Page 66 of A Christmas Temptation for the Duke
Alison saw it then like she never had before. Or rather, she saw what she had felt for some time but had been determined to ignore.
Her attraction to Daniel was not based upon fighting and frayed tempers. It did not require anger and passion to bring it to thefore. It was as real as the snow that covered the grounds, as the sun that shone in the sky, as her heart which thumped in her chest as it swelled to sizes that she could not fathom.
She was not only falling for the Earl, but she had done it already. And what was more, she was all but certain that he had fallen for her too.
“Thank you,” she said, a smile touching her lips. “I… I have felt the same way. Not something I expected, but something I am glad for having happened.”
“Careful now, Lady Alison. I might begin to think that you enjoy my company.”
“I am as surprised as you, believe me.”
He chuckled softly as his eyes flicked to her lips. She held her breath, expecting him to lean in and kiss her. The moment felt right.
And yet… Daniel hesitated.
His brow furrowed and his expression turned severe. It was as if he only just then realized what he said, the implications of it all, and could not quite bring himself to act upon what she could see he wanted to do so desperately.
Her mind returned to that night which felt so long ago, when he pushed her away and scolded himself for daring to kiss her.For some reason, he fought the urge as if it might kill him. He wanted her… but he did not want to admit it.
“We should go.” He dropped her hands and stepped back. “We do not want to be late.”
“What happened to being fashionably late?” she joked.
He laughed. “There is fashionably late, and then there is rudeness. I am afraid we are flirting dangerously with that line. Now…” He cocked his arm for her to slip her hand through. “Shall we?”
Alison hesitated. She did not want the moment to end. Not now. Not when she could sense how close they were…but I also know better than to push. We are past that now, and I do not want to return to how things were.
“Yes.” She slipped her arm through his. “Best that we get to it. Just promise me you will try and enjoy yourself today.”
He scoffed. “I will make no such promises.”
They laughed together as they walked from the room and through the manor. But in that room, Alison’s thoughts remained. What would it take to push the Earl over the edge? What would she need to do? She had no idea… while knowing too that they were so close.
Perhaps today would change everything?
Chapter Twenty-One
“Lady Alison!” Mrs. Hollingberry swept toward her. “What do we have here?”
“I believe it is called baking, Mrs. Hollingberry,” Alison said. She had a bowl filled with cake batter tucked under her arm, and she stirred as if her life depended on it. “Unless I am doing it incorrectly?”
Mrs. Hollingberry perry into the bowl suspiciously. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this is not baking.”
“No?”
“It is called stirring!” she cried. “The baking comes later.”
Alison scoffed. “You know what I meant.”
“How could I possibly?” Mrs. Hollingberry said cheerfully. “For all I know of you lords and ladies, you think that cakes spring magically from bowls of stirred batter. I would hate to be presumptuous.”
Alison laughed. “Well, thank you for clearing that up.”
“And Lord Grayhill…” Mrs. Hollingberry next looked at Daniel, who was standing back from Alison. “Shall you be having a stir?”
“No, I do not think I will be,” he said stiffly.
“No?” Mrs. Hollingberry looked down her nose at him. “I suppose you are just here for moral support, yes? If that is the case, you are doing a wonderful job.”
