Page 58 of Stilettos & Whiskey
When the last rope fell away, Dad grabbed my hand, and we literally ran for our lives. The thick black smoke swirling around us made it difficult to see. Were we going the right way? God, I hoped so.
“Julie!” Lucas shouted.
“Here!”
As if conjured, Lucas and Grandpa appeared out of the smoke and helped us outside.
Gulping in lungfuls of air, we watched the barn burn to the ground.
“That was too damned close,” Lucas said, his arms wrapped tightly around me.
Patrol cars, fire trucks, ATV’s and dune buggies descended on the ranch.
“My God, do you stink,” Dad gasped.
Lucas threw back his head and roared with laughter. “We all do, Dad. We all do.”
Chapter Fifteen
Tropical storm Keli had shut down all the airports in Hawaii. Unable to get a flight out, Gemma and Dante headed back to their condo and to their amazement found a dead body in the bedroom. Gemma said the police were questioning them. We were taking bets on who would solve the murder first. Gemma and Dante or Kauai Police Department. I won. It took them twenty-four hours to find the murderer, and they caught a flight out the next day.
Since I had contaminated all the menfolk, Mom banished us to the patio. The outdoor misting system dropped the temperature a good twenty degrees, but the flies were still a problem. It took three days of marinating in the cow manure goop before we passed her sniff test and were allowed to shower in the house.
Reveling in the sensation of being clean for the first time all week, I headed for the kitchen. I was starving.
Lucas stepped into the hallway. “Can we talk?”
“Sure.” Dang. He was wearing his itty-bitty swim trunks that showed off his package and all those luscious muscles.
He gestured to the living room.
I followed him in and took a seat on the couch. “What’s up?”
“Julie, I’ve had feelings for you for some time.” Lucas dropped down on one knee. “And…”
I shot to my feet. “You’re not proposing, are you?”
“What?” He jumped up. “God, no. I want to start dating you. I’m interested in a monogamous, long-term relationship with you. That means no dating that paramedic or anyone else.”
Blowing out a relieved breath, I sat back down. “Okay, but that works both ways. No more dating the Cardinal’s cheerleaders.”
“Done,” Lucas replied.
Huh? He seemed sincere and I really wanted this to work. “Can we try kissing again?”
“Hell, yeah.” Lucas sat next to me, leaned in and brushed his lips over mine. “I promise, no puking this time.”
“You break that promise and I’ll kick your ass.”
“Pucker up, sweetheart.” Lucas placed a series of slow, shivery kisses on my mouth.
I wrapped my arms around his neck. The taste of him was intoxicating. I stroked my tongue over his and the kiss turned into a greedy explosion of need.
Someone clapped.
Logan hooted.
“About friggin time,” Nate said.
