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“Perhaps my friends and I are irresistible,” he replied mockingly.
“Oh, I’m well aware that you’re irresistible to women.”
Hawk raised his brows and wondered whether Pia was admitting to her own past susceptibility to him. Had she found him not merely attractive but irresistible? Had she fallen into bed with him because she’d been swept up in the moment and carried away by passion?
“Once I had your real name, a little internet search revealed a good deal of information,” Pia elaborated, dashing his hopes that she’d been referring to herself when she’d called him irresistible.
Hawk had no doubt as to what an internet search had revealed. He mentally winced at the thought of the news reports and gossip that must have come up about his younger, more spirited days. The women…the carousing…
“You know, I suppose I should have been wary three years ago when my Google search on James Fielding turned up nothing in particular, but then I supposed Fielding was such a common name…”
He quirked his lips. “My ancestors are no doubt rolling in their graves at being labeled common.”
“Oh, yes, pardon me, Your Grace,” Pia returned bitingly. “You can rest assured that I’m no longer ignorant of the protocol due to your rank.”
Damn protocol to hell, he wanted to respond. It was one of the reasons he’d preferred flying under the radar as plain James Fielding. Except these days, of course, having succeeded to the ducal title, he could no longer afford such a luxury. Then, too, he was all too cognizant of his responsibilities.
The irony wasn’t lost on him that having succeeded to the title of Duke of Hawkshire, he’d gained all manner of wealth—and responsibilities—that most men coveted, but had lost the things he craved most: anonymity, a certain freedom and being valued for himself.
“Tell me about your wedding business,” he said abruptly, turning the conversation back in the direction he wanted. “Three years ago, I recall you were still working at a large event planning firm and had big dreams of setting out on your own.”
Pia looked guarded and then defiant. “I did manage to start my own business, as you can tell. It was shortly after your abrupt disappearance, in fact.”
“Are you saying you have me to thank?” Hawk asked with exaggerated aristocratic hauteur and faint mockery.
Pia’s hand curled at her side. “Thanks, I think, would be going too far. But I believe it was your abrupt exit that provided me with the impetus to strike out on my own. After all, there’s nothing like a momentary disappointment to fuel the drive to succeed in another area of life.”
Hawk gave a weak imitation of a smile. He very much regretted his actions in the past, but he wondered what she’d say if she knew the extent of his responsibilities, ducal and otherwise, these days.
“You were very creative with the décor at Belinda’s wedding,” he said, ignoring her jab in an effort to be more conciliatory. “The gold and lime-green color scheme was certainly unusual.”
At Pia’s look of momentary surprise, he added, “You needn’t look so taken aback that I noticed the detail. After savoring baba ghanoush, I believe contemplating the scenery became a much more engaging pastime.”
He had let himself study the décor because he had been curious about any detail that would reveal anything about her—and it had beat deflecting curious looks and probing questions from the other wedding guests.
“I’m glad my excellent aim had at least one beneficial consequence,” Pia responded dryly.
“Ah, I assume the consequences to your wedding business weren’t so satisfactory?” he probed, taking advantage of his opening.
Pia’s expression turned defensive, but not before Hawk saw the fleeting distress there.
“What sort of wedding would you have for yourself, Pia?” Hawk asked, his voice suddenly low and inviting. “Surely you must have envisioned it many times.”
He knew he was playing with fire, but he didn’t care.
“I’m in the wedding business,” Pia responded frostily. “Not the romance business.”
Their eyes held for moments…until a voice called out Pia’s name.
He and Pia turned at the same time to look back in the direction of the house, where Tamara was descending the terrace steps.
“Pia,” Tamara announced, coming toward them across the lawn. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
“I was just walking over to the pavilion,” Pia responded. “I wanted to see what can be done with it.”
Hawk watched as Tamara glanced curiously from Pia to him and back.
“Well, I’m glad I found you,” Tamara said, and then hooked her arm through Pia’s.
