Raven on the Wing by Kay Hooper Page A

compulsively. But even though she responded to every touch, he could feel, at first dimly, that she was holding back. And he remembered belatedly what he had accused her of, remembered that he had all but said aloud what no man should ever say to a woman. Not something she could forget, even in the mindless heat of passion …
    His tongue caught the salt of tears on her cheeks, mute testimony that he was right, and it shook him badly.
“Don’t
. I’m sorry I hurt you.”
    Hurt
. It gave Raven the strength to pull away from him, the thought of who would be hurt if she allowed Josh to distract her from what she had to do. Crying … why was she crying? She hadn’t realized. She turned away, rubbing her wet cheeks with the backs of her hands and retying her robe, then sank down on the couch with an unsteady sigh. “Get out,” she whispered.
    He sat down beside her, catching her hand when she would have moved away. “I can’t,Raven. I can’t leave while you think—I’m sorry about what I said. So sorry. Please believe that.”
    She shook her head a little, trying to think. “I believe you’re sorry, but you can’t take back the words. Or the doubt. It doesn’t make for a good beginning, Josh. Just let it stop here, all right?”
    “No.” He lifted a hand to her face, making her look at him. His breathing was only beginning to steady, and his voice was deep and husky. “I told you I was a patient man; somehow, I’ll make it up to you for what I said tonight. I won’t walk out of your life, Raven.”
    Raven looked at him and knew she was lost, knew she would do everything in her power to keep him safe—except let him walk away. She couldn’t do that. Not even to save either of them. “Then there’s something you have to understand. And something you have to promise me.”
    “Anything,” he said instantly.
    She glanced around at the opulent apartment. “This part of my life is separate. You can’t be a part of it. When I’m in the other apartment, I can see you. But not here. Never again here.”
    He was frowning. “But you won’t tell me why?”
    “I can’t. For—for security reasons. If you can’t accept that, then it’s no good.”
Tell me you can’t accept that. Walk away from me before I destroy us both
.
    “Raven—”
    “I mean it. I know it’s a lot to ask, that—that everything looks and sounds bad, but you’ll just have to decide if you trust me. And that’s all.”
A lot to ask!
her mind sneered at her. With the evidence all around him, no man would trust her as she asked. No man could trust her.
    Josh looked into those steady, beautiful, hurting violet eyes and knew right then, in that moment, that no matter how bad things appeared, he did, in fact, trust her. Doubts and uncertainties faded away. “All right.” He smiled crookedly. “I think I forgot to mention it, but I love you.”
    She was shaken, and looked it. “Josh, don’t say that. Everything is so complicated right now. I can’t even think.”
    “I have to say it.” He leaned forward to kissher gently. “But I won’t say it again until you’re ready to hear it.” He released her, then reached into his pocket and withdrew a business card and a pen. He turned the card over and jotted a number quickly, then handed her the card. “This is my phone number at the hotel. Will you promise to call me as soon as you’re back in the other apartment?”
    She nodded, unable to do anything else.
    He rose to his feet, then hesitated as he looked down at her. Dear Lord, he couldn’t bear to leave her! “Will it be very long?”
    Raven met his look as steadily as she could. “Days. I’m usually here for days at a time.”
    His jaw tightened, but he nodded. “I’ll wait.” He headed for the door, pausing when he reached it to turn and gaze at her. “No one will know I was here; I came up the back way, and that’s how I’ll leave.” Then he was gone.
    Raven stared at the door for long moments, still aware of the