Page 86 of Fundamentals in Flirting

“Any questions? Or should we get on with judging the creations waiting for us in there?” Teddy gestured over his shoulder and into the produce tent.

“Why did you turn me down?” My voice was little more than a whisper. I wished my honey badger would bloody well make an appearance in this, my hour of need, instead of the funny little softly spoken fairy creature I seemed to have become.

“I only turned you down because I don’t want the first time we sleep together to be some drunken fumble on my couch. I want you fully aware of what you’re doing, of what I’m doing to you, and what the hell that means, because”—he leant in close, his breath a soft caress over my skin—“once we do it, I’m never ever letting you run away from me again.”

ChapterTwenty-Six

As if in a daze, I followed Teddy into the marquee, alive with tumbling feelings that were rocking me off my axis. I stumbled along behind him, barely aware of the stifling heat and press of bodies around us. The brush of his fingers against mine lit up my skin. With a quick glance down, I watched hypnotically as Teddy wrapped my hand in his and guided me through the throng of people towards the far end of the tent. And I was grateful. I felt grounded to this point of contact, the radiation of warmth, the steady stroke of his thumb over my skin, the gentle reassurance as he squeezed my palm.

We stopped in front of the lines of children’s entries – three tables full of gardens on a plate, artwork, flower arrangements and animals made of vegetables – and not for the first time I was immensely glad that Teddy was the one who was in this with me. Expectant parents and wide-eyed youngsters stood around, watching our every move as we perused the offerings, and Teddy murmured things like “What a lovely replica pond in this one, with the little pebbles and the painted waterfall”; or “How about this wonderful drawing of a pony”; or “What an amazing vegetable hedgehog, such inventive use of carrots as spines”.

And I nodded and smiled along with him, agreeing and trying to look as if I was paying attention and not just fixating on how his mouth moved as he spoke, or on the occasional glimpse of his tongue and the salacious memories it evoked, which completely derailed my train of thought.

“What do you think?” Teddy asked.

What I was thinking was not really appropriate for a family audience, so instead I inclined my head and said, “The hedgehog has to win, obviously.”

“I agree. Hedgehogs are definitely my favourite of all animals and are even better in vegetable form. Well done, Oliver, aged four.” Teddy placed the small red card with “first prize” next to the hedgehog, and a squeak of excitement erupted from a blond-haired little boy to his left. Teddy’s answering smile was dazzling. “It’s a great hedgehog, buddy.”

I didn’t know how it was possible for him to become any more attractive, but in that moment he was elevated to top-tier, bestselling romance novel hero, like the most swoonworthy Regency duke you could imagine, and I had to put my hand on the table to stop my knees from buckling. And wasn’t that embarrassing? Because Teddy noticed and gave me a sexy little half-smirk, which didn’t really help matters.

When we had dished out all the certificates, and some special prizes for some particularly young competitors, we finally escaped the tent, stepping back out into the sunshine and leaving the claustrophobic hustle behind.

“Well done, you two.” Fiona appeared out of nowhere. “Glad to see you’re getting on again now.”

“You’re welcome,” I replied, subconsciously stepping away from Teddy, trying to feign indifference. After all, old habits die hard, but I was fooling no one if the smile behind her hand was anything to go by.

Teddy leant down and kissed his mother lightly on the cheek, and she patted his face affectionately.

“You should bring Hannah home for dinner and let us all get to know her a little better.”

“Perhaps.”

He was being cagey, the sideways glance he gave me was anxious and questioning, and I didn’t know how to respond. My whole body was awkward. We hadn’t talked about this, I hadn’t really thought beyond the very real desire to rip his clothes off.

And despite his earlier admission, some little niggles of doubt remained.

“Always so evasive.” Fiona sighed and rolled her eyes. “Don’t ruin this, Edward. She’s an exceptional woman and she’s not going to wait around forever.” And with a smile at me, she turned on her heel and headed back into the marquee.

“I should go.”

“Not unless you have a genuine reason to leave. You’re not running out on me again.” Teddy grabbed my hand. “We’ve been through this.”

“What?” I laughed nervously. “I wasn’t running away.”

I totally was.

“You totally were.” His eyebrows knitted together and his voice took on a growly, seductive tone. “Please don’t run from me.”

“But—”

“I know what’s happening here. My mother inviting us for dinner has fried your brain, hasn’t it?”

“No.” But my head was nodding all the same.

“I thought so.”

Stepping into face me, he ran his knuckles softly down my cheek, his thumb dragging over my bottom lip, his other hand holding me tightly.

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