Page 109 of To Catch A Rogue

A warm hand stroked up the back of her neck, cupping the back of her skull.

"Breathe," he whispered.

"I'm sorry. I didn't expect the intensity of... that."

There was a faint stirring against the top of her hair. A gentle kiss. "Sometimes it's stronger than the blood thirst. When you drink blood, even a little eases the press of the craving, but this is different. A single kiss burns through you like a wildfire. Each touch only makes it worse. The only way to slake it is to take it to the end."

Lark looked up. "You've felt this before?"

His kohl-lined lashes hid his eyes. "Sometimes."

Who?She was suddenly, burningly jealous.

"There was a girl," he admitted. "She was beautiful, but she didn't know it. Fierce, and kind. A little guarded. She had the most amazing eyes. I dreamed of kissing her, but I didn't dare. I dreamed of doing a hell of a lot more to her than that, but—"

"I don't want to know." Lark pushed away from him.

She made it three steps before the leash hauled her to a halt. She'd completely forgotten about it.

Charlie reeled her back in, hand over hand along the leash. His smile seemed a little dangerous. "I like it when you're jealous."

"I'm not jealous."

He brushed a strand of hair from her face. "It was you, you idiot."

"What?"

Fierce. Beautiful. Amazing eyes....

She didn't know what to do with that information. There was something blooming within her; a little bit of a breathless feeling.

It was as if being here, like this, lowered both their guards.

Charlie waited patiently.

"Me?" she whispered.

"The most frustrating, impossible girl I've ever known," he replied, with that devilish smile. Bending down, he pressed a sweet, fleeting kiss to her lips. "You look like I've just hit you with a brick."

"I spent most of my life dressed like a boy!" she protested.

"In incredibly tight trousers." He rolled his eyes. "Do you know how difficult it was in those last few years to try and pretend I wasn't noticing just what your ass looked like in buckskin breeches?"

He grabbed her by the elbow and steered her back to the main room. "As intriguing as this discussion has been, I think we'd best focus on what we're here for. Why don't we finish it later? When we're alone?"

She hated that she felt like she'd just been thrown into deep water, while he was coolly navigating the terrain like a professional.

"There's Gemma and Obsidian," she murmured, as if to prove she had complete control of herself.

"Gemma looks like she's having the time of her life."

"And Obsidian looks like his collar's a little too tight."

"Can't blame him. Did she just—?"

Lark elbowed him in the ribs. "Try not to drool."

"Youarejealous." He sounded delighted as he leaned down and kissed her neck. "You do realize Gemma's like my sister? Indeed, she could give Honoria a run for her money when it comes to giving a lecture."