Let’s go home,” she said.
He arched his brows. “Already? I thought you would want to stay for a while.”
Dark eyes flashed. “No, I want to take you home where women can’t stare at you like hyenas after a baby chick.”
He laughed-loudly, which caught a fair bit of attention. “Surely I’m more threatening than a chick?”
She smiled, ruining her petulant expression. “A puppy perhaps.”
Grey stepped closer so that their torsos touched. It was totally improper behavior, but the gossips already had so much to talk about, one more thing would hardly matter. “Is that all you want to take me home for? To protect me?”
Her gaze turned coy. “I received the newest edition of Voluptuous today. I thought I might read to you.”
Was it just him or had the temperature in the room suddenly climbed ten degrees. “Let’s go.”
He grabbed her by the hand and started weaving their way toward the door. People stopped hi to say hello, and he was forced to speak to them rather than be as rude as he wanted. A good fifteen minutes passed before he and Rose finally made it to the entrance of the ballroom, only to have Vienne La Rieux descend upon them.
“Monsieur et Madame le Duc!” she cried, clasping her hands together in front of her breast-abundantly displayed above a peacock-colored gown that must have cost a small fortune. “Finally, you leave my club together, non?”
Grey winked at her. “At last, madam. But we may want a room again someday.”
The French woman grinned, delighting in Rose’s obvious embarrassment. “Mais oui! An anniversary present, Your Grace. On the house.”
He thanked her and bade her farewell.
“She knew?” Rose’s tone was incredulous as they made their way closer to the exit. “How could she know?”
Grey shrugged. “The woman seems to know deuced near everything that happens here.

Author: Kathryn Smith