“Why are you showing this to me?”“It’s yours.” Petey snapped his head up to find that the pirate was no longer smiling. “I mean it. It’s yours. I have no use for it. What good is a scepter in paradise?”Setting the scepter down carefully on the table, Petey eyed the pirate with suspicion. “And why would you be wantin’ to give it to me?”“Can’t you guess? I want you to give up your claim to Miss Willis.”

“His eyes narrowed to menacing slits. “But that doesn’t mean that if you refuse my offer and stay, I’ll stand by and let you have her. I won’t. In the end you’ll lose, and you won’t even have the consolation of my gold.” He took his foot off the chair and leaned forward, planting his hands on the table as he eyed Petey with suspicion. “Why all the questions, Hargraves? You’d give up any hope of riches and adventure just to marry Miss Willis?”“No, of course not,” Petey said hastily, before the pirate’s suspicions could be truly roused. “You can be sure I’d prefer this scepter and the chance to be off this island to Miss Willis any day.” He paused, weighing his words. “I just don’t understand why you don’t feel the same.”Captain Horn drew himself up with the bearing of one of those nobles he so distained. “That’s none of your concern. Do you want the thing or not? Because if you don’t—” he broke off as he reached for the scepter.Petey jerked it back. “I want it.” He wasn’t sure if he was playing this right, but it didn’t look as if he had any choice.“I want it. I’ll be off your island tomorrow.”For a moment, Petey could have sworn he saw relief in the captain’s face. Then the man’s expression hardened. “One more thing—you’re not to speak to her of any of this, you understand? You must promise to leave tomorrow without a word to her.”

“I would have told you earlier, but as it was your birthday . . . What do you give the man who has everything? I thought I’d give you . . . me.”He puts the keychain down on the bedside table and snuggles in beside me, pulling me into his arms against his chest so that we’re spooning.“It’s perfect. Like you.”

“I stay out of sight and only whisper to you.Words I can’t say. Words you don’t need to hear. Words I can’t keep from tangling my way.Now, I can’t stand alone. I can’t ignore what I’ve been shown.You’ve claimed me and I don’t care who knows. You’ve claimed me and I don’t care if it shows.I’m weakened and I’m strengthened in your arms.You’ve claimed me and I need to feel you close.You stand wanting more than you could ever understand.I stand helpless, needing to give in to your every command. Wanting to see you smile has consumed me and tied both my hands.Nothing I offer could ever be worthy of your love.It’s a miracle that you saw me and never ran.I will spend my whole life trying to be the man you think I am.Now, I can’t stand-alone. Now, I am under your influence. I can’t ignore what I’ve been shown.You’ve claimed me and I don’t care who knows.You’ve claimed me and I don’t care if it shows.I’m weakened and I’m strengthened in your arms. You’ve claimed me and I need to feel you close.”“You hold fire within your gaze.It mesmerizes everyone you allow into your maze. I know nothing of your thoughts but I need to bask within the warmth of your rays. Nothing you do could ever be wrong. You’re forever perfect in every way.Now, I can’t stand-alone. Now, I am under your influence.You’ve taken over me and now, I can’t ignore what I’ve been shown. You’ve claimed me and I don’t care who knows. You’ve claimed me and I don’t care if it shows. I’m weakened and I’m strengthened in your arms.You’ve claimed me and I need to feel you close.”~ Dank Walker”

“Meghan pushed her chocolate cheesecake across the table to me. I hadn’t gotten paid yet for November, so I had only ordered coffee. “Here,” she said.“Don’t you want it?”“Sure I want it. I ordered it. But I’m giving it to you.”“Why?”Meghan stood up and got me a fork. “Remember what Nora said about love? In your movie?”“Love is when you have a really amazing piece of cake, and it’s the very last piece, but you let him have it,” I said.“So it’s really amazing cake,” said Meghan. “And I want you to have it.”

“You don’t deserve me,” he agreed. “You deserve better. But you’re stuck with me, and you might as well get over it.” Scooping me under him in one agile movement, he rolled on top of me, his black eyes all pirate. “I have no intention of letting you go easily, something to keep in mind. I don’t care if it’s another man, your mother, or the powers of hell trying to pry us apart, I’m not easing up and I’m not saying good-bye.”