Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 107673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107673 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Where did I go?
Where did he go?
I tried to listen for a sound to indicate a direction, but heard nothing, and started forward. At some point I had to reach the middle.
An eerie vibe of the shadowless darkness sent a shiver down my spine.
New next rule in our relationship, Beau was never to leave me to my own devices when we were outdoors.
“Boo!” Beau suddenly, and loudly, dropped down in front of me.
I dropped everything I held and stumbled backward, trying to get away from the threat. If I managed to stay on my feet, I’d run for it. Instead of sprinting away, I screamed a high-pitched sound, kicking and punching while trying to stay on my feet. It wasn’t easy or graceful.
Luckily, his loud cackle penetrated my very serious flight instinct. He had truly frightened me.
With eyes as big as saucers, I bent to catch my breath. I needed a minute and sent a prayer of thanks for not wetting my pants.
Beau had other plans and reached for my bicep to keep me upright, creating a whole different layer of problems to my current emotional breakdown. His touch caused desire to ripple over me in waves. My heart continued to thump wildly, my breath pumped in and out. I hoped I didn’t hyperventilate.
I must have appeared as frantic as I felt because Beau barked with laughter.
“I’m sorry.” His over-the-top humor implied something altogether different.
My racing heart thumped violently against my rib cage. “You’re not sorry at all,” I shot my accusation back with all the venom I could muster—it wasn’t much.
“I am, but your face is totally freaked out. I didn’t think I’d really scare you.” He bent to pick up my bag. Everything had fallen out, making him stuff the blanket, bottles of water, and bug spray haphazardly inside.
He grabbed my arm again and led me through the trees like an expert.
“In the future, let’s keep the scaring inside, like in a haunted house, or daylight, or not at all.”
“Got it.” I didn’t think he did with the happy laughter bubbling out when he agreed.
A few steps later, we walked into an enchanting, soul-filling moonlit stretch of green grass about twenty feet wide. Somehow the dark night faded, and the moon lit the center in a soft glow.
“Does everyone know about this place?” I asked, turning a full circle, taking it all in. The scary forest transformed into a captivating fairy tale where peace and harmony hung out freely, waiting for us to arrive.
“Everyone who lives around here does, I guess. The guy who owns the property from where my grandparents live, all the way the other direction, wants to keep it in its natural state. Even if he builds a house, he’s leaving all this alone,” he explained and flipped out the blanket in the center of the clearing. It floated to the ground as Beau dropped down too, tossing the other items aside.
“So this is all private land?” I asked, closing the distance between me and Beau.
“Yeah. The owner lets the local Boy Scouts clubs camp out here.” He patted the blanket beside him. “Come lay down and look up at the stars with me. You can see so much better here than in the city.” Regretfully, he took his gaze from mine as he pointed up to the sky. “You know what that cluster is?”
Ah, the perfect invitation. I followed him down, laying inches away, eyeing which constellation he tried to draw my attention to. “Scorpius? I like mythology.”
“I was testin’ you,” he said and steered me toward another cluster. “What’s that one?”
I rolled my eyes, turning toward him. “The Big Dipper. I think I learned about the dippers in first grade.”
He gave a quiet chuckle and searched the sky. “How about that one?”
Again, I followed his pointing finger.
“Did you forget I’m smart?” I asked and turned my face back to his. “It’s Big Bear that encompasses the Big Dipper. Duh.”
He didn’t try again. We stared at each other for several long seconds.
“I like looking at you.”
“You say things like that all the time,” he muttered.
“Does it bother you?”
“No,” Beau said quickly then changed his answer. “Maybe. I don’t understand talkin’ so freely. I need to get better at it, I guess.”
I gave another ridiculous roll of my eyes for dramatic effect. “Oh, right. You have to be used to people telling you how hot you are. Your body’s like a solid muscle…”
Beau laughed at me and turned away to stare up at the sky. “No one’s told me I’m good lookin’. I had a friend back home that developed a crush on me, but she just kept sayin’ she’d be my arm candy when I went to the NFL, and she wanted to spend all my money.”
I barked right out loud. Who said things like they plan to spend all of someone else’s money?