Noah smiled at her. “Goodnight, Audrey.”
“Goodnight,” she said, watching him go back to the door and open it. “Oh, and Noah?”
“Yes?”
“Go to bed. Don’t start a fight with Griffin tonight.” She stared at him evenly. “Please, for me.”
Noah seemed to contemplate her request before he nodded. “For you, Audrey. But don’t believe for a moment that I’ll forget. I owe my friend a very serious conversation. Very serious, indeed.”
Chapter Six
Griffin peeked around the corner into the dining room, but immediately pulled back with a grimace. Audrey was inside reading the Morning Chronicle. There was no way he could evade her now unless he avoided breakfast completely, and for some reason his stomach was begging for food. In fact, he hadn’t been so ravenous in months.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see Audrey. On the contrary, he’d thought of her all night. And that was why he had to stay away. After their kiss, his friendship with Noah, Audrey’s cover, and even his own sanity were all in jeopardy.
He had to treat this encounter as a test of his wavering control. One he had no choice but to pass.
With a deep breath, he strolled into the room.
“Good morning, Audrey,” he said, sitting down at the head of the table and giving her what he hoped was a nonchalant smile.
The paper rattled as she stiffened. “Go-good morning, my lord.”
As she began the awkward task of refolding the paper, he took the opportunity to look at her more closely. Her eyes were a bit dull from lack of sleep and her face was an alluring shade of pale pink. Triumph surged through him. His kiss had affected her as much as him. Thoughts of it and her had plagued him, first causing sleeplessness and then restless, hot dreams that made him wake aching for her.
The swish of the paper brought him back to matters at hand. Audrey had succeeded in folding it, but it was mangled.
“What are you doing?” he asked with a cocked eyebrow.
She blinked in confusion. “Having breakfast.”
His gaze drifted over to the plate in front of her. It contained a dry crust of toasted bread, with no evidence that anything else had ever been there.
“Dry toast and tea?” he queried, meeting her eyes with wry smile. “Is that any way to start the day?”
She frowned and the edge of challenge returned to her voice. “I wasn’t hungry.”
“Hmmm, I wonder why.” He stirred cream into his own tea while he enjoyed the stunned look on her face. Whether it was a good idea or not, he loved to tease her. It made him feel light as he hadn’t for years.
She cleared her throat and rose to her feet. With a swift nod, she held out the mess that had once been the Chronicle.
“I took the liberty of reading it first. I hope you don’t mind. Good day.”
Griffin leapt to his feet and caught her wrist gently. “Wait Audrey.”
“What is it?” Her eyes trailed to the hand on her wrist as the slightest shiver moved through her.
“Why are you running?” With more reluctance than was healthy, he let her go. “We’re friends, aren’t we? Can’t we simply break our fast together as friends do?” A flash of something sad flickered deep in her eyes. “Yes, Griffin, we are… friends. And I suppose there’s no harm in sharing a meal.” With a stiff smile, he turned her chair out a fraction and allowed her to sit before returning to the head of the table.
“You should eat a proper breakfast anyway,” he said.
A smirk turned up one corner of her lips. It astonished Griffin what one sly glance from her could do to him. It had never been this way before, not even with Luci. His wife had inspired desire from him early on, but that feeling hadn’t consumed him. It hadn’t made him lay awake in his bed wondering how he could find a chance to touch her.
Audrey did that.
She rolled her eyes as the maid placed a brimming plate of food before her. “Why all the concern about my eating habits?”
With a shake of his head that did nothing to clear his addled mind, Griffin answered, “How can you save the world from evil on an empty stomach?” She stared at him in surprise, then began to chuckle. At first it was a small giggle, then it grew to a full-blown laugh. To his surprise, he found himself joining in. Though his laughter was untested, it felt wonderful.
“I don’t think I would go so far as to say I’m saving the world from evil,” she finally said as wiped her eyes to clear the tears of mirth that had jumped into them. “What we do isn’t as romantic as all that.” “Hmm,” Griffin murmured, taking a bite of eggs and chewing thoughtfully. “If it isn’t romantic, then why do you do it? I could see last night you take no pleasure in it.” Audrey drew in a short breath and immediately shook her head. “No! If I gave you that impression, I apologize. Of course, there are some aspects of this occupation I don’t like. But on the whole, I find it fascinating. If I hadn’t taken Noah’s offer to help him all those years ago, I never would have gone to the continent. I never would have met some incredibly interesting people.” “And a cad like Douglas Ellison never would have laid his dirty hands on you,” Griffin added, doing his best to reign in his returning anger.
Audrey’s nostrils flared just the slightest bit as she dropped her eyes to her plate. “Yes. But you wouldn’t have either.” Griffin’s fork slid from his hand and hit the edge of his plate with a loud clatter that made them both jump. He hadn’t expected her to open that topic for discussion, but now that she had…
“I shouldn’t have taken such liberties with you,” he said softly, righting his fork. “I do apologize.”
“Don’t.” She looked at him with eyes that had darkened to the deepest blue he’d ever seen. “Now we’re even, I suppose. I kissed you in a moment of weakness and you kissed me.” He flashed back to both kisses. They had blurred in his mind until they were almost one sweet caress despite the years that separated them. “I suppose that’s one way to look at it.” “In fact, what happened almost makes me feel better.” The slight crack in her voice was the only indication she gave that the subject made her uncomfortable. “I didn’t know it was possible for you to lose that careful control you present to the world. I thought I was the only one. But now I see anyone can do something… foolish.” He was torn between two options. He could follow her lead and brush off the kiss as a lack of judgment. Or he could make an enormous leap of faith and tell her it had meant more to him.
Suddenly an image of Luci leapt into his mind. Luci lying. Luci destroying his world. He never wanted to go through that again. Never.
“Yes, well foolish is the word for it,” he choked out, taking a long sip of tea. “I’m glad we both feel that way. I allowed my concern for you to slip into…” He wanted to say desire, but didn’t.
“To slip into over-protectiveness?” Audrey examined the design on the lacy tablecloth intently. “And that lead to…”
“The kiss,” he finished with a nod. “But I know you can take care of yourself. You have Noah to protect you if you need him, and Hannah. I won’t make the same mistake again.” She dipped her head and nodded sadly, her look grave as she picked at the food on her plate. Instinctively, Griffin reached across to take her hand.
“I’m sorry.”
He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze, as he wondered what exactly he was apologizing for. Perhaps for the kiss they’d shared the night before. Perhaps for the one they’d shared years ago. Or maybe because he was sorry. Sorry he couldn’t… shouldn’t take more.
For a brief moment when she looked up, he saw the volumes of emotion she felt, then she covered them with whatever skills she’d been taught as a spy.