Neither Lady nor Pirate (Complete)

Chapter Twenty

Finally got the cast list perfected... :D There are a few people who are younger/older than the person they are playing, but hey, their faces are almost exactly what I imagine in my mind.  Hope that it helps give you a better idea of the story now, seeing real faces with names.  (If you don't like it, well, keep using your imagination then.. :P)

If there is any other character you think might be good to add, let me know!  I would be more than happy to look for someone; unless you have a suggestion for the actor/actress as well.

XOXO

sophie9630

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TWENTY

Tension fogged the air, thick enough to make Abbie's breaths feel labored.

Charlie stood casually watching her, but his gaze was like that of a predator before it pounced. Out of all the people she'd ever expected to meet on an island in the middle of the Caribbean, Charlie Devonaire had not even crossed her mind.

His status as a slave ship captain gave him plenty of reasons to be there of course, as Abbie knew Cuba was a stop in the trade routes frequented by men like him.

Still, the chances of them being anywhere near each other had to have been rather slim. The island was small, but it was not that small.

Or so she had thought...

"Might I ask what you are doing parading around all alone in a Cuban jungle in men's trousers?"

His playful tone held a flirtatious edge, and Abbie cringed as Charlie winked at her. Even fully clothed she felt incredibly underdressed in his presence.

"I was just... Was just..." Taking a few steps back, both to distance herself from Charlie and to cover the bush where Maliyah was hiding, Abbie struggled to find words.

"You weren't looking for someone, were you?" He asked, moving closer. Abbie desperately hoped that he could not see the young slave cowering behind her.

"Perhaps, someone to... Keep you company?"

Abbie had never enjoyed Charlie's presence. He reminded her of Haughtington, but with far more forward mannerisms. Unbelievable as it was, Charlie was even more unbearable to be around than her fiancé.

The first time she had met him had been as a potential suitor, but Abbie had quickly made a point to avoid him. He found himself rather attractive, and spent more time preparing for a party than actually participating in it. Even worse were his obnoxious flirting and the way he believed he could conquer any woman with a single smile.

He'd come on rather strong to her, but Abbie always managed to find a way out of meeting him. It had taken several months of avoiding going outside all together, but eventually he had taken the hint.

He left her alone and Abbie had thought she'd been freed from him, only to have him enter her life again a few months later, this time as her fiancé's best friend.

When the announcement was made of her engagement, Charlie had handled it rather well. Abbie always expected him to have some bitterness harbored, but he had been more than eager to agree when Haughtington offered him to be the best man.

And even though she was still technically engaged to his best friend, rather than be relieved at finding his missing fiancée, Charlie was trying to flirt with her.

It was disgusting.

"Shy, are we?" He purred, closing the distance between them. Abbie's legs brushed against the bush, causing her to nearly trip backwards onto Maliyah. Charlie caught her by the wrists, tugging her into his chest quickly.