Page 12 of One Jewel-tide Scandal (Singular Sensation #10.5)

“Stop this foolishness at once, Sir Alexander,” Charlotte demanded as she peered up at him in the tree. “No one needs mistletoe.”

“While that is probably true, you had indicated a want for the plant, so I, in return for the lodging and food you have so graciously bestowed on me and my driver, will fetch it for you.” As he balanced on the branch, he slowly withdrew a knife from the inside of his boot.

Seconds later, more than a few sprigs of the plant fell to the snow-covered ground below. “You’re welcome, Your Ladyship.”

Chuckles emanated from the footmen.

Then a spate of barking rang through the chilly air as Charlie apparently had come looking for him.

“Thank you. Now come down from there,” she ordered while she gingerly gathered the sprigs of mistletoe decorating the ground.

“Spoilsport.” Climbing down was easier said than done, mostly because he had to do it backward from how he’d come up.

Additionally, his fingers and toes were half frozen, so that affected his grip on the branches.

Halfway down, his foot slipped from a branch.

When he tried to grab at another one to halt the inevitable, he missed.

“Ah!” It took all of seconds, but he fell.

With no room to tumble tip over tail, he landed heavily on his back. “Bloody hell.”

“Alexander!” The countess screamed. She rushed over the ground and then threw herself onto her knees at his side with the mistletoe scattered about nearby. “Alexander, can you hear me?”

Well, that was one way of getting her close.

“Ugh and ow.” With a grin flashed to the footmen who moved away to the sled with their green bounty, Alex affected a groan.

It wasn’t hard and the wind had been knocked out of him a bit, but he couldn’t help making a Drury Lane bit out of it.

“I didn’t… expect to fall… out of the tree. ”

“You’re an arse, and took too great a risk.

” With concern reflecting in her hazel eyes, she leaned over him, presumably to inspect for broken bones beneath his greatcoat.

“How dare you do something so foolish when you know help won’t be able to reach us if you need it?

” “Are you hurt?” With her fingers, she explored his head and neck.

“Can you speak? Draw breath?” Worry echoed in her voice.

“Leave off, woman.” Though it brought him a bit of pain to draw breath, Alex brushed her hands away. “I’m well.” He gasped. “Just had the wind knocked out of me.”

“Oh, thank God. Don’t do that again.” The countess peered down at him with emotions clouding her eyes, and he didn’t dare to read any of them. “You frightened me.”

“At least we both know you’re firmly within the land of the living then, hmm? No more hiding?” With what felt like a cheeky grin, he lifted a gloved hand and cupped her cheek. “Give me a few moments and I’ll be right as rain.”

She continued to check for broken bones. “I’ll wager your back will pain you, and you’ll have bruises from this stupid attempt at virility.”

“Virility? Is that what you see in me?” He waggled his eyebrows, but she merely glowered at him. “It was worth it since we do have the mistletoe.”

“I never thought you a stupid man. Perhaps the footmen can transport you back to the house on the sled.”

“Perish that thought, my lady.” Then, because he couldn’t help it, slowly Alex brought a hand to her nape and then dragged her down until he could claim her lips.

Fleeting, all too brief, he kissed her cold lips while she curled one hand into the front of his greatcoat.

Those two pieces of flesh cradled his own as if they had been made exclusively for him, and when the flitting glide of the tip of her tongue went along his bottom lip so quickly he thought he’d imagined it, Alex stifled a groan.

It took all his willpower not to deepen that one meeting of mouths, for there was nothing else he wanted in that moment than to kiss her senseless in the snow.

To roll her onto her back and lay her down on the scarlet bed of her cloak while he took full advantage of discovering the secrets of her mouth.

When he finally let her go and she straightened with a blush in her cheeks, he glanced toward the footmen, who flashed grins of their own.

“Cheeky as well as foolish,” she whispered.

The footmen shared a snicker. “We should head back to the manor before the butler sends out a search party.” Desire made her voice quite throaty, and that same emotion was reflected in her eyes that were now more green than brown.

Did that mean she’d felt the attraction that flared between them? “I’d rather not cause a scandal here.”

“Ah, then that assumes you wouldn’t mind doing so elsewhere?”

She made a sound of exasperation. “Do stop, Sir Alexander, and stand up. If you continue to lie in the snow, you’ll catch cold.

” As Charlie raced over to him with a yelp of gladness and a wagging tail, the countess gathered the scattered mistletoe and then scrambled to her feet. “I won’t take care of you, you know.”

“Oh, I’ll wager you would. You couldn’t help it.” When he gained his feet, he groaned again, and put a hand to the small of his back. “Yes, I’ll definitely have bruises.”

“Serves you right.” Then she glanced at the footmen and back at him. “Have the housekeeper draw you a bath when we return home.”

“Don’t be cross, my lady. There was no harm done.

” And what was more, something had been exchanged between them during that impromptu kiss.

Something he wanted to explore. “Before long, the roads will clear and the chill will leave the area, so I can continue on my way.” The thought of the looming separation brought a wad of emotion into his throat.

“You can go back to your life, and I can continue with mine.”

Though, what life was that when he’d done nothing of consequence with his days? Nothing, until he’d arrived here.

“Such is life, I suppose.” Then, with an inscrutable expression, Charlotte scooped up some snow in her mittened hand, and dropped it down the back of his collar. “That’s for kissing me in front of an audience,” she said when he howled as the frozen precipitation slipped down his back.

Then her words sank into his brain. “Then you wouldn’t mind if our next one is in private?”

“Do shut up, Tattingham.” She tucked the mistletoe into a pocket of her cloak. “Let us not think of that at the moment.” Clicking her tongue and giving a snap, she addressed the beagle. “Come, Charlie. Leave your nodcock of a master alone. Let’s go home.”

With a whine, the beagle gave his knee one last paw then he fell into a trot behind the countess, even went so far as to nip at the hem of her cloak.

Alex couldn’t help but laugh, and it felt so good to do so he continued it. Afterward, he assisted the footmen with their evergreen load, and took their good-natured teasing.

Never had Christmastide been this entertaining