Think something strange happened and an empty message came from me, sorry.

Anyway, paranoia can and does set in with some of us.
If they need that lighter to get your fingerprints, they could have also gotten them from the coctail waitress, your room if you are staying at their property, your id, if you gave it to them in getting a players card or enough other ways.
Smile say thanks, you have an opportunity for some useful small talk with the pit. If you can hold a conversation, not constantly look at the cards but yet keep the count, he may decide that you could not be counting because you conversed with him while hands were going on.
When I began counting, my uncle would have me turn around while he dealt out 5 or 6 blackjack hands. Then I would turn, look at the cards for a second and turn again and tell him the count of the cards on the table. With practice this can easily be done and though at first you may not have confidence in it, after coming up with the right number nearly everytime it will be second nature to you. I do not smoke but I enjoy the cover of giving my almost undivided attention to a critter while playing my hand.
Victoria