Page 9 of Good Duke Gone Rogue

“Why would we do that? I don’t want to dress like a woman. I’m a man.” He was not a man.

“You’re still a little boy, Reggie.” Detta coaxed, “Let’s just see what you would look like? We need something to do.”

Even then he couldn’t deny her anything. At such a young age, how had he found himself ensnared by her? But he did. So the four of them snuck into one of the girl’s bedchambers, and all three girls began plucking dresses from the wardrobe.

The pink and purple ones he had vetoed, on some kind of principle.

“Reggie,” Kat stamped her foot, “you’re saying no to all of them.”

“I could say no to all of them. At least I’m letting you do this.”

“Fine.” She crossed her arms across her chest. Then her eyes lit up. “I have an idea.” She raced out of the room, as quietly as her excitement would allow. After several minutes passed, probably with the three remaining just staring at the door frame, she reentered the room.

“I’ve got it!” Slung across her arms was a gorgeous gown. For a woman. It was a shimmery sage green.

“It’s perfect,” Charlotte said in hushed tones. Approaching, she cautiously touched the fabric.

“It was in the back of Mama’s wardrobe. Isn’t it the prettiest thing?”

“It’s lovely,” Detta grinned.

That settled it. Detta was happy with it. He could be scowling, as long as she was happy. And it was green. Not some flowery pink or purple color.

“Fine. I’ll do it. Let’s get this over with.”

He stepped behind the screen and derobed. After he slipped into the dress, he emerged to wide eyes and wider grins.

“You make a lovely girl,” Kat practically shouted.

“I do not. You just like the dress.”

So he stood there in his mother’s gown while the three girls tittered about him.

And then that tittering turned into more than just a gown. It evolved into accessories, and slippers. He drew the line at putting anything on his face or head. Though they had tried. Charlotte, surprisingly, had suggested the wig. Reggie knocked that out of her hands quicker than he would have snatched a cookie hot out of the oven. Kat was more discreet.

“What do you have in your hands, Kat?”

“Nothing.” Her devilish glint encouraged the other two girls. “Hold him down. I have some lip tint.”

Rather than restraining him, the two other girls, thankfully, collapsed into giggles.

He wouldn’t have fought them off, he didn’t want to hurt anyone, But he would have kicked off those blasted slippers, knowing he could outrun any of them.

“Put. The. Lip. Tint, Down.” He brought his hand across his chest to its opposite shoulder. “Or the dress comes off.” He was naked underneath, and no one wanted to see that.

Squeals. Five of them. God knows where the extra two came from.

“Keep the dress on!” At least two of the girls screamed again.

“Fine. I’m putting the tint away.” Kat placed the tin on the dresser. “For now,” she mumbled.

“I heard that!”

“All right. It’s gone.” Throwing her hands in the air to prove her innocence, Kat smiled. “See?”

“Good,” he said.

“Now give us a twirl, Reggie!” Kat called out. She was relentless in seeking his complete humiliation.

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