These Dreams

The Tease Of A Memory

Killian led her down the dock to the Jolly, cautioning her to mind the group of rats feasting on the scrap bins outside the tavern nearby. She shuddered, stepping away, and nearly fell off the dock as a rotted section of board gave out near the edge. Killian slid an arm around her waist, hauling her back to safety.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

"They're not much on repairs here," he said. "But you didn't have to put your life in jeopardy just to get close to me, love."

She rolled her eyes at him and let him lead her up the gangplank, her mind working furiously to figure out what she was going to say to him as she mounted the stairs to the wheel deck, where he slid open the hatch to captain's cabin. He gestured for her to precede him down the ladder, and she gave him a nervous smile before climbing down. She'd just stepped off the final rung and was framing exactly what she was going to say and how she was going to say it when his feet hit the floor next to her and she was whirled around and pressed to the wall.

"Wait! Killi-" She broke off when his mouth closed over hers, his lips warm and pliant, working over hers as his body pressed into her. He pulled back to come up for air, but before she could get a word in, he bent his knees slightly, then rocked his hips into her as he slid an arm around her and claimed her lips again, deepening the kiss and sliding his tongue inside her mouth to stroke and rub against hers.

Emma had been pressing her hands against his chest, but now her fingers curled into his lapels as he continued to drug her with his kisses and the feel of that body hot and hard against her. She let out a gasp as his mouth moved to her neck, the feel of it sending shivers through her as she fought valiantly to regain some semblance of focus.

"Killian," she breathed. "We have to talk."

"We'll talk later," he said, his voice muffled against her skin. "Much later..."

She was about to contradict him when she felt the stroke of his tongue against her collarbone, working its way over to play in the hollow of her throat. She brought her hands up, tangling in his hair, and her eyes closed as she felt herself becoming boneless, melting into him...

She had to get control, here. None of this was going as planned. She reluctantly opened her eyes, then she tightened her fingers in his hair, and yanked his head back.

"Killian." There. Her voice sounded sort-of firm.

He paused, giving her a slightly amused smile. The heat in his eyes made her almost tell him to nevermind, but she bit her lip and stuck to her guns.

"We have to talk. Now."

"Whatever gave you the idea that you're in charge here?" he asked her mockingly. He brought his mouth down to brush against hers once, twice, as if showing her that he was the one calling the shots. She started to say something but he claimed her lips again, this time slowly, and with a familiar gentleness that brought a prick of tears to her eyes.

"You don't really want to stop now, do you, love?" he asked quietly, punctuating his entreaty with soft, wet, sucking kisses. "Plenty of time for talking later," he murmured.

"I...mmmm...really...nnnnngg...we need to do this..."

"Oh, I know...I know..." he trailed a line of kisses across to her jaw, his lips feather-light as they worked upwards to her ear, and his hand - oh, God, his hand - brushing ever-so-delicately along the underside of her breast. She had to stop this now or they'd definitely be talking later - if she could form words, that is.

"Killian!" She pushed him off her, and she took a staggering step to the side, putting a defensive hand up. "I mean it. I need to talk to you."

The smoldering look in his eyes wasn't helping her control, and from the sound of his labored breathing, his own control was precarious, at best.