This is nice,she thought to herself.
“Is it any good?” she finally broke the silence, nodding toward the book in his hands.
He raised a brow, “That depends. Are you asking because you’re curious or because you wish to distract me?”
“Can it not be both?” she teased, her voice light as she adjusted the blanket around her shoulders.
Nicholas let out a low chuckle. “It’s tolerable,” he admitted, closing the book and setting it aside. “Though I must say, your taste in novels is … enlightening.”
Violet laughed at that. “You’re the one who insisted on reading it. I warned you it wasn’t your usual fare.”
“I thought I should better acquaint myself with your interests,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “But I must admit, I did not expect the hero to be so… dramatic.”
“Dramatic?” she repeated, feigning offense. “He’s passionate.”
“Passionate. Is that what they’re calling it these days?”
“Yes, he acts as heroes in love must,” she admitted grinning. “Wait till you get to the part where he thinks he is losing her.”
This seemed to pique his curiosity. “Oh? And what does he do then?”
“I have a feeling that you’ll be able to…” A teasing smile formed on her lips. “… relate.”
“You think I acted the same way?”
“I think you acted as a man in love would when you saw me with the Duke of Devonshire,” she laughed. “So, yes, I would use the wordpassionatefor you, too.”
Nicholas took a moment to absorb her words. He was quiet for so long afterwards that it made Violet begin to worry.
“Have I said something wrong?”
“No,” he began slowly, as if choosing his words carefully. “I am just not used to having such words used to describe me.”
Violet laughed out loud. “Well, it’s quite endearing if you ask me. It’s what I always hoped for.”
“Then I should be happy that it worked in my favour.” He winked at her, the depth of the moment having passed and going back to his teasing ways.
She rolled her eyes though her smile remained. “That it did.”
“You must give me some credit,” he said, gesturing broadly. “Reading one of your beloved romance novels by the fire on a quiet evening like this. If that doesn’t make me the ideal husband, I don’t know what will.”
Violet’s cheeks flushed at his words though she quickly looked away, pretending to adjust the blanket again.
It did.Oh, it did. He wasn’t the exact Prince Charming that she had always dreamed of. He wasmuchbetter.
“Ideal might be a stretch,” she teased instead.
Nicholas leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he studied her. “You wound me, Violet. Truly.”
Before she could reply, Nicholas reached for the book again, flipping through its pages.
“Let’s see what your true ideal is like then,” he said, scanning the text. “Ah, here we are. The hero declares his undying love for the heroine as he pulls her into a dramatic embrace.”
Violet laughed, her eyes sparkling as she watched him. “It’s supposed to be romantic.”
Nicholas smirked, glancing up at her. “Or is it entirely unrealistic?”
“That depends,” she countered, tilting her head. “Have you ever declared your undying love for someone?”
