My Pirate Lover Read Free Page B

wood near Josephine’s hand!
    Josephine froze. Lance hadn’t even looked her way! Josephine swallowed and backed away from the door. When she’d composed herself she asked, “What’s that?”
    “Never you mind, lass,” said Lance, tucking the object away. He turned his attention back to Josephine. “Now, where were we?”
    “I believe you were explaining the situation to me,” said Josephine.
    Lance chuckled. “Actually,” he said, “I believe I was avoiding explaining the situation to you.” Lance shook his head. “You other-world girls are so excitable!”
    “What on Earth is an other-world girl?” Josephine demanded.
    “A girl from the other-world.”
    “Great, thanks. That really clears things up,” said Josephine. “Just tell me one thing. Have I been rescued, or simply swapped one captor for another?”
    “You were never the prize, lass,” said Lance. He gestured to the strange object he’d squirreled away. “That was.”
    “Then why have you bought me here?”
    “Would you have preferred to stay with Captain Bloody?” asked Lance. “I brought you here, lass, because there’s something I want from you.”
    “And what’s that?” asked Josephine.
    For an answer, Lance untucked his shirt from his pants, belts and sashes and pulled it off over his head.
    “How dare you!” cried Josephine, reaching for a book to throw at him.
    “Don’t start that again!” said Lance. “I need you to wrap my shoulder is all, see?” he pointed to a gash across the hard muscle of his upper arm.
    “And while I do, you’ll answer my questions?” asked Josephine. She was somewhat distracted. He had revealed a body that was hard and tanned. It occurred to Josephine that if this whole piracy thing didn’t work out for him he could get a job with Calvin Klein modelling y-fronts.
    “You’re in no position to be make bargains with me, lass,” said Lance, obviously relishing the fact. “You see, I have a winning hand while you don’t hold a single card.”
    He was right of course, and Josephine knew it. She was completely at his mercy.
    “However,” said Lance, “I’m a fair man so how about I throw you a bone? If you ask nicely, I might oblige you.”
    “Ha! You’re a scoundrel!”
    “I prefer gentleman of fortune.”
    Thinking of Katie, Josephine swallowed her pride and said through gritted teeth, “Oh, kind and masterful Captain Breakheart. Would you do me the honour of letting me dress your wound and enlighten me with your wisdom?”
    “Certainly,” said Lance with a sweeping bow. “Was that so hard?”
    Josephine sat in a chair with Lance at her feet.
    “Bloody uses a device called a Lightning Circle,” said Lance, “made from Lightning Glass to plunder vessels from other times. He uses new technologies from the future to make people think he’s a god.”
    “And you think it’s such a good idea you’ve decided to do the same?” said Josephine, not believing a word.
    “Close enough.”
    There was a knock at the door.
    “Enter!” cried Lance.
    The door opened and an elderly, butler type stood there. He looked out of place in his boots and open shirt.
    “Oh, sorry, Cap’n” he said, “I didn’t know you were with a woman.”
    Lance laughed. “Now Curry, does she look like my type of woman?”
    Curry looked Josephine up and down. “She certainly doesn’t, Cap’n!”
    Josephine gave the man a withering look and he promptly stopped laughing.
    “Was there something you wanted, Curry?” prompted Lance.
    “Oh, aye, Cap’n!” Curry squared up his shoulders to deliver the news. “The Bloody Throne has caught up! We’re under attack!”
    #
    “Stay here!” commanded Lance, hurrying about his cabin, arming himself with daggers and pistols.
    “Sure,” said Josephine.
    “You’re not to open the door to anyone,” said Lance. After a moments thought he added, “Except me.”
    “Aye, aye Cap’n!” said Josephine with an innocent smile.
    #
    When Lance had gone, Josephine