Fielding another bolt of disturbing heat, because he’d realised how more and more attractive she was becoming to him, Hal leveled her a deliberately flirtatious smile. ‘How could I refuse such an irresistible invitation? You certainly know how to tempt a man when he’s down, Ms Blessington...especially when he’s literally been knocked off his feet.’
His companion’s even white teeth worried delicately at her fulsome lower lip.
‘Are you saying that you’re more susceptible to temptation when you’re feeling low?’
Hal responded with a short, ironic laugh. ‘I hardly need a reason to be more susceptible to temptation than I am already.’ His voice had turned unwittingly husky and Kit’s rosy cheeks turned even rosier, he noticed.
‘Well...’ Seizing the chance to free herself from his undoubtedly disconcerting examination, she got hurriedly to her feet. ‘I’d better get on with making you that toast.’
‘Don’t forget to do some for yourself.’
‘All I need in the morning is a cup of tea.’
His gaze swept pointedly up and down her figure. ‘You’ll fade away. You’re not on some ridiculous diet, I hope?’
‘No, I’m not.’ Her expression was painfully affronted. ‘Do you think I’d be on a diet at the expense of my health? I trust I have more common sense than that. In any case I’m a high-energy person and I don’t easily put on weight. The more I do, the more I just burn it off.’
‘Well, don’t get too skinny.’ Hal grinned, absentmindedly stirring another teaspoon of sugar into his coffee. ‘I like my women to have a decent amount of flesh on their bones.’
‘Well...how fortunate that I’m not one of your women, then,’ Kit returned smartly, delphinium-blue eyes flashing. ‘In any case, according to the press, you certainly have plenty to choose from.’
So she had read those tiresome reports of his so-called salacious conduct in the newspapers. It seemed he wasn’t going to get off lightly in her eyes...broken leg or no broken leg. She wouldn’t be in a hurry to grant him any kind of dispensation. He silently balked at the idea that what she’d read about him might have already sullied her opinion.
‘It may or may not interest you to know, but I haven’t had a date in over six months now—and you really should be a bit more discerning about what you read in the tabloids, Kit. Maybe it’s time you changed to a better class of newspaper?’
The flush on her face was akin to the shade of fresh beetroot, and Hal instantly regretted the biting comment. But it was too late to retract it.
‘You’re entitled to your opinion, of course. Would you like some more coffee with your toast, Mr Treverne?’
Moving over to the shiny stainless steel toaster on the counter, Kit had obviously decided not to get into a debate about the issue, and although he secretly craved her forgiveness for being so cutting Hal was undeniably relieved. But he still wasn’t able to let her have the last word...
‘So we’re back to the more formal address now, are we? I told you I’d prefer it if you didn’t call me that. Anyway...’
She turned just in time to see him raise a mocking eyebrow, his gaze unwavering and direct.
‘...don’t you think it’s rather ridiculous when you’ve seen me buck naked in the bath?’
‘You had a towel wrapped round you, as I recall.’ Kit crossed her arms over her shirt and her glance was formidably fierce.
‘A ridiculously small towel that left very little to the imagination, I’m sure.’
‘Are you forgetting that I helped you into your robe afterwards?’
‘No, I hadn’t forgotten. I was merely being a gentleman and not mentioning it.’
With a bemused look, Kit sighed. ‘At any rate, don’t you think I have anything better to do than spend my time dwelling on what you look like naked?’
‘No doubt you do. But don’t bruise my already fragile ego by denying me the very healthy male fantasy of you lusting after my body in your spare time.’
‘Oh, for goodness’ sake...you’re impossible!’
‘I’ve been called worse things in my time.’
‘I think we should just call a halt to this inane conversation right now and concentrate on having our breakfast, don’t you?’
Once again Hal lifted a sardonic brow. ‘You just told me that you don’t eat breakfast.’
With a frustrated groan, Kit pushed back the tendril of auburn hair that had drifted onto her forehead and exasperatedly rolled her eyes. ‘Well, I might just be driven to it to help me keep up my strength if you persist in trying to wind me up all day!’