Page 26 of Lady Luck's Kiss
“I can see why.”
“There is so much more to it, you know? It was unexpected. But one afternoon, I was out cleaning the grounds from debris the previous owner left scattered. The next thing I knew, it wasnight and there was such silence around me. I looked up and knew I was home.”
She didn’t say anything. It was evident he needed his privacy and peace. Who would have thought that the bull rider was a stargazer at heart? “Do you study the stars? The constellations?”
“Oh no, not at all,” he admitted with a shy smile. “It’s simply the feeling you get here. You feel almost humbled and struck by the beauty that is hidden. I mean, look at it. It’s dark, but there is a light that burns so brightly that it has been a beacon for centuries. People hundreds of years ago worshipped the stars. And years from now, they will be looking at the same ones we are looking at now. It draws you in and you feel like if you were lost, you are home now.”
“Why, Mr. Seguin? You might be a romantic at heart!” she teased nervously, trying to lighten the mood.
“Maybe,” he admitted, looking back up at the night sky. “Maybe I just found something else that calls to me, too.” Charlie looked up, admiring the stars and feeling the stress slip away. It really was gorgeous out. Just then, she felt something on her hand.
“What’s this?”
“Nothing.”
“Well, it doesn’t feel like nothing.”
“Open it.” Jack sat up and Charlie followed, looking at him. It wasn’t gift wrapped, it was just a small paper box that looked dented. Pulling off the lid, she saw tissue paper inside.
“What is this? The closer?”
“I should have never said that,” he said with an embarrassed laugh, ruffling his hair nervously. “I was joking when I said it and it came out wrong.”
“I’m not going to fall into bed with you, you know? I don’t do that,” she said bluntly, pulling the tissue paper away from the box. “Oh, my word,” she breathed, staring at the box, shocked.Inside was a tiny hammered star on a silver chain. “Jack, it’s too much.”
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing! This is beautiful. Where did you get it?” she marveled, staring at the delicate, little star and pulling it out of the box. Opening the clasp, she felt his hands take it from her as he gently draped it around her neck, fastening it.
“I made it.”
“How? You did?”
“I like to work with my hands when I have some time between gigs. It’s not much, but I thought I’d like you to have something to make you think of me. To think of tonight and how it went.”
“But I don’t have anything for you and I feel like I should have something now. This is too much.”
“Charlie, all I want it one of those lovely kisses tonight when I drop you off at home. That, and I want you to think of me and our time together when you look up at the stars.”
“I think I’m going to be thinking of this for quite a while,” she admitted shyly, dropping her hair back down as the tiny star lay at the base of her neck. “It fits perfectly.”
“A pretty star against a beautiful canvas,” he whispered tenderly, kissing the side of her neck. “Just like above us now.”
“You are definitely a romantic,” she breathed, feeling intense pleasure at his breath on her throat. Her hand reached up and curled in his hair to hold him in place behind her. His other hand crept around her waist, pulling her seated against him. Leaning back and arching her neck, she felt herself melting at the intimacy that was between them.
“You make me feel that way,” she heard him whisper in her ear. Her heart beat loudly in her chest as she felt herself wanting him to kiss her again, to touch her. She craved the sensation and the roughness of his shaven chin against her neck was drivingher mad. Suddenly, his warm hands grasped hers as he leaned away, breaking the moment.
“Is something wrong?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder at him.
“Yes. No. Oh gosh, Charlie,” Jack groaned. “You are killing me, little one.” She saw his hand shook as he rubbed the back of his neck, looking away from her.
“If this was the closer? It was a darned good one. So far, it’s working.”
“That was a poor choice of words for me to use. I will drive you home,” he said quickly, standing up in the truck.
“What? What’s wrong? I thought you wanted something like this,” Charlie practically yelped, getting to her feet to join him as he moved towards the side of the truck to get down.
“I do, but I want to do it right.”
