PART II

In the days and weeks that followed their lunch date, Eleanor and Max were not able to carve out time to see each other every day, but on most days they managed to find at least a couple hours to spend with each other.

Some nights they stayed in the tavern, sitting around talking with Eme as she tended the bar, on other nights they brought a blanket out to the sand of the Guthrie property's private beach and lay looking at the stars. Eleanor knew the names of most of the constellations and where to find them in the night sky. She'd spent many evenings as a young girl looking up, following Scott's finger as he pointed at the stars, his voice steady and soothing as Eleanor hung on his every word. Max was the story-teller, taking the names Eleanor spoke and weaving intricate stories out of them, tales of love, and war, and greed, and passion, and just like when she was a girl, Eleanor would look up at the twinkling orbs and listen to the gentle, musical lilt of Max's voice, letting it take her away to a place of wonder.

Some mornings, Max would sneak over to Eleanor's in the early hours, just as the sun was beginning to rise, and they would take a bath together. Eleanor had an array of scented waters that Max greatly enjoyed perusing; searching to find the scent that most perfectly fit her mood on any particular morning. Once she had made her selection, Eleanor would add the scent to the water in the tub, and then climb into the rose, or lavender or chamomile scented pool. Max would then join her, situating herself between Eleanor's legs before easing back against the blonde, relaxing into Eleanor's embrace. When the water cooled and they climbed out of the tub, they oftentimes draped robes over their nude bodies and went out onto Eleanor's balcony to dine on a simple breakfast of rolls and jam and tea, enjoying the heat of the morning sun and the sound of the churning sea.

On occasion Eleanor was tense, and stressed, and too wired to do anything but fret and stand out on the balcony staring out at the flickering lights of her outlaw island. Max would join her sometimes out on the balcony, tucking herself between Eleanor's body and the railing, taking comfort in the gentle rise and fall of Eleanor's chest against her back while her eyes scanned the same landscape as Eleanor's and tried to see what it was Eleanor loved so much about this place. Other times, Max would lounge in her bed, or on Eleanor's comfy leather chair, and she would hum as Eleanor brooded, filling the room with something light to counter the darkness of night and Eleanor's mood.

There were times when dealing with the girls and their clients, and Jack and Anne, became too much for Max to bear, and she would seek out Eleanor, dragging her to some private place so that she could vent. She would pace back and forth across the rug in Eleanor's office, or the creaking floorboards of her bedroom, and Eleanor would give her space and listen quietly, waiting out the storm. And when Max was done, and she had stilled, Eleanor would open her arms to Max, and Max would crawl into them, finally allowing herself to be soothed.

On other nights, when it was early, before the girls started bringing the men upstairs in droves, they would lie on Max's bed and Eleanor would read to her. Max could read, Eleanor had learned early on in her friendship with Max, when she had left a letter from an old suitor of hers in Boston sitting on the bar one night when Max had joined her for conversation. Shortly after taking the seat beside Eleanor, Max had picked up the letter Eleanor had discarded in favour of conversing with her, and she had taken great delight in reading out the sappiest and most overwrought passages in the six page document, while Eleanor laughed and occasionally interrupted Max's commentary to insist that she had never encouraged the author of letter to pursue her. Max preferred to listen to Eleanor read however, and Eleanor quite enjoy reading out loud and getting a chance to be theatrical, so Eleanor always read. They were almost through Robinson Crusoe, and Eleanor thought that next they might give Gulliver's Travels a try.

On this particular night, they were in Eleanor's room. It was late, they were supposed to have met up earlier but Max had been called away to help Rackham mediate some debate between Marie and the quartermaster of The Myrmidon, and after that one minor crisis had followed another until Max ended up arriving at Eleanor's just after one in the morning.

"Max did not think you would still be up," Max said, slightly breathless as slipped into Eleanor's room.

"I'd stay up until dawn if it meant getting to see you for even a second before I was forced to face the day," Eleanor breathed out, putting the papers she had been looking at aside. "What happened?" Eleanor asked, her brows creasing with worry as she observed Max. "You look exhausted."

"'uman stupidity, displaying itself infinitely," Max sighed as she approached Eleanor. "Let's not speak of it," she said, slipping onto Eleanor's lap, straddling her in the wide leather chair Eleanor had been lounging in.

