In the Arms of a Pirate (A Sam Steele Romance Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

begged. “I’ll lose my position as she’s sure to tell your father and if he found out…”
    Hastening to reassure, Sarah took Sophia’s hand, felt the tremors and regretted having scared her.
    “I won’t tell a soul, I give you my word. I only mention it because”—she shrugged—“it was the first kiss I’ve ever seen.” Remembering the longing she’d felt watching, she continued. “He was waiting for you and you ran toward him, so sure. The moonlight wrapped around you as surely as his arms did. Then your mouths met and it”—she flushed, let go of Sophia’s hand to place her own on her heated cheeks—“it went on and on. I didn’t know kissing could be like that.”
    Sophia raced to the doorway, poked her head out, looked both ways and then closed the door.
    “I apologize, Miss Sarah, and I can assure you it will not happen again on your father’s property.” Eyes downcast, Sophia strode back to the bed.
    This time it was Sarah who stepped between the maid and the mattress. “Sophia, please. You know what my life is like. I’ve asked my father about courting and marriage and he always has the same answer, no man would ever be good enough for me. It appears all I’ll ever know about such embraces is what you tell me.”
    “It’s not—”
    “Proper. Yes, I know. I’m lonely, Sophia, and more than anything, I could use a friend.” Truer words had never been spoken. While she had purpose behind them, there was comfort in knowing she wasn’t lying. “You wash my hair, you’ve seen me naked, surely you can share a bit of yourself as well.”
    When Sophia began shifting from foot to foot, Sarah knew it was time to press her advantage.
    “The day after tomorrow is to be my eighteenth birthday. While I imagine Mrs. Bingham will ensure there’s a cake and enough food to feed an army and my father will be here with his small mountain of gifts, what I would really like is to have one birthday, just one, where it truly is about what I want.”
    The tears moistening her eyes no doubt helped her argument but they were also real. Her life until now had been about what her father demanded, what he deemed best for her. What was expected of her. Her thoughts and feelings were never considered. Should her plan succeed, she’d have the rest of her life to live as she wanted but if it didn’t, at least she would have had one night.
    “I’ve overheard you and Emma talk sometimes as you see to your work. How the wine tasted so sweet and made your head feel light and misty. How, if you drank too much, it put you to sleep. I know you’ve had wine, Sophia, and that you’ve had a man’s hands on you, his mouth on yours. All I’m asking is—”
    “You want a man and some wine? For your birthday!”
    “Shh!” Sarah hissed, as she was now the one worried about their voices carrying to Mrs. Bingham. “Not a man, clearly. And not on my birthday as my father will be here then. I was thinking tomorrow night. I’ll find a way to get some wine from the cellar and you can tell me about your man. What it’s like to have a man’s lips on yours. To feel strong arms wrapped around you. To know passion.” Since her maid remained uncommitted, Sarah pressed further. “His name is Jacob, isn’t it?”
    Sophia’s stance softened. “Yes.”
    “Jacob,” Sarah repeated. “A good strong name. Is he a good, strong man?”
    Her maid’s cheeks flushed pink.
    “You see! This is what I want to know, what I’m hoping you’ll share with me. And I promise whatever is said and done in this room goes no further than the door. Please. One night. And you’ve nothing to do but tell me about the wonderful Jacob and share some wine. With a friend,” she added with her most charming smile.
    “If your father ever discovered…”
    “I would take full responsibility.” She’d already penned the letter she intended to leave behind, stating the idea and series of events were her doing and hers alone. Her father might have