Leather & Lark (Ruinous Love, #2)

by Brynne Weaver

“Hey.” It’s not my most slick opening line, I know. But Lark still smiles when she glances over her shoulder at me. “Hey. You’re not coming out here to be an asshat, are you?” I chuckle, shutting the door behind me. “No, that’s only weekdays from nine to five. The rest of the time I just brood.” “That just sounds so wrong,” she says through a tinkling laugh. “It’s like you spend your evenings in a chicken coop sitting on a clutch of eggs. But somehow it kinda makes sense with your brother’s doily vibe.” “You’re right, scratch that.” She snorts. “Scratch? You’re really wedded to the chicken puns, aren’t you.” “Oh my dear Christ. This is the least smooth opening I’ve ever had. Let me start again.” I turn around and head inside. I can hear her laughing through the glass as I open the door again and step back out onto the balcony. “What a lovely evening. Mind if I join you? I know nothing about chickens, by the way.” “That’s good. The last guy was way too into poultry.” “He sounds like a feckin’ asshat. Feather fetishes aren’t really my thing.” “Such a shame, I do love a bit of feather play—” I turn around again, opening and closing the door for a third time before she’s even finished laughing. “Hi. My name’s Lachlan and I don’t know anything about chickens but I do like feathers under the right circumstances.” Lark is still giggling, her eyes shining and bright in the ambient glow of the city lights. “Well, you sound like my kind of guy. The first dude had a chicken obsession...