Lark went immediately into battle mode, her fangs dropping and her venom glands tingling as she identified the threat… that wasn’t a threat.
Kong and Grady were on the floor, both of them laughing their asses off. Kong’s T-shirt was ripped at the shoulder, and a spot of blood marked Grady’s bottom lip, but they were otherwise fine, holding their bellies as they guffawed loudly.
“Man!” Kong shouted. “That was fun.” Grinning, he looked up at Lark. “And look, Grady didn’t go all Robo Killer on us.” His grin fell as he noticed her fangs still on display, the tips glistening with toxin. “But you’re looking a little feral there, sunshine. You want to tuck that shit away before my balls crawl up to my throat?”
Her adrenaline was still pumping hard, so it took some effort, but she managed to fold her fangs back. Ruefully she remarked, “While surprising him was a good plan, I think I could have used some warning.”
Kong’s gleeful grin immediately returned. “But this is awesome, right?” He turned his head to look at Grady who was using his thumb to wipe away the spot of blood. “Right?”
Grady levered himself up. “Right. If that didn’t set off the weapons system, nothing will.” Offering his hand, he hauled Kong to his feet and, once he was up, slapped a hand on the guy’s shoulder. “Thanks, man.”
“Anytime. Now fill me in. Rumors are flying. Give me the deets.”
“Later,” Grady told him with a wicked grin. “Lark and I have some things to do.”
Kong let out a littlechsound. “Right,” he said, drawing out the word before he raised his hands to either side of his head and made air quotes. “Things. Like we all don’t know what that means.” He shook his head with a wry twist of his lips and let out an overly dramatic sigh. “Fine. Go. Have fun without me. I’ll just hang out here, bored, friendless, loveless, and wait for the General to pay attention to me.”
Lark rolled her eyes and grabbed Grady’s hand to pull him toward the door. “Well, have fun with that.”
“You’re heartless, Lark!” Kong called after them. “Heartless, I say!”
Laughing, they ran outside and then Grady surprised her by scooping her up in his arms for a kiss. Her eyes widened as she panicked. She never got a chance to warn him. Two seconds later he pulled back, but his expression wasn’t horrified, or filled with pain. His eyes were glittering with mirth as he smacked his lips together a few times. “Tingly,” he told her.
Oh, thank God. Any lingering venom on her lips must have been neutralized.
“I kind of like it,” he added, and Lark couldn’t help it, she burst out laughing. There was just so much joy in her heart. So much happiness. All these years she’d been content with simply being content. She’d never dreamed she’d find this level of bliss.
Reaching up, she stroked the hard planes of Grady’s handsome face. “Let’s go home.”
“Home,” Grady repeated, nuzzling his face into her neck as he strode for the Jeep. “I like the sound of that.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Theygrabbedfoodfromthe mess hall and brought it back to Lark’s apartment, fully intending to get crumbs on the sheets as Lark had playfully suggested. But as soon they were alone, a hunger of a different kind took precedence.
“I think I need you to help me work up an appetite,” Lark purred as she stroked a hand up the side of his neck.
His erection, which had been at half-mast since the moment they had left the mess hall, sprang to full, throbbing life.
“Yeah?” He stepped in closer, wrapping an arm around her waist, and tugged her body fully against his. “I can do that.”
Happily. Eagerly, and right the hell now.
With a look hot enough to melt his circuits, she spun out of his arms and began stripping off her clothes.
She got as far as her shirt before Grady reached for her again and growled, “That’s my job.”
“Well, I guess you better get on that, soldier.”
She had no idea just how badly he wanted to get on that.
Lark squealed with delight as he picked her up in his arms and carried her into the bedroom. Laying her on the bed, he knelt at the foot to unlace her boots.
Propping herself up on her elbows, she watched him with heavy-lidded eyes, her lips slightly parted and her breathing ragged.
“You are so beautiful,” he told her.
Making quick work of the boots and socks, he raised her bare foot and kissed her instep then moved higher to swirl his tongue around her ankle bone. He repeated the action with the other foot before he stood, looming over her as he started on her pants.
