Page 39 of Winning Her Duke

He’d worked tirelessly in obtaining his reputation to scare off women of the ton. Gia was a woman of the ton. More importantly, she was a woman her companion and father hoped to marry off. Hale would do well to remember the danger such a relationship posed for him. Yet he couldn’t stop from wanting to be around her.

She frowned. “I must admit, I’m not versed in the ways of being a rake, but I would expect you to have sexual relations with a lot of women.”

“Don’t say sexual relations so loudly.” He glanced around them and only saw one gentleman lift a brow.

“Fine,” she whispered. “Do you or do you not bed many women.”

“I do not bed many women,” he practically shouted which called the attention of more people than she had.

“You are not a rogue then. I was wrong when I initially made that assumption, and you didn’t wish to correct me. My father has been misinformed.” She settled her statement with a single nod.

“You were not wrong.”

“Please explain. How could you be a rogue without sleeping with hordes of women?”

“Good lord, it has escalated from a lot, to many, to hordes.” He shook his head at the absurdity of this conversation. And that they were having it in the middle of Flanders’ ballroom.

“Which is it?” she pressed.

“A few. Possibly some. Maybe even several depending on the timeframe we’re discussing. But not a lot and definitely not hordes.”

“I don’t think one warrants a reputation as a rogue for sleeping with merely several women at your advanced age.”

“I am not even thirty, and…” She was too clever. He might as well come clean. “Very well, I may have allowed the actual quantity to be exaggerated.”

She tilted her head as she studied him. He glanced away, embarrassed by his confession.

Gia laughed, almost snorted but she cut off the sound quickly, no doubt remembering that Lady Tomison would scold her for doing something so vulgar as to have fun at a ball.

“You have created your reputation to frighten off proper ladies, haven’t you?” She was whispering again and had leaned closer. He felt her breath on his neck.

“Aye,” he admitted with a grin.

“You are a fogue.”

“Excuse me?” Was that some exotic animal that used a façade to hide from predators? If so, it was a most apt description.

“A faux rogue. A fogue.”

He couldn’t stop the loud bark of laughter that escaped, causing the other dancers to scowl at him. Forgive him for not exhibiting the proper look of boredom when in Gia’s company. It was impossible to be bored when he was near her.

“You are too clever by half.”

“Not as clever as you. You are bloody brilliant,” she enthused, and he felt warm from her praise.

“I’m glad you approve.” More than glad.

“Strange how I am in a similar situation—a reputation that is entirely untrue. Yet mine is unwanted while yours was purposeful. And my reputation doesn’t seem to frighten men away. Perhaps only honorable men are deterred by my scandalous heritage.”

“Have a care with my feelings, Gia.” He chuckled at her inference he was dishonorable to want to spend time with her. Her cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink.

When their dance was over, he reluctantly returned her to her father and Lady Tomison then took a spot in the corner of the room where he could watch the other men who asked her to dance until it was his turn again.

Fortunately, he would be spared from watching her dance with his friends as they were not in attendance. Most likely because he had neglected to tell them he was coming.

He frowned as Lord Duncan led her into a dance with a smile. More unsettling was that Gia was smiling back at the man. Hale wished Lord Duncan had a reputation, faux or otherwise, so Hale might warn Gia away from him, but in truth the man would be considered a respectable suitor.

The look on Lady Tomison’s face when Duncan returned Gia to her side confirmed it.