Just Me (35 page)

“
Excuse me?” I asked.

“
Chicken?”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “Did Bastian put you up to this?”

She actually lifted her hand and started studying her nails. “He may have mentioned something.”

“
Such as?
”

“
That you were still owed payback for being responsible for him having to dress in a pink rabbit suit. Which, I have to say, I would have really liked to have seen that. Anyway, I'm a giver, Lark. I'm always ready to help my fellow man.”

“
What a humanitarian.”
I muttered.

“
So, are you going to get up there with us or are you going to cluck about?”

I looked at Gwen, who was trying really hard not to laugh, before my attention turned back to Saffron. I knew she could see the answer on my face. “Fine.”

“
Excellent.”

But once we were up there, I had second thoughts. “This seems like an extraordinarily bad idea
.
” And that came out in a whine.

“
It's fun, Lark, it's like being a rock star for a few minutes.”

Gwen hit a few buttons and Adele's “Rumor Has It” pumped loudly from the speakers.

I was seriously beginning to wonder if this entire town was really some avant-garde mental hospital where the patients were allowed to roam freely. Maybe they even piped airborne narcotics into the air supply to keep the natives from going completely bonkers, though with this—singing karaoke in the middle of the town square—I think we were definitely at or even past bonkers.

Saffron started to sing and I learned that I was just as nuts as the rest of them, because I was actually having fun watching her. I think that part of my enjoyment was the realization that I was being included. Here in Harrington among people who were most likely relations of mine, I wasn't on the outside looking in.

“
Your turn, Lark.”

I didn't want to be included that much. “No thanks. Listening is one thing. Singing is something else entirely,” I said.

“
So you are a chicken?
”

I couldn't believe I was actually being goaded into singing and worse, I was letting myself be. There were just a few people milling around, and since I was so damn competitive, I relented. Saffron grinned like a fool.

I selected a song that reminded me of Bastian, “Brighter than the Sun,” and when the music started, I sort of lost myself to it and the boy. I didn't have a great voice, but Saffron was right, it was a hell of a lot of fun. Made even more so when my eyes met hers and I saw affection staring back. I had never experienced one, but I was pretty sure we were having a bonding moment.

As if I summoned him with song, Bastian appeared, crossing the lawn of the town square heading right to me. I followed him with my gaze as I sang—the words expressed so perfectly how I felt about him. Despite the festival workers around us, I sang just to him and when the song was over, Bastian came on stage to sweep me into a kiss.

“
My siren
.
” He
whispered. A devilishness entered his expression. He took a lock of my hair between his fingers. “Seeing you singing up here is so fucking hot.”

“
I can't sing to save my life.”

His grin turned borderline lascivious. “True, but it's still hot as hell.” He sealed that observation with another kiss.

***

The following evening Logan and Broderick came to take Bastian to play some pool. Logan's car and Bastian's motorcycle had just left the driveway when I heard another knock at the door and opened it to find Saffron and Gwen.

“
Hi.”

“
Bastian's gone, right?” Saffron asked as her eyes darted around the foyer.

“
Yeah, he just left.”

“
Cool, grab a jacket.
”

I didn't move. What was she up to?

“
Where are we going?”

“
To have fun.” She narrowed her eyes at me and she started to cluck like a chicken.

I reached for my jacket as I muttered.
“Last I checked, I was the adolescent in the crowd.”

“
We are young at heart
.
” Saffron said, before she turned and started waddling away and I couldn't help calling after her.

“
You going to start quacking soon?”

Gwen stared at me a second, then burst out into laughter, but Saffron just looked at me from over her shoulder. I added, “Shoe on the other foot and all that.”

“
Nice
.
” She
hissed.

We drove into town, where we got ice cream, walked down Main Street, and spent some time at the harbor. About two hours later we started
for home, but instead of going to the little Cape on the bay, we stopped just before Tucker’
s
—the bar Bastian was at. Gwen parked her car along the side of the road. I followed her out of the car and when I came around to the other side I asked, “What are we doing?”

“
Practice
.
” Saffron offered cryptically.

“
Meaning?” I pressed.

Gwen appeared with a cooler and when she opened it, I peered inside.

“
What are they?” I asked.

Saffron looked almost sinister.
“Swordfish funnel cakes.”

“
What are we going to do with them?”

Gwen chuckled as she closed up the lid. “We're going to attack.”

She looked down at me and smiled as understanding dawned.

“
The guys
.
” I said.

“
Yep.”

“
Why?” I asked.

That was met with two blank stares. “Why not?” Saffron asked, with genuine confusion.

“
But isn't the owner your friend? Won't he be upset that we're making such a mess and with those?” My nose wrinkled from the smell, though it was not nearly as bad as the name suggested.

“
Yeah, a good friend, so he won't mind. Besides, we've gotten really quick at cleaning up after these forays.”

How do you reply to that? “Okay.”

“
Thatta girl
.
” Gwen said.

“
You guys ready?” Saffron asked.

“
Yep.”

We moved in through the kitchen and when we walked out into the bar, we were still not visible to Bastian and the others. Saffron looked giddy, excitement turning her cheeks all rosy. I was all for bonding moments with Saffron, but she was just a bit left of center. The fact that I found the trait endearing and not disturbing probably meant something.

