Page 76 of All For You

“Your sighting is interesting, because I’ve spotted a number of warblers on our estate,” he mused. I stared deep into his sky-blue eyes and registered hazily he was still talking about birds.

“Yes?” I replied.

“I’ve seen the wood warbler in the summer. It’s green and brown.”

He linked his fingers through mine and trailed them gently in and out. The trailing became a more forceful press, shooting a sensitive tingling into my core.

“Oh, so pretty,” I murmured.

“I’ve seen the common chiffchaff, which is brown,” he said.

“Brown,” I repeated in a daze.

Now his thumb was massaging my palm, and somehow his deep and specific touch was sending signals to every corner of my body. I liked birds as much as anyone, but I particularly wanted this warbler conversation to go on and on, because even this small touch of his was so disturbing and addictive.

“I’ve been lucky enough to spot seven varieties of warblers on our grounds,” he said.

I nodded dreamily, wanting him to keep making those circles in my palm, harder and deeper. Deeper. Grinding. Oh God.

“But I’ve never seen a warbler with red crests or black spots or blue tails,” he said.

“Oh?” I was still barely comprehending what he was saying.

He bit his bottom lip, and the corners of his mouth twitched. “Because no such warbler exists.” He narrowed his eyes at me, amused. “Lizzy Bennet, you are an abysmal liar. You know nothing about birds.”

Oh shit. My hands flew from his, and I covered my face with mortification.

I groaned and looked at him through my spread fingers. “I thought you believed me,” I squeaked out.

He gave me a slightly pained smile. “At this stage, I’m so desperate to be around you, you could pretend to be a prize-winning ornithologist, and I’d smile and nod.”

His words were so unexpected, I stared at him, my jaw slack.

I shook myself. “I keep thinking I couldn’t embarrass myself more. And you were so good about me crash-landing on you.”

He flinched slightly at the memory, then smiled gently. “What if I want to be your landing place when you fall out of the sky?”

“Oh.”

Now his words were vulnerable and lovely. I didn’t know how to answer him immediately. All I knew was my hands were not in his any longer, and I craved his touch.

“This is too much, isn’t it?” he asked ruefully. “It’s too soon?”

I strolled over to the other arch.

“Do you know, I prefer this arch,” I said, standing under it and pressing the sides. “It’s messier than that perfect arch over there. This one’s crumbling, and the roses are all shapes and sizes and colors, but it has more charm and character.”

He looked confused that I was talking about another arch and maybe a little hurt I hadn’t responded to his romantic declarations. But he moved over to join me, which was what I was hoping for. My stomach flipped at his nearness.

“That’s a coincidence,” he said. “I prefer it too. Especially with you standing under it.”

Butterflies erupted in my belly. He regarded me with a much more serious expression. The light in his eyes went bright, his chest heaved up and down, leaving me under no illusion he was as overcome as I was.

“Lizzy, you have bewitched me, body and soul.” A tense crease formed between his thick black eyebrows. “Can you put me out of my misery? Do I have a chance with you?”

I gasped in awe.You have bewitched me, body and soul.I’d never heard such beautiful words come from a man’s mouth. I’d seldom written a declaration so deep and tortured and wonderful. My chest swelled, full and tender. He had more than a chance. I still needed to spend more time with him, truly understand him fully, but kissing was an important part of learning about this man, right?

Not answering his question outright, I moved closer to him. “Would you like to make new memories under this different arch?”