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He wanted to know more, wanted to sort it out with her But he forced his but he needed to be sure of hers It was testing his self-restraint to the liht around his chest, holding a plethora of emotions in check until he knew she was ready for them Ready for him

He had to knohat stage of their relationship—or not—she had reached Without anything fro faster than she was prepared to go

‘Tellto work if you believe I said I didn’t want anything more to do with you’

Her pupils skittered froht eye

‘I said I was sorry about that,’ she choked out

‘I know that’ He took her hands in his, both to soothe and to reassure, not even thinking about whoyou if you can trust me now? Can you talk to h to tell ht now, the ball’s in your court’

‘This isn’t easy, you know’

‘I do know,’ he vowed ‘But I can’t just have part of you, Fliss It would never be enough I need you Body, heart and mind’

She sed hard but said nothing After what see around nervously Then, dropping the further up the field

Ash fell into step alongside her, forcing hi the i her into his arhly that she’d realise she couldn’t be without him either

But whether he won her or not, Ash finally acknowledged that he would rather have known this love with Fliss only to lose her, than the alternative Never having had Fliss in his life, in his heart, woul

d have been worse than any pain he ht suffer now if she walked away from him

They walked in silence Going up the field, along the field at the top and back down to the pitches Just when he thought it was going to all start falling down around him, she stopped as abruptly as she had started

‘I want to talk to you, Ash’ She turned to face hiency in her tone ‘I ca here I can’t find the words to explain Especially with practically the whole battalion and their partners wondering e’re doing out here’

Whichwhat the two of theht that out properly when he’d steered Fliss by the elbow before