Read Online What the Duke Desires by Jenna Petersen - Free Book Online
Authors: Jenna Petersen
Ads: Link
cocked an eyebrow as she looked him up and down. “If you truly missed your shot by chance, I shall eat my bonnet.”
He barked out surprised laughter, and his strange green eyes twinkled in a way that was quite mesmerizing. Lillian had to force herself to look somewhere else.
“The whole bonnet?” he asked, leaning back as if he was examining the hat perched on her head. “Including the feather?”
“ Especially the feather,” she retorted with a smile she had not bidden.
She pressed her lips together in frustration the moment she had spoken. It seemed she was too willing to abandon her plans the moment Simon turned his charm her way. Gabby said she had to allow his interest to play out, but that didn’t mean she should like the way he looked at her or smiled at her.
“Well, I would not want to be the cause of your indigestion,” Simon said with a shrug. “Therefore, I concede I missed my final shot on purpose.”
“Whatever for?” Lillian asked. “You were doing quite well.”
“I was more interested in speaking to a young lady who is apparently one of the worst croquet players to ever pick up a mallet.”
He tilted his head, and though his words were teasing there was a heat in his stare that made Lillian’s very blood tingle and all her objections to his attentions fade away. She swallowed hard.
“That would be you , by the way, Miss Mayhew,” he whispered.
“You are very rude. I am certainly not the worst croquet player I know.” She tried to maintain a light tone, but her voice was suddenly husky.
His eyes widened. “You know worse? Good Lord.” His arm came out to fill the space between them and hovered there. “You must tell me more about this crime against sport and nature. Perhaps while we take a turn about the gardens?”
Again, Lillian swallowed. It seemed her body was determined to war with her mind, for she found herself leaning toward Simon, even as her brain screamed at her that he was the son of a man she hated.
But how could she refuse him with everyone watching? And even if they were pretending not to, they were all watching. Resistance could only bring trouble. In truth there was little choice in the matter.
Suppressing a sigh, she slipped her fingers through the crook of his elbow and allowed him to lead her away from the croquet field into the garden, which was edged by a shrubbery that came up to her waist.
“And now I have another confession to make,” Simon said as they walked slowly down the path through beautiful flowers and carefully trimmed bushes.
“And what is that, Your Grace?” she asked, her mouth suddenly dry.
“I do not wish to talk about croquet,” he said with a light laugh. “Unless that is a true passion of yours.”
She stopped in the middle of the pathway and glided her hand away from him. It felt warm as she clutched it to her breast.
“Your Grace, forgive my impertinence, but why in the world do you insist upon pursuing me ?” she burst out. Immediately she wished to snatch the words back or recall the moment.
Years of rejection rose to the forefront of her mind. Men who had seemed interested, but ultimately pushed her aside when they uncovered the rumors of her past. Simon had to know about her mother by now. Someone certainly must have let him know if only to discourage him. And yet he continued down this unexpected and unwanted course.
Simon looked at her long and hard before he spoke, but his expression was not one of disappointment or even shock. He seemed to be truly considering her question before he said, “Because, Miss Mayhew, unlike the other women who have gathered here, you interest me. And truth be told, you confuse me. Not many people manage that feat.”
“Confuse you?” Lillian repeated.
He nodded. “One moment you are playful, the next you seem determined to get as far away from me as humanly possible. I saw a love of books reflected in your eyes when you stumbled upon my library, but you pretended
He barked out surprised laughter, and his strange green eyes twinkled in a way that was quite mesmerizing. Lillian had to force herself to look somewhere else.
“The whole bonnet?” he asked, leaning back as if he was examining the hat perched on her head. “Including the feather?”
“ Especially the feather,” she retorted with a smile she had not bidden.
She pressed her lips together in frustration the moment she had spoken. It seemed she was too willing to abandon her plans the moment Simon turned his charm her way. Gabby said she had to allow his interest to play out, but that didn’t mean she should like the way he looked at her or smiled at her.
“Well, I would not want to be the cause of your indigestion,” Simon said with a shrug. “Therefore, I concede I missed my final shot on purpose.”
“Whatever for?” Lillian asked. “You were doing quite well.”
“I was more interested in speaking to a young lady who is apparently one of the worst croquet players to ever pick up a mallet.”
He tilted his head, and though his words were teasing there was a heat in his stare that made Lillian’s very blood tingle and all her objections to his attentions fade away. She swallowed hard.
“That would be you , by the way, Miss Mayhew,” he whispered.
“You are very rude. I am certainly not the worst croquet player I know.” She tried to maintain a light tone, but her voice was suddenly husky.
His eyes widened. “You know worse? Good Lord.” His arm came out to fill the space between them and hovered there. “You must tell me more about this crime against sport and nature. Perhaps while we take a turn about the gardens?”
Again, Lillian swallowed. It seemed her body was determined to war with her mind, for she found herself leaning toward Simon, even as her brain screamed at her that he was the son of a man she hated.
But how could she refuse him with everyone watching? And even if they were pretending not to, they were all watching. Resistance could only bring trouble. In truth there was little choice in the matter.
Suppressing a sigh, she slipped her fingers through the crook of his elbow and allowed him to lead her away from the croquet field into the garden, which was edged by a shrubbery that came up to her waist.
“And now I have another confession to make,” Simon said as they walked slowly down the path through beautiful flowers and carefully trimmed bushes.
“And what is that, Your Grace?” she asked, her mouth suddenly dry.
“I do not wish to talk about croquet,” he said with a light laugh. “Unless that is a true passion of yours.”
She stopped in the middle of the pathway and glided her hand away from him. It felt warm as she clutched it to her breast.
“Your Grace, forgive my impertinence, but why in the world do you insist upon pursuing me ?” she burst out. Immediately she wished to snatch the words back or recall the moment.
Years of rejection rose to the forefront of her mind. Men who had seemed interested, but ultimately pushed her aside when they uncovered the rumors of her past. Simon had to know about her mother by now. Someone certainly must have let him know if only to discourage him. And yet he continued down this unexpected and unwanted course.
Simon looked at her long and hard before he spoke, but his expression was not one of disappointment or even shock. He seemed to be truly considering her question before he said, “Because, Miss Mayhew, unlike the other women who have gathered here, you interest me. And truth be told, you confuse me. Not many people manage that feat.”
“Confuse you?” Lillian repeated.
He nodded. “One moment you are playful, the next you seem determined to get as far away from me as humanly possible. I saw a love of books reflected in your eyes when you stumbled upon my library, but you pretended
Similar Books
