Disclaimer. Again, sadly I own nothing – except Ben.
Warning – Smut starts to build in this chapter, but doesn't really hit boiling point until chapter 6 and following chapters. Ye have b'n warned, me maties…!
Petal Of A Rose
Chapter 4 – Times Are A'changin
He was true to his word. They worked together over the next few days, for hours, and he never made any physical contact.
It cost him!
She had a way, he discovered, of shifting her body, tilting her head, looking up from under her lashes – all of which seemed designed to make even a sane man beg – and when had he ever been described as sane?
By the end of the week, Jack knew that he was definitely, nowhere near sane – if he ever had been? Every time he so much as even glanced at her, she knew it and smirked. It made him uncomfortable. Everywhere. The witch was reading his mind much too clearly. He had a vision of himself, as a fish, nibbling at the bait. It was 'Lizzie who held the rod!
He retreated to his cabin to chart the remainder of their course into Carahatas. Jack worked with his charts for a little while, then, with a sigh, threw his instruments and compass down onto the table. 'Damn that woman! -', he fumed, '- bloody compass isn't workin' how it should!' He knew that, in reality, it was.
There was a hesitant knock on the door and it was slowly pushed open. A heartbeat later, Elizabeth's head popped round the opening and she stepped into his cabin.
"Don't ye ever wait for an invite?" Jack snapped.
"No." She smiled, "I'm trying to work with you – and I think you need a break."
"I know when I need a break." He snatched his compass up, shook it and opened the lid. "Jus' shut up a minute an' let me work on this."
"Sure." With her tongue in her cheek, Elizabeth moved further into the cabin. She stretched her back out, showing her figure to its best advantage, while he fiddled with his charts.
He was fighting her, fighting the urge to give her his full attention and nothing could have pleased her more. If he was fighting, then that meant there was something to defend. Testing, she walked behind him, laid her hands on his shoulders and rubbed.
His system immediately shot into overdrive.
"Cut it out, 'Lizzie!"
"But you're all stiff and tight…"
His hands crashed down on the table. "I said cut it out! Savvy?"
"Touchy." She murmured, backing off. "I'm going to get a drink. Want one?"
"Got one." Said Jack in relief, "But run 'long out now – I'm sure there be plenty of work to keep ye occupied!"
Elizabeth smiled to herself and slipped out of the door, straight into Ben who was passing the cabin.
His eyebrows shot skyward as he saw her emerge, a smirk on her face and a mischievous gleam in her eyes.
"So, what's goin' on?" Ben asked as they walked onto the deck.
"On where?"
"Between you an' the Capt'n."
"Not as much as I'd like!" Elizabeth said, and, since Ben merely stood there in shock, walked alone, down the ship to resume her duties, her mind making plans as she went.
Late that evening, after a word with the Cook, she arrived back outside Jack's door with his meal. He hadn't emerged from his cabin except for a brief visit to the Rum Cellar earlier. As she raised her hand to knock, she heard a faint murmur,
"Yo ho! Yo ho! A pirate's life for me!"
Elizabeth smiled, rapped sharply at the door and entered. Jack was still at the table but the evidence of work was nowhere to be seen. Three empty rum bottles littered the table top and his instruments and charts were strewn about the floor.
She placed his meal onto the table, clearing a space as she did so. He glanced up, briefly, at her.
As if it belonged to someone else, his hand reached across the table and grasped her wrist. The only light in the room, came from two candles on top of his desk at the other side of the room. Their glow fell short of them, leaving them in soft shadow.
"Ye shouldn't 'ave come back 'ere tonight."
"Why?"
"'m thinkin' 'bout ye too much. Tis not the way I used t' think 'bout ye."
"Times change." She said, unsteadily, suddenly wondering if this had been such a good idea. "So do people."
"Ye don't always want them to an' it's not always for the best. This isn't for the best." He murmured, as he stood and lowered his mouth to hers.
It wasn't frantic this time. She'd been prepared for that, but this time it was slow and deep, and quietly desperate. Instead of revving up for the storm she had fully expected, her body simply went limp, melting into his like candle wax held too long over a flame.
It was the innocence he felt, her innocence, fluttering helplessly against his own driving needs. The images that spun through his brain aroused him, amazed him, and appalled him.
"I lied, 'Lizzie, luv." He murmured and pulled back with difficulty. "'m said I wouldn't touch ye again."
"I want you to touch me."
"I know." He kept his hands firm on her shoulders when she started to sway towards him. "What I want is for ye to go to yer bunk. Now. Alone."
"You want me to stay!" She whispered. "You want to be with me!"
"No! I don't!" That, at least was the truth. He didn't want it, even if he seemed so violently to need it.
"We're friends, not lovers, 'Lizzie. I can't hide that I want ye and that causes a problem 'm not goin' to ruin our friendship…and neither are ye!"
He set her aside, stepped away. "Now…I want ye to go an' get a good nights sleep. We're dockin' in Carahatas tomorro' and will be busy."
Every nerve ending in her body was screaming, her mind screaming too in frustration, but she could see that his eyes were troubled.
"All right, Jack, I'll wait for you until you've finished wrestling with yourself."
She started for the door, then stopped and turned around. "But you're still going to think about me, Jack. Too much. And it's never going to be the way it used to be again."
When the door closed behind her, he sat and lowered his head into his hands. She was right, he acknowledged as he rubbed his hands over his face. Nothing was going to be quite the same again!
Ah! Poor Jack! Right, that's it for now…go review! Please!
Chapter 5's ready to be uploaded, but I need reviews!!