Page 38 of A Translation of Desire
He snorted. “Doubtful.”
She got into position. “Just throw the ball.”
He tossed it in her direction, and she swung but missed. His mouth quirked up in a smirk. “It might not be your day, Rose.”
She pursed her lips and gestured for him to toss another. He did, but her next swing didn’t make contact with the ball either. Rose scowled, and he chuckled. Devons clapped. “You have this, Rose.”
Augustus glared at him as if he were a traitor, and Devons grinned. “She is on my team.”
“Stop chatting and throw the ball,” Rose said.
“As you wish,” he said, grinning.
The ball flew in the air, and Rose lined up her swing and swung.Crack!The ball flew across the field, past Augustus. He cursed and scrambled with the rest of his team to grab it. He saw her pass first base, then second, and finally third, from the corner of his eye.
Sophia tossed the ball to him, and he turned to see Rose sprinting for the last base. He charged after her, and he was so close to her. Augustus knew she would reach it first, and he had one chance, so he slid the rest of the way, hoping to gain morespeed. Her foot hit the base right before he did, and everyone in the yard cheered wildly.
He groaned and rolled over on his back, and a gloating Rose peered down at him. She pointed at him. “I win, duke!”
Everyone, including himself, laughed. She held out her hand, and he grabbed it, allowing her to help him. He ignored the jolt that shot through him at her touch. They would be friends only, and he would be fine with that.
Once on his feet, he shook his head as she continued to dance around. Her hair trailed down her back, and her face was flushed with excitement. She was a disheveled mess, but more than that, Rose Calvert was stunning in her victory.
He held his hand out. “Congratulations, Miss Calvert.”
She beamed back at him and shook his hand. “Thank you. My team will happily take the win.”
Everyone in her group joined her, cheering loudly. Augustus shook his head and joined his team. “Sorry. I thought we had them.”
Sophia shrugged. “Who cares? That is the most fun I’ve had in a long time. They earned it.”
“Yes, they did,” he said.
He turned and found Lady Viviene bringing him a cup of lemonade. She’d sat out of the game but now smiled at him. “I thought you might be parched, Your Grace.”
His eyes darted back to Rose, who continued to celebrate with her team. Damn, why was she so lovely? They were only friends, he reminded himself again. He shifted his focus back to Lady Viviene. “Thank you, my lady.”
She nodded politely. “Would you like to sit?”
“I would love that. I will be there momentarily.”
Lady Viviene beamed. “I will save a seat for you.”
After she left, Sophia and Diana joined him. They both beamed at him. He frowned, knowing they were up to something. Sophia said, “You like her.”
“I enjoy speaking with Lady Viviene—”
“No,” Diana interrupted him. “We mean Rose Calvert.”
He sputtered, but his eyes met Sophia’s, and he knew she knew. She smiled like a cat who’d landed a big bowl of cream. Augustus frowned at them. “You are both incorrect.”
“You could court her?” Sophia said.
He lifted a brow. “She lives in another country.”
“She could become a permanent club member,” Devons’s betrothed said.
Augustus smiled at her. “Not at the top of my list of marriage requirements.”
