The Pirate Wench Read online

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  Resplendence Publishing, LLC

  www.resplendencepublishing.com

  Copyright ©2007 by Melinda Barron

  First published in RP, 2007

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  NOTICE: This work is copyrighted. It is licensed only for use by the original purchaser. Making copies of this work or distributing it to any unauthorized person by any means, including without limit email, floppy disk, file transfer, paper print out, or any other method constitutes a violation of International copyright law and subjects the violator to severe fines or imprisonment.

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  CONTENTS

  The Pirate Wench

  Resplendence Publishing, LLC

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Epilogue

  Chapter One

  About the Author

  Also available from Resplendence Publishing:

  Rules of Darkness by Tia Fanning

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  The Pirate Wench

  by

  Melinda Barron

  * * * *

  * * * *

  Resplendence Publishing, LLC

  www.resplendencepublishing.com

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Resplendence Publishing, LLC

  P.O. Box 992

  Edgewater, Florida, 32132

  The Pirate Wench

  Copyright © 2007, Melinda Barron

  Edited by Teanette Major

  Cover art by Rika Singh

  Print format ISBN: 978-0-9795721-9-7

  Electronic format ISBN: 978-1-934992-09-8

  Warning: All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Electronic release: November, 2007

  Trade paperback printing: February, 2008

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and occurrences are a product of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places, or occurrences, is purely coincidental.

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  Dedication

  Thanks to Leigh and Jess for giving this story a chance, for encouraging me to expand it, and for helping it to grow. Thanks to my editor, Tea. Love ya, baby! And special thanks to Shannon, Jo and especially Maura, who held my hand when I cried on her shoulder and said, “this isn't working,” and heard her say, “what about this?” You guys are great!

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  Chapter One

  "What is this?” Melani Cantor held up a small white blouse between her thumb and forefinger as if it were contaminated.

  "Your work outfit.” Ellie Winton burst into laughter at Melani's look. “What did you expect to wear? You are working at a pirate theme park for a week."

  Melani's eyebrows shot up and she shook her head, even as a smile appeared on her face.

  "Look, you know I love you and would do anything for you—within reason. But this piece of material hardly looks big enough to cover one breast, much less two."

  "Oh, that one's not yours, exactly. That's just one I grabbed off the shelf to show you. We'll go down to the employee building in a bit to get you fitted for the top, and for your Maid of Honor dress.

  "Yeah.” Melani grinned. “You know, when most people get married, they have satin dresses, beautiful flowers and a big church. You, on the other hand, are getting married on a pirate ship and wearing a gown that will more than likely shock most of your guests."

  Ellie laughed. “Russell thinks the wedding part of our business is going to go over well. Your article will give us some great publicity."

  Melani shook her head and dropped the blouse on top of a long black skirt and numerous petticoats. When her best friend, Ellie, had left college for a year and taken a job at Ahoy, Matey, her mother almost had a stroke. Melani could just imagine what the woman was thinking now that Ellie had worked at the theme park for seven years and was engaged to marry the “Pirate King."

  "What does your mother think of the clothes?"

  Ellie frowned. “Let's not go there. Russell and I are taking bets on whether or not she shows up for the ceremony. She practically threatened me with death if word of this got into the hometown newspaper."

  "So in other words, she doesn't know I'm attending as a worker, writer, and Maid of Honor?"

  "Are you kidding me? She'd have tried to kidnap you before you even got to the airport. She's going to freak when she sees your story."

  Melani shook her head. She knew Ellie was right, but the story was going to be interesting. Russell's park, Ahoy Matey, was now in its tenth year and growing stronger. It had been Ellie's idea to offer wedding packages to the hotel guests. The ship would sail away from the coastline and the wedding would be performed just as the sun slipped below the horizon. The reception would take place on the resort's private island, which contained the new hotel and several secluded cottages.

  Ellie's plan had been for Melani to work at the park for a week and write an insider's take on how things worked, with the wedding as the highlight to get people interested. Melani's editor had loved the idea, but he'd made Melani use some of her vacation time since she was technically going for a friend's wedding. Melani had agreed, but only if he'd paid for her travel. He'd reluctantly paid for her airfare, and now here she was.

  "This is going to be great publicity. I can't wait to see the stories.” Ellie clapped her hands together like an eager child and Melani grimaced.

  "El, the subscription numbers for the Gazette hardly constitute good publicity."

  "No, but if you do it up good, you know it could be picked up by the Dallas paper. They picked up your Christmas article last winter, along with several others. And if the AP sees it, then it could go national. Besides, you're my best friend and nobody writes like you do."

  Melani preened. “Thank you, thank you very much."

  Ellie shook her head and then looked at her watch.

  "Oh crap. We're already late for an appointment with the park costumer about your work outfits. He's making the wedding clothes, too."

