Did she want that?
Nay.Nay.
She’d tried to play by Society’s rules and look where she’d landed. Better to remain thought of as a doxy, eyed in appreciation by men like Cash, than think about yoking herself to a man just so she could share some minor burdens.
And perhaps, while he was busy eying her like a delectable dish, she could do the same to him.
CHAPTER 2
Never married, hmm?
Adolphus Merritt, Duke of Cashard, knew there were words for women who bore children out of wedlock, but he couldn’t see how they applied to Athena Oliphant. He liked that she was so forthright, which certainly added to the evidence she wasn’t exactly puritanical, but it was more than that.
She was kind and caring, that much was obvious, and sheteasedhim. When was the last time someone—even Matthew—had teased him?
Never, that was when.
It’s because she doesn’t know you’re a duke, you idiot.
Well, yes, there was that.
But when she’d been introducing herself and her son in such simple terms, Cash had resisted the urge to hide behind his title, the way he always had. Instead, he’d calledhimselfCash, which was a diminutive few were brave enough to use.
He was always, “Your Grace” or, “the duke,” or more often, “the Duke of Cashard, you know, the one with more money than Midas and a stick up his arse?”
Oh, he knew he was seen as imperious and cold, but that was a success, was it not? He’d worked hard to maintain that mien of aloofness his father had encouraged, and it had served him and his business dealings well.
Matthew was the only person he allowed himself to be…well,himselfaround.
But there was just something about this warm summer afternoon, with the sun shining merrily on the river, and this beautiful, refined woman, which made him want to be justCash.
And shewasrefined. She might not be titled, but it was obvious she was well-schooled and understood social niceties, if only to laugh them off. She bore the name Oliphant, so she must be from the local clan, perhaps a daughter of one of the landowners.
She was far freer with her touch than any woman he'd met at a ball or musicale, or even at the blasted house party his mother had forced him to attend. And Athena made himlaugh, which wasn’t something to be easily dismissed.
She was fun to be with, and he wondered if he could convince her to spend more time with him. Perhaps horizontally?—
“Are ye hungry, Cash?”
He blinked out of a fantasy where he was feeding her strawberries covered in crème, to see her offering him an apple. Grinning abashedly, he took it from her, noting her fingers lingered against his own.
And if he wasn’t mistaken, the way her nostrils flared, and the subtle way she leaned toward him, all indicated she desired him as well.
Perhaps it was a good thing they were seated again, because this blasted swimming costume did nothing to hide his arousal.
Luckily, the lads didn’t seem to notice anything unusual. They now sat cross-legged on the blanket, forming the last two points of their foursome, so that they faced one another. While their parents sent one another teasing grins and heavy-lidded glances when the lads’ attention was elsewhere, Callan and Matthew chatted happily about the river and the kinds of fish in it.
“Did ye hear that, Mama? Matthew says there’s fish as big asmein there! Can I see one?”
“Well, I dinnae ken,” Athena answered smoothly, while handing her son an apple. “Yer grandda used to take yer uncles fishing here, but I cannae image what we would use as bait for a beastthatlarge. After all,yewould be far too big,” she teased and leaned over to tickle him.
As the lad folded over in laughter, Matthew spoke up, in that serious way of his. “I could take him, ma’am. I’m agoodfisher; my father taught me! And we’d use worms or cheese for bait, not little boys.”
Callan, still giggling, pointed at Athena. “Ye could help us dig them up!”
Although Cash suspected there wasn’t anything which frightened this woman, she played along by wrinkling her nose adorably. “Touch slimy worms?Me? Nae, thank ye! But I will hold the bucket for ye.”
Matthew was beaming. “I could show you how to attach them to the hook. I’mgoodat that!”
