Excerpt of Ship to Nowhere, coming to Amazon in ebook April 16 (and paperback and hardback, too, if Amazon behaves)(the other thing I've been working on besides those two papers):
Something seems to have uncorked in Sindbad, because he straightens up and then steps toward her with so much menace, that Dahra stumbles backward to get away.
Sindbad’s arms shoot out to grab her. Steady her. Keep her from escaping.
“Since you think you know me so well,” Sindbad adds hotly, “let me tell you a few things about you.”
Dahra glances down at his hands on her elbows and then back up at him. “I don’t understand why you’re upset.”
“I’m upset because you are so naïve of the ways of this world, yet think you have some knowledge on me, a seasoned sailor. Don’t think it isn’t obvious to me that this expedition is your first time outside your family home.”
“Well, y-yes.” Dahra glances at Luna for support, but she’s busy turning off the water. “But that doesn’t mean that I don’t have eyes to see or ears to hear. Or a heart that can barely understand all you’ve done for me, a stranger, already. But it does know it wants to return that help in some small way.”
“By almost getting us all killed by your bad behavior toward Queen Nefriti? So that I had to kiss her to secure us safe passage?”
Dahra stares at him, wordless.
Suddenly, Sindbad releases her, and she almost falls backward. Then one of Sindbad’s arms shoots out to snake around her waist and steady her in a way that brings her closer to him.
His other hand takes hold of her chin and raises it to meet his. “I need you to understand this and understand it well. I’m only helping you because you’re on my ship and I take care of my own. You don’t own me, and I don’t owe you anything.”
“I never said you did!”
Sindbad’s eyes flash, and Dahra wonders if he even heard her. “I don’t trust you. I don’t love you. I don’t anything, understand?”