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“He was perfectly behaved,” I replied, watching her. “Can we talk about yesterday?”
Ellie nodded and moved aside. “Come in.”
“Are you sure?”
“Max, I’m not terrified you’re going to jump me or anything. You can come in.” There was a cheeky sparkle in her eye that made me fight back a smile.
Shit.
Maybe Fred was right.
Maybe this woman did have me tied up in knots.
Ellie shut the door behind me. “I know you don’t really drink, but do you mind if I have a glass of wine while we talk? It’s been a long day.”
“No, of course not. Go ahead.”
“Thank you.”
“You don’t have to ask that, you know.”
She shrugged, leading me into the kitchen. “My aunt doesn’t drink, and she hates it when other people do around her even though it’s just a lifestyle choice for her. It always causes drama at every family gathering, so if I know someone doesn’t drink, I try to be respectful of that. Unless it’s my aunt. She can sod off.”
I chuckled a little at that. “That’s nice of you.”
Another shrug as she poured a glass. “Everyone has a reason for not drinking. The least I can do is be aware of that.” She put the bottle down and smiled at me. “But I really need this, so there’s every chance I might have smuggled it into a travel mug earlier under the guise of it being tea.”
I grinned. “Wow. Your day really has been bad.”
“Don’t go there,” she muttered, sipping. “So. Let’s talk and get it over and done with.”
“Yes, indeed.” I leant against the table. “I’m sorry for yesterday. I shouldn’t have kissed you, and I certainly shouldn’t have done so without asking you first. It was a mistake.”
Her lips tugged into a tiny smile. “Okay.”
I blinked. “Okay? That’s it? Just okay?”
“It was just a kiss, Max.” She set the glass down on a coaster and met my gaze. “It’s not the end of the world.”
“You’re not annoyed?”
“Whyever would I be annoyed? As far as kisses go, it was rather nice, and being kissed by a duke and flirted with by a future earl in the space of eighteen hours is quite good for a girl’s ego, as it happens.”
Fredflirtedwith her?
He hadn’t mentioned that part.
“Fred flirted with you?” I asked.
She shrugged one shoulder, smiling behind her glass before she sipped again. “Threatened to take me home with him, actually.”
I swallowed, shifting my weight slightly. “Nice estate, the Coventry one.”
“Mhm. I actually researched it for a past book.” She kept the wan smile firmly on her face, never breaking eye contact with me.
“That’s nice.” I forced a smile. “As long as there’s no hard feelings between us about yesterday.”
“No.” She put her glass down again and leant against a chair. “None at all.”
