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The responding officers surmised that a traumatized Lark tried to cover for her brother.
Oliver’s fist slammed into the desk.
The shooting had been deemed self-defense.Neither Lane nor Lark had ever been charged.And what she’d just told him?Still fucking self-defense.
Only…
My profile has to change.Because what he’d thought before was wrong.What he knew about Lane Lawson was wrong.
And the way he felt for Lark?That sure as shit has changed, too.Because now, hell, now he felt even more protective.Her pain had been a living, breathing beast between them.All he’d wanted to do was pull her into his arms.Hold her tight.Never, ever let anything or anyone else hurt her again.
And I will.I will stand between her and hell itself.Nothing will hurt her.
Not on his watch.
She’d already been hurt enough.
***
Lark swirled the wine in her glass.“It’s late.I should probably be getting home.”
Oliver watched her from his position on the couch.She was so fucking beautiful.And he was lying to her.One day, I won’t be lying.One day, it will all be real.He cleared his throat.“I’ll drive you back.”
She put the wine glass down on the nearby coffee table and rose to her feet.The black dress she wore hugged her curves perfectly.Like those curves didn’t fill his fantasies every single day and night.Her head tilted as she studied him, and her thick, dark hair slid over her shoulder.“You’re always the gentleman.”She put one hand on the arm of the couch and leaned toward him.Her other hand rose to press lightly against the stubble on his jaw.“How long are you going to keep pretending?”
His heart slammed into his chest, and, for a moment, fear clawed at his insides.She knows.
But Lark sent him her slow, tempting smile even as her jasmine scent wrapped around him.“Always being so careful with the way you touch me.”
He was careful.She deserved care.Compared to him, she was delicate.So much smaller.Fragile.
“Always so careful with the way you kiss me.”
He had to be.If he let go of his control, he’d kiss her like a man possessed.Deep and hard and consuming.The same way he wanted to fuck her.
But he couldn’t.
Not with so many secrets between them.He had to walk a fine line.
So very fine.
Lark leaned forward a little more.Her lips pressed lightly to his.Such a sweet, sweet kiss.
When he wanted to consume her with fierce passion.
“How much longer,” Lark murmured against his mouth, “are you going to be careful?”
Then her hand slid from his cheek.Moved down, down…and curled around his fingers.He’d been making an effortnotto touch her.Because when he touched her, his control always started to crack.
“Can I tell you a secret?”Lark asked softly as she lifted his hand—and brought it to rest on her thigh.
Her legs were parted.The dress she wore ended about four inches above her knees.
His head moved in a jerky nod.
“I think about you all the time.”She began to drag up his hand.Slowly.And his fingers caught the hem of her dress and pulled it up.“I don’t want you to be the gentleman tonight.I don’t want to end the evening with a sweet kiss on the lips.”
Higher, higher, her dress and his hand went.
