Page 26 of Once a Scoundrel

He forced a lopsided grin. “Home was four years ago.”

Her heart tugged for him. Of course, if she pressed, he would have said he was merely teasing, which was always his way. But she knew better. “You’ll have no trouble fitting back into society, if that’s what worries you. If your dancing skills are any indication, you’ve not lost any of your social graces.”

He nodded with mock gravity. “Thank God a man’s character is measured by quadrilles.”

“Three-quarter time, actually,” she corrected, a smile of amusement teasing at her lips. “It was a waltz.”

“Even better.”

The easiness of their banter warmed through her. They were almost as they’d been before, able to tease and flirt without hesitation.Almost. Because an undercurrent of tension stood between them so palpable she could feel it. Would they ever be as comfortable around each other as they’d once been?

She grimaced. He’d certainly seemed comfortable enough when he’d been kissing her.

“You’ve managed to fall right back into the thick of things.” She hoped he couldn’t hear the suspicion in her voice and mistake it for jealousy. Because she wasn’t jealous. Not at all. “Viscountess Rathbourne is a beautiful woman.”

She cringed inwardly at herself. Well...perhaps alittlejealous.

He reached out to pet the dog. “I don’t like drool.”

“Don’t attack a defenseless animal,” she countered, peeved that he would do so.

He arched a brow, his eyes sparkling mischievously. “I meant Lady Rathbourne.”

A bubble of laughter spilled from her. Her hand flew to her lips in embarrassment, but she couldn’t stop. Nor could she ignore the devilish expression on his face. “Perhaps not so defenseless after all.”

“Claws that a lioness would envy,” he told her, a bit too knowingly for her comfort. “So it’s a good thing I have no interest in the viscountess. And that absolutelynothinghappened between us in the trees, except that she made it known that she was available and I refused.”

“It certainly didn’t look that way to me,” she whispered, her throat tightening.

“Because you arrived at the exact wrong moment.” He avoided her eyes as he reached for the basket, and she was glad for it, not wanting him to see the embarrassment and doubt she undoubtedly wore on her face. “You know the man I used to be. Do you really think I’d be careless enough to let myself be caught with a woman in the trees?”

No, he wouldn’t. That was a very valid point.

She bit her bottom lip. Shewantedto believe him, and yet, seeing him with the viscountess upset her more than she wanted to admit to herself. She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter to me how you spend your time.”Or with whom.

He said nothing for a moment, and she suspected that he might call her out for that bald-faced lie.

But he focused his attention on the basket instead. “I thought we should have a midnight picnic.” He pulled out two small plates covered with towels and set them aside, then handed her two teacups to hold. “I hope you still like hot chocolate.”

He lifted up a ceramic chocolate pot, and her chest warmed at his thoughtfulness. “How could you have possibly remembered that?” she murmured, truly surprised. And impressed.

“I remember everything about you, Faith,” he assured her as he lifted the towel from the first plate, and this time she warmed for a whole new reason. “Including that you love croissants.” Then the second. “And strawberries.”

Her belly tightened with wariness. She didn’t let herself believe him. Because if he’d truly remembered such small details about her, then—

No. She wasn’t that special to him.

“Everyone likes strawberries,” she countered with a dismissive shrug of her shoulder.

“Perhaps.” He poured the chocolate into the two cups, then set the pot aside and reached for one of the plump strawberries. “But does everyone like to dunk their strawberries into their chocolate like you do?” He dipped it into the dark liquid, then raised it to her lips. “Open.”

Too stunned not to obey, she parted her lips, and he placed the ripe berry into her mouth. The sweet combination of chocolate and strawberry melted deliciously on her tongue, and she ate it slowly, relishing its luxurious taste.

“See?” He dipped a second berry. “I’m not so bad.”

“Oh yes, you are. You’re a rake who—” He slipped the berry between her lips and cut off the scathing description of his romantic antics that she’d been poised to deliver. But this time when she ate the berry, his dark gaze fell to her mouth, and an unbearable longing to be kissed swirled through her.

He caressed his thumb across her lip and brushed away a small droplet of chocolate. “I’m a rake who...what?” His eyes not leaving hers, he sucked the droplet from his thumb and murmured, “Delicious.”