"Don't get me wrong, Bella is hot," Ash said and then said a little impulsively without thinking about what it could mean, "but I might have interest somewhere else. Somewhere I'm far more interested in exploring." Ash was looking at Lyra, making it pretty obvious about who he was talking about. He was happy to hear he'd impressed her. He liked to impress people but with Lyra he felt like he was breaking down barriers she kept up to keep him at arm's length. Even if he sometimes got the distinct impression she wished they were much closer and more intimately so as well.
He turned his body a bit toward her, "Mr. Darcy saw something in Elizabeth, but he didn't have someone distracting him already. I could be like him in that when I see someone I want, I want them."