Tragic (Lark Cove, #3)

by Devney Perry

Life was too short to skip dessert on Saturday nights. And my curves wouldn’t maintain themselves.

My god, he did it for me. Head to toe, Kaine Reynolds was magic.

This wasn’t a rebound or some kind of revenge fuck. This was pure, unfettered attraction. This was two people whose chemistry was explosive. This was me wanting Kaine. And him wanting me right back.

For three years, I’d avoided all physical contact because I never wanted to forget the last person I’d held in my arms. I didn’t want to forget how her little body had rested against my chest. How her weight had felt in my arms. I still felt her. I still felt that ghost. But I felt Piper now too.

“Are you actually smiling?” I teased. “I didn’t think you knew how. Where’s my phone? I need to take a picture.”

“I can’t feel anything.” Kaine’s eyes held mine. “But I can feel you.”

I’d never regret finding my mountain. It was where I’d found Piper. Or maybe she’d found me.

Kaine brought up his phone on the Tahoe’s system. He drove it so often, it was basically his vehicle. Whenever I had to go down to Logan’s house for work, he drove me and would then come and pick me up. He took me to dinner or to the grocery store. Thea teased me about being the only person in Lark Cove who had a chauffeur.

“Piper.” He tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. “I’m going to fuck you because I’ve been desperate to be inside of you since the last time. I’m going to fuck you because you’re more beautiful now than you’ve ever been. And because sitting next to you on the couch, trying to hide a hard-on, is getting really old.”

I’ve been pushing so hard, wanting you to open up to me on my timeline. But my timeline doesn’t matter. You matter. So maybe you need to run away. Get some space and get okay with everything. When you’re ready to talk, I’ll be here. If you decide you don’t want to talk, I’ll still be here.”

“They’re going to be okay, Kaine. They’ll be incredible.”

He was proving to me his love, whether he knew it or not. His simple gestures, like taking out the trash or making me bedtime tea or massaging my lower back when it ached, were more meaningful than any of the marriage proposals.