  Ellie took off at a brisk clip and Melani fell into step behind her. Ellie had always been a handful, usually trying to go in nine different directions at once. Melani had been the more staid of the two. Not that she was boring. She just preferred to think of herself as practical, more logical than her lighthearted friend.

  As they walked through the streets of the “pirate town” Melani marveled at how different their lives were. They'd met in daycare in the West Texas town of Lubbock, where they'd grown up. They'd become fast friends and remained that way all through school.

  At Texas Tech, Melani had studied journalism and Ellie had studied what she termed “Frat Boys 101.” That was until she'd dropped out and moved to Florida. Melani had been devastated at the loss of her best friend. She'd thrown herself into her studies and hadn't made many other friends. Now she was a reporter for a small, independent newspaper called The Lubbock Gazette.

  She lived a routine existence. The only friends she had in Texas were co-workers. Many
times she envied Ellie her carefree lifestyle, especially now that she and Russell had decided to settle down together.

  When El linked arms with her and pulled her close, Melani gave her a friendly hug.

  "So, you seeing anyone special?"

  Melani shook her head. “No. Not since Charles."

  "I'm sorry. I really thought he would work out."

  "Me, too. But he wanted to get married too fast. I worked too hard for that degree to let it sit on the shelf. Even a year would have worked for me, gotten me established as a writer. Then we could have been married."

  El squeezed her friend's arm. “I know it was hard on you when he married someone else."

  Melani nodded. “You know, I really thought I loved him, and I thought he felt the same. But four months after he leaves me he's walking down the aisle with someone else? Shows all he wanted was someone to cook and clean for him."

  "Forget him. Listen, I have a great guy I want you to meet."

  "No. N-O. No. No men for me, thanks."

  Ellie giggled, and Melani could swear she heard her whisper, “we'll see about that,” as she trotted off to an employee who had called her name.

  Melani watched as Ellie greeted park guests and employees alike, and marveled that her friend had found such a wonderful life at a theme park. Melani was much more at home in her business suits and doing interviews over the phone.

  It had always been that way. When they were kids, Ellie would want to go to the park and Melani would want to know what they would do once they got there. As teenagers, Ellie would want to go to the mall and Melani would want to know which stores they would visit so she could plan her spending for the day.

  In college, Ellie would want to go from party to party, and Melani would want to know who was going to be where and if Ellie had any plans for extra curricular activities that night.

  "Here we are.” Ellie led them into a large building that was mostly empty. “The dressing rooms are in the back. Jace is waiting for us there. He's a little picky about the clothes he designs, so if you have a problem with something, approach the subject with care."

  Melani nodded. She was about to become a pirate wench. She wasn't thrilled about the idea, but for Ellie, she would do anything.

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  Chapter Two

  "No fucking way.” Melani winced inwardly when the words left her mouth. She never cursed, but being stuffed into such a ridiculous outfit seemed to bring out the worst in her.

  Ellie's laughter filled the room as Melani stared into the mirror.

  The designer, Jace, crossed his arms over his chest and gave Melani a disapproving look. “I beg your pardon?"

  "You heard me. There's no way I'm wearing this in public. I look like a stripper in search of a pole. Did you even use the measurements I sent you?"

  "I assure you, I made that outfit according to the dimensions you provided. Have you gained weight since then?"

  "You're blaming this on me? I have not..."

  Ellie stepped in between the two of them and held up her hands. She pushed Jace backward and Melani could hear her whisper to him softly.

  Melani turned back toward the mirror and stared at herself. She didn't look half bad really, except for the fact that her breasts were practically spilling out of the blouse. Her voluptuous figure was made for something like this. Too bad her personality wasn't.

  She put her hands on her hips and twirled. The outfit consisted of a low-cut white blouse, a tight, red, corset-type vest that laced up the back, and a black skirt that was poofed out by three peticoats.

  If Jace expected her to wear this out in public, and bend over tables where everyone would get a good look at her girls, he was out of his mind.

  She shook her head. This just wasn't her.

  The wedding outfit was similar, except it was red with a black vest, as Ellie had chosen red, white and black as her colors. Melani felt naked just standing in front of the mirror. She knew that she couldn't expose herself to the wedding guests this way.

  "Can't we pull the blouse up a little?"

  "Who's the designer here? You or me? That dress is perfect, except for the fact that the vest is a little too ... snug. We just won't lace it up so tight. I will not have my creations ruined by an amateur.” Jace stomped his foot and ran from the room.

  "Oh, Ellie, I'm so sorry. I guess I was less than tactful.” Melani gave her friend an apologetic look.

  Ellie laughed as she headed toward the door. “That's OK. It was worth it to hear you say ‘fuck'. I'll go after him. Everything will be fine. Change your clothes and I'll be back in a few minutes."