"What do you want to speak of?" Eleanor asked lazily, smiling gently as Max sighed when she slipped her arms around her.

"Nothing," Max murmured, using her finger to tilt Eleanor's face up so that she could lean down and kiss her.

Eleanor moaned softly as she arched up, meeting Max's lips eagerly though she was careful to keep her hands still and undemanding where they had fallen to rest on Max's thighs.

It had taken Eleanor that whole first week to work up the nerve to kiss Max properly, and then when she'd decided that she could find the twenty seconds of courage necessary to complete the task, Max had beat her to it, taking Eleanor's face between her hands and drawing Eleanor's mouth over to hers.

During the second week of their new courtship, they did little more than kiss during their almost nightly dates. Eleanor had still hesitant then, so Max had initiated all of the contact between their lips until Eleanor finally came to accept that Max was always receptive to the sweet brush of her lips, and began to take initiative on occasion.

During the third week Max showed up at Eleanor's in the morning and suggested they take a bath together and Eleanor had all too happily agreed, eager to see Max again and hold her, even if they did not make love. And they had not made love, but they had lain together later before taking a late breakfast. Naked on Eleanor's bed, they had gently traced curves and dips and valleys that they had once known so well, as Max regaled Eleanor with stories of the brothel from the night before.

As time wore on, Max had begun to touch Eleanor more as they kissed, her hands moving to Eleanor's breasts, and ass, and thighs, but if Eleanor's hands wandered too much Max would tense, so Eleanor had learned to keep her hands as still as possible and let Max explore as she wished, reacclimating herself with the pleasant touch of another's body against her and on top of her.

On one of the those nights, when one of Max's hands found its way under Eleanor's skirt and between her legs, Eleanor had squeezed her thighs together, trapping Max's hand as she looked up her helplessly. "I won't be able to stop …" Eleanor had said, her cheeks flushing with heat as she gazed up at Max. "If your hand's there, I won't be able to stop from …" she hadn't finished her sentence, they both knew what the end of it would be.

"I don't want you to stop," Max had breathed out, leaning down to kiss Eleanor. "I want you to come," she purred, and Eleanor had shuddered beneath her, her body arching into Max with need.

Later, when Eleanor had recovered from her climax, she had rolled onto Max smiling and Max had leaned up to kiss her gently before pressing the palm of her right hand against Eleanor chest and whispering, "Not yet." Eleanor's eyes had scanned her face for a few seconds, and then she nodded and leaned down, kissing Max softly before she rolled off of her and curled herself around Max's torso instead, simply holding her close.

Max hadn't taken her on every night that followed, but she had taken her on most, and Eleanor's body had begun to grow accustomed to finishing again, to coming, and she had to work to keep her hands still presently and not try to guide Max in any way. She couldn't always tell when things were going to continue to progress or when they were going to cool down, and so she tried to simply follow Max's lead until Max made contact with her cunt, which was always the sign that she would see Eleanor to completion.

"Ellie," Max whispered hotly against Eleanor's throat as she pressed kisses up the length of it, her hips rocking into Eleanor's body as she spoke.

"Yes," Eleanor panted, eyes closed, head tilted back.

"Come to bed," Max breathed out, her breath hot against Eleanor's ear before she slipped off of her lap. "But take off your clothes before you do," she added before walking towards Eleanor's bed.

Eleanor undressed as quickly as she could while her eyes trailed after Max, watching as Max stripped her clothes from her body far more elegantly than Eleanor was managing. She did managed to successfully disrobe however, and without falling over, which she considered to be a great success. Then once she was nude, she crawled onto the mattress and onto Max.

"Kiss me," Max breathed out when Eleanor had settled herself.

"With pleasure," Eleanor murmured before leaning down.

"Kiss me again," Max said when Eleanor pulled back from her mouth much later, both of their lips now swollen with the ardour of their kisses.

Eleanor leaned down, but Max cupped her jaw with her hand, halting her progressive halfway to her lips.

"Not there," Max whispered, before her eyes flickered down.

