April Moon Read Free

under the blue broadcloth of his coat.
    “The men Sir James took off my ship were American citizens. They had the papers to prove it.”
    “Ha!” She refused to let his powerful presence intimidate her. “Such papers are simple enough toobtain. For a few pennies, a scribe will pen anything.”
    “Theses papers carried the seal of the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
    “Then your seamen should have lodged a complaint with the British Admiralty.”
    He gave snort of derision. “Do you know how many Americans have been pressed into service by you Britons in the past ten years?”
    “No, and I—”
    “More than eight thousand. Experienced, hardworking seamen all. Of those, not one has been returned to their families after lodging a complaint with the Admiralty.”
    “We’ve been at war those ten years and more. You must understand that.”
    “It was your war, not ours.”
    “So it was.” Scorn dripped from every syllable. “You Americans tried so hard to remain neutral, did you not? Allowing ships of all nations to enter your ports. Supplying arms and cotton and foodstuffs to both Britain and France. It’s a wonder Sir James merely stopped your ship on the high sea. I’m surprised he didn’t sink it!”
    “He tried.”
    The reply was blade-sharp. The look in the man’s eyes just as deadly.
    “Lowell hailed us on the open sea,” Blake continued, his jaw taut. “When I refused to set sailsand allow his men to come aboard to check my crew for deserters, the bastard ran up the gun-ports and fired in clear violation of the sovereignty of an American ship at sea.”
    “He would not do such a thing!”
    Even as she uttered the protest, Sarah suspected the man spoke the truth. If James had suffered losses to his crew, he’d take whatever measures necessary to replace them.
    “Lowell impressed twelve of my men. He also left the Seahawk crippled and adrift against all the rules of the sea.”
    His eyes blazed down at her. Sarah flattened her palms against the bulkhead, but held her head high. She would not cower before this man. She would not!
    “It’s taken me all this time to repair my ship and track the Linx. ” Satisfaction added a savage edge to his voice. “Now I have her. And her captain.”
    “What…?” Gulping, she swallowed the lump that insisted on forming in her throat. “What do you intend to do with them?”
    “I was of a mind to hang Lowell from his own yardarm. But now…”
    He stared down at her with an intensity that made Sarah’s heart thump painfully against her ribs.
    “Now,” he murmured, dipping his head until their breath mingled, “I may have stumbled on a better way to exact vengeance.”
    She curled her fingers into claws and was fully prepared to rake them across his face when his mouth closed over hers.
    Sarah had been kissed by a good number of men, both before and after her brief marriage. She’d had a reputation to live up to, after all.
    A detached corner of her mind made note of the fact that the American was skilled. Very skilled! His hand was still planted against the bulkhead. His body still leaned over hers, not touching but close enough for Sarah to feel his heat. His mouth…
    His mouth covered hers, promising dark, delicious delights she’d never experienced before. Sarah had never felt her blood race at the press of a man’s lips, never felt her senses stir so swiftly.
    Nor had the muscles low in her belly ever clenched with such sudden, shocking desire. For all her wild ways, Sarah had bedded only with Ceddie. Dear, fumbling Ceddie, who’d been so enamored of his beautiful young bride he’d spilled himself before he’d untied the laces of his drawers more often than not.
    Sarah sensed this man wouldn’t fumble. She longed to unclench her jaw and taste him fully, to abandon the restraints most of her acquaintances thought she’d left behind years ago.
    Disgusted by the traitorous urge, she brought up her arms to shove him away. She’d just wedged