Page 68 of A Christmas Temptation for the Duke
She moaned. “But I am so hungry…” The spoon of batter moved closer to her mouth. “I do not think I can wait that long.”
“Alison…” He frowned, confusion setting in. “I do not think you are supposed to eat it before it is cooked.”
“Oh, I don’t think it matters.”
“It might make you ill.”
“Might?” She pumped her eyebrows. “There is only one way to find out.” Then she glanced around as if to make sure that nobody was watching them. “Keep an eye out, will you? Make sure nobody sees.” She flashed her eyes at Daniel and opened her mouth to shove the spoonful of batter in.
“What are you doing?” Daniel leapt at her and grabbed her arm.
“Me?” she cried as if in distress. “What are you doing? Unhand me!”
“You cannot seriously consider eating that?”
“Are you going to stop me?” She raised both eyebrows at him as if in warning.
“I think I already am.”
“Typical,” she scoffed. “You just can’t help telling me what to do.”
“I am not –” He caught his tongue, fighting back his frustration. “I am just saying, it is not such a good idea to eat raw batter. I doubt it is good for you.”
“But you do not know.” She tried to pull her arm free.
He groaned. “Why are you so…”
“So what?” she demanded.
It took him a moment longer than it should have. No doubt he thought she was being purposefully obtuse. But she met his eyes, scowling at him, and then breaking into a smile. That was when he realized what she was doing.
“You are playing with me.”
“I am!” she laughed.
He scoffed and dropped her arm. “That wasn’t funny.”
“No…” Another idea came to mind then. A risky one, but under the circumstances, she figured it was worth it. “But this is.” And then, before he could stop her, she threw up the spoon filled with batter and shoved it right into Daniel’s face.
“Argh!” he cried out as the batter smeared across his nose and mouth. “What are you –”
“Lord Grayhill!” she cried as if in shock. “That is to be cooked! You cannot eat it out of the bowl!”
Daniel fumed as he wiped the batter from his face. He glared daggers at Alison, who blinked innocently. A moment of tensionpassed between them, she held her breath, praying that the joke worked. And that was when Daniel burst into laughter.
It was music to her ears. She sighed with relief and started to laugh along. Daniel chuckled and shook his head, and she winked at him.
“See,” she said rightly. “I knew you had it in yourself to have fun.”
“And this is fun, is it?”
“I don’t know. You tell me.”
That single moment changed the day completely. It was as if something had been unlocked inside of Daniel, allowing him to drop the sullen attitude and relax. To admit that he was enjoying the moment and that it was not such a bad thing to let down his guard.
“Give it here.” He snatched the bowl from her.
“What are you doing?” she cried in mock protest.
