Page 32 of Tempting the Scoundrel
His gaze met hers. And his smile—god, that smile—left her breathless.
“Been there long?” he asked, with the satisfied awareness of a man who had caught a woman so blatantly admiring him.
“If I was?” She kept her voice light as she approached.
If he was surprised by her confession, he didn’t show it. He only looked pleased. “I’d ask if you enjoyed the view.”
“My goodness,” she said, placing her towel on the nearest rock. “Next you’ll ask me to compose an ode.”
His smile was slow. “An ode? Go on, then.”
“ ‘The rose is red, the violet is blue, you are an arrogant arse, but I’ll tolerate you.’”
Nick tilted his head. “I was hoping for something more like,‘The rose is red, the violet is blue, your face is a poem, and your body too.’”
“Ugh.” Alexandra made a face. “That is horrible. It barely even rhymes. I ought to shove you into the water and see if you live.”
Nick leaned against the tree on the banks of the lake. “But if I die, who will do scandalous things with you? Who will you replace me with?”
“You’re not my only friend in Stratfield Saye.” She had other friends. Older ones. Near their dotage. They enjoyed needlework and spoiling small dogs.
“Ah, yes,” he said, watching her set down her basket of food. “The village ladies. What would they say about an unmarried lass such as yourself swimming unchaperoned with a bachelor? Composing odes to his arse?”
“If I were composing an ode to your arse it would go something like, ‘The rose is red, the violet is blue, your arse is a nice view, it’s the best part of you.’”
“Oh ho!” Nick laughed. “Quite a rhyme.” Nick crossed his arms and the movement distracted her. She had never seen a bare bicep before on a man who wasn’t one of her brothers. Nick caught her look. “Andthat,” he said, “is enjoying a view that isn’t my arse.”
Alexandra snorted and unbuttoned her day dress. He watched as she shucked the heavy material and set it beside her basket. “I think I loathe you.”
“I think you like me.” Then he studied her bathing costume, bemused. “Is it common for women to wear two complete dresses?”
“Two . . . sorry?” She gestured to her outfit. “This is my bathing costume.”
Admittedly, it was a shapeless garment. The suit consisted of a short blue dress worn over wide trousers. In contrast to his, it left as much covered as a nun’s habit. Nick stared at it like she’d made the absurd choice to don a horse blanket to their lessons.
“That’s an entire dress. Christ, what’s it made of?”
Alexandra rolled her eyes. “Flannel.”
“Huh,” he said, clicking his tongue. “How can you even swim in it?”
“Magic,” she said with a grin. Without waiting for him to answer, she gestured to the water. “Come, I’m going to teach you how to float.”
“Float?” He said the word in bemusement, as if she’d just declared they were having eel for luncheon.
“Learning to float requires trust.” She waded into the water and threw a look over her shoulder. “And perhaps I wish to learn to trust you before I teach you how to catch me in the middle of the lake.”
He gave her a strange look. One she couldn’t decipher, for it held entire secrets that she hadn’t yet learned from him. “Is that what you’ll teach me? How to catch you?”
Alexandra gave him a sly look. “I shall think about it.”
* * *
She crookeda finger at Nick like some temptress beckoning him for a kiss. Even in that silly bathing costume, she was more enticing than any woman he had ever met. He watched water drip from her hair down the column of her throat and envied its journey.
“Come into the water, Nick. You’re not afraid, are you?”
Control yourself. She’s just like any other mark.
