Page 41 of The Duke's Goddess

Mimi glared at him. “You bet your arse I’ll throw the first dagger. I’ll throw it right at your—”

“Enough,” Chris stepped in at the same time as Nobi. Each one calming their corresponding friend.

“Shall we walk this off, Mimi?” Nobi asked gently.

“I’m fine,” Mimi shook her sister’s hand from her shoulder, then stalked off back toward the house.

Sam belted out a laugh which only caused Mimi to vocalize a loud growl.

Joan wasn’t even sure how it all happened, but once her sisters took off, so did Chris and Sam; thus leaving her alone with James.

Exactly where she wanted to be.

But not.

“You mentioned you liked daggers. I don’t think I quite realized the extent of it. It’s rather an obsession for you, isn’t it?” James was standing a foot away, dark hair gleaming in the sun, eyes shining, smile even brighter. Was there an ounce of this man that wasn’t sparkling right now?

“Right after family, they’re my life.”

“Nice to hear you have your priorities aligned. Not every family does.”

And that, right there, that remark, reminded her of some subtle comments James had made before. And she thought to herself that now might be the perfect time to press him for details.

“Did your family?”

It was a direct question. More direct, more personal than any she had yet to ask him. But she had nothing to lose. If he didn’t answer her, she was no better off than having not asked the question. And if he was upset with her, well, it wasn’t as if anything was going to happen between them anyway. And if hedid answer the question…well, she really hadn’t thought that far ahead. That would be a miracle—

“No.”

“What?”

He stepped closer. The air around her—the vast expanse of air mind you—shrunk. As if she couldn’t breathe in his presence. And he wasn’t even that close. He was still an arm’s length away. And she was quite familiar with the length of his arms now…so really, she knew that to be a fact.

“You asked if my family had their priorities straight. I answered, no.”

“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s in the past.” He shrugged, but it didn’t really look like a casual shrug. It didn’t shrug the invisible weight from his shoulders like it was a feather, more like it was a ton of bricks and his shoulders were struggling to heave off the burden.

“Is it in the past, truly?” And she knew she shouldn’t ask her next question, but something about being in James's vicinity made her reckless, so she went with it. “Or is it affecting your future too much?”

Another shrug.

“I have to go.” He turned to leave.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“Perhaps not. But it’s fine.” He smiled. “What I meant was, I have to go water some plants.”

“Right now? Which plants?” That was completely unexpected. She had no clue what he was talking about. “We’re at a house party a little bit busy at the moment, wouldn’t you say?What plants could you possibly have to water?”

He was laughing at her with his eyes now. “You’ll figure it out. I’ll return shortly. Don’t go anywhere.” And with that, he took off into the bushes.

As she watched the trees soak him into their branches, she noticed his hands working on something at the front of his breeches.

Oh. That kind of watering. Well, she felt rather foolish.

She took up a dagger, readied her stance, and flung it toward the target. Bullseye.

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