Page 22 of Love Out Loud

I narrow my eyes at her. “I don’t think that’s how that works.”

Lark shrugs. “It’s not not how that works.”

I thumb a couple of renegade tears off her cheeks, chuckling at her logic. “Do you want to postpone this lunch? I’m sure everyone would understand.”

She shakes her head, her lips pressing together so hard, they almost turn white. “No. I want to get it over with.” Her eyes go wide, and she removes a hand from my back to clamp it over her mouth. “I’m emotional. That came out wrong.”

I tip my head back and laugh. Something loosens in my chest. But my left arm is still slung around her shoulders, she’s still holding on to my waist, and that feeling is clawing its way up to my heart again. It must not have been anticipation.

I try to ignore it as I say, “That’s pretty much how I feel about these things, too. All of them, not just this one. We have a couple of hours, and I didn’t plan anything in case you wanted to just settle in. What do you want to do?”

“Oh, there’s my suitcase,” she says, pointing to an old, battered, navy blue bag. It looks like it’s held together by duct tape and a prayer.

I step around her to gingerly pluck it off the carousel. “I’m surprised this thing stayed together in the air.”

“Me, too. Devin took the nice set, and I didn’t have time to get anything new.” She tucks a piece of hair behind her ear again.

I throw her carry-on over my shoulder and try to kick the suitcase onto its wheels, then realize too late that it doesn’t have wheels. So, I pick it up and look at her expectantly. “Where to, madam?”

“Madam?! I have another month until I’m officially old, thank you very much.” She reaches for the handle of the suitcase. “And you don’t have to carry that.”

I twist myself so it’s out of her reach. “I know I don’t have to. I want to.”

Lark eyes me up and down with an eyebrow raised and her lips quirked to the side. “I suppose it wouldn’t kill you to put those biceps to good use for once.”

“That’s the spirit,” I say sarcastically. That giddy feeling surfaces again. It feels so good to banter with her in person. It’s like a piece of me has come back, and I can be whole again.

She winces. “Would you mind terribly if I showered and changed? I don’t want to meet these people looking like I just got off an airplane.”

You look more beautiful than any woman I’ve ever seen, I want to scream, but I don’t. She’d probably turn right around and get back on the plane if I did, and besides, I’m not sure what has gotten into me today. I need to cool it, and fast.

I scrunch up my nose and start walking toward the exit. “Probably a good idea. You kind of smell.”

“Like roses, you mean.” She matches my stride as we walk outside into the warm summer air.

No, like citrus and sunshine, my mind screams again.

I’m just happy she’s here. I’m sure this excitement will wear off in a few days. I toss her bags into the back of my Jeep and turn around to find her standing close to me. She flings her arms around my middle again. I belatedly realize I should hug her back before my arms circle her.

“Sorry,” she says. “This shirt is just really soft.”

I huff a laugh. “Well, lucky for you, I have plenty more soft shirts where this one came from.”