Tinsel (Lark Cove #4)(41)

I had the freedom to go back to school if needed. I had complete financial flexibility to start my own business or make an investment. But what would it be? What was I so obsessed with that I’d be willing to make it a huge part of my life?

Nothing came to mind.

Was this how other people felt? I doubted everyone was satisfied with their job.

I was sure there were grocery store clerks and gas station attendants who hated going to work every day. A part of me hoped I wasn’t alone in my lack of enthusiasm. How bad was it that I hoped people hated their jobs?

Bad.

I didn’t have to work. In last names, I’d gotten lucky. But as I looked down at Roman, I knew for every person who hated their job, there was someone who loved it. Like Dad or Aubrey or Logan or Thea or Willa.

“I hope Roman is always this excited about whatever job he has.”

Willa gave me a sidelong look. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah!” I said, too loud and with too much excitement. “Yeah. I just mean, it’s nice he has a passion at such a young age.”

I’d never had that.

“How are things at the camp?” I asked, wanting a change of subject.

“Great! We’re all shut down for the winter so I’m just working for Logan until the baby is born. But I’m already excited for the summer season to start.”

Willa ran a children’s camp in town. Besides her own children, it was her pride and joy.

It was her passion.

Everyone in this room seemed to have one except me. Even Ryder, who was still in high school, had his sights set on a college football scholarship.

“Hungry.” Roman tugged on Willa’s coat.

“Okay, sweetheart. We’ll go home and get some lunch.”

“I’ll be here tomorrow,” Jackson told Dakota. “Just leave me a note if there’s anything I should know.”

“Will do.”

“Thanks for your help, Sofia,” he said.

“It’s been fun.” I waved good-bye to Ryder then Jackson, who’d hoisted Roman onto a hip before taking his wife’s arm to escort her out the back.

“You good?” Dakota asked as the door shut.

“Yep. What can I do?”

“We need to prep some more pizza dough. There’s only enough left to last through dinner and maybe lunch tomorrow.”

“Lead the way.”

An hour later, when my hands were sticky and my sweater dusted with flour, I couldn’t get Roman and his costume out of my head.

What was my passion?

It wasn’t working at a bar. I was enjoying my time here, but that was because of Dakota. Working in this job wasn’t something I could do every day with a smile.

What was I going to do? It had to be something.

In the last six days, I’d realized that my family had been right all along. It was time for me to do more with myself than stay a career socialite. It was time to stop being the superficial, petty and na?ve woman who’d been portrayed as nothing more than tinsel in that magazine article.

It was time to find a purpose.

I just had no idea how.





“What are we doing today?” Sofia snuggled deeper into my side.

I hooked my leg over her hip, rolling her onto her back and pinning her into the bed. Then I kissed the fuck out of her, pressing my erection into her core.

When she was breathless, I broke away. “That answer your question?”

“Uh-huh,” she panted into my neck before latching on to the skin and sucking hard.

I’d been looking forward to spending another day together in bed since New Year’s. We’d just been learning that day, exploring and testing. But now that I knew Sofia was good with me taking control, that she could relax and let go of any inhibitions when it came to her body, today we were going to play.

I dropped a hand to the waistband of her shorts and slid them down. The woman loved her silk pajamas, but today she was going to be sleeping naked except for that jewel in her navel. If we slept at all. And for the rest of this vacation, she’d be naked as much as possible.

I was bewitched. Addicted after only days.

In another life, I’d do more than chase her around.

I’d catch her.

My hand slipped between us, instantly finding her clit. Her hips bucked off the bed with my slight touch and her eyes flared.

Those dark irises were just as expressive in the bedroom as they were anywhere else. I knew exactly what she was feeling, how close she was to an explosion and how badly she wanted me.

And right now she wanted me to fuck her nine ways from Sunday.

Still naked from the night before, I took my cock in my hand, positioning it at her entrance. I was about to slide inside when the phone on my nightstand rang.

“Damn it.”

“Don’t answer.” Sofia shook her head, her eyes pleading.

“Sorry, babe.” I rolled off her and grabbed the phone. It was Dad’s ringtone, one I hadn’t heard in over a month. If he was calling, something was up.

“Hello.” I shifted off the bed, dropping my feet to the floor. My hard-on was just as pissed as Sofia.

“Dakota.” He didn’t sound upset or angry for a change. Maybe this was a call I could have ignored.

“Dad.”

“Your sister had her baby.”