Page 29 of Second Duke's the Charm

Justin Thornton clearly had an eye for detail, curse him.

His gaze flicked to the incriminating spot before hecaptured her eye again. “Interesting that you should be wearing this dress again, too. Is red your signature color?”

“Not at all. I rarely wear it.”

“You should. It suits you.” He tilted his head, assessing her. “It’s almost as if youwantedto be found.”

The kernel of truth in his statement made Tess’s cheeks flush even more, but she rallied gamely. “You flatter yourself, Your Grace.”

He chuckled. A glance to her left made her acutely aware that people had begun to remark on their dancing together. Heads were turning in their direction, fans covering mouths to hide the inevitable gossip.

“I believe we’re becoming the lateston dit,” she said evenly.

He guided them both into another graceful turn. “Of course. The two of us coming face-to-face is the most exciting thing to happen all season, I expect.”

Being the center of attention didn’t seem to bother him at all, and Tess was struck by the thought that being impervious to what others might think of him made him a perfect fit for a duke.

“We seem to have found ourselves in an unusual situation,” he murmured.

She resisted the impulse to snort. “That’s certainly one way of putting it.”

“I’ll speak plainly. I regret that our little interlude was cut short.”

A shameful wave of gratification swamped her at his admission.He’d enjoyed it as much as she had!

“Oh?”

“I assume from your attendance at Careby’s that you’re a woman with a healthy, passionate nature.”

It was Tess’s turn to raise her brows. How had the conversation taken such a personal turn? “I, um—”

“And because of your position,” he continued, “you need to be discreet in selecting your lovers.”

Tess was sure her cheeks were aflame, but she forced herself to hold his gaze. “Indeed.”

“Do you have a lover at present?”

“I do not.”

He nodded. “I do not have a mistress.”

“Am I supposed to commiserate, or congratulate you?”

He ignored her quip. “I think it’s fair to say that we are attracted to each other. Certainly, I’m attracted to you. And since you saw me without a mask at Careby’s, I can only assume that you find me attractive, too.”

Tess felt as if she’d stumbled into some bizarre dream. Her limbs seemed able to follow the motions of the dance on their own, but her brain was a jumble of confusion.

“What’s the point in this conversation, Your Grace?”

“I’ve thought of a solution that will benefit both of us. As the new duke I’m expected to court someone in thetonand make her my wife. But my business affairs consume much of my attention, and I have neither the time nor the inclination to deal with such nonsense. I do, however, appreciate that having a wife would be useful for keeping the matchmaking mammas at bay.”

“Perhaps you should consider a personal bodyguard?” Tess joked weakly.

“Ialso,” he continued, ignoring her levity, “require a mistress, to satisfy my physical needs. I don’t have time to find one of those, either. I dislike going to brothels, and opportunities such as the party at Careby’s are both risky and infrequent.”

Tess’s pulse was pounding in her throat. “I’m not sure I understand. What exactly are you proposing?”

Chapter Ten