A Pirates Passion

Chapter 27

Jack closed his eyes, why couldn't they always be this way, he wondered. "Are ye tired Maddy love," he asked softly.

She continued to let her hand graze his cheek. "Emotionally tired." She said quietly. "But no, I’m not really. Are you?" She asked.

"I was just thinking, if ye'd like I could clean up the dishes and such for ye," he replied hoping to surprise and please her as he had by making his bed.

"Ye are going to do the dishes?" She asked looking down at him with a smirk. "That would be nice Jack. Perhaps I'll go take a hot bath."

Jack took her hand as he sat up and kissed her palm, "Off ye go and don't worry, I've done dishes before," he smiled.

Madeline smiled at him. "Call me if ye need help." She said as she made her way to the bathroom. She let the water get as hot as it possibly could and filled the tub with bubbles. She quickly stripped off her clothes and climbed in.

It had been a very long day. She could hear Jack in the kitchen. Dishes clanging together and she couldn't help but smile. She rested her head on the back of the tub and closed her eyes.

Jack folded up the quilt after washing the dishes. He wondered if Maddy was in her room. He could hear her humming softly in the bathroom so he knew it was safe for him to put the quilt back where he'd gotten it. When that was done he poured himself another glass of rum and sat back out on the porch.

Madeline awoke with a start. "Damn." she swore out loud. She looked at her hands and saw how wrinkled she was. She giggled and let the water out of the drain and dried off. She pulled on her robe and brushed out her hair.

She opened the door and saw the house was lit with candles. "Jack?" She called out. She walked into the kitchen and saw it completely spotless. "Jack?" She called out again.

Jack had moved from the porch to the living room and had fallen asleep in a chair, when he heard his name called he woke with a start. "Aye," he shouted startled.

Madeline held her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. "I thought ye said ye weren't tired." She said quietly standing in the doorway watching him.

Jack smiled sheepishly, "The rum," he shrugged.

"I see." She said smiling at him. She leaned her head against the doorframe looking at him.

"But I did clean up the kitchen before I sat back down," he assured her.

"I saw that. Thank you Jack." She said quietly. She could look at him for the rest of her life she thought to herself.

"Ye can go to bed, I can keep meself company," Jack quipped. He couldn't help but notice how she was looking at him, "Are ye looking at me like that for any particular reason love," he asked.

Madeline raised her head to look at him again. "I just wanted to look at you Jack. I've missed looking at you. I've missed..." She stopped herself. He wasn't ready to touch her yet and she knew it. She couldn't push or she risked pushing him away forever.

Jack got up from his chair and moved closer to her, "Who said I don't," he asked. He could see her cleavage as her robe had fallen open just enough.

Madeline held her breath as she looked up at him. Being so close to her like this she could feel her body hum.

"Don't think for a moment Maddy yer safe with me," he smirked. "Ye kill me sometimes Maddy, but I got to be sure, of this, of us," he said seriously.

Madeline continued to look at him. "I know Jack." She whispered. "I know."

Jack couldn't help himself, he put his hand against her neck and ran his thumb over her throat, "I miss ye Maddy, but tonight me heart is too heavy with grief for me daughter," he said then walked back out onto the porch.

Madeline let out a heavy breath as he walked away from her. He needed time. She knew where his heart was tonight and she couldn't push him.

She slowly followed him to the porch. He was sitting down again. She walked up next to him and kneeled down. She leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Good night Jack." She whispered. "Wake me if ye need me." She said quietly and turned towards the house.

"Good night Maddy," Jack whispered back. He pulled a cheroot from his pocket and lit it. He would have her back. He knew it. He just needed to get past his pride and pain.

Madeline shed her robe and crawled into bed. She lay on her side fingering her hair. She couldn't sleep, but she didn't want to disturb Jack. She heard him walking on the porch and knew he was pacing.

She didn't know how long she lay there listening to him. She must have fallen asleep because when she opened her eyes, the sun was shining through the window. She got up and dressed in her breeches and a peasant style blouse and left her room. She didn't see Jack anywhere.

She heard laughter coming from the beach. She stood on the porch and watched as JJ and Jack were chasing each other. She smiled to herself as she watched them.

"Ye can't catch me Da." JJ laughed at his father.

Jack ran into the surf and stumbled and fell on purpose, "Oh god, JJ help me, a jellyfish just stung me," he shouted and pretended to be in agony.

JJ got scared and ran over to his father. "Da!" He shouted. "Are ye alright? Let me get mum!"

"Wait come here," Jack said reaching out to him.

JJ stopped and hurried back to Jack. "Da! If you're hurt, mum can help!"

Jack grabbed his hand wincing, and then he grinned, "Gotcha," he said.

JJ jumped on top of Jack. "Da!" He said laughing as Jack began to tickle him. "Ye tricked me!"

"Aye, I did and if ye ever do it to me I'll tear yer butt up with me belt," Jack quipped. He stripped off his boots, belt, and shirt, "Come on let's go swimming," he said.

JJ laughed and pulled off his own shirt and boots. He beat Jack to the water.

Madeline watched them and laughed. She watched as Jack removed his shirt and she got a tingling in her body. Damn him. She looked and saw Jack watching her.

Jack smirked to himself as he looked in Maddy's direction he then turned and jumped into the surf after JJ.

Madeline bit her lip and quickly turned to the house. Bloody pirate she swore to herself. She began to make breakfast for the three of them.

When it was ready, she hurried to the bathroom to get some dry towels for them and hurried to the water's edge. She could see them laughing. "Alright sea monsters, time for breakfast." She called out to them.

"Aw mum!" JJ whined. "Me and Da were having fun. Come in with us."

Jack slipped behind him and lifted him up and threw him over his shoulder, "Come on ye whelp, ye mum said time for breakfast," he quipped and carried him over to where their clothes were lying on the beach, he bent down," Pick up yer boots and shirt," he told his son who did as Jack did the same. Jack carried him onto the house. JJ was laughing like a drunken man the whole way. "Look what I found swimming out there, think he'll make a good dinner," Jack asked Maddy.

"Aye, I think so. I hadn't planned on anything so this will do." She said laughing and throwing a towel over JJ's head. "JJ, run into your room and change and put your wet pants in the bathroom." She said.

"Aye Mum." He said and scurried off. Madeline handed Jack a towel and couldn't help but rake her eyes over his naked torso.

"Um, you too." She said and turned her head away.

"I thought ye liked looking at me," Jack quipped as he pulled her into his arms.

Madeline gasped. "Jack." She said. "I do..." she said her voice trailing off as she looked into his eyes.

"I saw ye from the beach, ye were looking at me, tell me Maddy. Confess or suffer the consequences," he smirked.

Madeline's hands were braced on his chest. His bare chest she reminded herself. "Aye, I was." She admitted in a whisper. She glanced down at her blouse. "Jack, I'm all wet now."