Unconditional Love (Journey of Love #1)(33)
Author: Kelly Elliott

I smiled and felt the butterflies go off in my stomach. The elevator opened and Lark motioned for me to go first. “Turn to the right.” I headed to the doors and opened them. It was the gym.

“I know how much you like to workout and run so I wanted to show you the gym. The other side is the yoga and workout room.”

“Wow. This is amazing.” All the exercise equipment faced the windows. “Who wouldn’t want to work out with this view? I swear.”

Lark laughed and said, “Come on, two more floors to visit.”

Lark hit the tenth floor and within seconds the door was opening and he was showing me a theater room, a game room, a spa, and the pool.

“Maybe when I get back we can barbecue down here by the pool.”

I nodded my head and said, “Or my place.” His smile faded for a brief second and then it was replaced by a wider smile.

“Or my ranch between Johnson City and Marble Falls. I meet with the architect in a few weeks to talk about the house.”

“I forgot you owned land out that way.” I looked out over the city and thought about each of our futures.

“I’d love to show it to you,” he said as he took my hand in his. I knew that was huge for him. I smiled and said, “I’d love that. Maybe when you come back I can show you my new restaurant.”

His smile grew wider and he said, “I’d love to see your new place.”

We walked back to the elevator and made our way to the fourth floor. As we walked into the parking garage, I glanced at the yellow bike. My heart did a little drop. I wasn’t sure why I thought motorcycles were sexy as hell. This one was beyond sexy. I made my way to the truck as Lark made his way to the bike. I stopped and just looked at him.

He looked at me and winked. He lifted the back seat and pulled out a helmet and walked up to me and handed it to me.

I just stood there staring at him and his drop dead gorgeous smile of his. Oh. My. Word. This is his bike. I think I just had a mini orgasm at the idea of being on that thing with him.

“You said you wanted to go for a ride, mi amor. You still up for it?”

I took the helmet and let out a laugh. “You’re kidding. This is your bike, Lark?”

He looked back at it and said, “Yes ma’am, it is. I love the feel of being free and just going as fast as I can on her.”

I snapped my head over and looked at him. I shouldn’t be surprised. I’d heard Scott talk about how Lark lived life on the edge with the partying and fast living.

“Um…”

He laughed and pulled me over to the bike. “I promise not to go too fast. I have precious cargo.”

I put the helmet on and my heart began pounding with excitement. Lark got on and started the motorcycle. Eminem’s “Berzerk” began playing and Lark yelled, “Fuck yeah.”

I wrapped my arms around him and smiled. I closed my eyes when he started going and he yelled for me to hold on. “Here we go, mi amor.”

As we rode around Austin, something in me changed. It felt like it was a new me. I’d never done anything like this before, but with Lark, he made you want to live life to the fullest.

For lunch we went to Home Slice pizza. Then we hit Amy’s for ice cream before we were back on the bike and heading to the hike-and-bike trail. We walked for a bit and then I sat and watched Lark play a quick game of sand volleyball. A group of guys he knew were playing, and though he had just come down to watch, he somehow got talked into playing. I saw Jason, Lark’s friend who he said he worked with, playing. I tried not to make eye contact with him, but when I did, he politely smiled and waved. I gave him a quick wave back.

A blonde was sitting next to me and smiled at me when I sat down. We sat in silence for a few minutes as we both watched the game. I finally asked, “Is one of them yours?”

She laughed and said, “Yep.” She pointed to the only other guy who looked like he might have been in the military. “That’s my Ron. He’s normally stationed in California, but we’ve been here for the last two weeks. Some kind of training.”

I nodded my head and said, “Do you know what the training is for?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “Nope. Ron is a sniper in the Marines. I think Lark and Jason are training him for something.”

I turned and looked at Lark. I knew he could shoot well because I’d heard Scott talk about it. Why would Lark be training him?

“Is Ron going out of town tomorrow?” I asked.

She shook her head. “No, I think he is in some kind of meeting all day.”

I smiled at her and looked back at Lark. His eye was still really black and blue from where he fell.

I didn’t take my eyes off of Lark when I asked, “Did Ron go out of town a few days back?”

“Yeah, he did. Said he had a training mission to go on. He just got back…um…the day before yesterday, I think it was. Yeah.”

I turned and stuck my hand out and smiled. “I’m sorry, how rude of me. Azurdee Emerson.”

She reached for my hand and said, “Lisa Kentwood.”

“So Ron is active duty Marines?”

She nodded her head. “Yep. I kind of thought it was weird he was coming here to Austin for training since there is no Marine Corps base, but from the little he has told me, I guess Lark is one of the best Expert Rifleman in the Marine Corps.”

My heart dropped. Lark’s not in the Marines anymore.

I flashed back to the picture in Lark’s office, the one with his boss. Lark was wearing a uniform and the guy had a badge on. A CIA badge.

I shook my head and let out a small laugh. Geesh, Azurdee, stop overthinking. They must have met when Lark was in the Marines.

I glanced up to see Jason staring at me as Lark talked to him off to the side. I didn’t like the way he looked at me. Jason looked back at Lark and then down to his watch. He did something on his watch, nodded his head and they both turned and walked away from each other. Lark made his way back to me and grinned as he got closer.

“Ready for dinner?” he asked. I laughed and nodded my head. I looked at Lisa and said, “It was a pleasure to meet you.”

She smiled and said, “You too!”

Lark was taking me out to the Salt Lick for barbecue after he bragged about how it was the best around. The whole ride there, I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling I had about Lark and his job.

Sharp shooter. Marines. Secrets.

I parked the motorcycle and Azurdee got off and handed me her helmet. She had been really quiet ever since we left Zilker Park, when I stopped to talk to Jason about our meeting at the Pentagon in two days. I wasn’t sure what was up and Skip was being really silent on the whole matter.