Page 52 of Anything But a Duke
Iverson noticed and smiled, even speeding the tempo just enough for her to notice.
“Feel free to dance,” he told her, lifting his mouth just slightly from the instrument.
“I’m a terrible dancer, and this is a place of business.”
“But you want to.”
“I do.” Even as she admitted the truth with a smile, Diana shook her head. “I truly am a dreadful dancer.”
“Prove it.” He stopped playing and nudged his chin toward her. “I know how fond you are of scientific evidence.”
Diana wanted to rise to the challenge, if only to keep that playful light in his eyes alive.
Before she could stand and make a fool of herself, pummeling knocks sounded at his office door.
Iverson lowered the violin and glared. “Come in, Coggins,” he barked.
The young man pushed his head into the room warily, staring first at Iverson, examining the instrument dangling from his fingers, and then staring in shock at Diana.
“Visitor for you, Mr. Iverson. I knocked but you must not have heard.”
“Coggins, I’ve cleared the hour to meet with Miss Ashby.”
The secretary’s brows winged up like two black birds startled from a wire. Again he glanced from Diana to Iverson and back again. “She says it’s urgent, sir.”
Diana bent in her chair to glance past Mr. Coggins and see the woman who was so eager to see Iverson. A paramour? Another prospective bride?
Aidan gestured toward his secretary. “Name?”
“Says her name is Tuttle.”
The name seemed to shock Aidan. His skin went ashen and his jaw slackened. “Ask her to wait a moment.”
Coggins flicked his gaze to Diana and then retreated.
“I must speak to her immediately.” He sounded regretful, but there was a nervous edge to his tone. “We’ll need to reschedule our appointment for another day.”
Glancing down, he seemed surprised to find the violin still in his hands. He placed the instrument on his desk and then approached, speaking quietly. “We’ll finish this another time.”
Diana nodded and turned toward the door. At the threshold, she stopped and turned to face him. His hand slid around her waist and settled where it had the first night they’d met. A heated weight that seemed to fit perfectly against the crook at her hip.
She looked down at where he held her and he withdrew his hand immediately.
“I’ll wait for you,” she told him quietly. “We can continue our conversation when you’ve finished.”
“No.” His reply emerged loud and emphatic. “Go on about your day. You needn’t wait for me.”
Diana shouldn’t have felt hurt by his abrupt change in manner. They didn’t know each other well enough for her to have the right to any information about his other business or personal matters. Though she realized now that she dearly wished to.
“Then I shall see you tomorrow, Mr. Iverson.”
His brows dipped. “Tomorrow?”
“I’ve promised to visit the zoo with Miss Grace Grinstead, and it will be a perfect opportunity for you to meet her.” Diana folded the notes he’d given her about potential investors and tucked them into her reticule. She tried to pretend his coolness didn’t pain her.
Business. Practical matters. That was the reason for her connection with Aidan Iverson.
“Meet us at ten near the entrance. Don’t be late.” She decided insisting was better than petitioning.
