He grinned. “Our playful, provocative banter.”
Eleanor nearly sputtered. “Provocative? I assure you, I’ve no intention of provoking you.”
He tilted his head. “I know. But you do it anyway.”
Though her body warmed to his tone, Eleanor suddenly realized he was doing it allintentionally. He wastryingto throw her off balance. He wanted her to forget herself and reply to him with the same irreverence he employed.
Straightening her posture, she angled her chin. “It was a valiant attempt, my lord, but I won’t do it.”
The smile slid from his mouth and his brows furrowed. “Do what?”
“I won’t allow you to unravel me so I embarrass myself.”
His expression darkened into a true frown. “My lady, it is not and has never been my intention to embarrass you.” His sincerity was undeniable. It sparked in his steady gaze and threaded through the lowered vibrations of his voice.
She stared back at him, tense and uncertain. From their first encounter, she’d felt herself on uneven ground. The man simply continued to act in a way she’d ever experienced before.
“Then why do you insist upon approaching me?” she finally asked. “Surely, by now you understand that I’m not the most pleasant company. You cannot deny the awkward tension of our interactions. What is it you want from me?”
There was a long pause as he stared back at her. Though he no longer frowned, there was a watchfulness in his gaze. “It bothers me that you are so distrustful, but I do not fault you for it. Experience has taught me that people who are so guarded typically have cause to be.”
“Indeed. And I cannot help but notice you did not answer my question.”
“About why I insist on approaching you?”
She lifted her chin expectantly.
The man shrugged and offered an easy smile. “Because I find you interesting and I thought I might be able to provide you with a welcome diversion.”
“Diversion? From what?”
His gaze swept a circled around their current position. “All of this,” he replied simply.
Eleanor shifted her weight, unnerved by his insight. Was her discomfort so obvious to him? Even worse…his tactics seemed to be working. She wasn’t the slightest bit aware of anyone else at the moment.
Disturbed by the revelation, she was swiftly overwhelmed with a need to shift the topic to something less personal. Without thinking itthrough, she asked bluntly, “Does this have to do with the necklace?”
Though she hadn’t intended to bring up the subject so directly, she was rather glad she did when she noted his reaction. In a blink, he suddenly became more alert, his body drew taut, and his expression shifted into something…much more focused. His eyes met and held hers with a probing focus.
“So, youdidrecognize the image in my drawing?” he asked in a low voice.
Suddenly wishing she hadn’t said anything, Eleanor shook her head and slid her gaze to the side. “I didn’t say that.”
He chuckled at her terrible attempt at denial. “You didn’t have to.” His voice dropped further as he took another step toward her. “But if you do know something about it…”
When he didn’t finish his sentence, Eleanor turned back to meet his stare. It was intense, bright, and piercing.
“I would be very interested in hearing about it,” he said in a compelling tone.
A shiver coursed through her. The roguish charmer had completely disappeared. In his place was someone quite different. Someone focused and direct.
The change in him was…riveting. For some reason, the man suddenly seemed much morehimself.
“How did you come by such an image?” she asked, her voice a near whisper.
He hesitated. It was only a second, but she saw the moment he paused in indecision before replying. “I drew it.”
Her eyes widened before realization dawned and she scoffed. The man was lying. “That’s impossible.”
