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dwgm500 words of Jack considering "What if?". Many thanks to my dear ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hereswith for beta reading, editing, and excellent suggestions.
Previous bits...
And here's today's...
37. What if?
~ An Execrable Business, continued...
Jack lay awake in the hammock for a surprisingly long time after he'd snuffed the lamps. Nell was tucked into his bed and curled on her side so there was no snoring now, however pretty, just the low, booming tones of the sea and the watch bell sounding, a soothing background for his tired, yet diverse thoughts.
Are you going to ravish me?
That was almost exactly what Letty Granger had asked him her first night with him, and it caused him to wonder: did he look like the sort of dog who'd force his attentions on a woman? Nell didn't mean it the same way, of course, and he was probably foolish to refine upon it. She’d certainly trusted him enough to enjoy his kisses.
As he'd enjoyed hers. He mused on the excellence of those kisses for a time. He wanted more. Much more. But kissing her was one thing. Bedding her was something else entirely.
He’d had a great many women in his life, just as she suspected, but never a maid untouched. He’d heard stories, naturally enough, but they were mostly unfavorable, Bill’s experience with his Mary being a notable exception. Generally virgins were accounted more trouble than they were worth, their inexperience hindering or even negating the pleasure of one or both parties, and their tendency to take such things far too seriously resulting in difficulties that ranged from lovelorn tears to a wedding at sword’s point, if the lass in question had inconvenient relatives. Or worse. Far worse, if they were extremely inconvenient, and it was all too possible Nell’s relatives could be counted among the latter. The Carlisles were a powerful family. Nell might be twice removed, but that was close enough to make things devilish hot for the man who stole what he'd no right to.
Why, Claypool might be counted fortunate to have had Nell removed from his blackguardly orbit!
As for himself… Jack rather thought his luck would see him through. He wanted more and he would have it. That shy diffidence contrasted with the eagerness to learn, to please and be pleased, was too fascinating. There was much he could teach her, but he'd not ruin her, not for the world. A line had to be drawn, for her good, as well as his.
Bill wouldn't approve, but that didn't bother Jack as much as the thought that Tobias wouldn't have approved, either. Jack's mentor, God rest him, had always been set against keeping a woman aboard, hadn't even allowed them on the Pearl when they were in port. "Bad luck, some say; all I know is it breeds discontent among the crew," John had told him early on, and Jack had never strayed from this precept. Never been tempted to, really.
Until now.
Well, if her sex could be hidden, so much the better. If she was smoked (and Jack had a feeling Barbossa suspected already), he'd just have to talk them around to his way of thinking.
TBC...
hereswith for beta reading, editing, and excellent suggestions.Previous bits...
| 1. Tortuga 2. Happiness 3. Festive 4. Last Minute 5. Calm 6. Truth 7. Bargain 8. Spook 9. Down 10. Wounds 11. Moon 12. Monsters | 13. Beauty 14. Name 15. History 16. Service 17. Advice 18. Captain 19. Awe 20. Cross 21. "You've made a big mistake" 22. Heroism 23. Gold 24. Echo | 25. Greed 26. Advance 27. Challenge 28. Adventure 29. Sentence 30. Treasure 31. North 32. Coat 33. Good and Evil 34. Sickness and Health 35. Lost 36. Court |
And here's today's...
37. What if?
~ An Execrable Business, continued...
Jack lay awake in the hammock for a surprisingly long time after he'd snuffed the lamps. Nell was tucked into his bed and curled on her side so there was no snoring now, however pretty, just the low, booming tones of the sea and the watch bell sounding, a soothing background for his tired, yet diverse thoughts.
Are you going to ravish me?
That was almost exactly what Letty Granger had asked him her first night with him, and it caused him to wonder: did he look like the sort of dog who'd force his attentions on a woman? Nell didn't mean it the same way, of course, and he was probably foolish to refine upon it. She’d certainly trusted him enough to enjoy his kisses.
As he'd enjoyed hers. He mused on the excellence of those kisses for a time. He wanted more. Much more. But kissing her was one thing. Bedding her was something else entirely.
He’d had a great many women in his life, just as she suspected, but never a maid untouched. He’d heard stories, naturally enough, but they were mostly unfavorable, Bill’s experience with his Mary being a notable exception. Generally virgins were accounted more trouble than they were worth, their inexperience hindering or even negating the pleasure of one or both parties, and their tendency to take such things far too seriously resulting in difficulties that ranged from lovelorn tears to a wedding at sword’s point, if the lass in question had inconvenient relatives. Or worse. Far worse, if they were extremely inconvenient, and it was all too possible Nell’s relatives could be counted among the latter. The Carlisles were a powerful family. Nell might be twice removed, but that was close enough to make things devilish hot for the man who stole what he'd no right to.
Why, Claypool might be counted fortunate to have had Nell removed from his blackguardly orbit!
As for himself… Jack rather thought his luck would see him through. He wanted more and he would have it. That shy diffidence contrasted with the eagerness to learn, to please and be pleased, was too fascinating. There was much he could teach her, but he'd not ruin her, not for the world. A line had to be drawn, for her good, as well as his.
Bill wouldn't approve, but that didn't bother Jack as much as the thought that Tobias wouldn't have approved, either. Jack's mentor, God rest him, had always been set against keeping a woman aboard, hadn't even allowed them on the Pearl when they were in port. "Bad luck, some say; all I know is it breeds discontent among the crew," John had told him early on, and Jack had never strayed from this precept. Never been tempted to, really.
Until now.
Well, if her sex could be hidden, so much the better. If she was smoked (and Jack had a feeling Barbossa suspected already), he'd just have to talk them around to his way of thinking.
TBC...