Surrender of a Siren (The Wanton Dairymaid Trilogy #2)(69)

He laughed. What else could he do? He ought to have died. He was going to live. It was either laugh or weep, and he was already soaked with enough water to float a barrel.

“Don’t relax yet. We’re not done.” He put a hand under Davy’s arm and hauled the boy to his feet. “Find any able-bodied men still aboard and form a work chain. The ship’s not out of danger yet. A slow fire might have sparked anywhere in her frame. We have to bring up that rum from the hold and dump it overboard. Then we’ll see to the injured.”

Davy paused as they moved toward the hatch. “If we’re throwing the rum overboard … Can we at least drink some first? I could do with a swallow.”

Gray laughed. “So could I.”

Some time later, Gray swung his shaky legs over the rail of the Aphrodite. Joss hurried to his side. “Any dead?”

“Two. And three more gravely wounded.” Gray raked his wet hair away from his face. “Best to send the longboat for them. There doesn’t seem to be any fire in the hold, but you know as well as I do it’s too soon to tell. These things are known to flare up hours later. We’ve emptied it of anything incendiary, just to be safe.”

Joss looked up at the sky. “Well, with this downpour, it seems less likely.”

“Aye.” Exhausted, Gray leaned against the rigging and wiped his brow with his forearm. “Everyone all right here?” He tried to keep his voice steady.

Joss nodded. “She’s in my cabin, Gray. I think you’d better go to her.”

“I don’t think she’d want that.” After the way he’d deserted her earlier, he assumed she’d be just as happy never to see him again.

“She’s been sick with worry, Gray. I had to order her to go below. Even then, she’d only heed my cautions long after the rain doused the blaze. She

’ll be relieved to see you’re well.”

“She’s just anxious for young Davy.” Still, he couldn’t douse the spark of hope that kindled in his chest. And he couldn’t stay away. Giving Joss an affectionate punch on the arm, he climbed the stairs to the helm and opened the hatch.

Slowly, he descended into the murky cabin. Although it was still daytime, the storm clouds banked most of the sun’s rays. Gray blinked, scanning the shadows. Then he saw her, silhouetted against the windows at the stern.

“Gray?”

He nodded. Then, realizing she probably couldn’t discern the gesture in the dark, he cleared his throat and forced out, “It’s me.”

“Are you … are you well?”

“Yes.” His eyes began to adjust to the dimness, and he could just make out the soft slope of her shoulder, her arms crossed over her belly. Her hair was loose, falling to her waist in heavy waves.

“Levi and O’Shea?” she asked, her voice tremulous. “Davy?”

“They’re safe, too. The fire’s out. It’s all over.”

She said nothing. Gray stood quietly for a moment, shifting his weight. Goto her, a voice inside him urged. Take her in your arms. Beg herforgiveness. Say something; promise her anything. God, what a coward he was. In truth, he’d been only too eager to board a burning ship and risk his life that afternoon. Because it was easier to walk through fire than to face this little governess, and the tempest of emotion she stirred in his heart.

The silence mocked him. He was on the verge of taking his leave when suddenly she ran to him, flinging her arms around his neck.

“Oh, Gray. I was so frightened. But I just knew you’d come back to me. You had to come back to me.”

“Of course I did.” Gray stood shocked and immobile as she clutched his neck, sobbing noisily against his shoulder. His hands dangled uselessly at his sides.

“Gray,” she cried again and again. “Thank God you’re safe.”

Her affection overwhelmed him, as did her softness, her tears. Even after all he’d said to her, after all he’d done—she still gave a damn whether he lived or died. It was humbling. Incomprehensible. Wonderful. If he’d known this would be his reward, he would have fallen overboard weeks ago. Finally, he drew a deep breath and wrapped his arms about her, clutching her tightly to his chest. “Shhh, sweet.” With a trembling hand, he stroked her hair. The damp locks slid through his fingers like ribbons. “Don’t cry. Everything’s fine. It’s all over now.”

She sniffed and raised her face to his. He was still murmuring assurances and stroking her hair, and the sight of that perfect face tilted inches from his

—it caught him completely unprepared. Her beauty hit him like a lightning bolt.

Her hands skimmed up his neck, tugging his face down to hers. Gray closed his eyes as she brushed a warm, feather-light kiss against his jaw. Another landed on his neck. Then the corner of his mouth. She pressed her cheek to his, and he felt her hot tears mingle with the cold rivulets of rain. His heart squeezed. After the callous way he’d treated her, for her to hold him like this and kiss him so tenderly—it was the truest act of bravery Gray had ever seen. She was offering up her heart, fully expecting him to break it. And selfish bastard that he was, Gray had lost any will to push her away. Maybe … just maybe, he didn’t need to. He’d just boarded a ship, sprung its mast, destroyed its cargo—the same actions he’d performed time and again in the past, out of greed. But this time, he’d done them for different reasons entirely. Not to take, but to protect.