The Billionaire Playboy's Regret (Lark and Max) novel Chapter 18

Lark woke with her head feeling full of cotton, her mouth tasting as if she’d licked a carpet and her body weighed down into her mattress. Snippets of the evening before began to filter into her memory as she emerged from the darkness of an alcohol induced deep sleep. She made a whimpering noise and then gave a surprised grunt as the heaviness of her body was squeezed and a hissed “shh” came from behind her.

The twins stayed the night and just as they did thousands of times in their lives as kids, teens, and young adults, they’d drunkenly crawled into Lark’s bed, snuggled up, told stories, and giggled until they all passed out.

She reached a tentative toe behind her and sure enough she connected with the hairy shin of the man whose arm was holding her captive. Keeping her eyes closed she moved it forward praying to connect with Ollie’s leg and yet was not surprised to find her side of the bed empty.

“When did she leave?”

“She mentioned a breakfast date last night, don’t you remember? She left fifteen minutes ago. You were snoring.” Max’s voice was hot in her ear as he pulled her stiff body backwards into his arms and hugged her tight snuggling her neck. ” Stop talking now. It’s too early and I don’t want your folks to find me yet.”

“What time is it?”

“Eight.”

“I was supposed to go running with Dad at seven,” she whined. “He’s probably already seen you.”

“It explains then why Ollie went out the door instead of the window.” He flung his leg over her hip and drew her tighter. “Max, this isn’t appropriate, for us to be in bed together alone.” She whispered.

“Why not? Last night you agreed we could be friends again.”

“I was really drunk.”

“So was I but I’m holding you to your promise. You even agreed to go on a hike with me today.” He groaned, “but not for at least a couple of hours, several cups of coffee and at least another hour of sleep.”

His voice was thick and rumbled with exhaustion.

“Max.”

“Lark, shh,” he whispered again. “Just enjoy it.”

She rolled in his arms to look at him, aware this was not a new position for them. She’d woken in his arms many times in her youth, but she’d also woken in Ollie’s arms in the exact position. The three of them always gravitated to each other and somehow, she was always the meat in the middle of the Villeneuve sandwich.

However, this version of Max, the adult one with the bigger than ever body with the muscles everywhere, the morning scruff coating his cheeks, was a far cry from the kid who used to drool on her. She noted the crusty white film at the corners of his mouth and snickered. At least he still drooled.

“Lark,” he whined as if he knew she was staring at him, “chère, I haven’t slept this well in years. Please don’t make me get up. Snuggle with me.” He tried to press her head to his chest, and she giggled unable to stop herself.

“You’re still cranky in the morning.”

“Only on days which end in y,” he hugged her tight, rolling onto his back and pulling her so she was laying almost atop him. “Please stop talking.”

She stared at him in disbelief at the position he now held her in. This was far more intimate than any position he’d ever initiated. In the past he would hug her, even cuddle her but putting her on top of him never happened before. She tried to protest when he used his palm to shove her head to his chest.

“Max. I can’t lay on you.”

“If you keep your moving, Lark Hoffman, I’m going to lay on top of you.”

She swallowed at the threat aware she wasn’t near as horrified by the threat as she should be. However, as she wriggled to try to get into a more comfortable position, she was aware of a growing member of Max’s body. Her eyes were huge as she froze and stared straight ahead at the wall.

“Now see what you did,” he chuckled. “All this moving around combined with me thinking of being on top of you and suddenly my little friend is also awake. Stop moving so he can go back to sleep.”