I was about to say this very thing when Bon’s hand on my cheek quieted my unspoken words. “It’s no doubt been quite a day for you. Go to your cabin and rest. You have my personal assurance that no harm will come to you while you’re aboard The Molly Maiden.”

Assurances.

Monica Joan’s trusting face flashed in my mind. I swallowed hard. “You’re very kind, Captain, but I don’t feel as though I deserve any special assurances.”

Bon’s full lips curled upward. “My dear girl. Any woman who is plucked from the sea after surviving what you did, after winning the heart and bed of a man such as Russian Jack—”

I didn’t interrupt the words that hung, waiting, in the air like a fishing net.

Bon’s fingers traced the curve of my cheek, but their caress felt nothing like my husband’s. “You deserve everything special.”

Jack. My heart panged. Where are you?

More knots wrapped around each other deep in my gut as Bon retreated across the deck and disappeared back into the galley. The voices in my head shouted at each other as I walked toward my cabin.

Someone on board is looking out for you, Red. Be grateful.

Do as you’re asked, but don’t delight in the flesh of another man.

I only want Jacky. But Bon is like no man I’ve ever experienced—

Be friendly, but not too friendly.

At least you weren’t put to work, instead, you were put to bed. To rest.

Still—

Still—

The voices in my mind were winding down as I eased my aching body down upon my bunk. I flexed my ankles and leaned back. No sooner did my head hit the pillow than exhaustion turned my eyelids to stone. The ponderings over the curious nature of Irish Bon, Captain of The Molly Maiden, would just have to wait.

•

A vicious burning in my throat forced me awake. The moon shone through the round window of my cabin, bringing with it only the faintest of light into the blackness.

Am I awake? Am I dreaming?

I fought my fatigued muscles to sit up and rubbed my gritty eyes.

“I thought you might be thirsty.”

My voice escaped in a croak. “Who’s there?”

Someone shifted onto my bunk with a creak. Bon’s face illuminated in the silver beams. “Don’t worry,” Bon whispered. “I brought you water.”

Water ran musically from a pitcher into a cup.

“Here, Red. Drink.”

Bon pressed the cup against my lips. My throat screamed for the promised coolness as the fresh water washed over my tongue. I gulped and gulped until the cup was dry.

Bon laughed. “I’ll refill it then.”

I grasped the cup with both hands as soon as it was full and tilted it upward. Bon laughed again.

“Glad I filled the whole pitcher.”

“Thank you, Bon.” My breath quickened as I drained the second cup. “Thank you.” With the ravenous burning in my throat quenched, sleep threatened to overtake me again.

I eased myself back down onto the pillow, which may well have been made of seafoam, as soft as it felt. My eyes closed. “Thank you,” I breathed.

Bon didn’t answer, but a hand cupped the side of my face. Stroking, caressing.

Am I dreaming?

In that moment, I didn’t care. Not even when I felt Bon’s body as it lay down next to mine.

“You’ve slept for two days.” Bon’s voice was like a clear bell on a foggy morning from my doorway. “Rhodesia began to worry a bit about your health.”

I adjusted my strangely-stiff body on the bed and stretched. “Mmmm,” I groaned with a smile.

Bon returned my smile and swaggered across the floor before taking a seat on my bunk. “But you were fine, I told her so.” Bon swept a lock of hair out of my eyelashes. “And I would know as I kept watch over you by day. And by night.”

Before I could think of a response, Bon leaned down and effectively erased the space between us. Our lips met, and my eyes flew open. I pushed myself upward and, in the process, knocked Bon’s hat to the floor. Brown hair stuck out this way and that.

Sensations I’d only felt in Jack’s arms coursed through me as Bon’s practiced fingers crept beneath the covers.

Jack. His handsome face and the memory his flesh against mine burst into my mind. Never before had I been more certain that no matter how kind Bon was to me, the only person I wanted kissing me was Jack.

Before I could stop Bon’s kisses, they spread to my neck and whispered soft into my ear.

“I’ve fallen in love with you, Redella.”

My eyes closed and I sucked in a breath. My fingers wrested in Bon’s hair as her lips trailed down my neck. I lifted my free hand and pressed it against Bon’s chest.

We both froze.

Bon sat back slowly, eyes locked on mine. Their violet color blazed bright with unspent emotion.

“Bon,” I whispered. Ever slow, I began to work the buttons on the loose blouse my captain wore. I pulled it open with baited breath. “Bon is short for Bonnie, isn’t it?”

The nipples that tipped her ample breasts hardened in the coolness of the morning air before she yanked her shirt closed.

“I’m so sorry,” I said. “I can’t do this.”

Bon stood up and began slapping the buttons of her shirt through their holes. Her cheeks reddened with each button. “No, no. You don’t apologize. It was me—”

I pushed myself off the bed and stood behind Bon.