His smile broadened.“Why, Ms.Bodice, is there anything I can do for you on this fine day?”
Lilian paused.He knew her name?That was strange, considering she couldn’t recall his.And she did know most of the knights.She recovered quickly and held up her phone.“Good Sir Knight, would you mind if I took your picture?For, er… research.”
“Research?”he repeated, grinning.
Damn, he had a dimple.It took every atom in her body not to blush again.“I swear, it will only be used with the best intentions.”
“Oh, I’m not worried about your intentions,” he said, straightening.“All right, picture away.”
He must be new.Because any other actor would have chastised her for having her phone out.At the very least, they would play into a bit about the “new-fangled technology” she held.
Well, at least this will be easy.Lilian held up her camera and took a few quick shots.One full body and one closer to the face.
“Is this your first year here?”she asked as the last picture clicked.
“Yeah, you could tell?”His accent was completely gone now, shifting back to a casual Midwestern cadance.
Lilian tilted her head at the sudden change.Definitelynew.“I’ve never seen you here before.”
“The name’s David,” he said, extending a hand before he realized his mistake.“I mean, I’m Sir William Debauchery.”
Lilian’s eyebrows shot up.“Debauchery?Really?”
He grinned.“I’ll be honest.Someone picked it out for me.I had no idea what made a good knight name when I was hired on.”
“And how long have you been a knight?”
“Oh!Only a few weeks!”David answered happily.
That made her pause.She didn’t know the inside politics of the knight actors, but she did know at the Heartland Renaissance Faire, they were professionals.Men who were trained in acting, riding, and knighthood.David seemed like a guy they’d picked up off the street.
“And what’s your name?”David asked.
“You already seem to know my name, sir.”
He laughed, a little pink touching those high cheekbones, but maybe it was the heat of the day.“I hope that’s not weird.I saw the sign and was curious what kind of store you ran.So I asked around.”
“Oh?”Lilian wasn’t expecting that, but it was a good thing that her shop had caught someone’s attention.
David nodded, reminding her of an eager golden retriever.“Yeah.A bookshop, right?That is so cool.”
Now it was her turn to blush.God, was he flirting with her?Technically that was in his job description, especially with a name like Debauchery.It was an easy thing to do at the faire.People took on new personas, they got into the spirit of things.And well, her name was Ms.Bodice, wasn’t it?
She was about to answer when a call came from down the road.“Ms.Bodice!”
She closed her eyes and suppressed a groan.She knew that voice.Her insides turned into hot coals at that voice.Because Hawk Carlisle had not called out to her in a friendly greeting.No,thatwas a tone of complete and total annoyance.
“Shit,” she hissed under her breath.
David didn’t look at all concerned.His smile stayed firmly in place as he turned toward the fair manager.“Hawk, hey man!”
Hawk’s face was dark with irritation, and it didn’t lighten up at David’s good-natured greeting.Carlisle’s eyes didn’t even register the knight.All his ire was focused solely on Lilian.“Ms.Bodice, was that a phone?”
“Er…” Lilian tucked her hand against the bustle of her dress to hide the blocky piece of technology.“Phone?What is this phone you speak of?”
Hawk pointed a finger at her obvious attempt to hide the device.“You know the rules.No phones when you’re working.”
“Oh, come on, Hawk.”David laughed.“She was just asking for a picture.There’s no harm.”
