Skull and Dagger

“Well?” Elizabeth demanded two days later, cornering Annabelle the instant she left her room for any significant amount of time. “How is it?”

Annabelle’s cheeks were still slightly flushed with pleasure at her and Frank’s most recent union, but she managed to blush nonetheless. “As good as you said it would be,” she confessed with a conspiratorial giggle. “No, wait. Better...”

Elizabeth frowned. “Better?” she demanded.

“Better,” Annabelle agreed.

“Gerard!” Elizabeth stomped her foot on the ground. “Get over here right now! I want better, too!”

Annabelle chuckled as she watched Elizabeth chase off after her lover...and wondered how she could trick Frank back into the bedroom and get some more better for herself...
* * *

“Haven’t seen much of you lately,” Bob commented with a wry grin.

Frank rolled his eyes at the other man’s dirty mind. “I hear we’re parting ways today,” he commented, leaning against the railing beside his former captain.

“No rest for the wicked,” Bob commented before he turned a suggestive leer Frank’s way, “hey?” He nudged the other man in the ribs.

“God, you’re hopeless,” Frank complained. “How does Darla put up with you anyway?”

“I ‘put up’ for her.” Bob couldn’t help it; he was on a roll.

Frank groaned. “Thanks for reminding me why I won’t miss you,” he said sarcastically.

Bob snorted at that. “Who’ll watch your back, then?” he retorted.

“You? Watch my back?” Frank asked in disbelief. “Nothing but trouble, you are...’specially when women are involved...”

Bob’s expression turned serious at that. “Brought this one back to you,” he pointed out.

“You did, at that,” Frank conceded.

“I figured I owed you after Jamia,” Bob bit out. “I mean, I really didn’t know that she...”

“It's OK,” Frank assured him, a bemused smile curling up the edges of his lips. “Don’t think I can take much more of your half-assed attempt at apologizin’ without splitting my side...”

Bob gave him an annoyed scowl. “Knew I should’ve blown you outta the water when I had the chance,” he sulked.

“Probably,” Frank agreed.

“You never wondered?” Bob asked the question that had been nagging him ever since Frank’s return. “You never thought that I was in on it?”

“Not for a second,” Frank assured him with a smile, “you big prick...”
* * *

Elizabeth bawled her eyes out and clung to Annabelle. “Who am I going to tell all my dirty secrets to now?” she lamented.

Annabelle patted her on the back. “There’s always that dashing captain of yours,” she pointed out.

“But he is my dirty secret,” Elizabeth mock-pouted.

Annabelle laughed before releasing her best friend. “Be sure to visit,” she said, her own eyes teary. “Only...not when I’m busy getting my orgasms...”

Frank blushed in response to that. “Now I know what you’ve been going through,” he told Gerard sympathetically. “You’re a brave man, Way.”

Gerard laughed and patted him on the back. “Try not to let marital bliss make you go soft,” he teased.

Frank scowled, but his expression softened when Annabelle wrapped her arms around him.

“Definitely not soft,” she said with a wink before turning to her blushing husband. “Come on, love, the carriage awaits.”

“Take care of yourself,” Gerard gave Frank a good-bye nod.

“You, too,” Frank agreed. “You ever need anything...”

“I won’t call you and risk Annabelle’s wrath,” Gerard joked with a wave before turning back to Elizabeth. “Ready to head back to ship?” he inquired.

“I can hardly wait to get back our life of sin,” she agreed with a happy smile, “complete with many opportunities to make lots and lots of money...”

* * *

“Mmm,” Annabelle murmured against Frank’s chest as they cuddled up in the back to the carriage together, “it’s dark in here, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” he agreed, raising once scarred eyebrow in her direction.

“The driver can’t see anything,” she continued slyly, “which means...”

He gasped when he discovered where her hand had gotten.

“...that he can come out and play,” she finished.

“God, love, don’t ever stop keepig’ me on my toes,” he requested.

“I won’t,” she agreed coyly, “as long as you never stop keeping me on my back...”

With that, her lips crashed into his, loving him, holding him, making him hers forever...