Page 15 of Impeccable
She found him utterly engaging and alluring, so she didn’t trust her judgment in the slightest. Furthermore, she hadn’t been looking for that. “I wasn’t assessing your behavior in that way. Should I do that going forward?”
“It might be helpful. You mentioned last night that aloofness is attractive to some women. Should I attempt that?”
“I think I also said I didn’t see you as that sort of gentleman. Women like a man with a strong carriage—someone who can command a room. Sometimes aloofness conveys that strength even if it doesn’t really exist.”
“I see what you mean. I have known men who display a bravado that hides their true selves.”
“Exactly so. I can’t imagine you would need to do that.”
“Are you saying I already possess a strong carriage and that I can be commanding?”
“You carry yourself with confidence, and I have no trouble believing you could command a room, should you choose to do so.” She could see it clearly. “Didn’t you have to do that when you were studying the law?”
“I did, in fact. It was one of my most compelling aspects when I was called to the bar, or so I was told.”
She imagined him speaking in court, his intelligence and passion captivating everyone in attendance, and found the notion rather stirring. “Then conversational flirting will no doubt come quite easily to you—and I maintain that you already do it without realizing.”
“Because it’s subtle.” He nodded. “I think I understand. You’re saying I needn’t try to practice more overt flirtation where I compliment a woman’s appearance or wit?”
“Well, it is universally acknowledged that a ladyalwaysappreciates a compliment,” she said with a laugh.
Ash stretched on her lap, then rose to a sitting position. He looked about, then left her to take a position on Lord Gregory’s lap.
“I’ve been forsaken,” she said, her lap feeling cold now that the puppy was gone.
Lord Gregory transferred the reins to one hand and briefly stroked Ash’s head. “He’s just looking to see if the view is any different over here.”
Evie found the sight of Ash sitting on Lord Gregory’s lap incredibly endearing. Even if she wanted the puppy for herself, she wasn’t sure she could take him from Lord Gregory.
Looking forward at the road, she said, “We’ve discussed eye contact and conversation, so I suppose we should review touching.”
“Touching?” He sounded surprised. “Is that allowed?”
“How do you dance if you don’t touch?”
“That’s dancing, not flirting.”
She laughed softly. “Dancingisflirting if you want it to be. You can do all of it at once—use your eyes, words, and body to show you are interested. Whenever you touch in the dance, hold her for a moment longer than necessary or graze your fingertips along a part of her body as you pass one another. If you promenade, you can situate yourself closer to her side as you walk. Or you can take your free hand to touch the hand she has curled around your arm.”
“My mind is positively swimming with potential ideas, but I fear I would be nervous to overstep. A moment longer than necessary seems like a breath away from potential scandal.”
“I’m not advising that you sweep her into your arms and kiss her in plain sight of people.”
“I suppose that’s one way of assuring I’m successful in obtaining a wife.” He made a face and twitched his shoulders. “I could never do that.”
He assumed he would always be in complete control. She’d yet to meet a man who was. Even Lucien had succumbed to uncontrollable desire a time or two. “What if you were absolutely overcome with passion? And you didn’t realize anyone could see you. What, then?”
Ash whimpered, then hurried over to Evie’s lap, where he looked rather longingly to the side of the gig.
“I think we should stop so Ash can relieve himself.” Lord Gregory steered the gig to the edge of the track. He quickly stepped down, then came around to pick Ash up. “This is a wonderful opportunity for us to practice what you’ve been teaching.” His gaze met hers with a subtle but certain intensity—as she’d discussed. He lifted his hand to help her from the gig, and the combination of his touch and captivating stare provoked her belly to clench with anticipation as to what he might do next.
When she was on the ground, he didn’t release her immediately. The moment stretched between them and a delightful heat snaked up her arm. “You’ve paid close attention to what I said,” she murmured.
“My father always told me I was a good listener.” Gregory winked at her as he released her hand. She was sorry to lose his touch, but recognized that Ash was squirming in his other arm.
They walked to the field, where he set Ash down. The puppy immediately dashed off until he found a stand of trees.
Evie turned to Gregory and braced herself. She was already incredibly attracted to him, and he hadn’t been employing what she suspected would be devastating skills of seduction. No, not seduction,flirtation. This was an exercise, and nothing more. “All right, then, let’s pretend to promenade, and you can demonstrate what you’ve learned.”
