Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom

stepped closer. “I know you do,” he agreed. His arms tightened around
her.
This time, she came willingly, her body soft, yielding. Her arms
came up to twine around his neck. “I was angry with myself, too,” she
admitted.
“Why, love?” he said, and smiled at her. “I assure you, you’re not
the first person to think I might deserve shooting.”
Esmeralda laughed a little, and relaxed against him. “Because,
even though I was still angry, when I saw you today, I…I wanted you. I
was afraid if I said anything, you would be angry with me, and leave me
—and then we wouldn’t have even tonight—this one night!—together.”
Jack let out a breath that was half rueful, half laughing. “No
worries, love. We’ll have our night.” He bent to kiss her, and the taste of
her mouth was every bit as intoxicating as the wine.…
Later, much later, Jack lay on his back in the big bed, listening to
Esmeralda’s breathing as she slept, curled against him. It was a
pleasant sound, he decided, far superior to the masculine snores that
permeated the cabins and crew sleeping areas of most ships.
He was tired. It had been a long day. He was also sated…well,
mostly. Jack found himself wishing that he could turn over, nestle
against his bedmate and close his eyes, but he didn’t dare. Before
dawn touched the eastern horizon he had to make sure he was back
aboard Fair Wind, leaving Venganza while he still had the darkness to
cloak his features.
And at sunrise, he had to officiate at Captain Bainbridge’s
obsequies. Jack sighed. Not a pleasant prospect, especially in
comparison to where he was now.
He turned over, propped himself on his left elbow, and, in the dim
light of the lantern that they’d never gotten around to extinguishing, he
regarded Esmeralda, noting the contrast between the pale curve of her
shoulder and the inky tumble of her hair. He wanted to run his hand
down her side, over the swell of her hip. But that would wake her.
Let her sleep a little longer, he thought. There’s still some of our
night left.
She stirred slightly, and as she moved, he saw a dark mark on her
skin, just above her right hipbone. A bruise? Jack hitched himself up