Corsets & Crossbones Read Online Free PDF Page A

be with me.  Men usually tend to be on both ends of the spectrum, if you catch me drift.  I am quite the holy grail, if I do say so myself.”  He leaned down so his long, pointed nose was nearly touching hers.  “Are you afraid of me?” he asked in a low tone.
    “Should I be?” Brooke asked in the same voice, her eyes looking up at him imploringly.  “Answer me this, Mister Colt, what are you doing here, in my home, specifically in my room?”
    “Now, Brooke, sweetheart, I have told you I am not Sir, and assumed that you would realize I am not Mister either,” Charlie said, standing up straight, and speaking regularly.  “However, if you would like to give me some sort of title, then Captain shall suffice.”  He turned from her to walk over to her bed, looking at the picture as he did ten years ago.  “To answer your question, darling, the reason I am currently in your room is to pillage it and acquire the wealth it holds.  Each member of my crew is in your home doing what I should be doing, save for the fact that instead of distracting you, you seem to have distracted me.”  He paused, looking at her seriously, letting his words sink in.  “What is currently happening, my dear, is that my first mate, Heath, is sitting over supper with your father, distracting him.  They are probably waiting on your presence, which means a maid will knock upon your door rather soon, but at half past the hour, the majority of your father’s wealth will be secured by my crew.”
    “And then you will disappear, making more of a name for yourself?” Brooke asked, quirking a brow as she walked over to her bed, looking on her painting as well.
    “That would be in my best interest if not even a woman alone is afraid of me,” he replied, throwing a glance at her.
    “I am just an exception, I am sure,” Brooke said politely.
    “I do digress, however; women are never afraid of me,” Charlie said with a smooth grin.
    A knock on the door caused Brooke to jump and Charlie to lazily sweep a look at the door.  Brooke glanced at Charlie, and then went over to the door.  She looked at Charlie again, whose mouth was currently hanging open at the thought of Brooke turning him over after their interesting conversation.  Grinning at him wickedly, she leaned her head on the cool oak, and answered the maid’s knock.
    “Your father is waiting for you, Miss Cunningham,” Liz said, impatient.
    Brooke could not help but roll her eyes.  Of course her father would send Liz, the woman Brooke could not stand. 
    “I am almost ready, Liz,” Brooke forced herself to say in a rather cheery tone.  “And before you ask, no, I do not need any help.”  Brooke then stood up right and sauntered back over to Charlie.  “I think I just saved you, Captain Colt, from an untimely death,” she quipped.
    “Which means, then, I owe you my life, sweetheart,” Charlie replied.  He stood next to her, and the pair continued to study the painting.
    “I will hold you to it, you know,” Brooke said, looking up at him with a smirk.  “Do not sail too far away.”
    “I don’t intend to,” Charlie replied, his voice low, turning to study the sharp profile of the young girl before him.  “And now what are we supposed to do with the time on our hands?”
    “I thought you had to pillage my room looking for my father’s wealth?” she asked him skeptically, turning to meet his eyes.
    “I do intend to pillage, my dear, but I have changed my mind on the wealth,” he quipped. 
    “Oh?” Brooke asked, raising her brow in wonder.  “And what wealth will you now be pillaging?”
    “It’s not a question of what,” Charlie said, bending down so his lips were right next to her ear, “but, rather, who.”
    “Are you flirting with me, Captain Colt?” Brooke asked him, a skeptical glint in his eyes.
    “Actually, my dear, yes I am,” Charlie replied, “and unless my eyes deceive me - which they sometimes do - I would say that you are