board with a distinct thump. “What is very cruel of me?”
“Fooling the intended groom.” He moved another player. “Imagine the poor man’s dismay to discover his bride’s flower plucked by another man.”
She snorted at the euphemism. “Imagine your crew’s dismay to hear you refer to a woman’s quim as a flower.”
For the first time since their stormy reunion, he offered her a genuine smile—and it shook her to her bones.
“You’re a lady now, Sophia. I didn’t want to offend you with my crude language.”
“Then be a true gentleman and forfeit the chess game; promise me you will keep our past affair a secret.”
He captured a pawn. “I don’t think so.”
She curbed the impulse to slam her fist on the table. He’d nabbed a player already. She stared at the board. Her brain was starting to ache with dread.
“You’re skirting the issue, sweetheart.”
“Am I?” she said in a flippant manner. She eyed the opportunity and moved her knight. She captured his pawn with glee.
He didn’t seem too disturbed, for the match was still young. “The earl likes treasures, after all. You’ve seen the gold and jewels and garish artwork in his house.”
She shrugged. “He can have my money. That’s treasure enough.”
He chuckled softly. “Men like other things in life besides money.”
She eyed him sharply. “Like flowers?”
He touched the top of his lip with the tip of his tongue. “Hmm…sweet-smelling flowers.”
It was a faint gesture, but it captured her mind in a wicked hold. She stiffened, ached with the memory of his kisses, his tongue on her flesh…inside her flesh.
Her bones rattled with a hard quiver. “If it means so damn much, I’ll fake my virginity.”
“It’s not the same.”
“It’ll have to do,” she huffed.
His expression darkened. “It’s the principle of the matter.”
Damn the blackguard and his distracting prattle about principles! She wasn’t a fool. Virginity in a woman was a prized commodity among the respectable members of society. Hence she intended to fake her squeamish cries, her maidenly airs.
However, she resented the deceit. She had no moral qualm with the treachery, but she believed the pretense unnecessary. Every day a woman exchanged her dowry for a man’s title. It was a practical, fair trade in her opinion. Insincere professions of poetic love? Virginal blood? It was all a nuisance…but she couldn’t admit the truth to anyone else but James. She had to keep quiet about her rebellious thoughts in polite society.
“You’re one to speak of principle,” she charged.
“I’ve retired my wicked ways.”
“Not according to this morning’s paper.”
“A misprint, I assure you.”
She humphed.
James moved another player. “What about an heir?”
Sophia frowned. “What about an heir?”
“I’m sure the earl will want one…and you’re barren.”
She twisted her lips, resisting the impulse to scratch out the black devil’s eyes. “And this displeases you? My being barren never bothered you on the island.”
He snorted. “ I don’t want brats…but do you really think the earl will be pleased to discover his wife is unfruitful?”
She quieted the swift, hard beats of her heart with a few measured breaths. She was barren, that much was true. She had never conceived a babe during her affair with James. She wasn’t distraught at the thought of being childless. Far from it, in truth. She had no desire to be a mother. However, the pirate lord raised an exasperating—yet sound—point: What would the earl think to learn she was sterile?
“The earl has a sister,” she said with confidence, quashing the tremors in her belly. “Lady Rosamond will marry well and produce an heir. The earl’s estate will be secured.”
“I see.”
James nabbed her knight.
Damn him!
“Must you talk, Black Hawk?”
“Am I disturbing your concentration? My apologies. I won’t say another word.”
And the bloody cutthroat was true to his word. The remainder of the game was
“Fooling the intended groom.” He moved another player. “Imagine the poor man’s dismay to discover his bride’s flower plucked by another man.”
She snorted at the euphemism. “Imagine your crew’s dismay to hear you refer to a woman’s quim as a flower.”
For the first time since their stormy reunion, he offered her a genuine smile—and it shook her to her bones.
“You’re a lady now, Sophia. I didn’t want to offend you with my crude language.”
“Then be a true gentleman and forfeit the chess game; promise me you will keep our past affair a secret.”
He captured a pawn. “I don’t think so.”
She curbed the impulse to slam her fist on the table. He’d nabbed a player already. She stared at the board. Her brain was starting to ache with dread.
“You’re skirting the issue, sweetheart.”
“Am I?” she said in a flippant manner. She eyed the opportunity and moved her knight. She captured his pawn with glee.
He didn’t seem too disturbed, for the match was still young. “The earl likes treasures, after all. You’ve seen the gold and jewels and garish artwork in his house.”
She shrugged. “He can have my money. That’s treasure enough.”
He chuckled softly. “Men like other things in life besides money.”
She eyed him sharply. “Like flowers?”
He touched the top of his lip with the tip of his tongue. “Hmm…sweet-smelling flowers.”
It was a faint gesture, but it captured her mind in a wicked hold. She stiffened, ached with the memory of his kisses, his tongue on her flesh…inside her flesh.
Her bones rattled with a hard quiver. “If it means so damn much, I’ll fake my virginity.”
“It’s not the same.”
“It’ll have to do,” she huffed.
His expression darkened. “It’s the principle of the matter.”
Damn the blackguard and his distracting prattle about principles! She wasn’t a fool. Virginity in a woman was a prized commodity among the respectable members of society. Hence she intended to fake her squeamish cries, her maidenly airs.
However, she resented the deceit. She had no moral qualm with the treachery, but she believed the pretense unnecessary. Every day a woman exchanged her dowry for a man’s title. It was a practical, fair trade in her opinion. Insincere professions of poetic love? Virginal blood? It was all a nuisance…but she couldn’t admit the truth to anyone else but James. She had to keep quiet about her rebellious thoughts in polite society.
“You’re one to speak of principle,” she charged.
“I’ve retired my wicked ways.”
“Not according to this morning’s paper.”
“A misprint, I assure you.”
She humphed.
James moved another player. “What about an heir?”
Sophia frowned. “What about an heir?”
“I’m sure the earl will want one…and you’re barren.”
She twisted her lips, resisting the impulse to scratch out the black devil’s eyes. “And this displeases you? My being barren never bothered you on the island.”
He snorted. “ I don’t want brats…but do you really think the earl will be pleased to discover his wife is unfruitful?”
She quieted the swift, hard beats of her heart with a few measured breaths. She was barren, that much was true. She had never conceived a babe during her affair with James. She wasn’t distraught at the thought of being childless. Far from it, in truth. She had no desire to be a mother. However, the pirate lord raised an exasperating—yet sound—point: What would the earl think to learn she was sterile?
“The earl has a sister,” she said with confidence, quashing the tremors in her belly. “Lady Rosamond will marry well and produce an heir. The earl’s estate will be secured.”
“I see.”
James nabbed her knight.
Damn him!
“Must you talk, Black Hawk?”
“Am I disturbing your concentration? My apologies. I won’t say another word.”
And the bloody cutthroat was true to his word. The remainder of the game was
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