Page 72 of To Catch A Rogue

Maybe I was waiting for you?Lark breathed out slowly. "Never."

"Huh."

Her eyes narrowed. What did that mean?

"You know I'm not experienced. My first kiss only happened a couple of days ago. You were there."

"Thank you for reminding me," he growled, looming over her.

She set her hands on her hips. "And why are you so curious?"

"Maybe I'm trying to work out why you're so resistant to the idea of the two of us." His eyes turned serious. "I wouldn't expect anything you weren't willing to give. I would wait, Lark, if you were nervous or uncertain or...." He shrugged helplessly. "I would wait until you were ready."

Suddenly she couldn't breathe.

He'd hinted that he intended to pursue this, but some small part of her had thought it a mere game to him. Another man had kissed her, arousing his competitive streak and jealousy. It was undeniable that there was an attraction between them, and he'd missed her, of course he had, but where did this end?

Because she couldn't accept anything less than forever.

And she would demand everything, if he ever accepted her terms.

If she could just say those words....

If she could only bring herself to splay her heart so bare.

She tried to explain, truly she did. "I'm not nervous about.... I trust you. I've always trusted you. I know you wouldn't hurt me. Not like that."

"But you think I'll hurt you in some other way?" he asked quietly.

Lark bowed her head.

It was her own fault. Her grief had torn them apart and then he'd left her behind in the rookery without a backwards glance, and it had hurt so much, she didn't know if she had it in her to make herself so vulnerable anymore.

Because she'd loved him more than he'd ever loved her.

"I don't want to lose you," she whispered. "Not again. And if we stay only friends...."

"It wouldn't work. We both know it's more than that."

"For me.... Yes." The words blurted out of her before she could stop them. She clapped both hands over her mouth in horror.

Stillness. Silence.

All she could see was his chest, his fingers curling into a fist at his side.

Oh, God, what had she done?

"For me too," he whispered, tugging her hands from her lips and holding them. "Lark, you're the most important person in my life. I promise that if we took this step, you would never lose me. I would never let you go, to start with. But.... I have concerns too, you know?"

He did?

Charlie reached out and slipped two fingers under her chin, lifting her face to his. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Yes." Her heart started to pound.

"You know everything about me," he murmured, his thumb stroking over the dimple in her chin. "Every secret I've ever kept from others. Every embarrassing moment I've ever had. But sometimes I wonder if I know everything about you."

She went utterly still.