Josephine’s gaze jerked back to his from where she had been staring at her siblings, her eyes widening slightly as if she were surprised he would dare to say such, or maybe because she was surprised that he had noticed.
“Your parents make a fine couple,” Henry told her, directing her gaze to where they both stood talking to her eldest brother and his wife, fondly catching up despite how lacklustre the support of their son had obviously been over the years. They were just as warm and gracious with their other kids as Josephine. And while Henry found it hardly fair, he felt it spoke volumes about their characters. “They set a great example, do they not?”
Josephine’s smile grew soft as she followed his gaze, her lips quirking slightly.
“I suppose I should treat them warmly as my parents,” she acquiesced with a sigh.
Henry laughed.
“Oh, that isn’t at all what I meant.” He chuckled. “I pointed it out so I could say what we should aspire to in our old age. For now, I am more than happy to assist you in anything that makes you feel better regarding your siblings. I, myself, have a more vindictive heart than I would care for the world to know.”
Josephine glanced quickly at him, her eyes wide, before sputtering a laugh that required her to slap her hand over her lips.
“It’s only the aspiration of being as fine as your parents that kept me from informing your sister that she paled in comparison to you,” he continued bravely, enjoying far too much how quickly colour alighted on her cheekbones.
She was pretty when she was flustered.
More so, even when it was his complimenting her that made her so.
“I’m surprised at how well you handle them and this,” he continued more frankly, gesturing to the guests milling about the room and the social aspect of it all. On more than one occasion, she had mentioned that she wasn’t much out in society.
“I never said that I didn’t enjoy socializing.” Josephine laughed, looking up at him slyly. “I did, actually, quite enjoy attending events whenever my sister first came out in society.”
She looked impish, smiling like she was, her blue eyes shining. Without thinking about it, Henry reached over, lifting a stray auburn curl off her forehead and tucking it behind her ear. His fingers lingered against her cheekbone, tracing the line as he watched that colour in her cheeks deepen.
He was caught in her gaze again, as frozen as he had been staring at her that first day in the dining room.
She was always beautiful; her humour just made her more so, and the way her lips quirked drew his attention, making him trace the dip of her cupid’s bow upper lip with almost too much attention.
He’d only kissed her that once. There’d been no opportunity to repeat such an action, but staring at her just then, he could imagine doing so again. The room of people surrounding them be damned. Would she taste the same? Orwould she taste more of the champagne she’d sipped earlier? A combination of the two?
He leaned in closer, drawn in by the way her eyes were darting between his and his lips. His fingers skipped against her cheek, his whole body heating as he watched her sway towards him.
“Finally alone!”
Damn him. Simon had always had horrendous timing, but Henry had never cursed him quite so vehemently as he was at that moment, his hand falling from Josephine’s cheek as he turned to stare flintily at him.
Lisbet, on his arm, shot him an apologetic look as they neared, but she also looked pointedly to where his hand had just dropped, reminding him of just how publicly he had almost just kissed Josephine.
“What he means …” Lisbet laughed, speaking over her husband, “is that we have been waiting for the right moment.” She let go of her husband’s arm, shooting him a warning look before moving further forward to reach for Josephine’s hands.
Henry wanted to protest, his eyebrows furrowing as she pulled her from his side where he had only just secured her.
“I’ve been waiting for the opportunity all afternoon,” Lisbet continued, ignoring Henry’s ire entirely. “It’s been ages since we last got to visit, and I hear there’s scandal afoot,” she faux-whispered, leaning in with a grin. “You simply have to tell me all about it.”
“Well–” Henry started, only to be interrupted by Lisbet waving her hand at him as if to shoo him away.
“Not you,” she said with a sniff. “I visit with you often enough. I’m going to steal your bride-to-be away here.”
Josephine grinned, leaning into Lisbet’s charms just like everyone always did.
Damn her too.
It was a fleeting thought that was only half-bitter as Lisbet pulled Josephine away with her.
“I wish anyone would remember that she is my bride-to-be,” he groused good-naturedly, shaking his head as Josephine shot him a reassuring look over her shoulder.
“And thus, you have the rest of your life to monopolize her time,” Simon pointed out glibly as their women disappeared with their heads bowed together.
