Page 54 of The Swindler’s Daughter

“How did this happen?” I asked, my words coming out in a lament.

He pulled back, running his thumb over my cheek, turning my face to his so he could look at me. “How did what happen?”

“How did I fall for a thief?”

He gave me only a slightly apologetic smile. “If it makes you feel any better, I never thought I’d fall for a pickpocket.”

My forehead thumped against his shoulder. “Former pickpocket,” I corrected and felt the chuckle rumble through him, likely because we both knew I was falling back into the role.

His fingers curved around the back of my neck and his thumb stroked my throat a few times.

Laws, I wanted to kiss him again, but this hideaway was already burning with too much…everything. Heat and want. Panted breathing and runaway hearts.

“We should go,” I said quietly past the lump in my throat.

“I know,” he said as neither of us moved.

I filled my lungs with air all the way down to my belly, relishing the moment with a long exhale before raising my head. “Shall we?” I asked.

His smile transformed his face. There was something deeper and more beautiful in that smile. “Yes, we shall.” He pressed a small kiss to my mouth then maneuvered himself to back out of our hiding spot before reaching a hand out to help me.

It took us a long time to make our way to the road. I hadn’t realized just how deep into the forest we had run during our flight until we had to return home, but it wasn’t a burden to walk with Rowan and have his hand laced with mine.

We walked in silence for a time. The fact that we’d just shared our first kiss sat heavy between us. Not uncomfortably heavy, just very…present. It made me want to know things. Things about him, about his life, his feelings, his struggles.

“Tell me more about Isabel.” Because when trying to tamp down the awkwardness of one heavy subject, why not bring up another?

He looked down at me with surprised eyebrows. “Are you certain you want to hear more about her?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

His brow furrowed in confusion as he searched for an answer. “I don’t know.” He stopped walking and turned toward me. “I suppose because she’s another woman that I cared for.”

“You think I should be jealous?” I asked, curious if that was the case. Maybe I should be jealous. Maybe I was a little bit. Maybe I should be wondering if he would compare me to her and if I would measure up.

“No. But…” He reached out almost like he was in a trance and took one of my red curls in hand, tucking it slowly and carefully behind my ear, making me shiver when his fingertips skimmed my neck. “I always assumed that I would need to leave Bel in my past if I were ever to move on and be with someone else.”

His words caused a riot of hope and nerves to well up inside me. “Is that what you are? Are you with me?” It was what I wanted, but I was surprised to hear him say the words after only one kiss and with his wife’s name so recently spoken between us.

His gaze left my hair and settled on my eyes. “That’s entirely up to you. Do you wish to take a chance on a widower and a thief?”

One corner of my mouth curled up. “A thief seems like a good match for a pickpocket.”

He chuckled at my answer, his fingers continuing to thread through my hair. “You’ve got incredible strength, do you know that?”

Tears suddenly stung my eyes and I reached up to place my hands on his cheeks. “And that is why I want to be with you,” I said, then leaned forward and placed a soft, lingering kiss on his mouth, breathing him in. The fact that he saw my strength and trusted me was priceless. Hunter loved me and took care of me, but he still saw me as the little sister he needed to keep out of trouble.

Rowan stayed still, returning the pressure of my lips with his own, but he didn’t reach for me, he just let that one simple kiss speak for itself.

When I drew back, he wrapped me in his arms and I leaned into his chest with a sigh. The sense of safety I found with him was…miraculous. I couldn’t think of a better word for it. I’d only ever felt truly safe with Hunter, but this was different; it was so much more.

“What will your brother say?”

I pulled back to look at him. “About what? Us?”

“And what we’re doing.” He tried to smile but I could see his worry. “We did just get chased through the woods by the constables. Your brother is not going to like that.”

I cringed at the thought of telling Hunter. This was exactly what he had warned me about. “He’ll be worried,” I admitted, dropping my eyes. “He’ll worry that I’m in over my head and that I don’t know what I’m doing.” I raised my head so I could look Rowan in the eye when I said, “But I do know, and it was worth it.”