you went back to the stateroom.“

Silver released the steering wheel and strolled across the

room, smiling at Valentin, who stood a pace behind Nicholas.

„It was very exciting, Valentin. You should have stayed and

watched. The river is like a book if you know how to read

her.“ She laughed as she glanced back over her shoulder at

Robert. „Listen to me, Robert. I sound just like you.“

She was ignoring him, Nicholas realized, feeling a quick

wave of fury wash through him. She had smiles and words for

every other man on the boat, but she completely ignored him.

Robert nodded. „River talk.“

Valentin was looking apprehensively from Nicholas’s face

to Silver’s. It was the first time he had seen them together and

he was beginning to understand much that had eluded him.

Sweet Jesus, the atmosphere between them was near explosive

and Silver was making it no better by deliberately ignoring

Nicholas.

„I’m sure it’s fascinating.“ Valentin feigned a yawn. „But

it’s hot as the devil up here. Why don’t we go back to the

stateroom and have a glass of wine?“

„If you like.“ Silver brushed by Nicholas and fell into step

with Valentin. „Though I have no likeness for wine.“ She

laughed, tossing back her shining mane of dark hair as she

started down the stairs to the hurricane deck. „Perhaps you

haven’t heard that we Indians have to be careful of firewater.

Whites have taken too much from us when our heads weren’t

clear.“

„It’s understandable,“ Nicholas said silkily. „I’m sure they

felt they needed every advantage against the heathen horde.“

Silver’s smile faded. „You bet they did.“ She had avoided

looking at Nicholas since that first breathless moment in the

pilot house, but she forced herself to meet his gaze now.

„Apaches know how to make war.“

„But you’re only half Apache.“

„But the other half is Delaney, and I’d wager they could

teach your fine Cossacks a thing or two about fighting.“

„We shall see,“ Nicholas said. He turned to Valentin.

„Silver and I have something to discuss. I’m sure you can

amuse yourself elsewhere.“

Valentin’s eyes flickered. „How rude you’re being, Nicky.

I’m sure Silver would not be unwilling to tolerate my

presence.“

Nicholas drew an impatient breath. „But it’s not Silver’s

choice.“ His hand was suddenly beneath Silver’s elbow,

propelling her along the deck toward his stateroom. „I believe

it’s time that both she and the rest of you remember that fact.“

Valentin gazed after them for a moment, an anxious frown

darkening his face. Then he gave a resigned sigh, turned, and

headed for the door leading to the saloon.

Nicholas leaned against the stateroom door, his gaze

following Silver as she crossed the room and plopped down on

the olive velvet wing chair beside the bed.

She stretched her legs before her with the coltish

carelessness of a young boy and gazed at him coolly. „Well,

we’re here. What do you want with me?“

„I think you know the answer to that question.“ His gaze

traveled slowly over her, lingering on the soft fullness of her

breasts. „I’ve certainly done my best to be very clear on the

subject.“

She gestured impatiently. „I don’t understand why you’re

so determined to fornicate with me. Surely one woman is as

good as another as far as men are concerned. Women’s bodies

are all much the same.“

He looked at her in surprise. Then a smile lit his face. „You

either have very little vanity or you grossly underestimate my

discrimination. I assure you there are vast differences in

women.“ He hadn’t realized how different a woman could be

until he had encountered Silver Delaney. His smile faded when

he recalled he was not the only man who had found the girl

unique. She had deftly wound Mikhail and Valentin around her

little finger and even Robert had proved he wasn’t immune.

„What were you doing up in the pilot house?“

She looked at him innocently. „Learning to steer the boat. It

was very boring cooped up in this room. What else should I

have been doing?“

„Perhaps trying to persuade Robert to help you escape? He

seemed quite taken with you.“

„Because you think of nothing but lust, you believe all men

are like you. Robert would never be tempted to give up his

beautiful river for a woman.“

„I’m glad you realize that. Then you don’t have any reason

to go back there. You seem to forget you’re a prisoner.“

„I’m trying to forget.“ Her eyes were suddenly blazing.

„Because when I remember, I feel like cutting off your balls.“

My God, every word she spoke was a shock and most of

the time totally outrageous. He threw back his head and

laughed.

She glared at him. „You wouldn’t think it so funny if I still

had my knife.“

„I’m sure that’s true.“ He continued to laugh. „I fancy I

would be taking your every word very seriously.“ He

straightened away from the door and began to move toward

her, his dark eyes still sparkling with humor. „Just as I intend

you to take mine seriously.“ He stopped before her and his

voice lowered to a level above a whisper. „I had a very bad

night last night.“

„It was your own fault. Valentin told me you drank too

much wine.“

„It wasn’t the wine.“

„It was me? Good, you deserved it. Perhaps next time you

will think a second time before you abduct a woman.“

„I’ll certainly ascertain whether she carries a knife and has

an Apache code of vengeance.“ He shook his head, a smile

still lingering on his lips. „Half the night I was cursing you and

the other half I was lying in that bed down the hall

remembering how you looked standing naked before me,

taunting me. Did you think about that moment after I left you

too?“

She stiffened. She didn’t want to think of either her gesture

of defiance or the look on Nicholas Savron’s face as he had sat

there like some golden-haired diety watching her disrobe. The

memory brought a hot aching between her thighs and caused

the beat of her heart to quicken. „No.“ She unconsciously

moistened her lips with her tongue. „I told you, Indians have a

more sensible attitude toward their bodies than whites. It

meant nothing to me.“

He suddenly dropped to his knees before her, his gaze

searching her face. „I think you’re not telling me the truth,“ he

said softly. „I think you wanted me to touch you as much as I

wanted to touch you last night. Would you like me to tell you

what I was thinking as I watched you? I was thinking I’d never

seen a more magnificent woman in all my life. I was thinking

your breasts were like perfectly shaped golden melons, firm,

solid, generous – just meant for a man’s hands. I was thinking

I’d like to lift your breasts to my mouth and suck until those

pink nipples were flame-red and hard.“ His eyes were riveted

to her rounded fullness beneath the prim white bodice. „As

hard as I was.“

„You’re talking foolishness.“ Her voice sounded choked

even to her own ears. She wanted to look away but she

couldn’t seem to pull her gaze from his face. „I wouldn’t have

let you – “

„And I was thinking how I’d like to run my hand down

your body.“ His gaze dropped to her lap, demurely draped in

the gabardine skirt. „I want to tangle my fingers in those soft

curls and tug and tease until you open your thighs and

welcome me. Then I’d press my thumb on your – “

„Stop!“ Her voice was shaking and she had to take a deep