Chapter 134: a brief stop along the way II

Chapter 134: Chapter 134: a brief stop along the way II

The waiter had barely disappeared before the quiet settled over the table once again.

Vivienne picked up her teacup.

As she took a small sip, her eyes drifted toward the man seated opposite her.

Damian had already returned to his usual composed expression.

As though the smile from only moments ago had never happened.

...

There it is again.

She had begun noticing it during the drive.

Every now and then...

He forgot himself.

He smiled more easily.

Spoke more naturally.

Then, almost immediately afterward...

The careful Lord Blackwood returned.

Honestly...

He was making those ridiculous rumors far too easy to tease.

A mischievous thought quietly crossed her mind.

She wondered...

Just how long would that composure last?

The corners of her lips curved ever so slightly.

Very well, Lord Blackwood.

Let’s see what happens this time.

She picked up her dessert fork.

Cut away a neat little piece of cake.

Across the table...

Damian looked up.

Instead of bringing the fork to her own lips...

She extended it ever so slightly toward him.

Not enough to invade his space.

Just enough that her intention became unmistakable.

Her smile was perfectly innocent.

"Would you like one?"

For a moment...

Damian simply looked at the fork.

Then at her.

...

She couldn’t possibly be serious.

His heartbeat gave one heavy thud against his ribs.

It was only cake.

One small bite.

Nothing more.

A perfectly harmless gesture.

Anthony.

The familiar reminder came unbidden.

Lady Beaumont was Anthony’s fiancée.

He shouldn’t.

Not because of the cake.

Not because someone might see.

But because he already found himself looking forward to moments like these far more than he ought to.

If he allowed himself to grow accustomed to them...

Would he still be able to keep his distance?

Very slowly...

He lifted his eyes to hers.

She was smiling.

Watching him with unmistakable amusement.

Entirely unaware of the battle taking place inside his head.

"...Lady Beaumont..."

His voice was quieter than usual.

"I think..."

He paused.

His gaze lingered on the fork for one last heartbeat.

Then the familiar composure returned.

"...I think it would be wiser if you enjoyed it yourself."

Vivienne studied him for another second.

Then...

She laughed.

Not loudly.

Just enough that her eyes curved with quiet delight.

"You really are being careful."

Damian blinked.

"...Careful?"

"The rumors."

She lowered the fork at last before taking the bite herself.

"It’s only the two of us."

"There isn’t anyone here to misunderstand."

A quiet silence followed.

Damian lowered his gaze briefly before answering.

"...Habits have a way of forming."

"As much as possible..."

"I think it’s better not to encourage them."

Vivienne smiled over the rim of her teacup.

"So that’s why you’ve been acting so strangely all morning."

"...Strangely?"

"You’ve been terribly formal."

"I was beginning to wonder whether I’d done something."

His answer came almost immediately.

"You haven’t."

"I know."

She laughed again.

"I was teasing you."

For the first time since arriving at the inn...

The corner of Damian’s mouth lifted.

"I suspected as much."

"So you knew?"

"I’ve known for quite some time..."

"...that you enjoy teasing people."

Vivienne placed a hand lightly against her chest.

"I have no idea what you’re talking about."

"I thought not."

She couldn’t help laughing.

The sound lingered warmly between them before gradually fading into another comfortable silence.

—

She set her teacup down.

"...May I ask you something?"

Damian looked up.

"Of course."

She tilted her head ever so slightly.

"Do you always do that?"

"...Do what?"

She began counting lightly on her fingers.

"You checked the restaurant before bringing me inside."

"You’ve remembered to keep me from hitting my head every time I got out of the car."

"You pulled out my chair."

"You insisted I have a proper meal."

She smiled.

"And just now..."

"You were worried that accepting one bite of cake might encourage the rumors."

Her blue eyes met his.

"...Are you like that with every lady?"

For a brief moment...

Damian didn’t answer.

Because the truthful answer rose immediately to his lips.

Only you.

He couldn’t say that.

Instead...

He considered the question carefully.

"...Old habits, perhaps."

"I’ve always thought it natural to look after those entrusted to my care."

Vivienne regarded him thoughtfully.

"I see."

She smiled.

"Well..."

"No wonder people misunderstand."

His brows lifted almost imperceptibly.

"...Misunderstand?"

"The rumors."

She laughed softly.

"If someone watched you today..."

"They’d probably think you were courting me."

Silence.

Damian lowered his eyes to his teacup.

"...I hadn’t intended to give that impression."

"I know."

Her answer came without hesitation.

"That’s why I find it so amusing."

She smiled over the rim of her teacup.

"You’re trying so hard..."

"...and somehow making it even more convincing."

A quiet laugh escaped her.

Damian could only manage the faintest smile in return.

—

For a little while...

Neither of them spoke.

Vivienne rested her chin lightly against one hand.

Her gaze drifted almost absentmindedly toward the man seated opposite her.

Damian had turned slightly toward the window, the late morning sunlight softening the sharp lines of his profile.

He really was...

Ridiculously handsome.

She had already admitted as much to herself before.

What she found herself noticing now, however...

Was everything else.

The instinctive attentiveness.

The quiet reliability.

The little gestures that seemed to come so naturally to him that he barely realized he was making them.

No wonder so many young ladies admired Lord Blackwood.

It wasn’t merely that he was handsome.

Anyone could see that.

It was the sort of man he quietly was.

The kind who inspected a restaurant before inviting a lady inside.

Who remembered to shield her head as she stepped from the car.

Who pulled out her chair without thinking.

Who worried because she’d skipped breakfast.

Who somehow managed to make every small kindness seem perfectly ordinary.

...

Whoever marries him is going to be thoroughly spoiled.

The thought lingered.

Only for a heartbeat.

Then another quietly followed.

...A pity.

Vivienne blinked.

A pity?

She lowered her eyes to the tea swirling gently inside her cup.

Well...

She was ending her engagement.

Perhaps it wasn’t so strange that she’d begun noticing such things.

Even so...

She smiled to herself before giving the thought the tiniest shake of her head.

It has absolutely nothing to do with me.

...

Well.

At least not yet.