The Duke and the Pirate Queen. Victoria Janssen

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СКАЧАТЬ work for the imperium, at least not for payment, though their children’s children will be allowed to do so, so long as they pass the appropriate examinations. And provided all their other ancestry is imperial. You are, however, permitted to work as a privateer, risking death for the imperium’s glory.” As he spoke, he stood and dropped the cloth in the bucket. His hands closed over her tight shoulders and massaged.

      Despite the bitter truth of his words, Imena drooped forward, sighing with pleasure. His thumbs were digging unerringly into the worst knot, just at the base of her neck. She hadn’t realized how much her head was aching until the gnarled muscle released. As if he knew, Maxime smoothed his palm over her scalp before returning to the massage. He said, “So what is the advantage, if you marry one of these men?”

      Imena considered, though it was hard to think while his hands squeezed the tension from her shoulders and neck. “Position,” she said. “I’d be absorbed into his family, and would thus be considered trustworthy, at least to a certain extent. My husband would be responsible for me.” She tried to keep the anger from her tone, but couldn’t manage it.

      “You’re not going to do that.”

      “I might have to.” She slumped on the bench as his hands traveled down either side of her spine, pressing out tension as they went. “I’d have money of my own, to dispose of as I wanted. I would have to give up Seaflower, though. The wives of wealthy men don’t go to sea.”

      He said, “It won’t come to that, if you’d accept sanctuary in the duchy.”

      She smiled. “Thank you for the offer, but I don’t think King Julien would be happy to have the daughter of an imperial admiral living in his kingdom.”

      “What if you married someone here? Your loyalty would be assumed more readily, and your children could do whatever they wished.”

      She closed her eyes. “I’ve … considered it.”

      “Have you?” Maxime clapped his hand against her shoulder. “Let’s have that soak.”

      Imena chose cool water to douse herself and disperse her arousal before she slid into one of the smaller pools, across from Maxime. The stone bench beneath the water was slippery, and she had to brace herself with her toes. A moment later, she realized she’d braced herself against Maxime’s leg.

      “I am sorry!” she said, splashing as she hitched herself higher on the bench.

      Maxime laughed. He reached out and snagged her arm, drawing her to sit next to him. “If you sit here, you can see the new sculptures.”

      Imena eyed him and tried not to grin. “Your Grace, are you trying to seduce me?”

      “Only a little,” he said, and slung his arm over her shoulders. “Have pity,” he said. “I’ve had a difficult day, too.” He leered in a patently false way, and she laughed. Perhaps it would be all right. She could indulge, just a little, and harm nothing.

      “Just this once, I will sit with you,” she said, and settled back against him. A velvety thrill chased over her skin as their bodies met. She shifted so their shoulders overlapped. His muscular bulk was as solid and comforting as it looked; the hair on his chest was softer than she’d expected. She wanted to rub herself against him, all over, just for the sensual pleasure of it, a reaction she didn’t even have to Sanji.

      Such a pity Maxime was a duke, a pity for her and for him. She, at least, could flee the men her parents had chosen for her. She didn’t think Maxime would elude his king’s choices for very long. His arm tightened around her shoulders. It was more difficult to fight her body’s desire when she was this close to him. She slid lower in the water and rested her cheek on his firm pectoral, her nose tantalizingly close to his nipple. He smelled of cedar-scented soap. She could lick him with no effort at all, if she wanted.

      Maxime said, “You’re not dozing off, are you? You haven’t admired the sculptures. Over there, in the grotto.”

      Imena looked. The grotto had been hollowed out of the bathing chamber’s far corner to reveal stalactites; they’d been embedded with crystals that glowed softly in the lamplight. The new sculptures were small glass octopuses in every color of the rainbow, attached in different positions as if they swam among a forest of stone.

      “They’re lovely,” she said.

      “I’m glad you like them,” he said. He rubbed his hand over her upper arm. “Captain Leung, what if you married me?”

      Imena laughed. “That’s the worst possible solution to both our problems. I would be a terrible liability to you.”

      “Not necessarily,” Maxime said. He leaned a fraction to the side and kissed her ear, then the bare sensitive skin above it; the touch resonated down to her toes. Imena shivered and thought about edging away, but her body didn’t want to move. His nearness sang along her nerves. He said, “You have many valuable qualities. I also have many admirable traits that I would like you to consider.”

      “Such as?” He was nuzzling behind her ear now, and at the back of her neck, and she really ought to stop him, but just those small touches felt amazingly sweet. She reached out to steady herself and found she’d grabbed his thigh.

      “I would make your mother angry,” he suggested. His fingers trailed along her forearm, more gently than she would have expected. “You didn’t say you wanted that, exactly, but—”

      “You’re entirely too good at this,” Imena said. Still she didn’t move away from him. She should do it. She should. But his touch felt so good, and she felt … close to him. Close from their talking, not from his body against hers. She wanted more closeness, however she could get it. Just a little. A little while longer.

      She could be casual with him. She could keep her emotions under control. She was in no danger from him, nor he from her. She always worried too much. Perhaps she should give that up, and just once take what she wanted when she wanted it.

      He said, “I’m too good at enticing you, or at guessing what you want?”

      “Either. Both. I don’t know.” His breath was warm on her skin. It was making her flush more than the heat of the water. What if he kissed her? What could it hurt if she kissed him? She’d hardly be the first and would certainly not be the last.

      “If you married me, you’d be a citizen of this duchy, and your children would even have diplomatic protection if they wanted to visit their grandparents.”

      She said, “I never said I wanted children.” Maxime kissed the nape of her neck and, retaliating, Imena squeezed his thigh.

      “You wouldn’t have to give up your ship.”

      “Stop it,” she said. She twisted around, grabbed his hair and said, “If you’re trying to seduce me, I’d rather you didn’t talk about impossibilities.” She kissed him, firmly, and had to take a sharp breath at the taste of him. “Your seduction has worked. You don’t have to discuss this anymore.”

      “But what if I want to—”

      Imena kissed him again. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I have had a very trying few weeks. Do you want to fuck, or not?”

      “An interesting question.” Maxime slid off the bench and stood in СКАЧАТЬ