Page 47 of Winning Her Duke

“Xandra is the goddess of adventure, and this lass must have had quite an adventure to arrive here, don’t you think?” he suggested.

“That is beautiful.” Gia turned back to the horse and held out her hand. “Welcome home, Xandra.” With a few more tosses of her head to make her displeasure clear, the mare placed her nose briefly to Gia’s hand before settling and turning away. It was a good start toward friendship.

“Thank you for giving me the honor of naming her,” Hale whispered.

“If you’d picked something horrible, I would have only pretended to consider it,” she admitted and they shared a laugh. He was standing just behind her and she could feel the heat of his body spread into her back as his breath touched her neck, sending a shiver through her.

“I have no doubt. I’m glad I didn’t disappoint you.”

“You rarely do.”

This time when she looked at him, the smile was gone. As was the laughter. The look on his face held something quite different. Something she was unfamiliar with until the moment his gaze dropped to her lips for a heartbeat before returning to her eyes.

She remembered one of the younger grooms doing such a thing years ago, just before he’d kissed her.

Surely Hale didn’t think to kiss her. She had most likely projected her own desires onto him. Just because she might want to kiss him did not mean he shared the same idea.

“I’m grateful you were able to come over so quickly before I’d named her something wretchedly unoriginal like Spot or Sally. You didn’t have plans?”

He shook his head. “No. Nothing more interesting than answering your call.”

He hid something in the way he pressed his lips together. A secret he would never share with her, even if she’d asked.

“Well, Xandra is grateful as well.”

“I’m sure she is. Sally, indeed. How could you think to give such a majestic creature such a banal name?” He frowned. “Should we have some tea while she rests from her travels and you can tell me what you have planned for her?”

“Yes. Let’s.” They headed into the house as if nothing had ever happened.

It was best to move on and be content with what they had. Wanting more would be unwise and would only lead to disappointment.

*

Hale gave up his plans to stay away from Gia almost immediately after seeing her on the path to the stable.

He realized it was a doomed effort, so he’d surrendered. At least for now.

But he knew he needed to be careful. He’d nearly kissed her in the stables there in front of her surly groom and a restless mustang from America.

Gia was a beautiful woman. He’d known as much already. However, it wasn’t until she’d given him the honor of naming her new horse, that he saw what they might have together. A life filled with horses and laughter.

Until their happiness ended in anger and disgust and they were trapped with one another for the rest of their lives. No. He couldn’t allow that to happen.

They were friends, but if he did not keep watch he could very well lose his heart. He had never fallen prey to such a thing before, but he was aware that caring for a woman he also found attractive were the very ingredients for disaster.

But he was not a coward. Hiding was not the way. He would hold control of his feelings and desires. Proving it meant staying with her when his instincts told him to run.

It was in this vein that he stood before her now requesting a dance.

“I’m afraid I only have one dance left and it’s the supper dance.” She seemed almost surprised as she held out the otherwise full card at her wrist.

“I will soon need to carry a stick to these affairs to keep the men away from you.”

“I’ve also had numerous offers of escort to see the gardens.” She frowned.

“Oh?” He had been joking a moment ago, but this was serious. Seeing the disappointment on her face made him livid enough to want to hunt down those undeserving swine and break their noses. “It is ridiculous that society does not allow a woman to reject an offer of a dance. Why do men bother to ask if a woman is at risk of being a prude if she turns him down? Why not just yank you onto the floor by your hair? It’s nearly the same thing.”

“Well, I believe the danger in that is all the sharp pins, Your Grace.” She was smiling now and as glad as he was to have cheered her, he still wanted answers to his questions.