she decided to go along with his suggestion. It was simple and elegant. While she waited for him, she leaned back to look up at the stars. She wasn’t aware of exclaiming in wonder, but she must have.
He turned toward her in alarm. “Are you okay?”
“More than okay.” She gazed at the light show above her. “That’s incredible.”
“I know.” He walked over and held up his arms. “Ready?”
“Yes.”
6
T HANK GOODNESS . Liam had worried this ride had been a huge mistake, but after Hope’s reaction to the sky full of stars, he relaxed. He hadn’t misjudged her. She might not be used to this kind of adventure, but when it was offered, she responded to it.
She was a puzzle, and he didn’t have all the pieces yet. Something didn’t fit the picture she was presenting to everyone, but he’d figure out the mystery eventually. Right now they had a soft blanket waiting. He lifted her down and led her over to it.
He’d ground-tied both Navarre and Isabeau, who were old and extremely mellow. They weren’t going anywhere. Hope sat on the blanket like a person about to have a picnic, except they hadn’t brought anything to eat or drink.
Liam decided to set the tone. After relaxing beside her, he took off his Stetson and stretched out on his back. “You can see the stars a lot better if you lie back.”
To his surprise, she laughed. “Is that a maneuver?”
“A maneuver?”
“You know, a move.”
“Oh.” He was getting a little tired of people telling him he had moves—first Grady and now Hope. Then he thought about the times he’d brought other women out to this meadow. She had a point. “I guess it’s a move, now that you mention it.” He sighed. “The truth is, I want to kiss you, and it’ll be easier if you’re down here instead of up there.”
“So it has nothing to do with looking at the stars.”
“It has everything to do with looking at the stars! First you lie on your back and appreciate how beautiful they are, and then I get to kiss you underneath their brilliant light. It all goes together.”
“You sound cranky.”
“That’s because nobody has ever made me break it down.”
“I see.” She flopped down on the blanket. “Beautiful stars. Now kiss me.”
“You just completely destroyed the mood.”
“Are you sure?” She rolled to her side and reached over to run a finger down his tense jaw. “Last time I checked, we still had a canopy of stars arching over us.”
“A canopy of stars.” He turned to face her and propped his head on his hand. “Did you write that?”
“None of your beeswax.”
Although she’d said it in a teasing way, he got the message. No more questions about her late great writing career. “Let’s start over. How about if you lie back and look up at the stars?”
“I did that already, and you didn’t pick up your cue.”
“Try it again.”
She sighed and rolled to her back. “Beautiful stars. Now kiss—”
His mouth covered hers before she could finish. And hallelujah, did she liven up the party. He’d thought she would. Any woman who had the guts to block the path of his F-350 as it charged up a hill would most likely be fun to kiss.
She ignited like a bottle rocket, pressing her fingers against his scalp and pulling him in deeper. He went gladly. He felt more than heard her moan, because somehow his hand had cupped her breast, and his palm absorbed the vibration.
The moan inspired him to unfasten the buttons on her shirt as he thrust his tongue into her mouth and explored the tantalizing sweetness there. She might be able to keep some of her secrets, but these he could unlock—her yearning to be touched as he unfastened her bra and caressed her silky breasts, her need to be kissed with a thoroughness that made her gasp and writhe beneath him.
Cade had told him to bring condoms just in case. Now he wondered if he’d been a fool to leave them behind. Her hot kisses and soft whimpers told him she might be willing to take
He turned toward her in alarm. “Are you okay?”
“More than okay.” She gazed at the light show above her. “That’s incredible.”
“I know.” He walked over and held up his arms. “Ready?”
“Yes.”
6
T HANK GOODNESS . Liam had worried this ride had been a huge mistake, but after Hope’s reaction to the sky full of stars, he relaxed. He hadn’t misjudged her. She might not be used to this kind of adventure, but when it was offered, she responded to it.
She was a puzzle, and he didn’t have all the pieces yet. Something didn’t fit the picture she was presenting to everyone, but he’d figure out the mystery eventually. Right now they had a soft blanket waiting. He lifted her down and led her over to it.
He’d ground-tied both Navarre and Isabeau, who were old and extremely mellow. They weren’t going anywhere. Hope sat on the blanket like a person about to have a picnic, except they hadn’t brought anything to eat or drink.
Liam decided to set the tone. After relaxing beside her, he took off his Stetson and stretched out on his back. “You can see the stars a lot better if you lie back.”
To his surprise, she laughed. “Is that a maneuver?”
“A maneuver?”
“You know, a move.”
“Oh.” He was getting a little tired of people telling him he had moves—first Grady and now Hope. Then he thought about the times he’d brought other women out to this meadow. She had a point. “I guess it’s a move, now that you mention it.” He sighed. “The truth is, I want to kiss you, and it’ll be easier if you’re down here instead of up there.”
“So it has nothing to do with looking at the stars.”
“It has everything to do with looking at the stars! First you lie on your back and appreciate how beautiful they are, and then I get to kiss you underneath their brilliant light. It all goes together.”
“You sound cranky.”
“That’s because nobody has ever made me break it down.”
“I see.” She flopped down on the blanket. “Beautiful stars. Now kiss me.”
“You just completely destroyed the mood.”
“Are you sure?” She rolled to her side and reached over to run a finger down his tense jaw. “Last time I checked, we still had a canopy of stars arching over us.”
“A canopy of stars.” He turned to face her and propped his head on his hand. “Did you write that?”
“None of your beeswax.”
Although she’d said it in a teasing way, he got the message. No more questions about her late great writing career. “Let’s start over. How about if you lie back and look up at the stars?”
“I did that already, and you didn’t pick up your cue.”
“Try it again.”
She sighed and rolled to her back. “Beautiful stars. Now kiss—”
His mouth covered hers before she could finish. And hallelujah, did she liven up the party. He’d thought she would. Any woman who had the guts to block the path of his F-350 as it charged up a hill would most likely be fun to kiss.
She ignited like a bottle rocket, pressing her fingers against his scalp and pulling him in deeper. He went gladly. He felt more than heard her moan, because somehow his hand had cupped her breast, and his palm absorbed the vibration.
The moan inspired him to unfasten the buttons on her shirt as he thrust his tongue into her mouth and explored the tantalizing sweetness there. She might be able to keep some of her secrets, but these he could unlock—her yearning to be touched as he unfastened her bra and caressed her silky breasts, her need to be kissed with a thoroughness that made her gasp and writhe beneath him.
Cade had told him to bring condoms just in case. Now he wondered if he’d been a fool to leave them behind. Her hot kisses and soft whimpers told him she might be willing to take
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