Page 22 of The Duke's Goddess

I hear Jacob knows how to please a woman.

I’d like to meet Jacob in the gardens.

Have you noticed the size of his hands?

Jacob? The man with the swoon-inducing eyes?

And from there the rumors escalated. So when Joan found herself watching Sally from a few paces away, she was delighted to see Sally watching Jacob as he asked another lady to dance. It wasn’t a fiery jealousy that Joan detected in Sally’s eyes, but the slightest curiosity. Which was much more than what she’d seen before.

“The plan is working. Meet me on the balcony in five minutes.” The deep voice rumbled over her ears, just loud enough for her to hear. And just low enough to resonate in her bones. Shivers ran up the backs of her arms. There must be a breeze in the room.

From the corner of her eye, she watched as James popped out onto the balcony using the furthest door at the end of the room. She needed to update him on their progress, so she may as well do it now. Taking a quick stroll around the room, she made her way to the same door she had seen him exit.

When she stepped out into the fresh chilly air, an extended hand greeted her with a drink.

“Cheers to us,” James's voice sent a warm jolt to the pit of her stomach.

“You saw how she was looking at Jacob?” Joan’s giddiness was evident in the tone of her question.

He nodded in the darkness, only half of his face lit by the moonlight. She could still detect a small smirk.

Taking a sip of her drink, she pulled back in surprise. “Champagne?” It was uncommon for ladies to drink champagne. Lemonade was their expected drink of choice. Especially since the fiasco that was the night of the duke dare, Joan had been extra cautious of what she was drinking. All four of them were already heavily immersed in a dare that would affect their entire futures. She didn’t need another feat to her list of impossible things to accomplish. Securing one duke was enough.

“We’re celebrating,” he said with a wink. Lifting his hand, he waited for her to mirror his gesture, then he clinked the glasses. “To us. And to love.”

Of course, he was referring to Sally and Jacob’s blossoming love, so the swelling warmth she felt in her belly meant nothing. Must be the champagne.

Joan took that moment to appreciate another sip of her drink and then looked up into the night sky. The stars above twinkled with minimal cloud coverage. It was a still, serene night, with only a slight chill in the air.

“Are you cold?” He asked softly.

At the same time, the chill of the air sent goosebumps up her arms.

“No, it’s a nice night.”

“Here. Take this.” He was already divesting himself of his jacket and swirling it around her shoulders before she could protest. His heavy cologne enveloped her in a spicy, masculine scent. With as much discretion as she could muster, she inhaled deeply, letting the scent fill her nostrils. It was an odd thing to consider committing a scent to memory, but she pondered it anyway.

If they hadn’t openly discussed their differences, and if she didn’t know of his plans never to marry, she might think of him sharing his coat as a meaningful gesture of sorts.

She mumbled a quick, “Thank you.” Then she leaned back against the balustrade. It was best to focus on business, not jacket-sharing and heat-triggering scents. “What’s our next move?”

“Tomorrow Jacob wants to take Sally out on the pond to go rowing. We’ll go with them.” James was close to her, his hip pressed into the same balustrade she was leaning against. He was within arm’s reach. She could easily touch him. His chest. His bicep. His forearm. Not that she was thinking of that.

“You stated that as if it’s already decided. As if I don’t have a say in it.”

He peered at her over his glass, taking a small sip. “Would you prefer we didn’t go with them?”

She shrugged, unsure of why she was resisting the plan. “It seems like a good enough plan. No possibility of scandal.”

He laughed. “Right. We must avoid scandal at all costs.”

“You say that in a mocking tone?”

“I do.”

“Why?”

He gestured to the balcony. “We’re alone on a balcony.”

---