My lips twitch without my permission.
And when I watch her raven curls bounce as she skips up the bakery steps, the smile only grows.
Taking Luci’s hand, I guide her up the bakery steps, and we wait by the door while Lena and Zara place their orders.
As usual, my attention stays on Lena. While she pulls her gloves off with her teeth, while she flashes her sunny smile at the barista, while she runs a hand over Noah’s head.
It’s somehow utterly mesmerizing to watch her do mundane things.
“Beautiful, isn’t she?” Luci’s voice startles me.
I blink a few times, grinning down at her curly gray hair. “What was that?”
She gives me a knowing grin, her eyes crinkling in the corners. That look saysI know more than you think I do,and it shoots an icy chill down my spine.
“Just commenting on the view,” she says as her attention flicks to Lena.
The view.
The view is only the most gorgeous woman in the goddamn world.
Lena’s head is thrown back, her raspy, uninhibited laughter echoing off the wood walls of the bakery. I want to wrap my arms around her and breathe that laughter right into my lungs and live off it.
Once the barista hands her a drink, Lena saunters toward us and out the bakery door. Zara’s right behind her as Lena sings “Jingle Bells” loud enough to turn a few heads.
I’m dazedly watching them stroll down the steps when I remember Luci by my side.
“We should probably get on our way, don’t you think, young man?” She raises an eyebrow. “We don’t want to miss the main event.”
I huff a laugh, pulling her hand to my forearm and guiding her down the steps. “I’m not as young as you think I am.”
“Oh, age is all relative.” She lets out a small grunt on the last step. “Did you know my Davis was sixteen years older than me?”
Surprise flickers through me. “I did not.”
Her thin finger pokes into my chest. “He may have been sixteen years older, but he was always energetic in the bedroom, where it counts.”
Laughter tumbles out of me, loud and gravelly.
Inky curls whip in my direction a few yards down the path as Lena hears it, and her sparkling gaze meets mine. A brilliant smile takes over her whole face, lifting her cheeks and making her skin glow with joy.
The sight of her zings right through my body like I’ve been shocked by an electric jolt.
Do I get that smile just for laughing?
Fuck, I should laugh more often.
“For consenting adults, age isn’t important, dear,” Luci whispers as we continue toward everyone gathered at the front of the tree field.
“Who’s picking the tree this year?” Lena squeals, stretching the last word into four syllables.
“Is it my turn?” Jack bounces on his toes so high that he has to spin his arms to stay upright.
“Think you can handle this very serious tradition?” Lena grins down at him while Zara zips up his thick coat.
“Yes, yes,” he squeaks, grinning proudly.
Lena pulls a small scarf out of her jacket and whips it through the air beside Jack. Then she turns around and hands me her peppermint mocha with a wink.
