His mouth covered mine as his tongue swept my mouth to tangle with my own. His breathing turned hard and fast as he pulled his hands through my hair. He pressed his mouth to my neck and his tongue licked a trail down to my shoulder. “Yeah, let's do your idea. The house is empty, yes?” He said in a voice that was low, husky and sexy as hell.
“Yep.”
In a blur of movement, he had me up over his shoulder seconds before he headed for the stairs. He was acting like a caveman, but then, knowing exactly where we were going and what we were going to do, I really didn't have a problem with his methods.
“Move faster, handsome.”
And he did until it was time to move slower and then he took his good, sweet time.
***
The Wrights were both working late, so Bastian suggested going to Alfonso's for dinner. Poppy and Caden joined us and as soon as we settled, Mr. Alfonso came over to take our order personally.
I stood to give him a hug.
“It's good to see you. How have you been?” He asked.
“Good. I'm heading off to New England soon for that scholarship I told you about. I'm really excited about it. How are you?”
He knew I was asking about the Rosses, and his jaw tightened. “Things have settled. Whatever you want, it's on the house. No arguments.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to argue with his generous offer. “Thanks.”
We settled on a pizza with everything on it, for Poppy and me, and one with every kind of meat for the guys. We hadn't been there for more than ten minutes when Poppy and Caden started bickering.
“Could you stop kicking the table?” I had never heard that tone from Poppy. She sounded so much like Dr. Wright when she struggled for patience.
Caden's reaction to her was just as bizarre; he mocked her like a kid would do. Intentionally goading her to get a rise out of her. What the hell?
“You're such a child,” she said.
“And you’re an old woman.”
“I'm younger than you, so that's a stupid comeback.” The look Poppy threw Caden should have smote him where he sat, but he held her stare with one of his own.
“You're stupid.”
Their exchange was comical in its childishness, but I could see it was heading for disaster and fast. “Are you still working on that sweet Corvette, Caden?”
It took him a minute to stop glaring at Poppy and answer me. I only half-listened, because I was curious as hell as to what was going on with these two.
***
The following day Bastian went off in search of a trailer that we could hitch to the back of Baby, yes, I named my car after Dean Winchester's car, so we could bring his bike up North. Though it was Saturday, everybody was working but Poppy, so the two of us sat out back on the patio.
I had gotten my tattoo earlier and though it had hurt, it hadn't been as painful as I had feared. The look on Bastian's face when he saw it, his name on me, well, it was a look I'd remember forever.
I turned my thoughts to Poppy and Caden and their behavior at dinner the night before, hell, their behavior since Caden moved into the Wrights’ house. I worried because they both meant so much to me and I hated that they didn't get along. I had thought perhaps it was just flirting, but after last night, I wasn't so sure.
“Why are you and Caden going at each other all the time?”
When she looked over at me, I was surprised to see guilt in her expression. “I like him.”
“Well, I'm relieved to hear that, because the thought of you two not getting along really upsets me.”
“No, I mean I really like him.”
“Huh?”
“I know probably not a great idea, but I can't help it. An electric shock burned right through me the first time we shook hands. I haven't been able to get my reaction to him out of my head. It's what had me questioning my relationship with Shawn. How could I be so deeply in love with Shawn and have such a strong reaction to someone else?”
“We can't help who we like, Poppy.”
“I know.” She reached over and touched my ring. “I like seeing you wearing his ring. So much for no happily-ever-after for you.”
“I don't want a happily-ever-after. That implies smooth sailing and princes rescuing damsels. Me, I want the bumps in the road and the challenges.”
She fell silent for a moment as she worked her lower lip and when she did speak, her voice sounded very soft. “Lark, what would you think about Caden and me giving it a shot?”
“The idea of you and Caden finding what Bastian and I have makes me deliriously happy, because we'll all be together, always, one big happy family. I want that for you and Caden. I want him in our family. I want us all to be close always. With that being said, if it doesn't work between you, it's going to be awkward. You're my best friend and Caden is Bastian's which will make things rather uncomfortable.”
I could tell she was mulling it over. I knew her so well that I knew she'd back off with Caden rather than risk screwing anything up, but then if Caden was her Bastian, I didn't want her to miss out on that.
“Go for it, Poppy.”
“Wait, what?”
“Yeah, you owe it to yourself and Caden to see where it could lead. He could be your Bastian.”
Poppy didn't reply with words, but I saw her answer when her eyes lit up.
***
Later in the day while I packed, I replayed the conversation with Poppy in my head. I wanted her and Caden to work; I wanted them both to find what Bastian and I had.
I looked over at him as we packed up my room. He stood near my workstation individually bubble-wrapping my pots of paint. I stopped what I was doing to just watch him.
He wore those faded jeans I loved so much, so worn they almost looked white in spots, and an Aerosmith tee. The images on his arms looked as if they were dancing along his skin as his muscles flexed from his efforts. His hair was pulled back with a blue bandana and his face in profile was set in determination as he focused on his task.
Quite unexpectedly, he asked, “Hey, Lark, how's your happy place?” He glanced over at me when he asked this. “What?” His smile cut the sharpness in his tone.
“I like looking at you.”
He placed the pot down and walked to me in that loose-limbed stride of his. “I like you looking.”
“My happy place is just overflowing.”
He bent down so that our eyes were level. “I am so glad to hear that.”
And then he was kissing me.
***
“What do you want to do tonight, Lark?” Poppy asked as we sat on the sofa watching a repeat of Game of Thrones.
“I don't know.” It was my last weekend home and everyone but Bastian and Poppy had to work.
“You're disappointed aren't you?” She asked.
“I was really hoping to spend the weekend with everyone. I know that's kind of selfish.”
“That's not selfish, Lark,” Poppy said with a smile.
“Why don't we go to that Italian place you've been wanting to try? Isn’t that the one that Mr. Alfonso’s cousin opened?” Bastian asked before he draped his arm over my shoulders and kissed my head.
I forgot Mr. Alfonso had mentioned that. “Yeah, I can drown my disappointment in pasta and cheese.”
On the way to Lombardi's, I couldn’t shake the melancholy. Though good food always made me feel better, I was conflicted about my move to Maine. I wasn't going to be gone for that long and, thankfully, Bastian was coming with me, but this move felt like my first step into adulthood, and that was scary.
We opened the door to the restaurant with Poppy acting edgy. That should have been my clue that something was up. As soon as we walked inside, my feet just stopped moving. A banner hung from the ceiling: Congratulations, Lark. We'll Miss You, and a huge cake sat on one of the tables. But it was the people, everyone I wanted to see, all standing around staring at me that had those blasted tears leaking from my eyes.