The Bride Goes Rogue (The Fifth Avenue Rebels #3)(94)

“My good fortune, then.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Poseidon. I don’t even know your name, only that you’re English.”

Poseidon? He felt his lips twitch. In any other circumstance, he would introduce himself. Yet he hesitated. The urge to remain anonymous with her, to forgo any and all reminders of his life on dry land, won out. Which meant he could not ask her name, either.

He hooked a thumb in the direction of the open water. “Perhaps I fell over from one of Her Majesty’s ships out there and swam to shore.”

“With that upper-crust accent?”

“I might be an officer.”

“That would explain the lack of scurvy.”

He chuckled. Normally he did not banter with women, but this was proving enjoyable. Indeed, when in recent memory had he felt this light, this happy? She was quick witted and clearly no innocent, so a servant from one of the houses? Or perhaps the daughter of a local shopkeeper. “Would you believe I’ve been months at sea with other men, no contact from a woman in all that time?” It was partially true, anyway. He’d given up his mistress a year ago, unable to afford anything for himself beyond a basic necessity.

“I might believe it, based on—oh, shit!” She threw herself at him, but not in lust. Her eyes were wide with terror.

He caught her and stood up, cradling her close. “What is it? What is wrong?”

“Something bumped against my leg. Something big. And do not tell me it was a plant because this was no plant.” She tried to climb up his body, doing all she could to lift her legs out of the water.

“There’s nothing here but harmless fish and turtles,” he said, rubbing his hand down her back soothingly. “Furthermore, I’m a much bigger target. If something decided to take a bite out of one of us, it would definitely be me.”

“You don’t know that.” She stared down at the water as if expecting a giant fish to jump up and attack her.

“I am absolutely confident you will not die out here. How about that?”

“You’re laughing at me, but I don’t care. I might look foolish, but I’ll still be alive.”

“You don’t look foolish,” he said with all seriousness. “In fact, you are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

She leaned back to see his face. It occurred then that he had an armful of naked, wet and lush woman, one who wasn’t mistaking him for anyone else. One who didn’t know he was a duke, but simply a man. When was the last time that had happened?

He tightened his hold slightly, wanting to protect her. Wanting to keep her close and warm, and drive away anything that dared to scare her. He didn’t want to let her go.

When she trembled, he eased her under the water but stayed close. They floated together, bobbing up and down in the gentle waves. Was it his imagination or had her breathing picked up? “Have we met before?” she asked. “I feel as though I know you.”

“We have not been introduced. I definitely would have remembered a woman like you.”

“A woman like me?” She stiffened and floated away, and he had to hurry to keep up. “Loud and brazen, I suppose. Scandalous.” She drew out the word, as if she heard it quite a bit.

“Absolutely not. I was thinking clever and unafraid.”

“Hmm. That was a very good answer, but I cannot tell if you’re genuine or not.”

He slowly moved in closer, back to where they’d been a moment ago. “Why would I lie? We don’t know each other. There are no repercussions if I insult you.”

She bobbed on the surface, letting him hold her hand, maintaining their connection. “You, sir, are very good for my confidence. Pray, continue.”

“More compliments, then. Let’s see. You are gorgeous, but you likely know that. You curse like a sailor, which I find endearing. You have excellent taste in organs, and possess the most remarkable laugh.”

The moonlight sparkled across the surface of the water, illuminating her shocked expression. Then she smiled and dragged her fingertips along his collarbone. “Beauty, charm and brains. The female population must absolutely adore you.”

“I could say the same about you and the male population.”

“I do my best. I plan on sampling as many of them as possible before I’m done, after all.”

“Before you marry, you mean.”

“No, before I die. I will never marry.”

She said this so casually, but with a note of finality in her voice, and he couldn’t help but say, “That’s a bloody shame. You should belong to someone. A lucky man who worships the ground beneath your feet.” Not him, unfortunately. The plans for his future had already been set. The ring was in his luggage, in fact.

“I’d rather not belong to anyone, if it’s all the same. Novel idea, I know, but I’d like to retain my name, my worldly possessions, and control over my body.”

“When you put it that way, I suppose the only appeal is children and regular bedsport.”

“Both of which do not require marriage.”

“What of disease?”

“Shields.”

He glanced around dramatically. “Have I traveled to the future, to a place where women have progressive ideas and independence?”

“Perhaps you are stuck in the past.” She pulled her hand out of his and pushed off his stomach to swim away. Legs kicking, she dove beneath the water, then resurfaced and shook water off her face.