Seduced by a Pirate by Eloisa James

in my life.”
    The moment Phoebe had lifted her veil in the church and he had seen her for the first time, panic struck. At twenty years old, she had been wildly sensual and far beyond a boy’s ken. Her hair was golden and her lips were rose, and she looked like the princess every man dreamed about. Worse, she was older than he. Unquestionably older.
    He had felt a paralyzing wave of embarrassment. Naturally, that had been the beginning of the end.
    “You’re even more beautiful than when we married,” he said abruptly.
    She frowned. “What has that to do with anything? We are in an untenable situation. Mr. Sharkton just promised to take Colin to sea. I would rather die than see my children follow in the footsteps of a bloodthirsty pirate.”
    He couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face. She was adorable. Formidable, but adorable.
    “Why are you smiling?” she asked in a threatening tone. “Do you find the idea of injury to my children amusing ?”
    “No!” he said quickly. “Not at all. Never.”
    “Right.” She paused, but he was happy to let her carry the conversation. “Why haven’t you seated yourself, Sir Griffin?”
    “You called me Griffin earlier.” With a silent groan, he dropped himself into a chair. He missed the young body he’d had when they last saw each other, for all he had been skinny as a finger bone.
    Sunshine was pouring through the window behind her. It slid over her hair like warm honey, making every strand glow as if lit from within. Still, the bright light also revealed small lines at the corners of her eyes.
    Phoebe had changed as well. There was something a bit sad about her now. Subdued. She hadn’t been subdued at their wedding; he would have remembered that.
    “Griffin it is, then,” she said, nodding sharply. “Let’s return to the question of our marriage.”
    “I shall not be arrested,” he said, “so that won’t work as an excuse for divorce. I’ve received a full pardon from the Crown.”
    She snorted. “My father used to say that everything has its price.”
    “It is true that a ruby may have helped.” She was so delicate, perched on the edge of the chair. Her features were delicate, and her bones were delicate. . . . She looked like the ideal of English womanhood.
    She also looked skeptical, so he added, “The stone was approximately the size of the Prince Regent’s big toe.”
    “I suppose it was stolen from someone?”
    “We had it off a pirate’s ship, so it likely was stolen from somewhere, yes. But not by us.”
    Her back became even more rigid. “While I am relieved to learn that my husband is not in imminent danger of imprisonment, it doesn’t solve our current problem.”
    “Right.” Griffin sprawled out in his chair, trying to make it look as if he were comfortable, whereas in fact his leg was in flames.
    “If you’re in that much pain,” she said, “perhaps you should stand up again.”
    “Standing doesn’t help.” How the devil had she known when he was angry, and known again when he was in pain?
    He pounded his thigh to get the muscles to relax. “I don’t see what makes our marriage so problematic. If we dissolve the union on the grounds of non-consummation, it would label your children bastards.”
    The word fell sharply from his lips, although he didn’t mean it so. Somehow in the last few minutes he had made up his mind. It had been her right to have children, given his long absence. Which meant they were now his children. It didn’t hurt that Colin was just the sort of plucky, brave boy he liked.
    Phoebe seemed frozen in her chair. Naturally, it would be difficult for her to discuss her infidelity.
    “I won’t say that I wouldn’t have preferred that you waited to have children until I returned,” he continued. “But you had no idea that I might ever come back, and frankly, had I not received this injury, I might have continued aboard ship until I lost my life at sea. If I remember correctly, you are now