Page 90 of The Starling and the Hatter

Hatcher chuckled, running his fingers up and down my arm. “No, of course not. It’s just the longer she’s here, the longer I have to wait to ask you to marry me.”

I stilled, blinking in stunned silence.

His hand suddenly stopped moving over my skin and he lifted his head. “Did I say that out loud?”

I slowly raised my head to look at him and nodded, too shocked to speak.

“Right.” He scratched at the back of his head. “That wasn’t how that was supposed to go.”

“Did you mean it?” I asked.

He glanced over at me with a nervous and self-deprecating smile. “Of course I meant it.”

I chewed on my lip, waiting to see if he’d say more, make it more official. When he didn’t, I asked, “Then can I just say yes?”

"No,” he said immediately, pulling back.

"Why not?" I protested. Confused and anxious and excited.

"Because I had a plan. I had things”—he pulled his hands down his face—“to say. I have something I want to give you."

I clasped my hands together to prevent them from reaching out and shaking him. “So you want me to wait?"

“Yes."

"For how long?" I tried to keep the dismay out of my voice, but it came out as a whine.

“I don’t know.” He turned toward me, framing my face with his hands. “I just…I’ve been trying to give you room to get to know your grandmother. I didn't want—”

"Hatcher,” I said, grabbing his wrists and resisting the urge to just kiss him quiet. We needed to keep talking. This wasn’t the time to throw myself at him.

"Yes?"

I paused, wanting to tell him to just get on with it but also wondering if he wasn’t quite ready. “I don't want to rush you, but please don't hold off on my account." There. That was both honest and understanding.

His gaze delved into mine. ”Are you certain?”

“I am the most certain I could be.” I tried to communicate with my eyes just how much I was ready for him to ask me.

He chewed on the side of his lip for a moment, studying my face, thinking. “All right.” He abruptly pulled away and got to his feet.

"You're leaving?” I asked when he turned toward the house. “Now? In the middle—”

He turned toward me and held up his hands to stop my protests. “I’ll be right back,” he said, walking backward. “Just stay here.”

“Ugh!” I groaned and fell back in the grass.

The door opened and shut as he went inside. This was so unfair. But also incredibly exciting and romantic. I loved that Hatcher wanted to do it in some special way, but I hoped he knew that I didn’t need anything fancy. I just needed him.

I heard the door open and sat up to look at the house. He came out with something held behind his back. "Will you close your eyes?”

“Of course,” I answered with a smile and closed my eyes as he came closer.

"Keep them closed,” he said as he came around to sit on the ground in front of me. He took my hands in his, running his thumbs on the back of my fingers. "All right,” he said. “Open them."

I opened my eyes to see him sitting before me, his face bright and nervous. "Elise," he said, his voice quiet.

"Yes, Hatch?" I scooted a little closer so that our knees touched.