Anchored in my Heart: A Lesbian Pirate Story

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓕𝓸𝓾𝓻: 𝓟𝓻𝓮𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓑𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓵𝓮

The atmosphere aboard the Cursed Corsair was electric with purposeful activity in the days following Hazel's announcement about the map to the Golden Isle. Every able-bodied crew member had a task, scurrying about to prepare the galleon for the treacherous journey that lay ahead.

Rowan strode across the bustling deck, barking orders to the scattered men as they worked on gathering supplies and rigging the ship. Her grey eyes scanned their progress critically before falling on Hazel, who was hunched over the map table with Barnaby. The two had their heads bowed close together, no doubt plotting their course.

Rowan felt the corner of her mouth quirk up fondly as she watched Hazel's tongue poke out in concentration, her brow furrowed. She made her way over, rapping her bandaged knuckles lightly against the weathered wooden surface.

"Don't mean to interrupt the big thinkers," she drawled, shooting Barnaby a coy smile before turning her heated gaze to Hazel. "But I've got the last of the rations and armaments loaded up per your instructions, Captain."

Hazel straightened up from the maps, rolling her shoulders back with a slight wince. She regarded Rowan appraisingly for a moment, her eyes scouring over the taller woman's body in a way that sent a shiver down Rowan's spine. She gave her a crisp nod of approval.

"Good work. We'll be ready to disembark at first light then." Her eyes drifted back down to the scattered maps and charts laid out before her almost longingly. "The sooner we shove off, the better our chances of beating that snake Blackwood to the prize."

Rowan's features hardened briefly at the mention of their old adversary before smoothing out into a lazy smirk. She leaned in closer, pitching her voice lower.

"Well then, if it's a race he wants, a race he'll get. I'd love nothing more than to watch the look on that weasel's face when we snatch the treasure right from under his nose." She punctuated the statement with a flirtatious wink directed at Hazel.

Hazel's pupils blew wide for just a fraction of a second before she visibly composed herself, straightening up to meet Rowan's smoldering gaze steadily.

"Don't get cocky," she warned, but her tone held an unmistakable rasp of desire. "We all know how crafty and underhanded that brigand and his crew can be. If he catches even a whisper of where we're headed..."

Rowan allowed her eyes to deliberately trail down the long column of Hazel's throat. "Then we'll just have to gut him and string up his insides for the seabirds, won't we?" she purred meaningfully.

The heavy tension between them was abruptly broken by Barnaby's gruff voice. "Much as I respect your cleverness, Hazel, that map ain't foolin' nobody. Blackwood'll catch a whiff of our prize soon enough, mark my words."

He leaned back, bushy brows lifting meaningfully. "We'd best be preparing for a fight when the time comes. A brutal one, if I know that scurvy wretch."

Rowan visibly startled, reluctantly pulling her gaze from the tantalizing curve of Hazel's jawline to look at Barnaby. A tense silence fell over the three of them before Hazel spoke up.

"You're absolutely right, Barnaby," she stated, her tone hardening into one of cool authority as she straightened up to her full height. "Which is why when that gutless snake does inevitably show his scaly hide, we're going to be more than ready to send him and his entire wretched crew straight to the bottom of the sea."

Her eyes cut towards Rowan, blazing with fierce determination and something deeper that made Rowan's stomach flutter. She swallowed hard as Hazel continued issuing orders about readying the ship for battle, fighting the urge to grab her captain and kiss her senseless.

When Barnaby had shuffled off, Hazel beckoned Rowan closer with the crook of her finger. The first mate went without hesitation, desire and protectiveness swirling hotly in her chest. When she was close enough for their bodies to nearly brush, Hazel reached out and grasped her wrist in a firm grip.

"I mean it, Brigham," she said lowly, searching Rowan's eyes with heated intensity. "Blackwood cannot be allowed to interfere again...not this time. Do not let your guard down for even a second around him or his snakes, understand?"

Rowan felt arousal and concern war within her as she registered the anguished fear flickering in Hazel's gaze. She gently pried her wrist free to curl her fingers around Hazel's, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. Their faces were mere inches apart now, the air practically crackling between them.

"You have my solemn vow, Haze," she rumbled, holding her captain's smoldering stare steadily. "From this moment until we're back here victorious with the treasure in our grasp, I'll not let that piece of filth anywhere near you. He'll die before he can even think about laying a hand on you."

Hazel's throat bobbed as she swallowed hard, her brown eyes burning with unspoken sentiments and longing. For a suspended moment, it seemed like she might close the scant distance between their lips. But then she was pulling away, leaving Rowan to release a shuddering breath.

"Just...just come back to me, you hear?" Hazel rasped, her stare boring into Rowan's with desperate intensity.

Rowan didn't trust herself to speak, so she simply gave a resolute nod as she squeezed Hazel's hand once more. Then she forced herself to turn away, squaring her shoulders against the encroaching storm of battle as she went to carry out Hazel's orders.

But with every step, she could still feel the lingering electric tension thrumming between them, driving her determination to protect the woman she loved with every fiber of her being. Blackwood's entire cursed crew could burn in the depths of hell before she allowed them to take Hazel from her.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​