An impish smile crept over Catherine’s face. “And what if I decide to join in with his shenanigans?”
“Then I am doomed.” Alaric laughed. “But I doubt you would do such a thing.”
Catherine tapped her dessert fork gently against her pudding. “You have rather a lot of faith in me, Alaric.”
“You just do not seem like the sort of woman who would take advantage of a vulnerable man.” Alaric spread his arms wide, doing his best to look innocent.
“And yet your closest friend would?” Catherine gave him a frank look, though he could see a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth.
“He would see it as a harmless joke, and he would know, by then, that I had you to ensure that I was kept on the right path. You, on the other hand, would know that such a betrayal would be a disaster for me.” Alaric pointed his fork at her.
“I suppose that is true. And on that note, you really should not point your fork at people.” Catherine nodded toward him.
“You see? I rely on you.” Alaric took a forkful of pudding and ate it.
Catherine rolled her eyes and smiled as she took her own bite. A crumb caught on her top lip, drawing Alaric’s attention, and his breath caught in his throat.
His mouth was dry as a desert as he saw the way the crumb moved on Catherine’s lips, making him appreciate just how expressive her mouth was.
“Is something the matter?” Catherine asked.
“You have a crumb on your lip.” Alaric’s voice was hoarse.
He saw her cheeks color as she dabbed at her mouth. “It seems you are not the only one who needs to brush up on their table manners.”
Alaric nodded, but he was barely paying attention to her words. His eyes were focused on her mouth. Her lips, soft and supple.
“Did we ever share a kiss?” It was only as Catherine’s eyes widened that Alaric realized he had spoken his thought aloud.
She stared at him. “No.”
“It is hard to believe that I was such a fool,” Alaric muttered.
“What do you mean? I told you that you never forced anything upon me.” Catherine stiffened in her seat.
“I know.” Alaric could not tear his gaze from her face. “But I was a fool to leave you.”
CHAPTER 15
“But I was a fool to leave you.” Alaric’s green eyes bored into Catherine’s.
Her heart thundered in her chest. She did not know what to say. Did he mean it? Did it matter if he did? Did she want him to mean it?
She pushed herself away from the table, wincing as the chair scraped along the floor. “I should take my leave of you.”
She moved toward the door of the dining room, but as she did, she heard Alaric’s chair scrape, and a moment later, she felt his fingers close around her wrist. “Wait.”
His touch sent a jolt through her, and though it was firm, she knew that it was one that would allow her to slip from his grasp should she choose.
“No touching, Alaric.” She was grateful that her voice sounded steady, even while her breath seemed to vanish from her body. “That was my rule.”
He released her hand immediately, as though burned. “My apologies. I should not have done that.”
The smell of amber and cedar filled her nose as heat continued to spread through her. The invisible rope between them rooted her to the spot. Catherine felt her heart thrill in her chest, beating so hard she was sure it would burst from her body.
“No, you should not.” Catherine ran her fingers over her wrist as she met Alaric’s gaze.
If the silence between them had not been so complete, she was sure he would have heard her heart. She shifted her weight, wanting to move away but feeling as though there was a band pulling her back toward Alaric. Catherine’s eyes traced the familiar lines of his face, but she found nothing.
