Pirates, Kings, and Love. Oh my.

Chapter 10

X

Heath looked down at me. I couldn’t read the expression in his eyes. A small smile tugged the corners of his mouth up.

“Hello,” he whispered gently.

I blinked. “Hello.”

We sat in silence for a minute, looking at each other, lost in thoughts.

“Wait, how did you get down here?” I asked.

His smile waned as he looked slightly confused. “How else does one get about a ship?”

“Kurt said he had two men guarding your door.”

His smile returned, wider this time. “He did.”

I looked away and tried to figure out how he got out when he was being guarded like a King.

“You know, you look nice when your’e confused too.” I kept my eyes on the wall, afraid to look up and show him the heat that had blazoned my face. He chuckled at my discomfort. Well, it was a nice morning, I thought. That just disproved any feelings he could’ve had for me while I was ill. Things were back to normal.

I felt a pang in my heart. I didn’t want things to be normal. I wanted things to be different. I wanted new beginnings. To start my life over. And to start over with Heath. If I hadn’t been born as a wealthy heiress, maybe Heath and I could’ve had something. I would’ve quickly longed to be held in his arms, to lose myself in his green eyes, to run my fingers through his hair.

I gasped. No, it was too soon. I couldn’t love somebody else, I still loved Jonathan! I would always love Jonathan. Or would I?

I was in the middle of the ocean, sitting on a strangers lap, wanting to run my fingers through his hair.

“Tarryn?”

Heath’s voice carried me out of my thoughts. I’d have to figure that out later. My stomache grumbled again. Kurt hadn’t brought my soup last night.

Heath looked down at my corset. I felt myself start to blush again, but hardly had time to think about it. In a second Heath was out of the chair and out of the room. Um, okay?

I stared out the window and crossed my arms. I could still feel his arms around me. Somehow, it felt… good.

Heath came back with a bowl. Steam rose up in wavy spurts. The smell was enticing. I dipped the spoon into the broth and sipped slowly. Suddenly, I couldn’t get the soup into me fast enough. I was so hungry I had to be careful not to eat the bowl or the spoon.

“Whoa!” Heath quickly took the spoon away from me. I looked up, shocked.

“Hey! I was using that.” I pouted like a small child.

He chuckled. “Were you? You were about to just tilt the bowl and drink it all down!”

Not a bad idea. Within the second I had the bowl up to my face, the warm liquid flowing down my throat.

“Oh no you don’t!” Heath took my bowl away from me. Now I had no bowl, and was also spoonless.

“You haven’t eaten in weeks. I suggest you stop before it all comes back up.” As he said it I could feel my stomache rejecting its contents. I hardly had time to hold my hair back as I leaned over and emptied my stomache onto the floor.

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, and stopped mid-motion. Did I just do that? I found I didn’t care anymore, and was happy about it.

“Alright, well,” Heath said. He picked me up and carried me back to my hammock.