Page 51 of My Secret Duke
His gaze sharpened, as if he’d suddenly become aware of her low spirits. That knowing look in his eyes made her feel exposed and uncomfortable. That he should see her so clearly! But then he always had. Before she could draw her prickly defenses around her, he spoke again.
“If I wasn’t a changed man, I’d…” He bit his lip.
“You’d what?” She stared back at him.
He looked over his shoulder again, and, frustrated, Olivia hurried to recapture his attention. “What were you going to say, Ivo? What would you do if you weren’t a changed man?”
Ivo raised his eyebrows, studying her. “I would give you a challenge. A dare.”
She tried to read his expression. “But we have already dared each other, have we not? There was Lord Hollingsworth and the girl you asked to dance.”
“Rather lukewarm dares, Olivia,” he said with a wry smile. “Not the sort I used to make.”
It was true, he had been careful with her, heedful not to do anything that might damage her reputation. She had enjoyed their games, yes, but they hadn’t exactly gotten her heart pumping with excitement.
“What were you going to say? I want to hear this risky challenge, Ivo.”
“Do you?” he asked quietly. “Very well. I was going to dare you to a race. With horses.”
Olivia’s eyes widened. “A curricle race?”
“No, a horse race. Through Hyde Park.”
Her laugh was half shock and half excitement. Her heart was pumping now, all of those feelings she had ignored for so long rushing back like a river in flood. It felt…wonderful.
“Impossible!” she declared.
“Why? Are you afraid? You just said you weren’t. It would have to be in the early morning with few people about, and it would be a race between just the two of us.” He dropped his voice and leaned down, his arm resting on top of the piano.
Olivia couldn’t help noticing his hair had grown outof the severe cut he had worn at Grantham, and the ends were beginning to curl again. The waves looked soft and silky, and she squeezed her hands together, resisting the urge to reach out and touch.
“Come, Olivia, are you not even a little bit tempted? You know you want to beat me. You always want to. What about the archery contest? Do you only accept my riskier challenges when you know you can win?”
“Nonsense,” she said automatically. “And this is a hypothetical dare, because you are a changed man.”
“I am as changed as you want me to be,” he replied cryptically. “Do you really want me to be browbeaten like Lord Hollingsworth? Or that other smug fellow with the monstrous eyebrows?” He moved his own brows up and down.
Olivia snorted an unladylike laugh.
“You want the excitement, the risk. I know you do. You thrive on it. Let me give that to you. Tomorrow, some eligible gentleman with his pockets full of gold might sweep you off your feet, and you’ll be gone. So let’s enjoy ourselves while we can.”
It was very much what she had been thinking herself, and she wondered if he could read her mind after all.
She pictured herself riding a horse through Hyde Park with Ivo at her side. It didn’t sound all that terrible. Lots of ladies rode in Hyde Park with gentlemen of their acquaintance. But arace… What would her grandmother say? It didn’t bearthinking… Just as well it wasn’t going to happen.
And yet, as soon as she reminded herself this was all make-believe, she felt her spirits sink again.
Unaware of her inner conflict, Ivo’s knowing green eyes slid up and down her, and he said thoughtfully, “You would need a disguise. Just in case one of those annoyingpamphleteers was up and about despite the early hour.”
“You make it sound almost possible,” she said, a little catch in her voice.
He leaned closer, his breath warm on her cheek. “It is possible. Anything is possible, Olivia, if you embrace it.”
Sotempting. As much as she enjoyed their friendship, Olivia still longed for something more. That spark that seemed to light up inside her whenever they were together.
“I miss the old Ivo. Sometimes,” she blurted.
“Do you?”
