Free Blue Voodoo: A Romantic Retelling of Bluebeard (The Hidden Kingdom Series Book 2) by Jennifer Blackstream Page B

his hold, ignoring the lancing pain that shot through her back. “I fail to see what possible benefit I could reap from such an arrangement.”
    The hands clutching her shoulders melted, fingers kneaded her muscles. Knots of tension she hadn’t realized were there ached in sharp, stabbing bursts, then loosened, leaving a pleasant heaviness behind. Against her will, her chin dropped and her shoulders sagged, body inordinately grateful for the firm pressure forcing the tension from her rigid muscles.
    “Oh, Dominique, do not underestimate the benefits of a marriage to me. Have you forgotten our time together so completely?”
    If only. Her traitorous body rushed to supply her with a barrage of images and sensory memories to go with his voice, the firm strength of his hands, the warm brush of his breath. She was suddenly painfully aware that she had to get out of there before the carnal offer he was making started to sound like a reasonable trade for what he wanted from her.
    “I am leaving. Now.”
    Her voice shook and she tried to mask it with a wince, hoping the pirate would take the tremble for pain. He fell silent, hands slowly growing still on her shoulders. Finally, he pulled them away.
    “You have until the last day of the Midsummer Celebration to give me your answer.”
    “You will stop spreading rumors of our impending engagement until then?” The skin on her shoulders held a chill where his hands had been and she fought the urge to rub them.
    “No. I will continue as I have been, telling everyone I meet about the joyous occasion that I am so looking forward to. If you decide to refuse me, then I will leave it to you to explain to your people why the engagement is off.” The smirk was audible in his voice, adding a leering quality to his words. “Of course, I will be providing my own explanation. I’m sure I’ll be quite imaginative, though I doubt you’ll be in the mood to appreciate my creativity.”
    Dominique’s fists tightened, her knuckles paling. She pushed the breath from her lungs as if she could rid herself of her emotions at the same time. His voice and touch had inspired many memories today, and she was letting them get to her. It was time to remember what had followed those memories.
    “You will have your answer on the final night.”
    Julien inhaled as if preparing to speak, but no words came out. Silence grew between them, a physical presence—heavy and unwanted.
    Dominique shifted in place, testing her wounds and the bandages the pirate had applied. Her body ached as though she’d been struck by the bow of a ship, but the sharpness had dulled. When she got home, she would have the pirate’s bandages burned and replaced.
    “I will see myself out.”
    Julien stepped in front of her, using the bulk of his body to block her path to the door. His clothes held the aroma of the bayou and she wrinkled her nose, idly observing that his shirt was covered in her blood.
    I should burn that too. Perhaps while he’s still wearing it.
    “I will escort you.”
    His tone grew more insulting as hers grew colder, emptier.
    “That is not necessary.”
    “Oh, but it is. I would not want my other guests to feel I am not being a good host to their precious priestess.”
    “You’re covered in swamp water. You should stay here. Bathe. Change.”
    Mischief lit Julien’s eyes as he raised his hands to what was left of his shirt. His fingers danced over the button, unfastening it with graceful ease. He peeled it off him, baring his chest in a tempting display.
    “I’ll be but a moment. You’re welcome to watch.”
    A litany of words, any one of which her mother would have smacked her for, whirled on a furious wind through Dominique’s mind, but she held them back. Slowly, she raised a hand, trailed it from the waist of Julien’s trousers, up his damp chest to cup his stubbled jaw in her palm. The blue strands were short, but growing. They tickled and she was half-tempted to examine her skin, see if