His expression softened, and his eyes may have just gone a little darker. He put the dish and the silverware down, and reached across with his right hand to hold hers. He rubbed his thumb gently across the back of her hand.
"An' that would never do, would it Mercedes?" he asked softly.
"I don't want to stop, how about you?" he added carefully, aware that that could be taken in a myriad of ways.