  Melani moved away from the mirror and stepped out of the skirt and petticoats. She put her fingers up to the front of the vest and sighed.

  "How am I supposed to get out of this thing alone? It laces in the back. Ellie!” No answer came and Mel shouted out her friend's name again. When no one came she was tempted to use the dreaded f-word again. Twice in one day would be new record for her.

  She reached behind her back and tried to grab the vest strings from the top and from the bottom. On her third attempt an exasperated sigh escaped her lips. She imagined what she looked like as she danced from foot to foot, moving her arms behind her back in a strange parody of the Hokey Pokey.

  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her breasts were pressed tight against the material and each attempt to reach the tie pushed them against the scooped neck of the blouse until the material strained under the pressure. She was sure that she now looked more like a stripper than she had before.

  The tie was at the top of the vest, which meant it was really in the middle of her back. She moved both hands behind her back and tried again to grab the bow, then let out a sigh of relief when the door opened.

  "Finally. Could you help me with this, please? I can't reach the tie."

  Reassuring footsteps resounded against the walls. Her breasts would be freed of their prison soon.

  "Did you find him? Is he really mad?"

  Fingers pulled on the string and began unlacing the vest. Melani heaved a sigh of relief as the pressure on her chest decreased. The vest fell away and the low cut blouse lowered, exposing most of Melani's cleavage.

  "I mean I'll wear it, he just needs to do something about how tight this vest is."

  "It looks fine to me.” The deep voice forced Melani's eyes open. She whirled around and stared at a ... pirate?

  The man standing in front of her was dressed in a white blouse cut to his navel, tight black pants and thigh high boots. His shirt revealed a muscled chest lightly covered with dark hair. He had a sword attached to his hip and near that sword, oh lord, a package that looked like it would make the porn star happy.

  Melani tried not to stare but it was hard. He was gorgeous, from top to bottom. She raised her face to his and was met with mischievous green eyes and a dazzling smile. His black hair was long and curly, tied at the nape of his neck.

  "How dare you!"

  "I was only doing what you asked. This is a communal dressing room, you know, so you need to get over your shyness. Plus, with a body like yours you've got nothing to be shy about."

  Melani's hands flew to her chest as redness spread across her cheeks and neck.

  "Get out! Now!"

  "Sorry, love, no can do. I took a dip in the drink earlier and I need to change before the next show, which is in fifteen minutes."

  He sat down on a bench and put his foot out toward Melani.

  "Care to help me with my boots? These things are a bitch to get off."

  "I will not. Please, leave so I can get dressed."

  "Hey, we're all friends here and I'm in a hurry. I wouldn't have pegged you as the shy type with the way you were checking out my, um...” his eyes drifted down and then lifted back up to hers.

  A devilish grin gleamed in his eyes and Melani knew that her blush increased. He was so gorgeous, and she was half-naked. Her blush moved down to her neck and she shivered.


  "I was not checking it, you, that ... out. I was ... dammit, I was...."

  Her mind went blank as she fumbled for a reasonable excuse and none came. She had been checking him out. She had stared at the bulge and wondered what was hidden beneath, what it would look like when it was freed from its prison.

  She fought to get her breathing under control. Melani Cantor did not ogle men she'd just met. At least Melani Cantor the writer didn't. But what about Melani Cantor, the pirate wench? Surely she was allowed a look or two. Or three. Or four.

  She licked her lips as he continued to undress.

  "You have a name, shy one?"

  "Melani.” The word was a whisper. She stared as he dropped the second boot on the floor next to him and began to work the tight pants from his frame. A little bit more. There, almost. Would he be hard? She stifled a gasp and turned her back to him.

  A low whistle filled the room. “I hate to tell you this, but you're not wearing a skirt, so your back's as naked as your front. I'm Royce McKenna. Welcome to Ahoy, Matey, Melani. Or should I call you Red?"

  Melani fought not to turn around. She bent and recovered her discarded skirts, which she held up to cover her behind. She knew he must be naked by now. She closed her eyes and counted to ten.

  "My hair isn't red.” She knew her voice sounded wobbly and she hated it. Damn! Why was Ellie not here to save her from this embarrassment?

  "No, but your face is,” he said, humor evident in his voice. “I'm decent now. You can turn around. I must say, it disappoints me that you didn't want to see me au natural."

  When she faced him again he was strapping a jeweled cup to his crotch.

  "The last one got lost in the water,” he said with a laugh. “Good thing we have several backups. I must say, Melani, you're the prettiest wench they've hired in a while. Where will you be working?"

  "I'm only here for a week. For the wedding."

  "Really? Then you must be Ellie's friend from Texas.” He strapped on his sword and then let out an expletive. “If I don't hurry, I'm going to miss my cue. See you later, Red."