Page 40 of The Duke's Goddess

Really, there was no point refusing that. “Yes.” But she also wanted to clarify the situation to her sisters. “But I won’t.”

“Why not?” Nobi asked with widened eyes.

“You think I should?” Nobi was a voice of reason between the three of them. If she was doubting Joan’s decision, her ears were listening.

“If you liked it…why not?” Nobi suggested quietly.

“We’re ladies. We have our reputations to worry about,” Joan replied.

Mimi was waving her hands in the air dismissively. “Just don’t let anyone find out. Wait. Did someone see you two? I didn’t hear anything. Nobi, did you hear any gossip?”

Nobi pursed her lips together and shook her head.

“You weren’t caught, were you?”

“No.” Joan could feel her heart rate picking. Of course she would love to kiss him again. She would love a lot from him, things she didn’t even know she wanted. She could feel it. But he was not available to her, and that was the most vexing part of all of this. If he could just be open to the idea of marriage, maybe she wouldn’t have any qualms about trapping him into the holy matrimony. She really, really, really wanted to throw that dagger about now. She raised her voice as she answered Mimi again,“No. We weren’t caught. But we could have been. And that’s reason enough to stay away from the rake.” As her voice rose, so did her knife-wielding hand.

And then a loud, booming voice called out, “Hello!”

She whirled around, knife high in the air, to see the rake himself.

“Speaking of being together,” Mimi teased. “There’s your rake now.”

“Quiet,” Joan hissed.

“Ummm…Joan, perhaps you want to lower your weapon,” Nobi whispered loudly.

“Yes. Quite right, Nobi.” Joan placed her dagger on the barrel they had been using as a table and watched as the Betting Buddies less one made their way over.

“Afternoon, Ladies,” Sam called out. Once they were near, Sam asked, “Don’t you ladies look lovely. Chris, don’t you think Nobi looks lovely?” Sam poked Chris in the ribs as Chris awkwardly stared at Nobi.

When Chris said nothing, Sam poked him again.

“Uh…yes, you look lovely Nobi. As always.” Chris admitted reluctantly. And was that a small blush Joan could see creeping up his neck?

Well, that was awkward. But Joan didn’t have a moment to analyze that interaction.

Same spoke up again, “What a perfect day for a competition.”

“You say that about every day,” Chris ribbed him.

“And it is true of every day.” Sam rubbed his hand over his mouth. “Now what do we have here? Dagger throwing? What kind of wagers can we place on this?”

“Place wagers all you like, so long as you don’t mind losing to a woman,” Mimi stated the obvious, as was obvious to all three sisters. “Oh that’s right. You’re quite comfortable losing to women, aren’t you?”

“Don’t poke the bear,” Amused, Chris stepped in offering advice.

“He’s nothing but a stuffed bear. All soft on the inside,” Mimi teased.

Sam stood to his full height, saying, “There’s nothing soft about me, and I have no problems proving that to you.”

“Please do—” Mimi was interrupted quickly by Chris.

“There’ll be no proving any hardness here. There. Or anywhere.”

“Not on Old MacDonald’s Farm either,” Mimi taunted. “E-I-E-I-O.”

“You’re just a child,” Sam scoffed. “Although I don’t usually permit it, I don’t mind allowing a child the upper hand in a competition. It boosts their confidence. What say you to a 5 yard advantage? You may throw the first dagger.”

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