They set out to prepare. Once the boats were ready for take-off, she and Lady Hannah took their places, allowing thegentlemen to take their seats by the oars. According to the made-up rules, the players would approach the island from two opposing sides. Whoever reached the island first and made their way to its middle would be crowned the winner.
Then, with a whistle, they took off. The duke’s topcoat lay abandoned across the boat’s wooden boards. As Elias rowed, his sleeves rode up, helpfully exposing his fine forearms. May raised her hand to her eyes under the pretense of seeking refuge from the sun, to enjoy the view instead. With the duke’s powerful rowing, the little island was nearing quickly.
Lady Hannah was making silly faces at them from across the distance. Then, the boats sailed out of each other’s sight.
“I envy you two. For having each other, that is.” May broke their shared silence with a wistful sigh. “It is a rare gift to have someone who would always fight your corner.”
Elias snorted softly, yet no less elegantly. How did he manage it? “You have no siblings, I take it.”
“Well, no.” May felt the heat in her cheeks. How peculiar that this was the first thing she thought to say to him after all that passed between them yesterday. “The closest thing I have is my bosom friend, Lady Justina.”
“What of your parents?”
May shook her head. “My mother died young. I struggle to recall her nowadays. All I had left of her was her tourmaline necklace, but it’s gone now—as is my father. He gave me all he had—perhaps, too much.”
“He gave no less than you deserved.”
“It was more than he could afford… and sometimes I think he shouldn’t have. He taught me to hold on to lofty dreams.” Dreams that her heart kept growing, despite it all. “He forgot to teach me how much it hurts when they crash to the ground.”
“Any dream can soar with the right wind.” One moment, Elias was rowing. The next, he was leaning across the distance to May to blow in her ear.
May shrieked with laughter. It tickled something terrible. Before she knew what she was doing, she’d jumped up from her seat, hands flailing. The whole boat teetered off balance as the duke made a desperate attempt to steady her. May clutched his shirt with desperation, but then the boat tipped underneath them, and they went flying into the lake.
The shock of submersion banished all breath from her. When she recovered, breaking through the surface, she found Elias reaching for her. May splashed him with water instead. Her intent was vengeance, but he must have mistaken her for drowning.
She was rescued immediately. A strong pair of arms pulled her into an embrace before she could protest—not that she would.
“Hold on tight,” said her wet, handsome duke. She did as commanded. Their treacherous boat drifted out of reach, carrying all their belongings, leaving them stranded. Yet the water’s chill hardly registered against Elias’s furnace of a body as he worked his way to the salvation of the shores. It seemed they made it close enough to the closer side of the island before their sudden disaster.
Soon, she felt the sand shift underfoot, but before she could crawl out of the water, Elias hooked his hand under her feet and hoisted her into his arms properly. He strolled out of the water as if it did not resist his every move, carrying her in the bridal manner.
“My Lady.” He set her down to sit on the grass and straightened.
May pressed her palm to her mouth as she stared up at him. He was utterly, entirely soaked, with every ridge of his chest visible through the fabric, down to the fitted silhouette of hispants that now left absolutely nothing to the imagination. It took her a moment to reflect on how she must have looked—something she would not have realized if not for his cocked head and particularly appreciative smirk. Her dress clung onto her something terrible. But it was nothing compared to his eyes.
“You are a beast,” she jested.
“Will you tame me, then?”
Dear Lord. He sank to his haunches and leaned over her like ananimal, sending her sprawling back onto her elbows. May flushed with desperation. Tarnation, why was he so good at making her utterly bothered?
“Will you bite me if I try?”
“Only if you ask nicely.”
The air between them disappeared under the sudden crush of their lips. His tongue claimed her mouth over and over. It was all May could do to give as good as she got, and she found herself growing more daring. His pecs pressed against her breasts hard enough that she could feel the mad pulse of his heartbeat. May’s hands slipped over his clinging shirt, exploring every inch of his muscled back through the soaked cotton.
When they broke off for a breath, Elias hovered just above her, his sharp eyes examining her thoroughly. “So much for my ingenious plan to defeat Lord Spencer. It seems it is I who has fallen prey to you, my seductress. But why am I the only one…?”
“Tosh. Lord Spencer is entirely smitten with your sister. He would not notice me if I paraded naked in front of him.”
“Wouldn’t that be a sight,” Elias murmured appreciatively as his fingers trailed over the sensitive curve of her ear to the nape of her neck. “If you should wish to rehearse it before me...”
May sighed under his touch, before forcing herself to meet his gaze. He had to know. “You should talk to the man in earnest. I believe it might give you the clarity you seek once and for all.”
“It is true that he does not seem to be too responsive to your charms. I suppose it makes sense. A man would have to be madly in love to ignore you.” He did not even notice as May’s breath hitched. “Very well, I’ll consider it.”
“Stop jesting.” Despite her best efforts, her voice shook a smidge.
