Page 71 of Reaper

Instantly, I relax and when Lark shifts in my arms, I open my eyes.

“Good morning,” she says, her raspy voice husky with sleep. After the fire, her voice never really lost the raspy edge to it from all the smoke. I loved the sound of her voice before, but I love her raspy voice even more.

“Morning, Darlin’.” Leaning forward, I give her a chaste kiss. “Do you have to work later today?”

She shakes her head as she bites her lip. Fuck, the sight sends a shock straight down to my cock which twitches and she gives me a saucy grin.

“No, this is my weekend off, so I don’t have to go in until Tuesday. Ma usually stops in a couple of times and checks in with my head bartender on the weekends that I’m off to make sure everything is running smoothly. What about you?”

I shake my head. “Nah. The garage is closed on the weekends unless we need to work overtime to catch up.” Pausing, I brush a lock of hair off her face and tuck it behind her ear. My chest tightens and I try to push my nerves aside as I consider my next words. “Come stay with me.”

A look of shock crosses her face and she blinks a few times.

“You… You want me to stay over with you at your house?” she asks, and I frown when I see confusion marring her face.

Realization slams into me like a freight train and I grit my teeth as I force my muscles not to react, though judging by her increased confusion, I may not have been successful.

“Did he never let you come over to his house before?”

Slowly she shakes her head, frowning.

“Yes, well, also no. He lives in a wing in his parent’s house. He knew how uncomfortable I was around Richard, so we only had dinner there a handful of times with his parents while we were dating and then three times when we were engaged. He never brought me to his area of the house, even when I asked. He made excuses that he was remodeling and redecorating and didn’t want me to be exposed to all of that. Other times he’d say that he hadn’t picked up, which I knew was bullshit because his father has butlers and maids.” She pauses, her face hardens and her eyes light up in anger. “Later I found out it was because Kelly had moved in a few months prior to our engagement and he didn’t want me to see her or her stuff there. All that remodeling and redecoration was true, but it wasn’t in preparation for me to move in. It was for her.”

Hurt etches her features and I run my thumb across her jaw soothingly as I lean forward, kissing her forehead. Internally, I’m fuming at how that cunt licker treated Lark.

Pulling back, I lightly grasp her chin and make her look up at me. A single tear slips down her cheek and I gently wipe it away.

“I’m not him, Darlin’. Like I said before I want you as my woman, and when you’re ready, as my Old Lady.” I pause, the nervous pit in my stomach growing at what I need to say next. I’m not sure how Lark will react to it. “I want you in my life which also means, when you’re ready, I’d like you to move in with me.”

She blinks a few times at me in surprise, and I lean forward, kissing her.

“You don’t have to say anything now about the long term, but I want you to think on it. Okay?”

Her cheeks tinge pink, though she still looks surprised, and she nods slightly. “Okay.”

“What do you think about this weekend?”

Her blush intensifies and a shy, but happy look comes over her. “Sure, I’d like to spend more time with you.” She pauses and her forehead creases. “What about Void?”

“You can bring him if you want. Igor’s pretty laid back, so I doubt having a cat around would be an issue with him.

Once again, she gives me a surprised look but it quickly fades as she smiles. “Sounds like a plan, Hercules.”

I huff but can’t stop my smile. I lean down to kiss her and hear her stomach growl as the sounds of cooking filter through the door.

Her cheeks heat for a different reason, but I ignore it.

I give her another chaste kiss. “Why don’t you hop in the shower, Darlin’? I’ll take one when you’re done.”

“Okay.”

She gives me a quick kiss and flips off the covers before sliding out of bed and padding over to her closet. I bite my tongue as my cock twitches at seeing her gorgeous ass hugged tightly by her sleep shorts. Lark picks out some clothes and with a sheepish look, she closes the bathroom door.

Closing my eyes, I will my cock to go down, but then I hear the shower turn on and I groan at the mental image of Lark naked and wet.

Purring has me opening my eyes and as I look down at the foot of the bed, I realize Void must have slept with us last night. I pat the bed and hold out my hand, inviting him to sniff me. He looks at my hand for a moment before he gets up, stretches, and walks up to me. He sniffs my fingers before leaning into my hand. His purring increases as I scratch around his jowls and throat.

“You remember me, huh?”