Red Is The Color Of Desire

Chapter 10

The ship swayed violently and the wind seemed to howl, screaming it's unknown fervor aimlessly. Jewel hugged the bed post, a shriek escaping her lips every time the ship bounced.

The ship suddenly tipped and she lost her grip, falling backward. She rolled over the bed and slammed into the door. She winced, cowering into a tight ball as thunder crackling outside the cabin walls. Fear danced a single tango inside her as she screamed as another round of thunder seemed to explode from outside.

All she could think of was home. How she wished she was safe in her warm bed. Away from all this chaos and uncertainty.

Her mind conjured up constant scenarios, all of which ended up with the ship sinking. Her trapped in this horrid room as water slowly inched inside from underneath the door. She pressed herself closer to the wooden floor and covered her ears with her hands. Thunder boomed once again and she screamed, her heart pounding against her chest.

She suddenly felt wetness against her back and she jumped up, staring down at the floor, watching as her worst nightmare seemed to come true. Water was seeping into the room. Was this how she was going to die?

On a pirate ship? Never having the opportunity to say goodbye to the people she?

She was growing absolutely hysterical. She climbed to her knees and grabbed the door knob, twisting and turning it. Frantic, intent on getting out of that room. If she was going to die, she refused to die in here. Not confined to a lonely death in this room.

The door clicked open and water whooshed in, her fear escalating further. She truly wasn't thinking straight as she stood on weak legs and waded through the water, climbing up onto the deck. Her eyes were wide as she witnessed the ocean waves roar around the ship. The crew running back and forth, fixing sails and securing ropes.

And on top of it all was Emile, climbing the ships mass, repairing the what seemed to be a tear in it. The rain had his hair soaking wet, clinging to his forehead and cheeks. His white shirt clung to him, painted against his skin. Determination set across his handsome face. Thunder screamed from the sky and a crescendo of lightening danced in the darkness.

She screamed, the ship tipping to the right, pulling her across the deck. She reached for the nearest post, her sweaty palms slipping. She continued across the deck, reaching for anything she could hold onto. Then she was dangling from the ships railing, holding on for dear life. She felt the waves brush across her bare feet. A tear pricked her eyes and she struggled to pull herself up.

She felt warmth on her wrist and she looked up through the tears in her eyes. Emile yanked her up and into his arms. He wrapped an arm around her waist, a hand in her hair. "You foolish woman! What part of stay put didn't you understand?"

She didn't answer, much to preoccupied with the relief she felt at being alive. A streak of lightening flashed across the sky again and before she thought about it she wrapped herself around him, her face buried in his chest. She clung to him like a lost child would embrace a missed parent.

"Everyone inside now!" Emile screamed with authority over the crackling and crying of the sudden storm. The crew didn't think twice at his command, all the men finishing what they had been doing before heading toward the courters.

He tried to move them toward his bed chamber but she was frozen in place. "Jewel, we must go inside!"

She stayed silent, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist. He cursed before gripping her thighs and pulling her up his body. Her legs around his waist, her face buried in his neck, and her arms enclosed around his shoulders. Once she was secured in his arms he raced toward the bedchamber just as a wave slapped across the ship's deck.

He ran down the stairs and into the room, slamming the door shut behind him. He released a breath of air, running a hand down her back. She was shaking like a leaf, her hold on him like steel. He moved toward the bed, trying to peel her off.

But she refused to let him go, for the first time since she met him, wanting him to hold her. Needing comfort from the storm outside. 

"We need to get out of these wet clothes. Let go, ange." He soothed, a hand stroking her wet hair.

After a while he finally managed to peel her off, her lips were turning blue, her body shivering. He pulled off the only piece of clothing she had on, one of his beige shirts. Another bout of thunder shouted outside the cabin walls and her eyes widened. She began to through herself at him but he held her back. He swiftly pulled his wet shirt off before allowing her to cling to him. He lifted her bottom up as he pulled his trousers down his legs and kicking them onto the floor.

She was shivering harder now, her skin cold to the touch. He was in the same state as her, his teeth chattering. He scooted up the bed, pulling the comforter back and lying her onto the bed. He released her but she took hold of his neck and hugged him close. He didn't have the heart to push her away, her trembling body sending an unpleasant feeling through him. He pulled the comforter around their shivering bodies and embraced her tightly.

A sob flew from her lips and she began to cry. "I don't want to die here!" She sniffled against his neck.

"You won't die here, I won't let you." He said as he caressed her drying curls. "Storms like this happen all the time without warning, it is a formality of the sea. Do not be afraid, ma cherie." 

"I want to go home! I want to go home!-," the ship bobbed and she squeezed him tighter shrieking in his ear, her sobs growing.

He didn't know how to soother her crying, he had never dealt with a woman's tears before. Her cries hurt, evoking pain within his chest and so he kissed her forehead. "Shh..."

He had grown accustomed to sudden storms such as this after having been living on the sea for years.

"I want to go home!" She cried again, her tears soaking his cheek. In that moment he wished he could grant her wish for her cries were beginning to grow painful to hear. So he said the only thing he thought would soothe her.

"Shhh...You needn't worry, angel. I shall take you to your home when my journey is through. I will not keep you forever."

His words did just as he intended and soon her breathing evened out, her grip on him loosening. She was still in his arms, her eyes closed. A peaceful expression on her pretty face. He sighed, changing positions on the bed, lying Jewel on top of him. Her arms still wrapped around his neck, refusing to let go of him even in her sleep.

He struggled to find sleep, his mind focusing on the impromptu promise from minutes ago. Would he really be able to let her go so easily? He had only know the girl for two weeks and yet the thought of giving her up did something unpleasant to him. He shook off the uncertainty he was feeling and scowled. He had more pressing matters to dwell on. His silly lust driven infatuation with the mulatto girl wrapped in his arms was just that, silly.

He should be focused on finding Jacques. He should be focused on getting his long overdue revenge. Jewel mumbled in her sleep, pressing herself closer to his naked, her cheek resting on his chest. And just like that his attention was taken by her. He ran a gentle hand through her hair, a frown settling across his lips as he remembered finding her hair on his dresser. He was suddenly angry at himself for being the reason she had cut the soft curly locks that adorned her head. He was suddenly angry at her for enough laying a finger in her hair and assaulting it in such a way.

She shifted again on top of him and he growled, sexual arousal quickly surfacing through his gut.

He pulled her up his body, spreading her legs so that she was straddling him. Trying to give himself some kind of relief. Though he wanted to take her that very moment he warned himself against it, preferring to let her sleep. He would let her rest for now. She had had a long frightening day, taking her now would be nothing short of cruel.

He ran a hand down her back and placed the other in her hair, holding her close. And finally sleep hit him and he fell into an exhausted slumber.

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