Eleanor breathed in deeply as arousal thundered through her body. Max had been bringing her to orgasm on and off for the past couple weeks, but she had not allowed Eleanor to touch her in return, and despite her restraint, inside Eleanor had been desperate for it. She always enjoyed being on the receiving end of Max's ministrations, but she'd also greatly enjoyed the act of making love to Max, it thrilled her to see Max, to hear, to taste her. On many occasions in the past, Max had actually been forced to physically force Eleanor face from between her legs when she had become too sensitive for any more, such was force of Eleanor's passion for her. Determined as she was to wait for as long as Max needed, it had been difficult for Eleanor to remain so passive, and she hoped that Max's words truly meant what she thought they did.

"Are you sure?" Eleanor asked, her eyes trained on Max keenly, looking for any signs of uncertainty. "I can wait as long as …"

"I'm sure," Max said, her hips bucking unconsciously, giving the strength of her desire away. "I need to come," she breathed out honestly.

There was still some apprehension inside of her. She felt ready, but she could not say with complete certainty how she would react to being touched between her legs, even by Eleanor. What she was certain of was that she ached. She had been able to give Eleanor release from the pressure that built between her legs, but she'd had no release herself. Even on her own, in her room, when she woke up wet after dreaming of Eleanor, she had been unable to bring herself release, not able to stand the thought of even her own fingers inside of her. But she couldn't take it anymore, her body had desires that gave no care about the worries of her mind, and she wanted to try, she needed to.

"One word," Eleanor said seriously, looking into Max's eyes. "One word from you and I stop. At any point," she continued. "I don't want anything you don't want."

"I know," Max breathed out. "I'm sure," she whispered, and Eleanor nodded before leaning down to kiss her.

Max was already aroused, but Eleanor took her time, slowly and carefully heightening her state of arousal. She spent ages at Max's breasts, licking and sucking and nipping and pinching, using her mouth and her hands to tease Max until her sounds of pleasure began to fill the air. She kissed Max, long and deep as her hands trailed warmly up and down Max's thighs. She licked into Max's naval and made her laugh, and then kissed her way up Max's inner-thigh and made her moan. She …

"Ellie," Max panted, her fingers fisting in Eleanor's hair.

Eleanor's lips curved up against the smooth dusky skin of Max's inner-thigh.

That was what she had been waiting for.

Eleanor shifted her head to the side, and brought her mouth to Max's center and Max groaned in delight, her head tilting back, digging it into the pillow as her hips arched into Eleanor's mouth, begging for more.

Starved for pleasure as Max had been, it did not take Eleanor long to bring Max to climax, even though she tried to stretch the pleasure out. After a few minutes between Max's legs, Eleanor wrapped her lips around Max's clit as her hand massaged Max's breast, and Max's fingers tightened in her hair once again. Max gasped and her thighs tensed, and then she exploded in climax.

Eleanor stayed between Max's legs, riding out her orgasm with her until Max's body slumped against the mattress, momentarily spent. She then kissed her way up Max's stomach, between the valley of her breasts and along her throat until she was able to press her lips against Max's.

"Mm," Max moaned as Eleanor's lips slipped away from hers. "Max likes the taste of herself on your lips."

"Eleanor's fond of it as well," Eleanor responded, and Max smiled up at her indulgently before whacking her lightly on the arm. "Are you okay?" Eleanor asked gently, when Max settled down.

"Oui," Max sighed contently, a lazy smile turning up the corners of her mouth. "Très Bien," she added, her smile growing the slightest bit wider and naughtier. "And…" Max began before letting the sentence lapse.

"And what?" Eleanor asked dutifully, gazing down at Max warmly.

"Max has caught her breath," Max breathed out, and then a surprised laugh was tumbling from Eleanor's lips as Max deftly flipped them over and slipped her leg between Eleanor's thighs. "I do love carriages in the country," Max purred softly, "but why don't you let Max take you for a ride?"

"Okay," Eleanor whispered tremulously, utterly accommodating as a shiver of arousal pulsed through her.

Max smiled down at her adorningly, and then leaned down bringing their lips together in a kiss that soon had Eleanor moaning into her mouth.

xxx

"You're in a good mood this morning," Eme commented as she walked into Eleanor's office to find the blonde standing in front of the window, hands clasped loosely behind her back, humming softly.

"It's a beautiful day in Nassau," Eleanor breathed out, smiling as she turned to face her friend.

