Ex Cried as I Wed a Tycoon

Chapter 225

Effie sprang to her feet, giggling uncontrollably. Each time she swayed, Lyman's heart lurched as if an invisible hand had seized it-his breath slowed, his nerves taut.

"Don't move around so much," he warned gently.

But before he could finish, Effie flung out her arms. "I'm about to take off!"

Lyman lunged forward just in time to catch her as she landed squarely in his

arms.

With her arms looped around his neck, she burst into laughter. "That was fun! Let's do it again!"

Lyman thought to himself that there was nothing fun about nearly having a heart attack.

Effie chimed in eagerly, "Come on, let's do it one more time!"

He nearly groaned. Again? His heart couldn't take much more.

"Mr. Etheridge, the car is ready-" the driver announced, but before he could finish, Effie suddenly shrieked, "Ahh! The superhero is here! We have to run!"

catching the glow from the streetlamp,

was the superhero, then what did that make them? Villains on

answer, but he still teased, "You think

lamppost monster, I'm the bird monster-we're way too weak. Run for it!" Effie declared, seizing his hand and taking off down the

at their entwined hands-hers was delicate and pale, almost ethereal. His gaze drifted up along her arm until he met her face. Effie turned to look at him, and under the amber streetlight, she smiled; her

leafless trees lining the avenue seemed to burst into spring, vibrant and alive. It was as if

sprite who'd wandered into his world beautiful and wild, impossible to hold

wished this

the corner and

against him, and as Lyman bent his head, he caught

on her. He frowned a little. He hadn't expected his grandmother's homemade peach liqueur-so smooth and deceptively sweet-would go so thoroughly to

knew what she was like when tipsy, he was never letting her near alcohol

back into the seat, growing quieter by the second, until she

a relieved sigh; the driver

to

closer and caught

shadows