Cash got up to retrieve the doughnut, and by the time he returned, Lark had her number in his phone. She pressed thepower button and they traded items. She made a big show of lifting the paper plate closer to her face so she could take a deep, long inhalation of the doughnut.
“Mmm, smells amazing.” She lowered the plate and studied it. She turned it and examined the pastry at every angle. “Looks delicious.”
“Okay,” Cash said, a hint of disgust in his voice. “Just try it.”
“You eat with your eyes first,” Lark said matter-of-factly. “And I always smell everything I eat before I put it in my mouth.”
“You do not.”
Lark turned her attention to Cash slowly. “I do too.”
He grinned at her and cradled her face in one of those big, warm, luxurious cowboy hands. “I like you, Lark,” he whispered. “Remember when you got here yesterday?”
“Yeah,” she whispered.
“And I was saying, ‘she doesn’t even like you.’” He dropped his hand and his chin, then raised only his eyes to look at her through his eyelashes. “I was talking about you, because I’ve been thinking about you non-stop since you and Sweetie surprised me here in this house.”
Shock streamed through her, and Lark had no idea how to respond to that. He looked away, and Lark reached out to touch his face and draw his gaze back to hers.
“I like you,” she said, because she had a feeling Cash needed to hear it. “I tried not to, but there really wasn’t any reason for me not to like you, and you’re—” She huffed out her breath. “Amazing.”
“Don’t sound so happy about having an amazing boyfriend.” He grinned at her.
“Oh, is that what you are?” Lark searched his face, trying to put all the dots together. “I don’t live here, Cash.”
“I’d like to be your boyfriend,” he said. “I think we can work through the distance, don’t you?”
“Maybe,” she said.
“I can move to Idaho,” he said.
“Stop it.” Lark pushed against his chest and tucked herself under his arm, a measure of safety and warmth filling her at how close they sat on her bed. “You bought a ranch here, silly.”
“Oh, right,” he said. “I forgot about that.” He chuckled, which told Lark he hadn’t truly forgotten about his sprawling ranch on the east side of town. He played with her fingers, and Lark watched the tender way he touched her as he leaned closer.
“Maybe I’ll need you on that ranch once you graduate,” he said.
Lark didn’t dare to hope for such a thing, and she closed her eyes against the wonderful futuristic fantasy blooming to life in front of her.
“Cash—oh.”
Lark’s eyes flew open to find Boston standing there. “It’s fine,” he said.
“I’m coming,” he said, and he started to get up.
Lark reached out and grabbed onto his arm. “I haven’t tried the doughnut.”
Boston blinked and fled the doorway as Cash settled back onto the bed. Lark smiled at Cash and finally picked up the pastry and took an enormous bite, the cream cheese frosting squishing out and up onto her upper lip.
She grinned at Cash as the rich, fruity raspberry jam touched her tongue. Combined with the crispy fried dough, which had the perfect texture and a hint of sweetness, and the rich frosting, it was pretty much the most delicious thing Lark had ever eaten.
Her eyes rolled back in her head and she moaned while she chewed. Cash laughed and said, “All right. You’re such a performer.”
Lark managed to swallow. “I am not. It’samazing, Cash.” She took another bite. “I’m serious,” she said around the doughnut. She ate that bite too and stood. “I want another one.”
“You’re not even finished with that one.” Cash got to his feet too, took one look at her, and pulled her into a crushing hug. “Thank you for that reaction.”
Lark held the plate with the half-eaten doughnut out to the side and hugged Cash back the best she could with only one arm. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for today, and for my family.”
