The Devil and the Deep - By Amy Andrews Page 0,41

dropped it into the bucket and let his hands take over.

Mary almost moaned as Vasco’s hands furrowed into her hair, the pads of his fingers rubbing with sensual ease against her scalp. Her nipples and belly tightened. Goose flesh broke out everywhere. Quite why she had no idea, given she was hotter than she’d ever been.

The sun no doubt.

Nothing to do with his gaze, which she knew without having to open her eyes lay heavily on the pulse drumming a frantic tattoo at the base of her neck.

‘How’s that?’ he murmured.

At some level, Mary knew she should be contained in her reply but the drugging magic of his touch, the aroma of lavender and chives and the warmth of the sun were addling her senses. ‘Amazing,’ she breathed and Vasco chuckled.

At home this would have been her maid’s job, and it would never have felt this...decadent.

And Vasco certainly was nobody’s servant.

Her aunt would have an attack of the vapours if she could see the pirate laying his hands on her niece in such a familiar fashion. But Mary, for one, was giving herself up to the experience as she angled her head down to allow him access to where hair met nape.

Vasco’s soapy fingers massaged her hairline, dipping down to rub the back of her neck, and he swallowed as a sigh escaped her lips. He noticed how her hands clenched and unclenched the fabric at her lap, the agitated press of her cleavage against the prison of her neckline, and sensed she was feeling things she’d never before experienced.

He worked his way back up to her temples, slowly stroking her there, working his way down to the shell of her ear, drifting his thumb across its ridges, smiling as he heard the rough inward drag of her breath.

He leaned down, replacing his fingers with his lips. ‘You are very beautiful, Mary.’

Mary opened her eyes as his words slithered like the serpent into every cell in her body. A dozen retorts came to mind. He should not be talking to her like this. But with his hands creating havoc and her body craving something she didn’t understand only one thing came to her lips. She turned her head slightly, their mouths closer than was decent.

‘So are you, Vasco, so are you.’

For he was, quite simply, the most beautiful man she’d ever seen.

AFTER two more days of similar weather they finally had a calm, sunny day and Stella was able to get out on deck, where she felt most inspired, to do some more writing.

Which was just as well because she was going totally stir crazy.

She’d spent a lot of time down below during the inclement weather, trying to type two-fingered in between doses of painkillers as her arm swelled up and the bruising came out. Rick, worried that she’d broken her humerus, had wanted to turn back and get her some medical help but Stella had refused.

Yes, she’d fallen heavily and yes, the pain had increased since the swelling and bruising had come out, but she’d broken her radius a few years ago and her current pain was nothing like how excruciating that had been.

She was sure she hadn’t broken it. She’d assured him all she needed was a few days for the swelling to go down and she’d be back to normal.

But in the meantime, even the most basic things had been difficult and she was cranky and out of sorts with her limited abilities. Rick, in true Vasco fashion, had gallantly offered to help her dress and bathe, which she declined not quite in the same spirit it was offered.

So she’d battled on by herself, making do with quick showers and dressing in sarongs that required minimal arm lift. More complicated things like shaving her legs and washing her hair seemed like distant luxuries.

It was most frustrating on the writing front. The words were flowing in her head but she just couldn’t get them down quick enough and the grazed knuckles and sore finger pads of her right hand made typing slow and laborious. Every twenty minutes she’d had to stop and let her left hand take over, but it caused the throbbing to increase up higher and after about ten minutes she had to take a break.

So, it felt good indeed to have the sun on her face and the feel of a calm ocean beneath her feet again and for the first half hour they got under way she just sat in her low chair with