It seemed to stir up either euphoria or anarchy.
Lark turned her swing in circles until the rope made a cracking noise and would go no tighter. She lifted her feet and spun in faster and faster circles until she felt dizzy. She couldn’t help but look up at Everett’s office window when she made one of her last passes. She stopped herself when she saw something in his office window. It read: PLEASE CALL ME NOW!
Okay. How funny. So why didn’t Everett just come to her front door? It’s not like he’d build up any kind of sweat hiking over those twenty feet. Of course, it would help if she were in the house to answer the front door. Phooey. This was crazy. She needed to do something. Or maybe take a nap or watch a few minutes of the home shopping channel. No, not that last one. It would make her feel too pathetic.
Just as she rose from the swing, warm strong hands closed over hers. Most women would probably shriek about then or ready themselves for a karate chop. But even though she hadn’t known the feel of Everett’s hands long, she knew. It was him.
Lark turned around and looked up into Everett’s eyes. Kind. Absorbing. Anxious. Yes, and he should be a little anxious, she thought, as she came to her senses. “How did you get back here?” She felt a little spirited all of sudden.
Everett released her. “Well, I opened the latch on your gate and walked through.”
Why did his matter-of-fact statement make her want to laugh? “You are on private property.” She stepped out of her swing.
“Oh, is that right?” He grinned. “I suppose my lack of an invitation has something to do with the view from your office window a few minutes ago?”
Lark folded her arms. Then she realized how ridiculous she looked as a spurned woman, tapping her foot and huffing.
“Don’t you ever wear a coat?” Everett whipped off his tweed jacket and placed it around her shoulders.
She waited for a plausible counter from him, although having him closer to her made her forget a bit of what she felt anxious to know. Closer was the trigger word. Like a mousetrap on her finger. Yes, indeed. He’d been much closer to someone else just minutes ago. And she had long, platinum blond hair. Oh, how cliché.
“Apparently, the incident at the party last night caused quite a disturbance in the company. I haven’t been doing much today except answering the phone and talking to women who’ve been harassed by Sylvester in the past. They’ve even come by to get advice. To sue or not to sue. I told them they’d need to pray about it and then seek the counsel of an attorney.”
“Is that what you were doing in your office a few minutes ago? Praying with that woman?” Lark asked with a slight edge to her voice.
Everett’s eyes widened. “And did you not see the part where I physically moved her away from me?”
“Yes. . .I. . .did.” Lark felt a tremor of guilt. Well, maybe the tremor was really a six-pointer on the Richter scale.
“Madeline and I went out for coffee a few months ago. I wanted her opinion on something at work. I thought she and I might be friends since I didn’t have any. But it appears to have backfired on me. She wanted more. But I was always honest with her. And as far as today, she said she dropped by to discuss Sylvester’s harassment at work, but her real agenda surfaced pretty quickly. I’m sorry you saw it happen. But I have nothing to hide from you.”
Oh, dear. Lark saw the sincerity in his eyes. She wanted nothing more than to embrace him and start the falling in love process all over again. But the speeding locomotive had already left the station and all of the emotional jostling would be part of the ride. There was no going back now. “Look, I hope you’ll understand me when I say. . .I think I’m feeling something here,” Lark said. “I’ve never acted this way before. I’ve got some new. . .sentiments I’m dealing with when I’m around you.” Yeah, sentiments was a good and safe word. “And I—”
Everett took her in his arms and quieted her with a kiss.
Yes, that’s a very good way to deal with my new sentiments. She sweetened the moment by returning his kiss with enthusiasm as her arms wrapped around him. When the fervor