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14
Lark
Walking into the bed-and-breakfast was like stepping into a blanket of warmth. The tension in my muscles melted away. The house smelled like heaven and was alive with the chorus of conversation and clinking dishes.
A few people sat in the front living room, where a fire roared in the hearth.
Warner, Reid’s father, looked up at me from an armchair and grinned. “Lark! I’m so glad you made it.”
The other two heads in the room swiveled to me, and I recognized the set of Ramsey twins. August and Fox couldn’t have been more different, but they were glued at the hip, even after all this time, it seemed.
August was big and burly with dark-blond hair cut short and light-gray eyes. Fox was taller, but leaner, too. He was more quiet than August, keeping to himself unless prompted, but he gave me a warm smile as he pushed his dark hair back from his eyes.
“Hey there, Meadows.” August nodded to me. “Long time, no see. You taking care of yourself?”
Everyone’s attention on me had me shifting on my feet, but I lifted my lips in what I hoped was a halfway decent smile. “Of course,” I said. “I always do.”
August seemed satisfied with that.
“Can I take your coat?” Reid’s voice was a low murmur in my ear.
He was closer than I anticipated. The scent of smokey cinnamon hit me, and my core tightened.
“Uh, yes,” I stammered. My face heated, but I attributed that to the roaring fire. It was ungodly hot in this house. “Thanks.”
Reid grabbed the collar of my winter coat as I unbuttoned it. The pads of his fingers barely grazed the sliver of exposed skin near my collarbone, sending a shock of chills running straight down to my toes.
I wrapped my arms around my chest when I shrugged out of my coat. What the hell was wrong with me?
Reid didn’t seem to notice the strange surge of electricity—or at least he didn’t let on that he did—as he took my coat to the closet by the door.
Whereas before I had been all hot, now a sudden chill slithered across my skin. I hadn’t known what to wear tonight. I’d been to many Ramsey family dinners, and they were always casual, but it had been so long. I didn’t want to come wearing leggings and a sweatshirt. So, I’d opted for a forest-green, long-sleeved dress. It was mostly casual, a soft buttery fabric with a wide scooping neckline. It fit me perfectly, making me look like I had more curves than I really did.
I’d felt good about the outfit until this moment. Maybe it was too much.
Letting out a slow breath, I tried to calm my spiraling thoughts over something as simple as a small graze of Reid’s bare fingers on my skin, when it hit me what Reid was wearing.
A grin tugged on my lip as my gaze shot toward the wolf embroidered with gold on the pocket of the flannel. “Nice shirt.”
He stepped toward me, popping up the collar and wiggling his eyebrows. “I know, I look dashing.”
I stifled an actual laugh. He did, in fact, look good in the shirt. The red and green plaid was a bit jarring, but he wore it with the buttons open, breaking up the pattern. The fitted cotton shirt underneath was a dark green that sort of matched my dress.
“It does look good on you. Never thought you could pull off the lumberjack look.” But he definitely was. I tried not to linger on how perfectly chiseled his body was under that green shirt.
Reid beamed at me. “I paid good money for this thing, of course it’s gonna look good.”
He winked and I was about to let out a real chuckle, but the pitter-patter of tiny feet distracted me.
I turned as the cutest little girl ran toward me.
She skidded to a halt one step before colliding right into my knees, her socked feet sliding on the hardwood. She had short, dark-brown hair and big emerald eyes that grew wider as she stared up at me.
“Well, hello there.” I raised my hand in a small wave.
The little girl swayed a little as she surveyed me, her blue, glittery dress sparkling in the light. Her eyes bounced over my shoulder, where Reid’s warm voice said, “Hey, Hailey girl. This is my friend, Lark.”
Hailey’s whole face broke out into a bright smile. “You didn’t tell me she was so pretty, Uncle Reidsy!” The little girl stepped closer as my cheeks flushed. She gently touched the ends of my curled hair, twisting a coil carefully around one finger. “Your hair is so long,” she said in awe. “It’s like Rapunzel!”
