Lords of Desire by Virginia Henley, Victoria Dahl, Sally Mackenzie, Kristi Astor Page A

her nipples. He licked off the drops and laughed as the tips of her breasts hardened into tiny spears. “I believe I made my point.”
    Tory reached out and ran her finger down the length of the bulge in his breeches. “So you did, and here’s the evidence.”
    He grabbed her and lifted her from the water. “Just the way I like you, wet and wild.”
    She struggled in his arms, laughing as the water soaked his clothes. “You promised to teach me to play hazard. Put me down, I insist upon my turn casting the dice!”
    Reluctantly, he set her feet to the carpet and watched her reach for her robe. “Games are supposed to be fun.”
    “I’ll come up to your chamber and be wet and wild,” she paused and licked her lips, “if I lose, of course.”
    He made a grab for her and she danced away and ran upstairs. She sat cross-legged on the bed and he handed her the dice. “Explain thisnick thing again. I understand how to get amain point.” She cast the dice and rolled an eight.
    “You haven’t set the stake.”
    “I have. I shall reveal it only if I win.”
    As Falcon removed his wet clothes, he explained that only a twelve or another eight would give her anick.
    She shook the dice and cast them. “Double six. I win!”
    Falcon, amused and completely naked, took a step toward her. “Now you must reveal your secret desire.”
    She hesitated for only a heartbeat. “I want you to stay with me all night…. I don’t want you to leave.”
    He stood still and the amusement left his eyes. “I cannot,” he said quietly. Falcon selected black garments and began to dress.
    Tory picked up the dice and flung them at him. “You bloody pirate. Don’t you dare go roving!”
    He took off his seal ring and put it on the desk as if he hadn’t heard her.
    She stood up on the bed. “If you go, I won’t be here when you come back. And don’t bother looking for me in the library!”
    He ignored her completely and for a moment she wondered if she were invisible. Then she remembered what he’d once said:Blackmail won’t work, sweetheart, but I’m particularly vulnerable to bribery. She realized with a sinking heart that tonight neither bribery nor all the blissful delights of Elysium would entice him to stay.
    CHAPTER 7
    “Up anchor!” Hawkhurst waited for silence as the anchor chain was pulled up through the hawsehole. He knew he must court caution tonight. He was well aware that Captain Drudge and his militiamen would be on the lookout for a marauding ship in coastal waters.
    “When we get to the mouth of the Rother, we’ll drop anchor in the hidden cove. We’ll take the longboat and row out to theBoulogne. I’ll take only seven,” he pointed to the men he wanted. “The rest of the crew should be ready to run back up the river on the tide, whether we’re here in time or not.”
    Hawkhurst took theSeacock’s wheel and guided her silently down the River Rother.
    When they got to Rye Bay he ordered, “Ready the longboat!” and turned the wheel over to the first mate.
    The boat, fitted with grappling irons, was lowered into the water and Falcon was first down the rope ladder. He set his cutlass beside him and took his place at an oar along with the other seven. With the riding lights of the merchant vessel to guide them, they pulled alongside in less than an hour.
    Hawkhurst was always first to swing across from theSeacock to the ship they were invading and tonight was no exception, as he flung his grappling hook, grabbed his cutlass, and shinnied up the thick rope. He swung his legs over the rail and before his boots hit the deck he got the surprise of his life.
    “Fuck!” Hawkhurst saw the dark figure cross the deck with raised sword and knew it was Drudge. He parried the thrust hard, but as the weapon flew from his opponent’s hand, he felt it slice into his cheek. Knowing his men would not be far behind, he alerted them to the danger. “Back! Retreat now!”
    He was over the side in a flash and jumped from the