Evie laughed. “Then I was successful. However, I should not have distracted you from your task. We’ll save further lessons on that front until you are no longer driving.”

“An excellent idea. What else can you teach me now?”

“There is conversation, of course. Depending on what you hope to achieve, you can choose words and a manner of speaking to flirt.”

“Achieve…I hadn’t considered that. I suppose my aim would be to simply spend time with the lady, to get to know her better and determine if we would suit. What else would there be?”

“Some men flirt for more…scandalous reasons. They hope to steal a kiss. Or more.” In truth, it was most men in her experience. “A great many men seek to have a bit of sport and nothing more.”

His lips pressed together, and his eyes narrowed slightly. “I understand. I was looking at this with mostly myself in mind. I am well aware that some men—too many of them, in fact—seek to take more than they should from a woman.”

She heard the anger in his voice, and damn if that didn’t have the same effect as flirtation on her. “Have you witnessed this?”

“More often than I would like to admit. I am embarrassed to say that it took me a while to step in on a woman’s behalf.”

“When you did, was your interference welcome?”

He shot her a look of surprise. “Not always. And I can’t claim to understand why.”

Because just as some men were eager to satisfy their baser urges, women were not immune to those desires. Or, perhaps more accurately, they were not able to decline—for a variety of reasons.

“Women sometimes make choices because they feel they have to, that there is no other way. It was good of you to try,” she said softly. “Now, where were we? Conversation, I believe. If you are just getting to know a lady, I recommend listening carefully and looking for things you have in common. Speaking with her about subjects that are of interest to you both will allow for natural flirtation. I daresay you already do this without realizing.”

“Did I last night?”

She found him utterly engaging and alluring, so she didn’t trust her judgment in the slightest. Furthermore, she hadn’t been looking for that. “I wasn’t assessing your behavior in that way. Should I do that going forward?”

“It might be helpful. You mentioned last night that aloofness is attractive to some women. Should I attempt that?”

“I think I also said I didn’t see you as that sort of gentleman. Women like a man with a strong carriage—someone who can command a room. Sometimes aloofness conveys that strength even if it doesn’t really exist.”

“I see what you mean. I have known men who display a bravado that hides their true selves.”