"I think it was a beautiful night in Nassau as well," Eme commented, smirking when Eleanor's eyes widened and pout touched her lips.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," Eleanor said primly, though she knew her indignant tone would have no effect on Eme.

"I'm sure you do, but be that way if you want," Eme replied moving over to Eleanor's desk and depositing some papers onto it that needed to be looked over and signed.

"How did you know?" Eleanor sighed.

Max had snuck in after everyone had gone to bed and though they had made some vocalizations, they hadn't been loud. They never were. They had gotten used to being relatively quiet, not wanting to attract undo attention from other patrons of the brothel back in the days when almost all of their encounters together had been under Noonan's roof.

"I bumped into her on her way out this morning," Eme replied, shrugging. "Got her some rolls from the kitchen. The poor thing looked like she hadn't gotten a wink of sleep," she continued, looking at Eleanor pointedly which simply drew a smile to Eleanor's face before her cheeks flushed and she looked away.

"We had a very good night together," Eleanor murmured looking out the window again.

"I had gathered," Eme replied, and Eleanor turned back to look at her and rolled her eyes. "Was it …"

"Yes," Eleanor interjected huffily. "Before you ask another impertinent and inappropriate question, it was mutually beneficial. Now do you have any relevant questions to ask me, or did you just come in here to interrogate me about my night?"

"Mostly I came to interrogate you, but Captain Naft is also asking to see you," was Eme's mild reply.

"Oh lord," Eleanor sighed, though she didn't actually mind dealing with Captain Naft. The man could be a bit slow at times, but he was reasonable, which she appreciated at Consortium meetings, he was loyal – another quality which highly recommend him to her – and he was a decent man, which was what she liked about him the most. "Send him in," Eleanor said, taking a seat behind her desk.

Eme nodded and headed for the door.

"Look at those and sign them, now not later," she called out from the doorway, nodding to the papers she had left on Eleanor's desk and then she was gone.

"Look at those and sign them," Eleanor muttered peevishly from behind her desk. "I'm the boss," she mumbled under her breath, allowing herself a few seconds longer to sulk before she picked up a quill and got to work reading and signing the documents Eme had left for her, knowing that her friend was right, and that when she put off her paperwork she usually did forget to go back to it until she was reminded.

xxx

"Tell me again how this is supposed to make us more money?" Jack asked, narrowing his eyes at Max dubiously until he was near squinting at her.

"Because pirates are perverts, but they do not want everyone to know exactly what kind of deviant they are," Max explained patiently.

"Yes, well, that might be true, but I don't exactly see how we can exploit that more than we already do. You can only charge a man so much for the privilege of sucking on a pretty girl's," he paused and glanced around him, "The toes of a female," he amended, still unconvinced by Max's newest scheme to bleed more money out their patrons.

"And that stunning lack of imagination is exactly why you need Max," Max sighed, resting her elbows on the table before leaning in towards Jack conspiratorially. "It will take some coordinating with the girls, but ultimately it will put more money in their 'ands as well as ours, so getting them onboard should not be an iss…"

"Got news," Anne said gruffly, sliding onto the bench beside Jack.

"I was literally in the middle of something," Max muttered, looking over at Anne irritably.

"Got news," Anne repeated and Max sighed deeply and looked away.

"The suspense, my dear. It'll be the end of me. What news?" Jack asked impatiently.

"Vane's fucked," Anne replied, her lips curving up in a smile before she snorted in amusement.

"Does 'e live?" Max asked staring into the flickering flame of the torch that hung on the wall opposite it her, her eyes hard and vicious as she waited for Anne's response.

"Can't say," Anne replied. "Probably. That cunt's 'ard to kill," she muttered gloomily though her voice was tinged with a touch of respect.

"Then the world 'asn't fucked 'im hard enough," Max stated mercilessly.

"'is ship got smashed up inna storm," Anne offered in an attempt to cheer Max up. "The Grey Wolf found parts of 'is new Ranger in the Bay of 'onduras. Didn't find no bodies, but ain't no one's 'eard or seen from anyone onboard since the crack up, and word is weren't no other ships around when the sea threw 'er fit." Anne paused then and looked over at Max. "Might be you got yer wish."

"Max will drink when she sees 'is head on a platter," Max breathed out viciously.