Saffron pressed the funnel cake into my palm and the weight of it surprised me. I couldn't imagine eating one, really didn't understand how something so gross could ever have been thought up, but now was not the time to ponder it.

We walked further into the bar and stopped just outside the pool room. It only took a moment for Bastian's head to lift. I kept my hands behind my back as I strolled into the room, Gwen right behind me. Bastian moved from his spot at the table toward me as a smile spread over his face.

“
Hey
beautiful.”

“
Hi
Bastian.”
I held his gaze a moment before I took in the other men. Understanding swept across Logan's face right before he turned his attention to someone just behind me.

Saffron screamed, “Now!” I lost sight of Bastian briefly in the shower of funnel cakes and I laughed at the look on his face when he came back into view. He had had no idea what was going on, so he didn't react fast enough to block the funnel cake that nailed him right on the nose, or the two others that followed just after the first. His eyes narrowed and I gulped before I turned and fled. I made it out of the bar and about two hundred yards from it before Bastian's strong arms came around me and lifted me right off the ground. He pulled me back against him and sucked on the skin of my neck, right at the curve where it met the shoulder. “You shouldn't have done that.”

“
It was Saffron's idea.”

His lips brushed over my ear, capturing my lobe in his teeth, before his tongue licked the small point of pain. My bones melted.

“
You nailed me with a funnel cake.”

“
I did—several times in fact.”
There were still some remnants of the cakes in his hair.

His voice sounded so soft and sexy
.
“And how should I punish you for that?”

Desire burned through me at his tone. He must have sensed the change in me when he dropped me to the ground and turned me into him, his mouth fusing to mine as he trapped me up against a tree. His hands pulled through my hair as he tilted my head and kissed me so thoroughly that there was not a single spot in my mouth he didn't explore.

“
Lark! You okay?” Saffron called, no doubt because she had brought me here and wanted to make sure I was with Bastian before she left.

Bastian pulled his mouth from mine, but his eyes had turned so dark and filled with so many sinfully delicious promises that I felt myself getting lightheaded.

“
We're going home right now.”
He kissed me quick and hard.

“
Yes, home, I like that idea.” I called to Saffron. “Yes, I'm okay.”

“
Okay, see you in the morning. Night, Bastian.”

“
Good night.” Seconds later, we were roaring down the road on his bike. Once Bastian parked, he grabbed for me and said
.
“Run.”

My eyes grew wide and I did just that, but I didn't even make it to the door before Bastian grabbed me and lifted me up over his shoulder.

“
Bastian!
”

As soon as we were locked in the house he carried me down the hall to the bedroom where he tossed me onto the bed. I couldn't even catch my breath before he was on top of me. His body covered mine. His eyes burned like fire as his lips turned up on the one side. And then he meted out my punishment. He kissed every inch of my body as he slowly removed my clothes. He stripped and I watched as he rolled the condom on before he covered my naked body with his own. Feeling the hard muscles of his body pressed against the soft curves of mine had lust coiling in my belly. I grabbed his ass just as he rolled his hips and entered me in one, long smooth motio
n
. As soon as his hips started to move, my lips sealed over his as we moved together finding that perfect rhythm. Yep, I definitely needed to be bad more often.

***

The previous night, after Bastian and I returned home, had been incredible. In fact I was so eager to have a repeat performance that I had tried to convince Bastian to play hooky with me, but he couldn't because his specs were due to the woodcrafter. It was just as well, I had a painting to work on.

My cell buzzed, pulling me from my thoughts. When I saw it was my uncle, a smile spread over my face. “Hey, Uncle Eddie.”

“
Lark, how are you?”

He sounded distracted or upset. “I'm fine. Is everything okay?”

“
Yeah, is everything good with you?”

“
Better than good. I'm learning a lot and this town: the people are crazy but a lot of fun.” I wanted to tell him about Logan being my dad but I wasn't sure that was news one shared over the phone. My mom had been the love of Uncle Eddie's life. He already knew she shared a child with a stranger, but now having a face and a name for that stranger, that might be news best shared in person.

“
That's wonderful. I'm so happy to hear you're enjoying yourself.” Again I felt as if he was distracted.

“
Are you sure everything's okay?”

“
Yeah, but if your Aunt should call you, would you please call me immediately?”

“
Is something wrong?”

“
I don't think so, please don't worry yourself. It's just that I haven't heard from her in a few days, but I think that's because she's coming to terms with our separation. Anyway, if you hear from her, I'd really like to know.”

“
Sure.”

“
How's Bastian?”

“
He's great. He's working too, restoring an old house right here in Harrington. The place is amazing.”

“
Maybe he could take some pictures, I'd love to see the progress.”

Surprised and touched by his request, I immediately replied, “I'm sure he'd love to share it with you. So, how are the girls?”

The tension in his tone eased with the mentioning of the twins. And for the next half an hour, he caught me up with what was going on in their lives.

The following morning I was at the lighthouse in Logan's studio finishing my sketch of him. Logan had called earlier suggesting he and I work on a sculpting piece. To have the opportunity to watch a man of his talent working a slab of marble was not something I could pass up, not to mention we needed to discuss the mural that Broderick wanted us to paint. So while Logan retrieved his supplies from his shed, I finished his sketch.