and his lips hovered over her mouth. „Open your lips, love. I

want to taste you.“

She opened her lips and his tongue entered, caressed, and

explored. He could feel her heart pounding against his chest

and she seemed to be holding her breath. He caught her tongue

in his mouth and sucked it gently, tasting the textures. His

body was hardening and he knew he couldn’t wait much

longer. He lifted his head. „You taste of raspberries and sugar.

So sweet.“ He was unbuttoning her shirtwaist. „Come to bed,

Silver. There are things I want to show you, things I want to do

to you.“

She leaned against him, gazing up into his eyes. Such

beautiful eyes, she though dreamily. Dark with mystery and

hinting at wonderful secrets. „What do you want to show me?“

He pulled off her blouse and threw it aside. He found he

was too impatient to bother with anything more. Lord, he had

scarcely touched her and he was ready. He lifted her swiftly in

his arms and carried her to the bed.

„Do you remember that picture I showed you?“

Silver felt her heart suddenly jerk with excitement. „Are

you going to do that to me?“

„Among other pleasurable things.“ He laid her on the bed

and began to strip off his clothes quickly.

„Will I like it?“

„Oh, yes, love.“ He looked down at her and smiled. „First

we’ll have the main course, and then we’ll have a lagniappe.“

„Lagniappe?“

He came to herr all supple bronze muscle and golden mane.

„It’s a word I learned in New Orleans,“ he whispered. „It’s a

word I like very much.“

„What does it mean?“

He pulled her camisole down to bare her breasts. He drew a

shaky breath, his golden head bending forward until his warm

breath was feathering a nipple. „Something extra,“ he said

thickly. „Lagniappe means a little something extra.“

Silver gazed out the window at the bustling wharf below.

Since they were taking on only fuel and not passengers here in

Memphis, Nicholas had said they would be on their way in a

matter of hours. She would probably have no opportunity to

escape again before they reached New Orleans, she thought

absently. Then the placidity of the thought suddenly sent a

shock through her.

But there was no chance of escape now, she assured herself

quickly. Nicholas had carefully locked both doors before he

had left the stateroom to join Robert, Mikhail, and Valentin in

the pilot house. She was merely being sensible not to be upset

over a circumstance she couldn’t change.

One hand clenched on the peach-colored velvet of the

curtains. She was lying to herself. She had been captivated,

seduced by the hot, dark hours in Nicholas’s bed last night and

this morning. She wanted to let herself be brought once more

under that sensual pleasure spell. But it was even worse than

that. She wanted to stay with Nicholas. He was the magnet that

drew her and caused her to cling to captivity. He was the

reason she was giving up so tamely.

Yet she mustn’t give up. Etaine needed her and Silver must

not let lust keep her from returning to her.

The sound of a key turning in the door that led to the deck

startled her. Nicholas? But he had just left….

„Good morning. Miss Delaney.“ Lee Bassinger stood in the

doorwa’y, a faint smile on his lips. „I’m glad you’re dressed.

We won’t have much time.“

„Where did you get a key to this stateroom?“ she asked,

surprised and wary.

„I have keys to every stateroom on the Rose, and you’ll

remember this particular stateroom used to be mine.“ He

pocketed the key. „And will be again. Come along. I saw

Nicholas disappear into the pilot house, but we can’t count on

him staying there long.“ His gaze ran over her. „Not with a

pretty lady like you waiting for him.“

„I’d rather stay here than go with you,“ Silver said bluntly.

„But you’re not going with me,“ Bassinger said.

„I’m staying on the Rose and you’re going to escape. That

is what you want, isn’t it?“

„Yes,“ she said cautiously. „But why would you want to

help me?“

„I don’t want to help you. But I do want to deprive Savron

of something he values. Now, do you want to get away from

him or not?“

„Of course.“ Naturally she wanted to get away from him,

she told herself. There was nothing for her here, and she could

accomplish a great deal if she returned to the circus and

Etaine. The reluctance she felt was evidence only of the

dangerous sway Nicholas was beginning to have over her

feelings. She started forward briskly, passing Bassinger as she

went out on deck. „How do I get off the boat without being

seen by Nicholas? The gangplank is in clear view from the

pilot house.“

„It’s all arranged. I took the precaution of going ashore and

contacting a few of my employees. They’ll give you any

assistance you need.“ He drew a file out of his pocket and

deliberately broke the lock from the inside before shutting the

door. „Go down to the boiler deck by the rear stairs. There will

be two men in a rowboat off the stern. They’ll row you

upstream, around the bend and out of sight. I’ve given them

some money for you to facilitate your flight.“ He bowed.

„Good-bye, Miss Delaney. I was hoping to become much

better -acquainted with you, but one must accept these little

disappointments in life.“

Silver hesitated uneasily. Bassinger was gazing at her with

that tight, empty smile, his cold eyes reptilian, and he was far

too pleased with himself. There was something that wasn’t

right. Yet it was perfectly in character for Bassinger to want to

hurt Nicholas in any way he could. Perhaps she was being too

suspicious.

She turned away. „Good-bye.“

„No thank-you?“ Bassinger asked silkily.

She glanced back over her shoulder and slowly shook her

head. „I believe I’ll wait to see if there’s something to be

thankful for.“

Then she was gone, hurrying toward the back stairs which

led to the boiler deck.

„Face it, Nicky, there’s no sign of her,“ Valentin said

quietly. „We’ve queried everyone on the wharfs, searched the

streets, inquired at the livery stables. You even rode twenty

miles north to see if she had taken off on foot.“ He leaned

against the rail and looked out at the moonlit river. „If she’s

still in Memphis, she’s found a damned good hiding place.“

„I don’t think she is in Memphis,“ Nicholas said tersely.

„She’s more accustomed to wild country than cities. She grew

up in a hell of a lot more dangerous land than this. The farther

away from the Rose she traveled, the more secure she’d feel.“

„Then you think she’s somewhere in the forest or on the

road?“

„I don’t know,“ Nicholas said wearily. „I can only guess

what Silver would do. I’m going to ride out and try the main

road going south to make sure she didn’t go that way. Mikhail

is making a round of the taverns on the wharf to see if he can

pick up any information.“

„You need to rest, Nicky.“ Valentin gazed at him worriedly.

Nicholas had not slept for nearly forty-eight hours, and he

looked it. His skin was drawn tightly over the broad bones of

his cheeks, and dark circles were imprinted beneath his eyes.

„Wouldn’t tomorrow do as well? It’s after midnight.“

„I must find her tonight. The Rose is leaving Memphis at

dawn tomorrow.“

Valentin’s eyes widened. „You’re giving up the search?“

„Don’t be a fool. Of course I’m not giving up.“ Nicholas