Skies of Fire Read Online Free PDF Page B

ports belowdecks.
    As part of her duties, Louisa needed to know the workings and layouts of all naval vessels, including those that flew. Yet, for all her knowledge, the sight of a massive ship of war hanging in the sky still widened her eyes with amazement. And the Demeter wasn’t simply an unknown Man O’ War’s ship. It was Christopher’s.
    She glanced back at him, to find his wary gaze upon her. They both knew precisely the symbiotic nature of his relationship with the ship. It was, in essence, him.
    “She’s bonny,” Louisa said above the wind.
    The lines bracketing his mouth lessened. “The crew keeps her trim and orderly.”
    Judging by the cannon-sized holes in the hull, the Demeter had been in a firefight not so long ago. Perhaps even today, since the holes hadn’t been patched. He’d said nothing about being in combat, but there hadn’t been much time for conversation back in the barn.
    As they approached the ship, crewmen gathered at the rail and peered from portholes. Doubtless they were curious to know who their captain had just rescued.
    Christopher guided the jolly boat beneath the ship’s keel. A cargo gate opened, and the boat rose up until it hovered inside the Demeter ’s hull. Once the boat was inside, a man wearing a first mate’s uniform pulled the lever that closed the gate.
    The moment the gate closed, Christopher took the rifle from her hands and leapt out of the boat, his movement light and powerful as a lion. When she’d last seen him, he had been exceptionally fit, but now he had a strength that was literally inhuman. He pulled off his goggles and began talking in a low, quick voice to the first mate.
    She unbuckled her harness and stood. Disembarking from a hovering jolly boat proved to be more challenging than anticipated, the vessel unsteady beneath her feet. Louisa cursed as she toppled forward.
    And found herself snug in Christopher’s arms. They pressed chest-to-chest, her hands braced on his shoulders, his palms splayed on her back.
    God, he was so warm, his sharply handsome face so very much the same. They had embraced just like this many times, though always in private, for they had each been protective of their careers and reputations.
    He shifted his hold to clasp her with one arm. She felt the brush of his calloused fingers over her face, a gesture so oddly tender it made her heart flutter. Her gaze flicked down to his mouth. It didn’t matter that a complement of marines and the first mate stood nearby. She just wanted to feel him again, taste him . . .
    He moved his hand yet upward, and tugged. She blinked. He’d simply taken off her goggles. No tenderness there, only the removal of some gear.
    Yet as he lowered her to the ground, his movements were slow. Deliberate. She slid down the length of his body, aware of every inch of solid muscle beneath his uniform. As he seemed aware of her body, his fingers briefly clasping her waist before releasing her.
    He stepped away. Turning to the first mate, he said, “Mr. Pullman, escort Miss Shaw to my quarters.”
    “Aye, sir. This way, if you please, miss.”
    Louisa faced Christopher. “Where will you be?”
    “Consulting with my navigator,” he answered. “We’re deep in enemy airspace and need to find someplace safe to make repairs.”
    “I’ll come with you.”
    His gaze frosted. “It’s safer in my quarters.”
    “If I wanted safety,” she replied, “I would’ve taken that clerical job at Admiralty headquarters. You know that. Besides,” she added as he began to object, “I know this territory. I can tell your navigator where the least inhabited and patrolled areas are.”
    He narrowed his eyes. For a moment, the cargo bay was silent, save for the humming of the engine. The marines and first mate looked back and forth between her and Christopher, watching the silent battle. The mess would hear some enthralling tales tonight.
    Without a word, he turned on his heel and strode from the cargo bay. She