The Ice Princess (Princes #3.5)(9)

He felt the thrill go through him—the knowledge that he'd engaged her, this mysterious woman, but he bowed his head to hide his own triumph. A commander knew not to celebrate too soon and let the enemy ship duck thorough his defenses.

Aphrodite was fingering one of the wooden markers she'd captured. "Where did you get this game?"

"I made it."

She bent her head as if to examine the piece she held. "You carved it?"

"Mmm," he murmured his assent. "The evenings are long at sea. I carved that and stained it several years ago."

"Who do you usually play with?"

His lips twitched her suspicious tone. "My first mate or one of the lieutenants. King me."

She placed a second marker on top of his first and then stared down at the board, but made no move. "It must be dreary to be so long at sea."

"No, not at all." Isaac sat back in his chair and took a sip of wine. "The sea is ever changing, sometimes so mild and sweet it makes your heart ache at the beauty. Sometimes she throws a fit and tosses the ship about so that you'd like to leave her and never return. But a sailor always returns to the sea."

She pushed one of her markers too near his guard. "You make the sea sound like a woman."

"She is to most sailors," he murmured absently. He could see no trap so he took three of her men.

Aphrodite made a sound of displeasure at his move and bent her head to the table. "You're widowed, but you must have a woman waiting for you somewhere?"

"I wouldn't be here if there was."

Her head jerked up. "What a very fine sentiment, Captain."

He cocked his head, eyeing her. "You don't believe me."

"No." She took one of his men. "In my experience all men are happy to dawdle with more than one woman, given the temptation."

"Most men, perhaps—"

"All men," she said with finality.

"Not this one, madam," he growled and took six of her markers at once with his king.

She gasped, looking down at what remained of her men. "A gentleman would let the lady win!"

"No." He shook his head. "No quarter, no false pity. We play this game as adults, you and I."

"I don't understand you," she said and for the first time he heard uncertainty in her voice.

"Make your move."

She glanced at the board. "Whichever way I move I'll lose."

"Do you admit defeat, then?"

"No." She played.

He took another man. "I'll ask a forfeit when I win."

"You made no mention of a forfeit before we started." She sounded indignant.

"I do now."

"Humph. Then it is my decision whether I'll grant it or not." She looked up at him through the slanted eyeholes of her mask, her eyes glowing green. "Perhaps you'd like me to perform a service for you."

"Perhaps I would," he replied and cornered her last man.

She looked at the board and then sat back in her chair, the angle of her body making her breasts thrust at him invitingly. "What would you have me do, Isaac? What do you most desire?"

His throat had gone dry at her purring tone. Somehow the sight of her in her own rooms, in the more modest green dress was much more alluring than the night before. There were parts of him that clamored to take her up on her offer.

But a wise player knew when to avoid the too-obvious lure. "I want your mask. Take it off for me, Aphrodite."

She froze. Her hands crept to her face, touching the gold that shielded her from his eyes.

"No." Her hands dropped to her lap. "I said I'd decide whether to give the forfeit or not and I cannot give that."

"I see." He blew out a silent breath of disappointment. Still too soon, then. He leaned forward and began gathering the draughts pieces.

Then she cleared her throat.

He looked up, his hands stilling.

"I'll give another forfeiture," she said so low it was nearly a whisper.

His eyes narrowed. "What is that?"

"My name." She swallowed. "My name is Coral Smythe."

And the triumph that surged through him was sweeter than that he'd felt the first time he'd defeated an enemy ship.

Chapter 5

At the touch of the Ice Princess's frozen lips, the poor mortal man's blood would stop. His heart would freeze and his face and limbs ice over. He would, in fact, become a statue of ice, and then he joined the hundreds of other frozen men who stood about the Ice Princess's icy lake. Immobile. Silent. Unchanging. And her only companions. . . .

--from The Ice Princess

Coral woke early the next morning and turned to look at the chair. Empty. Isaac was already gone. Alarmed, she sat up and felt for her mask, but it was still in place. She swallowed, letting her arms fall. Strange to think that he'd seen her asleep. She usually hated the thought of being observed with her defenses down, but with Isaac . . . the knowledge that he'd seen her asleep was almost erotic.

She shivered and rose. She was letting the captain too close. A man didn't rise to command his own ship in the Royal Navy by being weak. By letting his desires control him. No matter his interest in her at the moment, it would disappear once the novelty wore off and he came to his senses.