My Fake Rake

She wouldn’t allow herself to entertain such thoughts. They led to dangerous places, places she did not know how to navigate.

Fortunately, she didn’t have time to consider that any further when they reached Park Square. The green park was ringed with stylish terraced homes in the process of being constructed along the crescent and surrounding the square. The elegant residents of Marylebone Road in their pristine and fashionable garb mixed with laborers coated with stucco, paint, and sawdust.

“I assume you have your methodology already planned,” Sebastian said drily.

“That’s where Katie and I are going to sit.” She nodded toward a bench. “I brought a book to camouflage myself while observing as you practice your newfound skills.”

Katie had already buried herself in her Lady of Dubious Quality novel and barely glanced up when her name was mentioned.

“Walk around a little,” he said, “attempt to bow, that sort of thing?”

“Exactly. Even better if you approach a woman and strike up a conversation.”

Other than the time in the foyer earlier today, never in the course of her friendship with Sebastian had she ever heard him say any coarse imprecation. Surely he didn’t mutter Fucking hell under his breath just now. Surely not.

“All right.”

He gave a decisive nod before stepping back. It was a shame, because there was something warm and tingly about standing near him. She’d felt it earlier in the ballroom, and she felt it now, and it wasn’t entirely wanted. Over the duration of their friendship, she hadn’t permitted herself responsiveness to his physical self. But there was no denying it now.

“I still don’t have a walking stick,” he said, “and grabbing a branch from one of these plane trees is likely considered gauche.”

“Do your best. And good luck.”

She walked quickly toward the bench, barely aware of the pleasant spring afternoon, or the sounds of construction, or indeed much of anything at all except nervous anticipation. It wasn’t unlike directing a play, and watching the performance from the wings. There was nothing she could do but watch, and hope.

Their afternoon efforts had been . . . not quite what she’d anticipated. But everything had to have a beginning, and a rocky start was to be expected. Again, he tried so hard. She couldn’t help but be touched by how earnestly he was working, and the way in which he threw himself fully into the project. For all his easygoing manner, Sebastian had a core of determination and perseverance. He didn’t give up.

And if she was being honest with herself, it wasn’t entirely difficult to look at him. She’d known it years ago and she most decisively knew it to be so now. True, he hadn’t quite mastered the dashing air of a rake, but she hadn’t been able to stop herself from observing the pull of fabric across his shoulders and legs. As if beneath his clothing, gentle and thoughtful Sebastian Holloway possessed the body of an athlete, lean and taut with muscle.

Come to think of it, in the past, he’d mentioned football and cricket matches and other physical endeavors. She’d never fully understood how such activities could reap such delightful benefits. Now she knew.

Certainly, her more primal self had taken notice. And liked what it saw.

He’s your friend. Don’t be rude.

Grace lowered herself onto the bench. Katie sat at the other end of the bench, her nose buried in her novel. From her reticule, Grace produced a slim treatise on the reproductive behavior of lobsters—which wasn’t precisely in her area of study, but she had heard very good things about the treatise’s author, a fellow female naturalist.

Despite the quality of the writing, Grace barely saw the words marching across the page. Instead, her focus honed in on Sebastian, who seemed to be preparing to enter a pugilism bout as he stood at the head of a path.

He tipped his head from side to side and swung his arms in wide arcs before shaking out his hands, and jumping up and down, landing lightly on the balls of his feet.

A passing nanny with a pram gave him wide berth, and a bewhiskered gentleman immediately turned and walked hurriedly in the opposite direction.

Sebastian appeared not to notice. But after a few moments of this, he seemed as though he had properly loosened his muscles. And then he began to walk.