Page 5 of The Lightkeeper

A month avoiding town and my ability to “people” was sorely lacking.

“Good seeing you, Brian.” I took the opportunity to interject a goodbye with the friendliest pat on the shoulder I could muster. “Don’t work too hard.”

I walked away to the tune of his “hope to see you around more”and wondered why, considering how I’d just been so curt and dismissive. I chalked it up to politeness as I started adding random cans of food to my cart. Beans. Ravioli. SpaghettiOs. I wasn’t picky;as long as it wouldn’t perish in the next four weeks, I’d take it.

My frown deepened by the time I reached the lighthouse. A storm was definitely brewing, angry and threatening on the horizon. I pulled up close to the door and parked. If I could unload and get over to Mom’s before the skies opened up, then I’d have a good excuse to leave as soon as they did.

With that goal in mind, I rounded the front of the truck, hefted the two massive paper bags, one in each arm, and carried them to the house.

One step. That was as far as I made it inside before I realized something was wrong. Very wrong.Someone was here.I stared at the backpack and two massive duffel bags on the floor in my living room, one of them opened, clothes piled inside.

I didn’t move a muscle, listening carefully, but only hearing the creak of the windows as the wind blew against them.

“Hello?” I called, but no one answered. I set the grocery bagson the counter with a loud thud and did a quick sweep of the space. Office. Kitchen. Living room. Bedroom.Nothing.“What the hell…”

I stalked outside, dirt flying up like smoke from my stride as I scanned for another car—or any sign of the person who’d left their shit in my lighthouse. When I came up empty, I turned and looked at the tower.Could someone be…

A low sound broke from my chest. If this was some fucking prank or dare from some dumb kid to climb to the lantern room?—

A squeal—a distinctly feminine squeal—sounded from the side of the lighthouse.

“Shit.” I bolted across the gravel pad and over the boulders that framed the base of the tower, rounding the white brick edifice and preparing to take a dive into the frigid sea when I saw her.

And the sight stopped me cold.

Petite. Plump. Glossy obsidian curls pulled high on her head, cheeks tinted a dusty rose, and round wire-framed glasses—the definition of “spectacles”—perched on her pert nose. She straightened, examining whatever was in her palm so intently that she didn’t even notice me. But it was impossible not to notice her.

She had on… waders. It took me a second to remember what the fuck they were called because they were so ridiculous.Waders.Giant, puke-yellow rubber overalls with built-in boots.What the hell was she doing?

“Excuse me!” I shouted.

My sharp tone startled her, and she jumped; her glasses bounced, and her bright blue eyes snagged mine for a moment before they snapped back to whatever was in her hand, so determined to protect it that she didn’t catch her foot sliding on the wet rock. In an instant, her sound of surprise turned into a cry of dismay as she started to topple.

Instinct.I hadn’t used it in so long that I almost didn’t recognize the sensation as it took over and sent me charging to save her.

Nine years of living in the lighthouse and weathering all kinds of tasks were the only reasons I made it across the uneven boulders to her in the span of a second, my feet finding steady purchase as I hauled her into my arms to keep her from tumbling into the churning sea.

And as soon as I did, thatinstinctwas replaced with something else. Something that couldn’t ignore the soft, generous curves that, while hidden by waders, couldn’t be obscured when they were pressed against me.Something hotter. Sharper. Hungrier—something I couldn’t afford.

“Oh my,” she said breathily, her head slowly tipping up as mine lowered.This close, I could tell how petite she was. The top of her head hardly reached my chin. Her vibrant blue eyes were wide—the color of the sea on a sunny day—and curious but held no trace of fear. And for some reason, that irritated the hell out of me.

“Who are you?” I demanded.

And what the hell was she doing invading my world?

Chapter Two

Aurora

Well,this was decidedlynotthe specimen I’d come out here searching for.

No, the man who crushed me to his chest was hard and large and oh, so warm. Even through the thick rubber of my waders, I swore I could feel the heat radiating off him like the pulse of an open flame. And he was tall. So very tall. My head tipped back farther and farther… and farther until I could finally look at him. A giant. A gorgeous giant.And from underneath the ridge of his brow, charred brown eyes glared back at me, glittering like two burning coals.A gorgeous, glowering giant.

“Who are you?” A deep rumble carried his question out.

No, he was definitely not one of the cold-blooded invertebrates I’d come here to study.

I gasped loudly, suddenly recalling what I’d been doing in the moments before.“Oh my god. Thedendronotus!”I scrambled to pull myself out of the giant’s arms, praying it hadn’t been crushed in my grasp.

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