Page 31 of To Catch A Rogue

Obsidian pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. She'd been on edge for weeks. Not sleeping well enough, if at all. Determined to iron out every flaw in their plan and account for every possibility. She'd lost at least ten pounds, and for a woman who filled out a ball gown spectacularly, it was starting to show.

"I'll keep an eye on her," he told her. "You've more than enough to worry about."

"Thank you."

"Focus on Malloryn. If there's something Lark is hiding, I'll get to the bottom of it."

Gemma tilted her face to his to take advantage of his affection. She brushed her lips against his, the kiss softening as she melded against him. The first brush of her tongue stirred his hunger, and he muscled her back against the wall of their bedroom.

All that silk hid the exquisiteness of her skin. He wanted to tear it off her.

But you have a job to do.

Obsidian finally drew back, his fists clenched in the fabric of her bustle. "Later," he told her, breathing hard. "Ball first. Balfour first. Then I'll make love to you all night long."

"Whom are you trying to convince?" she asked, with an impish smile.

Heavens grant him the strength. "Me. Definitely me."

Gemma's smile lit the whole world. "Have I ever told you how much I adore you?"

"No. But I'm hardly averse to hearing it."

Chapter 7

Lark wore a cloak that covered her from head to toe, but occasionally Charlie would catch a glimpse of red skirts flashing through, and he couldn't help wanting to rub his hand over the back of his neck. Every inch of him was on edge. Maybe it had been the way Byrnes laughed and clamped a hand over his mouth. Or the smile Gemma tried to hide.

Or maybe it's because Lark looks like she's going to break a dozen hearts tonight.

Gemma had done an excellent job.

Lark's hair was gathered off her long, elegant neck, and Gemma must have powdered her face, for her cheeks held just a pinch of color, and her lips were glossy and pink. He couldn't stop staring at them.

He'd been seventeen when he began to notice she was beautiful, in a wild, feline way that saidI will cut you if you look at me sideways, but right now, she looked dangerous in a completely different manner of speaking.

She looked like she could rip hearts out of men's chests with a simple sidelong glance of those mysterious eyes.

She even moved differently, and her laugh had become this husky sound that shivered through him and saidoh you are so droll, even when he hadn't said anything particularly funny.

This wasn't the Lark he knew.

And maybe that was why he was so disconcerted by it all; it had been three years and he'd known he had changed, but so had she. The footprints of their friendship were still there, but they were different people now, and he'd never been so aware of it.

Charlie offered Lark his arm as the carriage disbursed them on the circular driveway in front of the palace.

"Ready?" he asked as he led her up the stairs to the palace.

"Are you?"

That was definitely a challenge in her eyes.

"Why do I get the feeling you just slapped me with your glove?"

"Are we dueling?" she mused as the footmen opened the enormous double doors and welcomed them.

"I don't know. Here. Allow me." He set his hands to her cloak.

Lark glanced back over her shoulder, her eyes sparkling, and with a very small smile, she stepped out of the cloak. He was left with a handful of silk, his mouth dropping open as he caught a glimpse of her gown.