Actually, Lydia quite liked knowing she had the power to make him laugh so much. When she'd met him, he'd seemed so dark. So hurt and angry. A man who'd sacrificed himself, who'd begged his friend to kill him rather than become the darkest thing imaginable. That man had desperately needed some light in his life. And...well, maybe that light was her. Maybe she'd meant to be the one to reply to that post. To talk to him, to be silly with him, and Hal, too. They needed someone to give them a boost. They'd had that Annie back home, here...well, here they had her. Plain, ordinary, human her. "Promise to keep a tally sheet?" she teased, her smile wicked.
She couldn't think about Lord Harry. Because she knew what she'd promised and she knew what it might all come down to. Putting herself in the lives of these men meant risk. Not just the risk of her death, though that was up there. She could be used against them, whichever turned first. Or she could be turned herself, made into one of them and forced into the life they both were currently fighting against. She hated it. Hated thinking about it, constanly worrying about it. So she didn't. It was in the back of her mind at all times, always something to consider. But she didn't let it rule her thinking, either. So she simply nodded her agreement, keeping her face neutral.
Besides. How could she think about Hal going dark at a time like this? When he was making those so sweet sounds and relaxing into her touch and she found she wanted to bring this out of him more often. Lydia Bennet, the flirt, the one famed in the books for being far too forward for her time. So she continued the gesture, one strand of hair and then another, just lightly touching; gentle reminders that she was there and that he meant a hell of a lot more to her than she really wanted him to.
"You're a terrible influence, you know. You say I'm going to get you in trouble, but I really think it's the other way around. His books being alphabetized by title, now they're done by author, hmm? Or my favorite, wander around the house moving something out of place every few feet. Not a lot, just subtle enough to drive him crazy." Which she'd only ever do if he deserved it.
Okay, so she may not have to act like a total whore. But he had opened himself up to it. "Oh, lakes? You want to go skinny dipping, is that it? Only been once before, believe it or not, but I am always up for a repeat performance." And, admittedly, the grin on her face was entirely too wicked for words. Let him sit with those images. Let him imagine a day in June, hot summer sun and the much cooler waters of a local lake under the moonlight. If she played her cards right, if this all worked as she hoped, he'd be hers by then anyway.
And there he went again. Being so sweet and so good and ugh, was it any wonder she already had plans to win his heart? "If I'm going to stay gorgeous, the gym is a necessity. Especially after three cupcakes. Let me tell you what a day of regret that was. Probably a bit like the entire 80s for you."