Page 51 of The Duke's Goddess

Except she did.

But he couldn’t admit that.

He had one last defense. It was ludicrous. He knew. But it was the only one he had, and he was clinging to it with every ounce of strength he had.

“I don’t even know if she has a mole in the shape of a moon on her bottom.” Yes. There. He said it. Was it absolutely ludicrous? More so than he could have imagined. But it was out in the universe now.

Sam cocked an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?” He turned to Chris. “Has he had more to drink than we thought?Maybe we should sober him up and address this tomorrow. Not sure anything is getting through.”

Chris shook his head. “Wait. You’re telling me that the chit wants to name her daughter December?”

James shrugged his shoulders. “She’s not opposed. She said it has a nice ring to it.”

“And—”

“What—” Sam tried to interrupt, but Chris wasn’t having it. He shot a stern look to Sam.

“And” —he emphasized the word heavily— “And she kissed your eye?”

James shrugged again. “It was an accident. Her lips landed on my eye when I fell out of the boat.”

Chris was shooting daggers out of his eyes at James now. In fact, James was pretty sure he could see a twitch in Chris's eyebrow. And yes, that was a definite tick in his jaw. “So to recap, December is in and she kissed your eye, but” —he held up his hand, as if to brace himself against the air— “but because you don’t know if she has a moon mole you—”

“On her bottom,” James added. Not sure why he decided to clarify that.

“So because you don’t know if she has a moon moleon her bottom, you’re not going to go after her.”

All right. Hearing it back like that, James could really hear the idiocy. But he would not admit that now. He was too far in it.

“You’re out of your ruddy mind, James,” Sam spoke quietly.

But Chris, no, Chris did not speak quietly. He loosened his grip on James's shirt, and just when James thought his quiet friend was finally going to sit back quietly, he walloped him on the side of the head.

Glasses clinked and the din of the room ceased. Chris took no notice. Thankfully, Sam did. He jumped to his feet and laughingly announced, “Just lost a bet. Nothing to see here.”

With some skeptical looks, the crowds went back to their respective conversations, chalking the rude and callous gesture up to more of the men’s antics.

“Wake up, James. Go after the girl you love.”

“Love doesn’t exist—”

“Don’t. Don’t you dare go down that road again thinking love doesn’t exist. Just stop and reconsider how to label that warmth you feel in your heart. Stop talking, James. You don’t even have to confess it to us, even though we are your oldest and dearest friends. But you do have to admit it to yourself. This is the last thing I’m going to say to you tonight, don’t be a sodding ass. Go get your damn woman.”

***

Two Days Later

THE SWEAT DRIPPED DOWN Joan’s back. She wiped her brow in her sleeve.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

She clanged her hammer against the fiery blade. It had been far too long since she had been alone in her place of peace.

The clanging sound, the suffocating heat, the power to mold…here was where she always used to find herself.

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