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“So, where do we begin?” she asked, her eyes trailing back to his face.

There was an amused glint in his eyes, as though he had caught her staring, and she flushed, bowing her head.

“We begin by teaching you what men actually like in a woman.”

“I am curious to hear your opinions on this,” she said with a smile.

“Why? I thought you didn’t value my opinions.”

“I do not, but they amuse me.”

“You wound me, dear lady,” he joked, placing a hand on his heart, feigning hurt. “I am finally acquainted with your famous acid tongue.”

“Acid tongue?” she echoed incredulously.

“You are famed for your barbs and retorts among the gentlemen of the ton.” He smiled. “I see that hearing this surprises you as much as it did me because you seem so shy.”

“I can be confident, just not around certain men.”

He raised an eyebrow and leaned in closer, looking very mischievous. She tried to imagine him as a child, and it was not at all impossible. She saw a little boy with chubby cheeks and floppy chocolate locks making mischief with that amused glint in his blue eyes.

“And what are the criteria for these ‘certain’ men?” he asked.

“They must be handsome,” she teased.

He grinned, shocking her.

He looked beautiful when he smiled, and the action made him appear much younger than the severe man he presented himself as. She was sure his face would haunt her dreams, just as his laugh had for the past few days.

“And…” he said, close enough to be entirely improper.

If anyone were to catch them, rumors would no doubt surround them till they were forced to marry. Knowing how scandals like that angered him, she knew there would be no happiness to be found in that marriage.

“Do you not find me handsome, Lady Selina?”

I do,she wanted to say.

“I would not deny that you areattractive,Your Grace, but you do not intimidate me,” she said instead.

He nodded again, rising to full height. “I am inclined to believe you, although my ego has suffered at your hands. But I will take the assessment in good stride.”

“I thank you, but we really must get back to the topic at hand so our prolonged absence isn’t noticed.”

He nodded. “Alright. I’ll begin by saying that men like a compliant, innocent woman, but they also like a woman who shows her interest in them. It is an ego thing, you see,” he explained.

“But just yesterday, you told me that they wanted a woman that they would not have to educate on matters concerning the marriage bed.”

“Are we on the marriage bed?” he asked pointedly.

Her cheeks turned red, and she looked around, hoping no one had overheard him.

“You confuse me, Your Grace,” she hissed. “And do you have to speak such crass words so loudly? Anyone could have heard you.”

“I will take care with my words then,” he conceded. “But you have to look beyond the surface meaning of my words and see the heart of them. Men want a woman who can strike the perfect balance. Shy, but not easily intimidated. Proper, but not a nun. Interested, but not uncouth. There’s a fine line between the two extremes. You just have to learn to toe it.”

Selina nodded, even though the entire concept seemed hopelessly lost on her.

“But how do I show interest without saying I am interested?” she asked, confused.