Dating Dr. Dreamy - Lili Valente Page 0,28

the ice closing around my fingers will help cool me off.

It works.

Mostly.

“So where are we?” I ask after we settle into two chairs close to the fire.

“My land. I bought it last year. I’m hoping to save up enough money to build a cabin up here in the next year or two.”

“That’s amazing.” I look around the land with new interest. “You always said you wanted to live out in the boonies.”

“Yeah, well, I can’t live here. Most of my business is in Bliss River or Atlanta, so it would be a big commute. But I’ll be able to come here on weekends and vacations.”

I nod as I dig into Lark’s homemade stew, moaning in appreciation. “Damn, this is good.”

She smiles. “It should be. I’m a professional now, you know.” She scoops up a spoonful and reaches for a roll from the paper plate on top of the cooler.

“I know. You should be proud. Starting your own business isn’t easy these days.”

“Thanks.” She lifts her eyes, meeting mine. “It was a ton of work, but it gave me something to focus on after you left.”

For the first time, she mentions me leaving without any anger or sadness or resentment in her voice. It’s simply a fact. A fact that’s in our past, leaving the future open for something more.

Something better.

Things are really different now. I can feel it. The air between us is lighter, our conversation freer, and as the night goes on, Lark doesn’t hesitate to touch my arm, lean against me, let me brush the crumbs from her lips or rest my hand on her thigh as she drives.

By the time she pulls back into the hotel parking lot, I’m feeling brave enough to reach across the car, cup her soft cheek in my hand, and—

“Wait,” she whispers, holding two fingers up between our mouths, keeping my lips from hers. “Not tonight.”

I sink back into my seat, trying not to look disappointed. “Whatever you want.”

“It’s not what I want,” she says, her hand coming to rest on my arm. “I just think it’s for the best. Once I start kissing you…”

“What?” I ask.

“I have a feeling I’m not going to want to stop,” she says in a husky voice that makes me ache in new and powerful ways.

So much for a good night’s sleep. Now I’ll be up all night, replaying that sentence in my head over and over again until I drive myself crazier with wanting her than I am already.

I swallow and reach for the door. “See you tomorrow, then.” I swing out of the car, throwing my next words over my shoulder. “I’ll pick you up at one.”

“What are we doing?” Lark leans across the gearshift to peek up at me.

“I have no idea. I just want to spend as much of tomorrow with you as possible.”

She smiles. “Then pick me up at ten, silly. We’ll go get a late breakfast.”

“I get the whole day?” I ask, feeling like I just won the lottery.

Something better than the lottery.

Something no amount of money can buy.

“We’ve got a lot of catching up to do.” She smiles a wide, unguarded smile, with no secret sadness in it. “See you at ten.”

“At ten.” I slam the door and she pulls away, but for the first time watching her go doesn’t make me uneasy.

I’m going to see her in less than eleven hours, and I get the entire day with her.

And now we’re on our way back to each other. For real.

And hopefully, for keeps.

Chapter 13

Lark

By the time I creep quietly into my parents’ house, it’s almost midnight. I expect Aria and the baby to be asleep and the house to be dark.

Instead, I find Melody and Aria in pajamas at the kitchen table with mugs of cocoa, two open laptops, and papers scattered across the red tablecloth. I close the door with a soft knick, and both my sisters’ heads pop up, revealing matching guilty expressions.

“What’s going on?” I ask, kicking my shoes off by the front door.

“Nothing,” Melody says, reaching over and closing the nearest laptop. “How was your date?”

“It was fine. Great, actually.” I wander across the family room, while Aria gathers the papers, folds them in half, and shoves them under the second laptop before snapping it closed.

“What have you two been up to?” I ask, shooting the laptops a pointed look.

“Just hanging out. Researching things and…things,” Melody says, with a nervous glance Aria’s way.

“Things and things,” I repeat, raising an eyebrow at my little sister.