"How very biblical," Jack muttered, "our own little Salome," he continued, eyeing Max warily before he polished off the rest of his drink and then poured himself another.

He was surrounded by terrifying women.

He stared at the bottle in his hand for a moment, and then tipped it again, making his drink a double.

"Jack's a nickname for John, is it not?" Eleanor asked as she approached the table that Max, Anne and Jack were sharing. "Given that fact, a Salome joke is a rather bold choice. Especially when one considers the wide array of silverware at Max's disposal," she continued, grinning at Jack before her smile turned tender as her gaze shifted to land on Max.

"'Ello cunt," Anne greeted as Eleanor slipped onto the bench beside Max.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Bonny," Eleanor replied warmly, a pleasant smile touching her lips as she turned to look at Anne. She could do without Anne's 'charming' custom greeting, but tensions had eased between herself the Anne after they worked together to free Max, and in the weeks that followed Eleanor had grown to almost like the redhead. "I see you've acquired a new hat. I approve. It frames your face well."

"Good'a you to notice 'n kind'a you to say," Anne replied, tipping her hat to Eleanor graciously. "Ain't everybody so considerate," she went on, turning to look at Jack pointedly.

"I was simply waiting for a private moment to …" Jack began, shifting uncomfortably under Anne's cold stare. "Express my …" he swallowed uncomfortably when Anne's expression remained unchanged. "So glad you found the time to stop by for a visit," Jack said, turning his attention to Eleanor.

"Anything to brighten your day," Eleanor replied, and beside her Max laughed softly. "Can I steal you away?" Eleanor whispered, resting her hand on Max's thigh as she leaned over to speak into Max's ear.

Max's head angled to the side and then tilted up so that she could see Eleanor's face.

"Oui," Max breathed out, gazing up at Eleanor unblinkingly. "Bien sûr."

"Oh god," Jack moaned piteously, rolling his eyes as he tilted his head back. "French," he sighed miserably. "Anne, my dear, I fear that if we wish to keep down our lunch it would be best for us to directly take our leave," he continued, shifting himself against Anne's body and then nudging her side with his elbow, indicating that she should move.

"We're gonna go," Anne muttered, nodding quickly to Max and Eleanor in turn before she slipped off of the bench, Jack following right behind her.

"I'm not done with you, Jack," Max said as Jack and Anne turned to flee into the depths of the brothel. "You will 'ear the rest of what Max 'as to say later."

"Can't wait, best of luck with all of this," Jack replied, waving his hand around carelessly in Eleanor and Max's general direction before he took Anne's hand and lead her away quickly.

"I can't help but think it was the company," Eleanor murmured as her eyes followed Jack and Anne's retreat.

Max smiled up at Eleanor, and then took a quick look around to make sure that they were not being watched before she arched up and pressed a quick kiss to Eleanor's cheek.

"Max is fond of the company," she breathed out as she pulled back.

"Well that's all that matters," Eleanor stated, smiling gently as she looked over at Max.

"Where are you stealing Max away to?" Max asked, a slight purr entering her voice as her eyes searched Eleanor's face.

"A business meeting," Eleanor replied apologetically. "I was hoping to make use of your keen eyes," she explained.

"'ow?" Max asked curiously, intrigued but surprised by the Eleanor's request to have her directly involved in one of her business dealings.

Eleanor talked to her about the Consortium's dealings all of the time, and had asked for Max's advice on more than one occasion. But that was always in private, behind closed doors.

"A ship called The Argonaut has ported in Nassau for the first time, and it's Captain, a Mr. Stark, claims to have a very lucrative proposition for me," Eleanor began angling her body intimately towards Max. "I met Captain Stark briefly late this morning, and … well, I find him rather … problematic."

"Problematic?" Max asked arching a dark eyebrow at Eleanor.

"He's … a gentleman," Eleanor sighed.

"I gathered that from you referring to 'im as 'Mister' Stark," Max replied, giving Eleanor a look that indicated Max was finding her responses completely unhelpful.

"Conversing with him is like speaking with a member of my extended family," Eleanor breathed out dejectedly. "Impenetrable manners, an aloof English gaze, and a crisp emotionless voice." She sighed again, deeply. "He's using the same playbook as me, Max. I can't see what lies behind his aristocratic facade. You seem to be able to read me like a book, so I was hoping your powers of observation would be able to dismantle Captain Stark as thoroughly as they do me."

