Page 39 of Freeing Lark

He approached silently, military training made it easy. Lark didn’t notice him until he spoke. “Enjoying yourself?”

She jumped. Her hand flew to her chest. “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!” she exclaimed. “Are you part cat or something? Make some noise when you move.”

He smiled. “Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“You appeared out of nowhere.”

“Occupational hazard.”

A beat passed, and then she seemed to grasp that his being there was not typical. “What are you doing here?”

“Security,” he answered simply.

She narrowed her eyes. “So, not a mall cop.”

He laughed. Actually laughed. Lark stared at him. The surprise on her face almost made him laugh again.

“Damn. You smiled.”

“So?”

“You should do that more often.”

Hoot tilted his head. “Maybe you bring it out of me.”

Her mouth fell open. His own brain seemed to short-circuit. What the hell had he just said?

Haley’s voice came through his earpiece. “Oh, I’m definitely recording this.”

Hoot ignored her.

Lark’s cheeks had turned pink. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you flirt before.”

“Neither have I.”

She laughed. He liked the sound. Too much.

“There it is,” he declared.

“What?”

“That’s the first time I’ve seen your real smile since you arrived.” His gaze swept over her. “You don’t want to be here.”

Her smile disappeared. “You’ve been watching me?”

Through his comm Eggs replied, “Like a hawk,” just as he shrugged and answered, “Maybe,” while ignoring the voice in his ear.

He could tell she didn’t know what to make of his answer. “You’re right. I don’t want to be here.”

“Why?”

She looked toward the ballroom. “My family. They’re complicated.”

That was enough to make him listen. She went on to explain further. The arrangement with Bradley. Her parents’ expectations. Wren and the bothersome age difference and the online attacks she’d been receiving.

Then there was the demand that Lark attend so everyone could see that she supported the relationship. Hoot's jaw tightened. “They expect you to pretend you’re happy?”

“Basically,” she stated, making it sound as though it were a simple, everyday matter. “Don’t get me wrong. I stopped having feelings for Bradley long ago.” Then she stopped and seemed to ponder something. “In fact, I don’t think I ever had any feelings for him. It had been expected of me to be paired with someone of significance. Despite how absurd it may appear, I strove to satisfy my parents’ expectations. But of course, it was never enough.”