The air pushes from his lungs, and he leans in to kiss me softly. “Rest, sweetheart. I’m going to let your brothers come in. I pretty much fought my way here, and they’re worried.”
I nod, my eyes closing. “Okay.” As soon as he comes in to kiss me again, I grab his arm. “You’ll come back?”
“Yes, love. I’ll be back. I promise. I’m not leaving you again.”
It’s as though my next breath is the best one I’ve ever drawn. As though all my worries left me with that one promise.
I don’t know how we got here. And I really don’t care how. We just are.
He brushes my hair back. “Rest. I’m not leaving you.”
And I let the peace wash over me, and I wait for my brothers to come in.
Chapter 40
Tristan
Lark is recovering better than any of us could’ve expected.
Instead of weeks—plural—in the hospital, the doctors let her go exactly one week after she woke up.
The swelling went down, she has no residual issues, and while the one lingering worry was her vision, it shows no signs of any complications.
However, she has to take it easy, which means no riding, no training horses, and a lot of rest.
This also means the once-peaceful nature of our nights is gone. If I want to see her, I have to go to her house and sit with her family—who don’t shoot death stares anymore but are definitely not friendly—and we’re not allowed to touch.
That’s her father’s rule.
While I’d love to tell him where to shove his rule, Lark expressed her desire to take things slowly for their sakes, so I’ve abided by it. However, she’s been home for over two weeks, and I want some time alone.
Tonight, I’m breaking her out. To hell with their rules.
“Now, I don’t think that’s going to happen, son,” Mr. Gatlin says as I stand at the door.
“She needs some air.”
“She needs to recover.”
I sigh. “Mr. Gatlin, I love Lark, and I would never risk her safety. You should know that.”
He looks torn, and then a small hand rests on his shoulder from behind. “Daddy, I’ll be fine.”
Thank God.
He looks to me, then Lark, and steps back. “I should’ve stopped at the fourth boy instead of thinking I needed a girl,” he mutters.
She holds back a laugh and smiles when I pull out the flowers from behind my back. “Hello, beautiful.”
“Hello, cowboy.”
“Care to take a ride with me?” I ask, pointing to the side-by-side behind me.
Her big smile lights up my entire world. “I’d love to.”
Tonight is about her. It’s a chance for me to make up for the pain I caused her—as much as I can.
I want to give her everything she’s ever wanted, and while that’s not completely possible, maybe I can give her a piece of it tonight.
