Page 74 of Tragic (Lark Cove 3)

The kiss was hot and frantic, the weeks’ worth of pent-up tension sending us both into a crazed frenzy. The kiss led to Kaine stripping us both naked and making me whimper his name as he fucked me on my table.

The sex had been incredible, but it was the kiss that sealed my fate.

I was falling in love with my grouchy, tormented neighbor. I was falling in love with a man who was sweet and kind.

I was falling in love with a man who had a l

ittle magic of his own.

The wait was over. One month and one week after Kaine and I went from being neighbors to lovers—again—I was moving into my new house. And the Kendrick crew had all come up to help.

“I’m hungry,” Charlie told Thea.

“Again?” Thea gaped. “You just had a snack. I swear your leg is hollow.”

Charlie just shrugged and gave me a shy smile.

“Good thing I’ve got lots and lots and lots of food in my new house.” I walked over to the pantry, where I’d loaded the shelves with crackers and chips and cookies. My cart had been piled high at the grocery store this morning.

Charlie came to my side and her mouth dropped with a whispered, “Whoa.”

I laughed. “Go crazy, kiddo.”

“Me too! Me too!” Collin came racing in from the living room, where he’d been building a fort out of empty boxes.

“I swear I feed them.” Thea shook her head. “Okay, what’s next?”

I scanned the kitchen. There were a few odd dishes on the counter waiting to be washed before they were put away. But the rest of my drawers and cabinets were full. The furniture in the living room was in place, and we were just waiting for Kaine and Logan to bring over my table.

“I think we deserve a snack break too. Chips and salsa?”

“Definitely.” Thea smiled and followed her kids into the pantry for the chips while I got out some bowls and the salsa.

The last month had gone by so quickly, it was hard to believe it was the middle of July and summer was halfway over. But it had been a wonderful summer.

Work had been hectic and crazed and rewarding, like always. As much as I enjoyed going down to Thea and Logan’s house to work, I couldn’t wait to break in my office. I’d miss hearing the kids playing in the other room while I shared an office with Logan, but the desk I’d ordered was just waiting to be covered in paperwork. The bookshelves were empty and desperate for binders and books.

It was going to be the room I finished decorating first, even before my bedroom.

Besides work, I’d spent the last month falling deeper and deeper into Kaine.

We spent most of our evenings together, eating dinner, then walking through the house. Most nights, there were a slew of decisions the foreman needed me to make, and with Kaine’s input, I’d picked out doorknobs and window blinds and light fixtures.

The results were nothing short of stunning.

With the kids loaded up on crackers and cookies, Thea and I went into the living room and sank into my new couch. As I chewed a chip, I ran my hand over the camel leather. It was a bit stiff, but after a couple of months of me lounging here to watch the TV now mounted above the fireplace, it would soften.

“This place turned out so incredible.” Thea looked around the open living room. “I’m so glad you had them vault the ceiling. Those beams make this room.”

I smiled, letting my head fall back to appreciate the dark wood above us. “It turned out better than I ever imagined.”

With the open concept, my living room, dining area and kitchen were all one giant room. There were large windows all along the far wall so I could look out into the trees while I was sitting at my dining room table. The fireplace in the living room was made of white stone with some rich built-in shelves on either side for my movies and books and whatever trinkets I found to showcase. The floors were all wooden, even in the kitchen, but I’d added rugs in each of the rooms to warm it up.

It was exactly what I’d been going for.

Warm. Bright. Inviting.

Home.