Page 93 of Dream House
I shift my gaze to Nina. She takes another sip of wine and tips her knees to the side, leaning into the back of the sofa.
Tyler’s arm rests along its back.
Wait.
Is that his thumb stroking the top of her shoulder?
Holy shit.
My belly goes warm at the sight, even as my heart flutters with nerves for him. For them.
A glance to my right shows me that Pen is leaning against Livy’s legs. Judging by the secret smile on her lips, Livy doesn’t seem to mind.
And then I look over at Lark. He isn’t watching the movie. His eyes are on me.
My most delicate muscles clench.
He lifts his chin, gesturing to the empty spot beside me on the loveseat, a question in his eyes.
I nod.
Silently, Lark rises from his chair. His long, powerful legs close the distance in two strides. When he sits beside me, the cushions dip with his weight, pulling me closer to him. Our hips aren’t touching but it’s close.
Casually, Lark leans forward and helps himself to a handful of popcorn. When he leans back, he whispers, “You were incredible today.”
I turn to look him full in the eye. “You’ve got to be joking,” I whisper back.
He tosses a piece of popcorn in his mouth and chomps it. “Nope.”
I glance down at Maisy who’s using my thigh as a pillow. She’s completely enthralled as Anger blows his top at the dinner table, even though she’s seen the movie twelve hundred times. When I turn back to Lark, I keep my voice low.
“Icompletelyfreaked out.”
He shakes his head. “You kept your cool. And you stood up to that human garbage heap.” Is that pride glinting in Lark’s eyes? “Did you see his face when you revved the gas?”
I blink. “No… Not really.” In all honesty, I was too worried about Kaleb hurting Lark. “But anyone would have stood up to him.”
His chuckle is low. “Not anybody.” Wordlessly, his eyes cut to Nina. At this, I remember her cowering in the backseat.
I glower at Lark. “Not fair. She’s traumatized.”
Eyes wide, he subtly raises a palm to show me he means no offense. “I get it. And I’m not saying she’s not tough. It takes guts to leave,” he says, an earnest look crimping his brow. “But you had my back, and you got us out of there. Just sayin’, it was awesome.”
The corner of his mouth curves up in a way that makes it impossible to argue with him.
I wrestle my grin, pretending irritation as I gesture to the movie and Riley’s first-day-of-school scene. “You’re missing the best part.”
Lark doesn’t look away, holding my gaze unblinking. “I don’t think so.”
ChapterSixteen
STELLA
Two days later,on Sunday, we manage to convince Nina to turn in the photos. The four of us, Nina, Tyler, Lark, and me, go to the station together, and the police don’t hesitate to issue a warrant for Kaleb’s arrest.
Unfortunately, when the officer assigned to the case calls Nina Monday night, it’s with news that Kaleb Doucet was not at home or at work. His employer claims to know nothing. He didn’t show up for his shift that morning and his known associates aren’t talking.
Shit.
