father’s innocence. The faster she located the papers, the faster she could attempt an escape.
Catherine had methodically searched a section of the cabin each time she was alone. She had begun with the captain’s desk, but had found it locked. Not wanting to waste precious time she had moved to the opposite side of the cabin and had searched the trunks and various nooks that could possibly conceal papers.