Page 92 of Tempted By Her

“I am prettier than her,” Lark said after Everly had left.

“Of course you are, love,” I said as I cut another piece of cake. This one was a strawberry shortcake and it was to die for.

“She’s a nice girl, though,” she said. “Seems like she might have a little social anxiety.”

I nodded and licked some of the whipped marshmallow frosting off my finger.

“She told me a little bit about it, and I told her where the exits were in case she needed to bail. That’s got to be rough.”

“If she ever needs a place to have dinner, you can invite her over with us. We’re non-threatening,” she said.

I gave her a look.

“Well, I am,” she amended.

* * *

My giftfor Lark arrived the next morning and I ran upstairs to get it and put it in the frame. I decided not to wrap it, and instead store it in my room and bring it out with a flourish tonight.

Nick was running a heart-shaped pizza special that Lark was going to pick up for dinner and the only plans I had for this weekend involved Lark and her bed, and as many toys as both of us owned. With occasional breaks for food and showering and sleep.

I may have also done a quick search of the apartment for anything that was present-like but didn’t find anything.

It was torture waiting for Lark to get home. I was nearly vibrating out of my skin and ran to the door when I heard someone on the stairs, looking through the peephole to make sure it was Lark. She had the pizza box in her arms with a huge bag on top.

I heard her curse as she realized she couldn’t unlock the door, so I opened it for her.

“Let me take that,” I said, putting my hands under the pizza box.

“Thanks,” she said a little breathlessly. I set the box and bag on the counter and kissed her thoroughly.

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” I said when I finally broke the kiss. She looked a little dazed.

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” she said, giving me one more kiss.

“I really, really want my present, but I’m also hungry, so should we have dinner first?” I asked.

“Food, please,” she said, putting both hands on her belly.

Clementine screamed as if to agree, even though he had literally just eaten.

“Food for humans,” I told him. He just screamed again.

* * *

After we’d stuffedourselves with pizza, we sat on the couch and I stared expectantly at Lark.

“Your present isn’t wrapped, because I couldn’t really wrap it,” she said.

“Yours isn’t wrapped either, but that’s only because I didn’t have the time or energy,” I said.

“Should I go first?” she asked. Her fingers kept twisting and untwisting together and one of her legs bounced up and down on the floor. Why was she so stressed about a present?

“You seem like you want to go first,” I said. If she waited any longer, I thought she might explode.

She inhaled deeply and nodded.

I waited for her to pull something out of her pocket or get up to go get something. Instead, she opened her mouth and started to sing.