The port town Brashen and Althea have stopped in is more dangerous than it first appears. Brashen is drugged through his ale and led to the back room, while Althea is baited there as well, barely escaping a kidnapping. After getting back to the ship, Brashen stitches up Althea's wounds and the intimate quarters (and probably the cindin) begets the start of their relationship. They both know it's dangerous, but for now, it is simply nice to be wanted. 

We're reading Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb, book 1 of the Liveship Traders in The Realm of the Elderlings.