Page 70 of A Christmas Temptation for the Duke
“I agree.” She rested her hand on his arm. “Before we do, do me a favor will you? Watch Tommy for a moment.” She grinned mischievously and Daniel frowned.
“Tommy? What are you…” He looked over her shoulder and his eyes widened. “Alison, what have you done?”
“Me?” she gasped in shock. “Nothing. Yet.”
She turned with Daniel, finding Tommy who was just now making his way to the neighboring stall. He had Pickle in his arms and the look on his face was pure menace.
“Hey there,” he said to the two women behind the counter. “This smells good! What ya makin’?”
“Tarts,” one of them said as Tommy gingerly leaned over to snatch at one. “But they won’t be ready for an hour yet. Go on…” She waved him away. “You’ll know when.”
“Fine,” he sighed as if he meant to leave. Only then, he caught Alison’s eyes, and she nodded once. He grinned, wagged his eyebrows, and that was when he unleashed Pickle. “Oh no!”
To Tommy’s credit, he made it look like an accident. The way he tripped up and launched Pickle onto the counter, right into the tray of tarts that were cooked and cooling in the winter breeze looked entirely innocent. Pickle, never one to say no to a free meal, did not hesitate to do as dogs did. That being, causing mayhem.
“Pickle!” Tommy cried out, pretending to try and grab the little terrier. “No!”
“Argh!” one of the women screamed. “Get that dog off!”
“Away!” the other cried. “Away!”
Pickle dodged the woman’s swinging hands as he attacked the tray of tarts. Then, the little guy leapt down the counter as one of the women tried to grab at his leg. This saw more tarts fly in the air, more ingredients sent sprawling, and soon the stall was a mass of limbs and food and screaming women as Pickle yelped, ate, and had the best time of its life.
The commotion was heard by all those in the square, which saw them rush toward the stall. Not that anyone tried to help the two women, happy to point and laugh at the chaos and mess that was made.
And it was a mess too. By the time that Pickle leapt down from the counter and trotted toward Alison, wearing a pleased smile on its face, the stall that had previously been baking tarts looked as if a hurricane had blown through it. The women were covered in food. Their faces were red and their hair was messy. And the laughter that sang from those watching was such that Alison could not remember a time she had laughed so hard in her life.
She turned then to find Daniel, wondering what his reaction would be.
He was not laughing like everyone else. Rather, he was watching her, a curious frown on his lips, a knowing glimmer in his eyes. He indicated the stall, she shrugged as if she did not know what he was asking, and he shook his head as his smile grew.
“Shall we go?” she asked once her laughter died down.
“Only if you want to,” Daniel said back.
“I think it’s time…” She reached out with his hand, and he did not hesitate to take it. “My work here is done.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Alison did not know what to expect when she and Daniel returned to his estate. In the past, she might have assumed he would want to be alone. After having spent so much time together today and having finally broken through that last barrier that sat between them, that he would do as he always did and demand space.
She almost acquiesced to this request before he even suggested it.
They entered the main foyer together, Daniel closed the door behind him, and she started toward the steps, not expecting him to stop her.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
She paused halfway across the foyer. “Where…” She turned to find him watching her. It was late afternoon, but not so dark that he was hidden in shadow. In fact, he stood in the light as if doingso on purpose, exposed and vulnerable like he had never been. “I was going to my room.”
“What for?”
“I…” She hesitated. “No reason.”
“I thought you might like to join me for a drink,” he said earnestly. “It has been a long day, and I know I could use one. I hoped you would too.”
She smiled softly, thrilled at the invitation. Alison was not certain how Daniel might have felt after what happened in town. Those women, the things they had said, clearly affected him, and he was as likely to close himself off as anything else. That he wanted to spend more time with her…
He no longer sees me as a threat or someone to be cautious around. He might even see me as… as more than a mere houseguest or a given duty to keep safe. He wants to, I know he does. He just needs to accept it…
