Page 19 of The Duke's Vice

“What did you do with her? Or should I say, to her?”

Ezra grimaced at his friend’s off color comment. “I told her to return home at once.”

“My, how times have changed. Have you gone soft on me, brother?”

Ezra shook his head. “This girl did not belong amongst the night crawlers that frequent that street.”

Frederic pointed at Ezra. “You frequent that street.”

“Exactly.” Ezra deadpanned. “I told her to go home. She refused. She had quite a tongue on her.”

“Uh oh.” Frederic supplied.

Ezra’s head snapped to his friend’s. “What does that mean?”

Frederic shrugged. “Nothing. I just know you are always up for a challenge, especially if it comes in a witty little package.”

Beatrice was little, and curvy and, as far as Ezra could tell, everything he did look for in a dalliance. He pushed the thought of her soft body out of his mind.

“Stop interrupting me.” He snapped. “She wouldn’t leave, so I convinced her to.”

Frederic leaned his elbows onto his knees. “Oh, yeah.” He drawled. “How?” The way he drew the word out like a child annoyed Ezra.

“Buy offering her a kiss.”

Frederic whooped in laughter. “You certainly do think highly of yourself, don’t you? How did you know she would leave after a kiss?”

Ezra rolled his lips and stuck one finger in the air. “This girl had inexperienced written all over her,” he raised a second finger, “she was clearly out of her element, her eyes were wide and scared, even though she tried to hide beneath a hood and false bravado.” He lifted a third finger and with his other hand gestured to himself. “And who wouldn’t want to kiss me?”

Frederic pointed to himself.

The men laughed and Ezra felt a lightness he hadn’t felt in days.

Ever since he met his daring little lady he hadn’t been able to concentrate. And when he can’t concentrate he gets anxious. When he gets anxious he gets, as Frederic puts it, stabby.

“Did it work?” Frederic asked.

Ezra tilted his head and smirked. “Of course it worked. But,” he leaned into his friend, “here’s where it gets interesting. As she was leaving she dropped a list of ‘to do’ items. On it was things like, kiss someone, which I accidentally helped with. But other things like drink and gamble, and repeat an opera scene.”

Frederic cocked his head to the side. “Opera scene? What does that mean?”

Ezra shrugged. “I didn’t get to ask her about that one.”

Frederic sat up. “Wait. You said she dropped the list as she left.”

Ezra shook his head.

“Are you telling me you ran into your midnight wanderer since then?”

“At Swanson’s ball yesterday.”

Frederic slapped his knee. “And?”

Ezra pondered that for a moment. And what? What could he say? That a chance meeting two nights ago, led him to a dance and a conversation yesterday that has consumed every ounce of his being since then?

“And I offered to help her check off the rest of the items on her list.”

That sobered Frederic immediately. “Really? Did you mention your own list?”