The Raider (Montgomery/Taggert 9)

After a few swift strokes, trying not to hurt her, he collapsed on top of her, sweaty, limp, sated.

“I love you, Jessie,” he whispered as she caressed his dark hair, feeling the knot of his mask.

For some reason, she did not repeat his words back to him but was silent as she clasped him to her, her legs tightly by his.

As Jessica began to come to her senses, she thought of the enormity of what they had just done. Now she was linked to this stranger for all eternity. She moved her head so that she could look at him and what she saw was a man in a mask. She didn’t even know what this man who’d made love to her looked like.

“Mmmm,” he said, studying her look. “Angry at me for having my way with you?”

“Who are you?” she whispered throatily.

“I can’t tell you that, sweetheart. I would if I could. Did I hurt you?”

“You’re hurting me now,” she said and felt tears welling in her eyes.

He moved off her, then gathered her in his arms and rocked her. “You’ve been talking to people all week. What about?”

Her tears began to dry as anger replaced her other emotions. “Cowardice.”

“Whose? Theirs or yours or mine?”

“Theirs, of course. I don’t believe I’m a coward and I know you aren’t.”

He was caressing her bare skin. “Jessie, I want you to put your clothes on. A few more minutes of this and I’ll be having you on the rocks again.”

Jessica hesitated.

“No, no.” He smiled. “Virgins need rest between bouts.”

She moved away from him and reached for her clothes. In spite of the lack of light and his mask, she could see his eyes’ brightness as he watched. Her first impulse was to cover herself but then she began to feel powerful, as if only she could bring this magnificent man low. She arched her back as she pulled on her undergarments.

“Jessie…” the Raider warned.

She gave him a sly smile while looking at him through her lashes.

With a low growl, he sprang for her. Oh, what a delicious sight, she thought, this muscular, tawny-skinned, masked man moving through the night toward her. She opened her arms to him. He began kissing her neck hungrily.

“I may not know your face when I see it, but there are other parts I’ll recognize. You’d better keep your clothes on in town.”

He laughed against her neck. “Get up, you little temptress, and get dressed. I want you to tell me what cowardice you were talking about.”

She wanted him back in her arms, but no matter how she moved her body, he didn’t touch her again. While he dressed—and watched her, she was sure—she thought she heard a few groans coming from him, but he seemed to have infinite control.

When they were both dressed, he pulled her into his arms again and when he held her tightly to his chest, she could feel how much sweat was on his body. She smiled contentedly and rubbed her cheek against the damp silk of his shirt.

“Now tell me what you’ve been doing.”

She told him just about everything that had happened since she had seen him last. Her throat closed as she started talking of the loss of her ship, but the Raider gave her a little shake.

“No more feeling sorry for yourself,” he commanded.

Surprisingly, his harsh words made her feel better and she was able to continue without tears.

“So,” he said slowly, “you want to stir up more trouble.”

She pulled away to look at him. “I want to fight. That man had no right to burn my ship. Just because England is our mother country doesn’t give her the right to treat us like…like…”

“Children?” he supplied.