Max smiled up at her warmly, and Eleanor's cheeks flushed slightly under the adoring look.

"What?" Eleanor asked self-consciously, her eyes flickering away from Max's.

"You still present some challenge, ma chérie," Max breathed out playfully, her eyes sparkling happily as she smiled up at Eleanor.

"I'm glad to hear it," Eleanor said, breathing out loudly in mocking relief. "I was beginning to worry," she continued, a smile growing on her lips as she did.

"You never need to worry," Max whispered.

"I love you too much not to," Eleanor murmured.

"Tu es un trésor," Max sighed, wishing desperately that they were alone where she could take Eleanor's face between her hands and kiss her until Eleanor was moaning into her mouth, wet and ripe for the taking.

"Don't look at me like that," Eleanor breathed out roughly. "Not here, not now," she continued shakily as her eyes focused on Max's lips. "I have to go meet Captain Stark and I'd prefer not to do it wet."

Max breathed in deeply and her upper-lip twitched and curled slightly as powerful throb of desire pulsed between her legs.

"Fuck," Max rasped, tearing her eyes away from Eleanor's before shifting her body away from the blonde's, putting some much needed space between them.

Eleanor licked her lips and then closed her eyes, taking a deep, calming breath before she opened her eyes and tilted her head over to face Max, a lazy smile playing across her lips as she did.

"Will you help me?" Eleanor asked.

"It would be my 'onour," Max breathed out. "And afterwards, you will be Max's reward."

"I find those terms more than agreeable," Eleanor sighed, her voice light and breathless. "We should go," she continued decisively. "I … I fear what should happen if we linger here any longer," she continued before slipping off of the bench and onto her feet.

Once standing, Eleanor held out her hand to Max who took hold of it with a soft exhalation of, "Merci," and then allowed Eleanor to help her to her feet.

"Do you 'ave any idea what this proposition Captain Stark 'as for you regards?" Max asked as they began to make their way through the brothel towards the neighbouring tavern.

"He gave me no clue this morning," Eleanor replied. "However, if the recent reports we've been getting about the…"

They made their way through the crowd and into the next building as Eleanor speculated about the possible nature of Stark's proposal. When they arrived at the tavern, Stark was seated with his back towards the door Eleanor and Max entered through, so Eleanor took advantage of the lucky break and held her hand up to Eme how stood behind the bar, indicating that she should escort Stark to her office in five minutes.

Eleanor and Max then continued on their short journey and slipped inside room, closing the door behind them. Eleanor walked over to her desk and took a seat in the chair while Max perched herself on the edge, and they spoke quickly, discussing the best way to go about handling the coming meeting.

They were still talking when a knock sounded at the door.

Eleanor looked at Max and Max nodded and then slipped off the edge of the desk and moved to stand at the side of Eleanor's chair, her hand coming to rest casually on the top of it.

"Come in," Eleanor called out.

Eme pushed the doors open and light from the windows behind Eleanor's desk flared, temporarily blinding Captain Stark as he stepped into the room.

"Good afternoon," Eleanor greeted, rising gracefully from her chair as Captain Stark lifted his hand to shield his eyes from the light. "I'm delighted to have this opportunity to speak with you. Please, take a seat," she continued graciously, waving at the two chairs on the other side of her desk. "I hope you don't mind, I've asked my retainer to sit in," Eleanor said, gesturing towards Max. "Maxine," she breathed out, and Max smiled charmingly at Captain Stark before murmuring, "Enchantée."

Stark studied Max for a moment, and then turned to look at Eleanor, his brows creasing the slightest bit in confusion.

"Retainer?" He asked dubiously, eyeing Max again before turning towards Eleanor with a doubtful look.

"Yes," Eleanor replied blithely, smiling brightly at Captain Stark before she took her seat. "Please, Captain," she continued once she was seated. "Do sit down. I can promise that you'll be much more comfortable."

Stark watched her for a moment, and then with a slight pursing of his lips, he sat, warily.

"So," Eleanor began enthusiastically, as Max watched Stark from the side of her chair with predatory focus. "What's this very exciting business opportunity you were so excited to tell me about this morning?"

The End