“But that’s what I’ve always done.”
“Why is that a problem?”
“Do you really think the residents of Kisswick will believe we’re engaged?”
“For this to work, they have to believe it.”
“Then I’d recommend we step it up a bit.”
“What do you mean?”
“We have to show people we’re in love.”
“Oh…umm…I hadn’t thought about that…”
“How fortuitous that I’m bringing it up then.”
“Quite.” But she was murmuring that more to herself than to him, and she was nibbling on her bottom lip. And if that wasn’t enough, her fingers were drumming light taps on his chest. This was the longest that they’d been in such close proximity—well, that was not true. Of course, there was that one night. His favorite night, and his worst. But they never spoke of that night.
Her voice shook as she asked, “What do you suggest, Tristan?”
And his mind reeled with the possibilities. Given the chance to touch her how he wanted, look at her openly, tell her how he felt…there was an onslaught of suggestions that he wanted to share.
“Maybe just…” He reached up to push back a small strand of hair behind her ear, and he heard her breath catch. Or was that his? “Small gestures, like this?”
“Mhmm…” Her voice was quiet but close enough to tickle against his jaw, and he wanted to repay the torture, even if it did nothing to her.
So he bent his head down to her ear, “Perhaps I can whisper things to you, like this? People will notice that, don’t you think?”
“Yes,” she said, breathlessly.
And he could feel her cheek sliding against his jaw, searching. His heart pounded. This felt too real. Like she wanted him to kiss her. But that couldn’t be true, could it? He didn’t have it within him to pull back and look into her face for the answer that he knew would be there. He just brushed his lips against her neck, about to whisper—
“Tristan!”
Chapter 3
“Tristan?” The deep voice of Alexander, Duke of Aylesford, rang out, interrupting him from…well, whatever he had thought he was about to do. Certainly not a kiss.
Since Alex rarely raised his voice, Tristan knew something was wrong.
“Shall we go make our first appearance as a couple then?”
Iris gave a short nod, avoiding his eyes. That move confirmed it. He had held the wrong idea completely in his mind only moments ago. She wasn’t looking for a kiss.
Knowing his friend would play along with their newfangled facade, or at the very least, wouldn’t say anything, he ducked his head out, looked both ways, and then stepped out holding Iris’s hand as if it were a common occurrence.
As predicted, Alex merely raised a brow at him. To Iris, he dipped his head in greeting.
“You were looking for me?”
“We agreed to meet for lunch, and someone thought they saw you duck in between the buildings. I thought they had lost their mind, but I’ve come to realize that I directed that judgment to the incorrect person.”
“Right. Right. Well, one never knows what one might find between buildings. Anyway, about that fire engine. Did you find the one we need?”
Alex merely nodded, and the three walked into the tea shop with Tristan making idle chatter about the weather and hiring more workers for the gold rush project that had brought them to Kisswick in the first place.
“Ahhh, here we are. Shall we have some lunch?” And Tristan steered the conversation thusly and onwards for about an hour until he saw Iris’s spine straighten in response to a new arrival heading toward them.