Page 44 of Winning Her Duke

He’d told her not to expect more than friendship from their arrangement. But the way her face lit up when their gazes met told of something more brewing between them that shouldn’t be. Couldn’t be.

It was clear she’d forgotten his warning.

Perhaps they’d both forgotten.

“Are you ready to go?” Hale asked his friend. Hale needed to retreat. He wasn’t prepared for this battle.

“Ready to go?” Julian made a sound of indignation. “I dinna want to come here in the first place. You made me.”

“Then we should be off. Let’s go meet Kit and Graham at the club and maybe a gaming hell after that. We’ll make a night of it.”

Julian cast him a look as they left the house.

“You wish to stay out all night? But you’ll miss your early morning ride with your dearest friend of whom you just ran away from as if she were the devil herself.”

“I think it’s for the best that I don’t go riding tomorrow.”

“Very well. Let’s get you ripped so you don’t notice how badly you are falling for that woman.”

Hale opened his mouth to argue but knew there was no use. Not only would Julian never relent if he thought he was right, but…

Bloody hell, what if he was right?

*

It turned out to be a very bad idea to go carousing with his friends. He felt like hell, and not just because his head pounded and his stomach roiled.

Feeling as though he was getting too close to Gia, he’d made sure he wouldn’t be tempted to go riding with her that morning. He wouldn’t allow himself to pull her into his arms and think things he shouldn’t be thinking. Do things he shouldn’t be doing.

He’d been the one who made it clear they were only friends. That neither of them could expect anything more from their relationship. He’d set the rules and she’d accepted them easily.

And now here he was thinking of her in a most unfriend-like way.

He didn’t understand why he hadn’t grown bored or found something she did an annoyance. Or just found himself distracted by something or someone else by now. It had been weeks and none of those things had happened.

Instead, he couldn’t wait to see her.

Except he couldn’t see her. Not until he got his head on straight.

Instead, he woke late and ended up in his study tending to his accounts, but soon he was staring out the window wondering if Gia was upset he hadn’t joined her that morning. And wouldn’t be visiting that afternoon. Perhaps he should have sent a note. But a note would make it seem as if he’d missed their meeting on purpose. Which he had.

He’d never worried over someone so much in his life.

He missed riding with her. Missed her smile. Her laugh. The way the sun gleamed off her dark glossy hair when it broke through the trees to start the day.

He missed her conversation and the things she blurted out that never ceased to surprise him.

He would miss their visit as well. Would miss all of his visits. But this was the right thing to do before whatever this was in danger of becoming went too far. Before it was too late to save her.

To save himself.

It was near two o’clock in the afternoon when Hutchinson came into the study while Hale was resting his forehead on his arm contemplating what he should do.

“You have a visitor, Your Gra—”

“A visitor? Is it a woman?”

“Er, yes.”