Page 15 of Royal Charmer

The tips of my ears burn, and I resume walking. Did she just call me sensitive? Every manly bone in my body protests. “I haveplentyof experience with women.”

“And I have plenty of experience with men.”

I nearly trip. “You do?”

“How’s it sound coming out of my mouth?”

“Shocking.”

“It sounds like bragging coming out of your mouth.”

“Touché.”

“It’s not your fault,” she says matter-of-factly as we head downstairs. “It’s the double standard. Men can prowl. Women are supposed to be choosy. But who are the men prowling with if the women are choosy?”

Fascinated, I can’t help but ask, “Do you really have a lot of experience?”

She huffs and rolls her eyes.

“What?”

“Why does it matter?” she asks belligerently.

I lift one shoulder. “I don’t know. You seem young. You said you were a year younger than Silvia, so I was just curious.”

She brushes me away with a flick of her hand. “First, you. You’re, what, thirty and—”

“I’m twenty-nine,” I fire back. “Just turned it last week.”

“Ooh, touchy. Hanging on to our twenties, are we?”

“No. I don’t care. It’s just a question of accuracy.”

“Uh-huh.”

“It is,” I insist, though even I hear the defensiveness in my voice. I’m getting older, and the fact is, I feel it. I don’t want to travel so much. And now that there’s an opportunity for me to contribute to the kingdom, I want to settle down here on Villroy and make my mark. Yet all people see is how I used to be—the globe-trotting party guy.

“So you’ve been with a hundred women, give or take?” she asks.

“I never counted.”

“Lost track?”

“I’m not that bad.” I lead the way, heading for the courtyard. “Yes, I’ve enjoyed women. Yes, I have experience. I got serious once, so I’m capable of a relationship.” I shove a hand in my hair. “Why’re we even talking about this?”

“Touchy, touchy, touchy.” She points at me with a small knowing smile. “You, sir, are a scoundrel.”

I bark out a laugh. “Okay. And what are you?”

“A happy spinster.”

“Somehow we were just transported to Regency England.”

“I live there most of the time,” she says cheerfully.

“Does that mean you aren’t so experienced with men?”

“I know men, trust me.”