Page 65 of To Resist a Scandalous Rogue
Flames of arousal singed the surface of her skin, and Charlotte battled the urge to simply return to bed and to the circle of his arms. But no, she thought with a sharp mental shake, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. He’d expressed concern for her safety, and she’d show him he would not have to worry about her when they parted ways. She’d seen the worry that lurked in his eyes before he blinked it hastily away.
After grabbing her chemise from the floor, she slipped it on and came to a stop in front of him. He had not bothered with clothes, a fact she considered quite annoying. And distracting. She gritted her teeth as she forced herself not to look at any point south of his chin.
She failed almost immediately.
“Char, darling, we’ll never get started if you continue to look at me like that.”
She snapped her gaze to his, and a hot flush stole over her cheeks at his chastising look. When his lips quickly curled into a wicked grin, she took a step back.
“You act like I’m going to maul you,” he grumbled, arching a brow.
“Aren’t you?”
His hearty laugh bounced off the walls. “If I did, I could hardly be held to blame. You’re delectable.”
Charlotte opened her mouth to toss back a saucy reply but thought better of it. They’d never get started if they continued down this path, for it led straight back to bed.
“So stop trying to distract me, Fin.” She held his stare.
“Seeing as how you’re a walking, talking distraction, it seemed a fair turn.” He rolled his eyes when she merely stared at him. “Very well. You say you’re capable of protecting yourself should you be attacked again, but I want to be certain of it. I’m going to come at you, and I want you to ward me off. Are you ready?”
Swallowing, Charlotte squared her shoulders. “Yes.”
Even knowing what Finlay intended, she was still taken aback by how quickly he moved. He had her arms pinned by her sides, his incredibly strong frame holding her close. Despite his gentleness, she still felt panic streak like ice through her blood.
Clenching her eyes shut, she willed herself to remain calm and still. She needed to feign acquiescence. With a Herculean effort, she relaxed her limbs until Finlay was almost holding her up. When he leaned back to look at her, she slammed her foot down on his instep and simulated bashing his head with her own.
“Woah,” he groaned, jumping back and hopping on one foot, grasping the other behind him.
“I tried to hold back.” Charlotte bit her lip.
“That was holding back?”
She huffed. “I didn’t actually hit your head, did I?”
“If you had, I’d probably be a bloody mess on the floor right now.” Finlay plopped onto the edge of the bed, rubbing his foot. He stared at her for a long, tense moment and then his lips cracked into a broad grin. “That was brilliant. If a bastard is stupid enough to attack you, I want you to make him bleed.”
She nodded, pleased by his praise.
“Is that what you did when you were attacked?” he asked, rising to grasp her by the shoulders.
“No.” Just recalling that encounter made the hairs on her arms rise. “He attacked me from behind, and I stepped on his foot, and when he let me go, I ran.”
Sensing her unease, Finlay pulled her into his arms. “Sometimes your best course of action is to run.”
“I fear I run too much,” she whispered, exhaling in relief when it was obvious he hadn’t heard her.
He stroked a hand over her head, brushing through her hair with his fingers. “Do you truly not know who tried to take you?”
Charlotte stiffened instinctually and cursed her body’s response. With a force of will, she kept herself from burying her face in his chest as she contemplated what to tell him. She wanted to confess everything—her former in-laws’ accusation and her increasing desperation to be free of them. She sucked in a breath through her mouth, his taste hitting her tongue. She couldn’t do it. If she told him everything, he would insist on helping her, and she couldn’t risk being more involved with him than she already was. She might love him, but she had to walk away, and Charlotte doubted she was strong enough to turn her back on his offer of help.
Biting back the truth, she shook her head. “I don’t know who he was.”
Finlay held her stare, doubt and suspicion swirling in his green depths. Even while she crumbled inside, Charlotte forced herself not to flinch under his inspection. Their time together was limited, and she didn’t want to spoil his good opinion in their remaining moments.
A smile suddenly softened his face, and he ran his knuckles over her cheek. “I just want to help if I can.”
“I know,” she whispered. That was the crux.
