Winter of the Passion Flower (The de Vargas Family) Read Online Free

I rejected his proposal of marriage
last week.” She laughed at the memory of the duke stomping to his dirigible in
high dudgeon, after she had not only rejected him but also thrown him out of
her manor. Indigo expected to hear more from Leopold, as she doubted he would
let a woman get the better of him. A ridiculous appearance camouflaged a
cunning mind.
    Gathering the maps together she said,
“Captain, you are a man of few words.”
    The captain drained the last few drops from
his goblet and looked across at her. “Madame, you are a woman of much
confidence.”
    Reaching over, Indigo ran her fingers along
the tattoo on his arm. The muscles tensed beneath her fingers as sudden warmth
singed her skin and she snatched her hand back quickly. Taking a deep breath,
she fought to regain her composure, looking into the dark eyes across the
table.
    “Zane, it is essential that I can trust you
to take charge of the Artemis . We must complete one more voyage if we
are to have enough botanicals for our quest. We have only until the end of the
month to complete our prototype for the exhibition.”
    “Quest?” His brow wrinkled above those
midnight eyes. “That is a peculiar term, Madame.”
    She stumbled over her reply. “I mean our
quest to get the prototype ready in time. The Amazon voyage is essential.”
    “The Amazon? I am more than happy to pilot
the Artemis , however a South American voyage will take seven weeks to
complete. I believe you have a month until the prototype is due?”
    Indigo allowed a secretive smile to spread
across her face as she rested her chin in her hand. She turned to Mr. Grimoult,
almost asleep in his chair. “Captain Dogooder is obviously not a mariner of
your ilk, Mr. Grimoult. You will have to teach him a thing or two.”
    Mr. Grimoult nodded at Indigo.
    “Madame, I beg to differ,” the captain
corrected her, his voice polite. “I have completed a voyage to the Amazon. As
an experienced mariner, I know the time a safe journey takes.”
    She reached over, stroking his arm
soothingly. For some reason her skin craved contact with his. “Don’t worry,
Captain. I am in charge. All you have to do is navigate.”
    Indigo stood, reaching around to adjust her
loose corset, revealing considerably more breast than before her laces were
undone.
    “We must rest. There is not much left of
the night and there is still much to do. We shall discuss your remuneration
tomorrow, Captain. Mrs. Grimoult has prepared a guest room. Follow me.”
    The captain stepped outside and paused
before entering the directional perambulator. Crossing her arms, Indigo laughed
as he hesitated.
    “Nervous, Captain?” She offered her hand to
him. “How can I possibly trust you under the Atlantic with my submarine?”
    Ignoring her outstretched hand, the Captain
entered the contraption. Indigo leaned against the wall observing him. Eyes met
and held as the doors clanged shut and the perambulator dropped quickly. The
unaccustomed butterflies in her stomach were caused by the sudden descent, not
the attraction she felt for the brooding stranger.
    That was all that was causing this heady
feeling.
     As the perambulator descended, his
gaze left hers to travel slowly from her bare shoulders, over the laced corset
and down to her high boots. The door opened as the perambulator reached the
lower level of the manor. Indigo walked ahead of him down the corridor,
deliberately swaying her hips. Pausing at the last door, she turned an ornate
knob, entering through the back of a guest room, and ushered the captain past
her.
    “You should find all you need here. We will
speak again in the morning.”
    Indigo turned to leave, but a warm hand
descended on her bare shoulder.
    “Not so fast, my beauty,” said the captain.
He pushed her gently back against the velvet-lined wall and strands of her hair
caught on the soft nap. Eyes narrowing, she stiffened as firm thighs pressed her
legs back against the wall. Strong callused fingers slid down