Troubled Seas
Coming Clean
This time, when Katie woke up and began to trace the scars imprinted on Jack’s skin, he was awake too. He watched her small hands move across his skin and felt a stirring deep inside his chest. He reached up and drew his fingers through her still damp hair. An idea forming slowly in his mind.
He untangled the beaded charm from his hair. It was hard work, being a pirate didn’t exactly encourage the best bathing habits. He held it in his palm for a moment, feeling its weight.
“Katie, love.”
“Hmm?” she murmured.
“I want to give you something.”
She looked up curiously. Jack took her right hand in his and pressed the charm down into her palm. Katie examined the small item, a smile tugging at her lips. “Are you sure Jack?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you,” she immediately began fastening it to her hair.
Jack reached out and touched the small piece of jewelry. The charm looked wonderful in her blond hair, and it was a visual bond between the two of them. He was immensely happy.
“Where are we traveling to?” he knew what she was really asking.
“If my Katie wants to go to Anew, to Anew we shall sail.”
Katie wrapped her arms around him. She kissed the side of his neck, “What changed your mind captain?”
“A switch in the wind,” he played with the charming hanging from her hair.
“How did you know where I had gone?” she asked, referring to Jack’s rescue of her from the watery depths.
“Scarlet told me,” Jack laid Katie back down and reclined beside her.
She propped herself up on one elbow and returned to tracing his scars. “What happened Jack?”
“Which one?” She pressed down slightly, to show him the scar she meant. “Ahh yes. Nasty fight with a loyal British soldier. He was under the impression I should hang; I thought otherwise. We fought. I won. But he left me with this reminder not to return to his island.”
Katie kissed the scar and then rested her head against his firm chest. She was lulled back to sleep by the gentle movement of his chest up and down with his easy breathing.
Jack continued to stroke her hair, reveling in its silky feeling between his fingers. He kissed the top of her head. I love you Katie. He froze.
Jack was dangerously close to feeling deeply for the woman asleep on top of him. It would be risky for both of them if Jack were to come clean about his emotions. Every enemy Jack had would become Katie’s as well. Katie would be in constant peril of death for being associated with him when his enemies found out the best way to hurt Jack was to kill her.
It was fine for them to be intimate, that really made no difference to anyone. But as soon as true feelings became involved… He loved Katie and that’s why he wasn’t willing to put her in danger. Jack vowed to never let Katie or anyone else find out how he truly felt.
With a heavy heart, Jack pulled Katie close to him, holding her gently, loving her as much as any man could love a woman. And then he stood up and left her to slumber; this would be the last time he would be that close to her.
He untangled the beaded charm from his hair. It was hard work, being a pirate didn’t exactly encourage the best bathing habits. He held it in his palm for a moment, feeling its weight.
“Katie, love.”
“Hmm?” she murmured.
“I want to give you something.”
She looked up curiously. Jack took her right hand in his and pressed the charm down into her palm. Katie examined the small item, a smile tugging at her lips. “Are you sure Jack?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you,” she immediately began fastening it to her hair.
Jack reached out and touched the small piece of jewelry. The charm looked wonderful in her blond hair, and it was a visual bond between the two of them. He was immensely happy.
“Where are we traveling to?” he knew what she was really asking.
“If my Katie wants to go to Anew, to Anew we shall sail.”
Katie wrapped her arms around him. She kissed the side of his neck, “What changed your mind captain?”
“A switch in the wind,” he played with the charming hanging from her hair.
“How did you know where I had gone?” she asked, referring to Jack’s rescue of her from the watery depths.
“Scarlet told me,” Jack laid Katie back down and reclined beside her.
She propped herself up on one elbow and returned to tracing his scars. “What happened Jack?”
“Which one?” She pressed down slightly, to show him the scar she meant. “Ahh yes. Nasty fight with a loyal British soldier. He was under the impression I should hang; I thought otherwise. We fought. I won. But he left me with this reminder not to return to his island.”
Katie kissed the scar and then rested her head against his firm chest. She was lulled back to sleep by the gentle movement of his chest up and down with his easy breathing.
Jack continued to stroke her hair, reveling in its silky feeling between his fingers. He kissed the top of her head. I love you Katie. He froze.
Jack was dangerously close to feeling deeply for the woman asleep on top of him. It would be risky for both of them if Jack were to come clean about his emotions. Every enemy Jack had would become Katie’s as well. Katie would be in constant peril of death for being associated with him when his enemies found out the best way to hurt Jack was to kill her.
It was fine for them to be intimate, that really made no difference to anyone. But as soon as true feelings became involved… He loved Katie and that’s why he wasn’t willing to put her in danger. Jack vowed to never let Katie or anyone else find out how he truly felt.
With a heavy heart, Jack pulled Katie close to him, holding her gently, loving her as much as any man could love a woman. And then he stood up and left her to slumber; this would be the last time he would be that close to her.
♠ ♠ ♠
Dedicated to LoveAtFirstGlow whose comment made me smile =]Lynsey