Astoria shook her head. "I just meant that you intended it as a compliment and not an insult," she replied plainly. The intention or meaning behind words could be important too. She hadn't really been offended by the comment -- she simply had a different opinion. "There are different types of people, yes," she said carefully. Astoria knew when to bite her tongue and not say anything else. Questioning his respect for women was a bad idea. But she felt as if he generalized women in a negative way more often than not. Still, Astoria shrugged, deciding to keep her mouth shut for once.
His answer amused her. Patience, a charming smile, and a well-placed please. Astoria laughed. "You do have a charming smile," she agreed. It worked very well for him and she understood exactly what he'd said. Was that what he was doing with her? Astoria didn't know how to feel about that idea.