“All part of my master plan.”
“To bang your head against a wall?”
“To capitulate you.”
“You mean call for my surrender?” A flash of teeth said she’d go down fists swinging. “Let me guess, more rational arguments? Or failed seduction attempts?”
“I was thinking bribery.”
Her gaze cut to his, and—yes, there—a spark of life. Curiosity. Another of the woman’s apparentflaws. As if Annabeth Greene weren’t the most flawless woman alive.
“A picnic, perhaps?” he suggested. “With jellied fruit tarts. One quick word to Carter and we could slip away.”
“Eating in the dirt.” She sniffed, clearly interested. “Hardly a bribe.”
“And if I said our picnic spot would be at the stream?” He paused for dramatic effect, knowing his next trump card would win the hand. “The oak has grown so large, only a fool would think to climb it.”
The rain the past few days had been so heavy, he doubted she’d had time to explore the grounds. They’d both been confined, stuck too long in one place.
She frowned at him, but there was a spark in her eyes. “Thatisplaying dirty. You know we cannot walk out on our own engagement party.”
“Why not?”
She stared. “You’re serious?”
He grinned, belying his next words. “I’m always serious.”
“Ha.” She planted her hands on her hips, a new glint of mischief in her gaze. “You forgot something crucial, Duke.”
He couldn’t wait. “And what is that?”
She lifted her skirts, revealing she was wearing ankle boots with no stockings.
His mouth went dry at the sight of bare skin. It took effort to drag his gaze back to her smirking lips.
“I don’t play fair, either.” She shot off into the woods.
Jackson leaned back his head and closed his eyes as he groaned. She was a hellion, a temptress.
Anticipation stirred heat low in his belly. No matter how many times they’d raced to the stream as children, he’d never beaten her. He was convinced she had some secret shortcut.
“Come along, Duke!” Husky laughter followed her taunt.
Jackson smiled and took off at a dead run, winding through tree trunks and jumping over fallen logs. They weren’t children any longer.
He was an agent of the Crown. A man who’d honed his body and mind to take on even the most cunning criminals.
There was at least a sliver’s chance of overtaking her now.
No.A chuckle to himself. He had no need to win this race.
What hedidhave was every intention of catching her.
And making her his at last.
Chapter Thirteen
Anna raced throughtime.
