Chapter2

After about half an hour, I stopped him. I waved my hand in his face and said, "Please stop doing that. You're nev-er going to guess it. So stop rattling off lists Mr. Sparrow, it's not helping you."

"Captain. Captain Sparrow, and fine, I'll stop rattling off lists. But truth be told miss, I don't think you have a bloody name. Because here I am, rattling off every bloody one I can think of and it's never it. Not a single one is even close, I'll bet." He answered, nostrils flaring. I could have laughed.

"Oh, but you were close with some of the first few." I answered lazily. I have now stopped seeing him as a threat, or well, a serious threat. "What are you planning on doing with me, MR Sparrow? Hmm?"

"I am not entirely sure yet. Now, tell me your name."

"No."

"Well…Please tell me your name?"

"No. Did you honestly think that I'd just tell you? And ruin all this fun you're having trying to guess?" I answered again, laughter to my voice.

"Well, the thought had crossed my mind… And don't you think I should know your name, so that when I kill you, I'll be able to put it, the name, you know, on your marker, hmm?" He drawled, fingering the hilt of his sword menacingly. But I wasn't fooled.

"Oh, so you're going to kill me now? And here I thought you wanted to kiss me." I answered, tapping on the tabletop with my fingers...

"But I'll make a deal with you, Sparrow...you get three more guesses. And if you guess my name correctly, before the third guess, I'll kiss you twice. But if you don't guess rightly, before the third guess, I have to tell you my name, and you have to make ME one of your crew, agreed?" I asked quickly, then I stuck out my hand.

"Wait one second. I only have three more guesses? And if I guess wrong, I have to make you...a woman, part of my crew?" He asked incredulously.

"Correct. Or I suppose, you could just...bring me to shore now, and call the whole thing off. What say you?" I answered him smugly. I had caught him. I had wound him so tight in a net of his own words, so that no matter what he did, I won.

"Sure. So, three more is it?" I nodded.

"Piper." He guessed, going for unusual names now, as it seemed.

"No. But I knew a serving girl named that once." I answered, flashing a smile. "Two more."

"Anne?" He asked, his face twisted in thought.

My heart jerked. Technically, that could be considered correct. My father had always called me that, sticking to his English backgrounds. But I wanted him to guess MY name, not the one my father gave me. "No. But you are getting closer." I allowed myself to give him a hint. "One more guess captain Sparrow, only one more."

"Well, you are starting to seem a bit cold to me, and you know who are notorious for their cold women? The Spanish, that's who. So I think, for my last guess, I'll say... Maria." He answered, looking smug, as if he knew that's what it was.

Well, he could technically be right there too. My mother called me Maria. Always liking to remind herself that her mother had been full-blooded Spanish. But that was not it either, not quite.

"I am sorry, but you have guessed wrong." I answered him, and his face looked crestfallen.

"Well, then what in bloody hell is it?" He asked standing up.

"Are you going to make me one of your crew?" I asked stiffly. And his eyes snapped to my face.

"Yes. As much as I don't want to, I am a man of my word. Now, please tell me."

"Well, you were very close with the last two, too bad you wasted your first guess on Piper. Do you really think I look like a Piper? My name is Anamaria, Captain Sparrow." I finished with a scowl.

There, now he knew. Well, he could count himself bloody lucky. Because most of the others who knew it are dead.

"Anamaria? A good name if you ask me. So, do I get my kiss now?" He smiled roguishly and standing, began to stride confidently towards me.

"I never said that I would kiss you if you got it wrong." I said, outraged. But he just moved closer to me, and shook a finger under my nose.

"Ah…but you never said that you wouldn't kiss me at all, if I got it wrong either, now did you?" He continued, smoothing his mustache.

I thought quickly, and found that he was right. I hadn't said that I wouldn't kiss him. Damn him, he had caught me in my own net. My own words.

"Fine. One kiss, and if you try to take more...well, I suppose you'd find out." I said, and he smiled slyly, and winked.

"Don't worry darlin'. I won't try anything." He said and clasping my arms, lifted me off the table to stand. He put his hand in the small of my back, and the other behind my head. I placed my palms on the flat of his chest, enjoying the solidity of him, yet being ready to push him away if I needed too. Then he kissed me.

His tongue slid into my mouth and swept over my own quickly, I responded to him, and he deepened the kiss, pressing me too him, and burying his hand in my hair. He bit my lip gently, and I dizzied with the heat of him. He continued to kiss me for a minute more, before he let me go.

I stepped away from him, feeling for all the world as if I were about to end up on my own arse and looked him in the eye. He smiled, and reached out to touch my face, I jerked away, unaccustomed to such gestures being welcome.

He looked troubled, but quickly masked himself with a look of sarcasm.

"You'll be sleeping in here tonight. Unless you'd rather share bunking space with the crew." He said simply…coldly.

I nodded, and brought up my protective shield…glaring fiercely at him, a warning of what I would do if he got any roguish ideas. He smirked, and shook his head. "Sleep well, Anamaria." He said flatly, then turned and left.

The heavy door slammed behind him.

"Sleep well, Captain Sparrow." I answered, and sat back down on the table.

I drummed my fingers over its rough surface, realizing that I felt at odds with myself. Shaken, where I was normally solid and resolved. I wanted him to come back. But I wanted him to stay away from me more.

'I don't need him,' I reminded myself stubbornly. I need his protection. And as long as I have his word that the crew will not harm me, I'll have finally gotten my wish.

Becoming a Pirate was proving to be a risky business. More so than I had thought. It was time to put my heart to rest, and start thinking with my head again before I got hurt.

I left the table, and curled up on the pallet, not expecting sleep

OOO

And there you have it. Another update is coming soon. I have become inspired.

PLK