Geek Girls Don't Date Dukes Read Online Free PDF Page A

head. “Your tales become more and
    more outrageous, Miss Ramsey.”
    “Well, you wouldn’t believe the truth. I just wanted
    an adventure, and Mrs. Knightsbridge said my destiny
    was in this house. Would you turn down the chance to
    find your perfect love?”
    He snorted in derision. “Love is a child’s fairy tale.
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    And you must be more of a child than you seem to
    believe in such nonsense.”
    Hot shame burned her cheeks. She crossed her arms
    in self- defense at his mocking tone. “So you don’t think
    the duke could be my true love? Even though Mrs.
    Knightsbridge has a hundred percent success rate?”
    “It is impossible.” He shook his head. “As I said, you
    must be a foolish girl.”
    Leah swallowed hard at the ridiculous knot in her
    throat. What did this stranger’s opinion matter? This was
    a once in a lifetime adventure, and she’d be damned if a
    stuffy valet would stand in her way. Mrs. Knightsbridge
    said her true love was here, and she owed it to her
    grandfather to find the best husband she possibly could.
    She gathered her courage and stared Avery straight in the
    eye. She hadn’t backed down from a challenge in her life,
    and she wasn’t about to start now.
    “I am not a child, and I am not a fool. I know
    exactly what I’m doing, thank you very much.” With
    a confidence born of many years of acting classes, Leah
    smoothed her dress down her hips, willing them to twist
    slightly, enough to get his attention. “And if you don’t
    believe in love, that’s your problem.” Turning with a
    dramatic swish of her skirts, she strode to the other end
    of the massive chamber like a queen, making sure to
    twitch her ass. Tossing a look over her shoulder, she
    smiled when she saw the lustful fury brewing in his eyes.
    Teasing him shouldn’t make her this happy, but damn it,
    the stuffy jerk deserved it.
    “Well, Miss Ramsey, who am I to stand in the way of
    true love?” The last words were said in a mocking tone
    so bitter that they made Leah wince. “If you should like
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    Gina Lamm
    to remain here, I will not stop you. You may look to
    Smythe for that honor.”
    With a bow that was more mocking than respectful,
    the valet turned on his heel and left the room.
    Leah sank down on the bed, rubbing her forehead.
    Why didn’t she feel triumphant? Hurdle number one
    had been cleared. So what was with the nervous bubble
    in her gut?
    Swallowing her anxiety, she stood and took a deep,
    calming breath. Time to get her game face on and go
    round two with Mr. Smythe. This isn’t going to be easy, but then again , Leah thought as she exited the massive bedchamber, nothing worth doing usually is.
    The corridor was wide enough to put a couple of
    pool tables end- to- end and still have room to play them
    both. Gilt- framed portraits spanned the huge hall that
    was lined with expensive furnishings, showpieces, and
    closed doors. Picking up a small vase from a marquetry
    table, Leah examined it in the critical way her Pawpaw
    had drilled into her since she was tiny.
    “Holy cow,” she whispered to herself, and quickly put
    the ancient porcelain down. That piece could easily buy
    and sell a pretty nice Lexus a couple times over. Rubbing
    her suddenly sweaty palms against her borrowed costume
    skirt, Leah backed up to the wall to get another look at
    her surroundings. She was really beginning to worry that
    she was out of her league. And for a girl like Leah, who’d
    never met a challenge she didn’t want to fling herself
    face- first into, that was really saying something.
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    Four
    “Thoughtless, foolish chit,” Avery snarled beneath
    his breath as he resumed his polishing. With all the fury
    he felt at the beautiful girl who’d waltzed into the room
    as if she belonged there, he rubbed at the scuff mark.
    That such a