Page 71 of Love Out Loud

Turns out it was just that they weren’t Lark.

As if I conjured her here, the citrus-and-sunshine scent that is characteristically her overtakes me. I close my eyes and breathe deeply. Lark’s slim arms circle around my neck, and her hands snake down my pecs until her chin is resting on my shoulder. I rub a palm over her forearms.

“How does it sound?” Her breath tickles the hair at my ear.

I let my hand come to rest where her arms cross under my neck. “It’s brilliant.”

She scoffs. “You’re biased.”

“Maybe,” I admit. “But I’ve never lied to you about a performance, either.”

Her lips graze my cheek before she nuzzles into my neck. “Mmm.” The sound vibrates against my skin. It ignites something deep inside me, and I grip her arm tighter.

“I’ve liked doing this,” she says.

“Touching me?” I tease.

Her laugh is a buoyant thing. It lifts and bounces and settles deep in my chest. “No. Well, yes, but I meant recording the audiobook. It’s really fun.”

There’s that little kernel of hope again. If she likes it enough, maybe she’ll stay.

I clear my throat, trying not to let that kernel expand too far. I watched Richard clip her wings and keep her grounded for years, and I don’t want to do that to her again. I don’t want her to stay here just because I asked, so I refuse to sway her opinion.

“Touching me is fun, too.” I twist in my chair so I can wink at her.

She pulls away and smacks my shoulder. “You have work to do, and I shouldn’t be interrupting.”

“Okay, but I fully plan on having some fun later,” I call after her as she walks out of the room, swaying her hips.

She pauses to give me a look over her shoulder. “You’re the worst.”

“That’s not a no.” I raise my eyebrows suggestively.

Her voice takes on the same, sultry quality of her audiobook narration as she says, “It’s definitely not a no.” And then she continues her sauntering out of the room.

I don’t know what I did to get so fortunate to have kept Lark in my life for so long, for us to have finally found each other in this way. But I do know I’m the luckiest man alive.