Lips pursed she narrowed her eyes. "I shouldn't be talking to you."
He cocked a brow. "And why is that, lass? I'm curious."
She didn't really have a reason, other than his very presence put her at risk of showing weakness. "Because.we hardly know one another."
"Allow me to remedy that." With grace, he removed his hat and bowed. "My name is Captain Phineas Parr, fierce pirate of the sea. I command this very ship, The Fortune, and I've come to the island in search of buried treasure. I have a nasty temper when provoked, drink far too much rum, and don't give my trust freely.
Not much more to tell. What about you?"
His heavy stare made her uneasy. "What's the matter lass, cat got your tongue all of a sudden?"
She trembled. "No, I -"
He curled his lips into a scowl. "You what? I tell you something about myself and you clam up? Or are you just fishing for information to use against me?"
"No," she exclaimed, dumbstruck by his sudden change in manner.
"Of course not."
Darkness stormed behind his eyes. "Like I said, I don't give me trust freely, wench. Either you be giving up your name or I'll be forced to lock you up like some prisoner."
Charlotte tensed. She wet her lips and decided some damage control was in order. Her very life depended on it. "Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. I'm Charlotte Alderman. I ended up on this island by accident thanks to foolishly putting my trust in a stranger, and well, I'm afraid I don't have any fancy title to impress you with."
His expression softened. "And here I figured you for a Duchess."
She'd almost felt like one aboard the cruise ship, up until she was thrown overboard and knocked around by pounding waves for hours on end. "Nope. I'm a simple and old-fashioned kind of gal."
He snorted. "I'll bet." Before she could counter his words, he started to pace back and forth, the feather of his hat rippling.
"Now that we've gotten formalities out of the way, I'm not entirely convinced that you aren't a spy."
She stopped watching his gold coin sway across his chest, and gave him a dirty look. "A spy. You find me nearly drowned with a bruise on my face, and have the nerve to think me a spy?"
He shrugged his powerful shoulders. "They come in all shapes and sizes, lass, and in your case, I'd say you're the most dangerous kind of all."
The man was infuriating. One minute he acted charming and the next he made her want to reach over and strangle him with his chain. "If you'd thought me some traitorous whore, you should have left me to battle the elements on my own. How dare you accuse me of something so ridiculous?"
His brows arched. "Is it ridiculous?"
She snorted. "Yes, it is. I'm offended you would think me a spy.
I demand you apologize."
"Oh you are a spirited one, lass. Let me remind you of one important fact here. I'm the Captain. I don't have to make an apology for my words or behavior."
Charlotte's pulse pounded. "I can assure you that I'm not a spy, and as for the seduction..."
He removed his fingers and resumed pacing, leaving her words dangling in the air. His touch had been more wanted than she cared to admit and it jostled her mind.
She watched the way he paced, three large steps, a sharp turn, and another three large steps, as if a soldier marching. All the while she wondered what kind of command he took in his bedchambers.
After several minutes of silence, he cleared his throat and glanced her way. "My dear, for all I know, you could be lying straight through your pretty teeth. Women can't be trusted on board a ship."
"Then, as I mentioned before, why didn't you leave me where I was? I think I'd almost rather be subjected to the harsh elements than deal with the likes of you."
His deep sigh resonated around the room. "Truth be told, at the moment I almost regret my decision. Almost. Regardless, I brought you here because I didn't want you to think me completely ruthless. And you were hurt. Then it occurred to me you might have come here to distract me from finding the treasure. At least here on my ship I can keep a proper eye on you."
"Do you mean to say you're keeping me against my will?" Arms crossed she gave him a pointed stare.
His chuckle vibrated low in her belly. "Oh no, lass. You are free to leave the ship, but seeing as how you're on an island, you won't be getting very far."
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