Lyla Sinclair - Captains Price

Captains Price

Lyla Sinclair

Captains Private Journal, May 30, 1790

My heart pounds hard in my chest as I think of herthe lass awaiting me, naked in my cabin as I commanded. She was discovered masquerading as one of my seamen, yet I am still appalled at myself for demanding such a lewd price for her passage. But when I looked into her eyeswide, but somehow beckoningI was filled with a need deeper than any Id ever known.

For her. For Julianna .

Can I truly touch her and taste her and satisfy my lust on her without taking the maidenhead meant for another? I am a man of impeccable self-controlan asset that has redeemed my family and ensured Ill not become my wayward father. Then what has taken hold of me? Each moment, the urge to go to her and steal away all that rightfully belongs to another man grows more irresistible. I must touch her. I must hold her. I must drive myself into her

I must not.

An Elloras Cave Romantica Publication

www.ellorascave.com

Captains Price

ISBN 9781419930034

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Captains Price Copyright 2010 Lyla Sinclair

Edited by Kelli Collins

Cover art by Darrell King

Electronic book publication August 2010

The terms Romantica and Quickies are registered trademarks of Elloras Cave Publishing.

With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Elloras Cave Publishing, Inc. 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.

Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without the publishers permission. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the authors rights is appreciated.

This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the authors imagination and used fictitiously.

Captains Price

Lyla Sinclair

Chapter One

I stood trembling on the deck at my moment of truth, having no one to blame but myself. After weeks of success in my masqueradeonly one short week from my destination, Id done the unthinkable.

Id acted like a female.

And now Captain Drew Pricewhod taken no notice of me up to this pointstared down at me as though I were some bizarre creature that had flopped up on the deck from the depths of the ocean.

As I attempted to force down the fear threatening to overtake me, I focused on the fact that at this proximity, I could finally see the color of his eyes. At home, I might have been able to create the shade with my paints if Id mixed blue and green and gray. His eyes were the color of the ocean.

I watched a muscle twitch in his bronzed jaw. His sun-touched chestnut hair blew in the gentle breeze as everyone on the ship went deadly quiet, waiting for his verdict. Onboard, the captain is judge, jury and executioner.

Captain Price ran a tight ship and tolerated no misbehavior of any kind from his men. And what was I? Not truly one of his men, yet not a paying passenger. My bravery suddenly abandoned me and my eyes dropped to his long, lean trousers.

My untimely unveiling had been caused by that clown they called Jeebers though I felt certain his mother hadnt bestowed that name upon him. Hed sneaked up behind me as I was swabbing the deck and attempted to pull down my breeches. Before Id had a moment to think, Id squealed, turned and slapped him across the face. The moment I made contact, I realized my mistake.

This was just one in a long line of pranks from the other seamen, since I was a new boy. Id played my role to perfection through everything, until nowuntil this. I could have hit him with the mop or simply grabbed at my breeches, but no. Id slapped him.

Afterward, Jeebers had stared at me in shock, holding his palm to his cheek. Everyone on the deck went silent until a voice called out, Hes a woman! or something of the sort. The ships occupants began stepping closer to examine me, both the seamen and the whores, the latter of whom were part of the cargo being transported to America.

And as one voice after another confirmed the assertion, I watched Captain Drew Price leave the helm and walk toward me with measured steps, his eyebrows lowered, his lips pursed, as though our all-knowing, all-confident captain was giving himself time to decide what to do if the shouters turned out to be correct. When he stopped in front of me and peered into my face, I hoped he couldnt see my lower lip tremble.

Boy remove your shirt, he commanded after several long seconds.

I cannot, Captain, I replied, no longer bothering to change my voice or manner of speech.

I watched his eyes grow stormy as he pulled his sword from his sash and pointed the blade at my chest. An instant later my shirt hung open and the bindings on my breasts dropped away.

Sounds of shock and excitement rippled through the crowd. I grasped the fabric and pulled it together to cover my breasts. Id never felt so humiliated or so afraid. All my internal organs seemed to quake as I tried not to glance to the right, where my poor little maid Bess stood, also attired in boys clothes and surely scared to death of what would befall us.

YouMaggie, is it? The captain motioned to one of the older whores standing nearby. Unbind her hair.

I forced my eyes back up to his, wondering why the hair was necessary when hed already bared my breasts. I caught a moment of uncertainty in his gaze and guessed this could be another play for time. Id put him in a circumstance hed never encounteredor possibly even heard ofand he was trying to determine what in the world to do with meor to me.

Maggie made quick work of my hair, removing the cap, unpinning the strands and loosening it until my auburn ringlets fell around my shoulders like a cape.

Another set of exclamations reverberated through the crowd. Weathered old Jeebers , gape-mouthed and wide-eyed, reached toward me and took a strand of my hair in his hand, gazing at it as if it were a handful of Spanish doubloons. He quickly dropped it when he heard the captains voice.

Turn this barrel on its side, Captain Price said. I was filled with dread as I watched a couple of men turn the heavy barrel over and secure it with straps. Id only seen this done once before. And on that day, a sailor was whipped bloody for thieving from one of his mates. Was my act so egregious?

I turned my head slightly so I could see Bess. She was trembling and tears were flooding her eyes. Shed been my maid and companion since we were girls, but because I was the youngest in my family, Id treated her as the little sister Id never had. She was completely loyal to me. What if she threw herself down at the captains feet and begged for mercy for me? I couldnt have that. Id gotten her into this horrible situation. She needed to go one more week undetected.

I gave her my most steely look and the slightest shake of my head. I knew she understood when she wiped her eyes inconspicuously and turned her head to gaze off into the distance. I prayed she had the strength.

They laid me roughly over the barrel and secured my hands with leather ties. I swallowed and summoned all my courage. The captain leaned over, propping his hands on either side of me. I was surprised by the action, but even more so by my bodys reaction to it. He smelled different than the other men, a combination of soap and spice and ocean breeze that caused me to suck in a deep breath and hold it for several seconds before releasing.