Pirate's Promise (Sentinels of Savannah #5) - Lisa Kessler Page 0,21

laughter sounded real. “Under all that bravado, you did make me laugh.”

“And when you let down your guard and smiled…” He ran the backs of his fingers along her soft cheek. “You took my breath away.”

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him, and her warm breath teased his skin. His head was spinning, unsure if they were still playing their roles, but he didn’t give a fuck. He needed her.

His fingers slid back into her hair as he pressed his lips to hers, growling at the sweet taste of her mouth. Her hands moved under his coat, exploring his back as she clung to him instead of shoving him away. His tongue tangled with hers, eager for more as she tilted her head, deepening the kiss.

Desire swamped him as he cupped her ass and pressed her tight against his raging erection. And like a switch had been flipped, she shoved him back, breaking the kiss as she bumped against the other side of the crow’s nest.

“Okay.” Her chest heaved, hunger burning in her eyes before she could bury it from view. “I think we’re good.”

He wiped his chin with a nod. “That was better than good.”

“I mean we’re ready for the mission.” She tugged her shirt down. “We’d definitely pass for a married couple.”

“Wait…” He shook his head. “This was…”

“Good practice.” She peered over the side, at the ratlines. “I should probably get back to bed.”

“Are you shitting me?” Had she really been playing him all along? No. He was a fucking pirate, not some shill. She’d kissed him back. He crossed his arms. “Yer not that good of an actress.”

She raised a brow. “You don’t seriously think I wanted to kiss you…do you?”

He sized her up from head to toe before meeting her gaze. “Your lips are saying one thing, but your body wasn’t lying.”

She came closer, lifting her chin. “You don’t know anything about me.”

“Fair enough.” He looked into her eyes—so many mysteries hidden there. “I’m many things, but an actor isn’t one. What you see is what you get.” His gaze wandered to her lips and back up. He wanted to kiss her again so damned bad. Only his pride held him back. If he ever tasted her lips again, it would be real. “I’ll go to the meeting with you and tell them my name is Greg, but I won’t kiss you again until you ask me to.” He caught her chin, holding her attention on his face. “You, Aura Henderson, not some undercover backstory.”

She caught his wrist and removed his hand from her skin. “I’m only interested in returning the Tyrfing to the Department 13 vault. That’s it.”

He put his hands up in mock surrender. “Forgive me. I thought you had a heart hidden under that icy armor you wear. My mistake.”

She shot him a glare and checked the harness before climbing over the side of the crow’s nest. She was brave, he’d give her that.

He followed her out and quickly passed her on the lines.

“Show-off,” she grumbled.

He looked up at her with a crooked smile. “Just want to be sure I can catch you if you fall. Can’t get paid if you die before the meeting.”

He finished the climb and dropped to the deck.

She was still twenty feet up. He reached for the line that looped through the pulley at the top of the mainmast to brace her as she finished the climb down, but a gust of wind carried it up and it caught in the lines. Shit. He kept his eye on her feet as squall filled the sails. The mast creaked, and the ship tipped eastward with the gust. The lines twisted, and her leg slipped through.

Damn it.

She gasped, clinging to the ropes. “I’m stuck!” she shouted.

Greyson weighed his options. He could climb back up and untangle the safety rope, but jumping back on the lines could throw her off. He called up, “Pull your foot free and let go. I’ll catch you.”

“I’m too high.”

He shook his head at her and moved closer, readying himself if she lost her grip. “No, yer not. Untangle your leg.”

“Bring me a knife.”

He rolled his eyes. Apparently, he was going back up. “Brace yourself!” he shouted and took two running steps before launching himself up into the air, grabbing the lines. He was on his way up to her, grumbling to himself, “Not going to let you cut our ratlines.”

Within a couple of minutes, he was beside her. He reached for her foot, but