Kevin was sitting on the porch when she arrived. “I’m glad you could make it.” He pulled her close, kissed her, and stared into her eyes. He started to speak, then stopped, turned and led her up the steps.
The house was filled with Celtic music—peaceful and inviting. “I love your choice in music.”
“It’s some of my favorite. It pleases me when I find things we both enjoy. Have you noticed we have a lot in common? And, I hope you like steak—I’ve got a couple of beauties ready for the grill.”
“Another thing in common.” She followed him into the kitchen.
“Wine?” He held up a glass. He poured and passed one to her. “To us.” He pinned her with his eyes.
Maintaining eye contact, she whispered, “To us.”
“Would you like to see my garden?”
“I’d love to. I didn’t know you had a garden.”
“I’ve always kept one. I love flowers. I’ve worked with them and now I’m finally pretty good. I killed my share in the beginning though.” During the stroll, he pointed out different species—some she’d never heard of.
“I’m impressed.”
He wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they returned to the house. “Good, that’s my goal.”
Returning to the kitchen she realized the vase of flowers on the counter was from his garden. She leaned and inhaled the sweet fragrance. What a nice touch—he keeps surprising me.
“Can I help?”
“How are you with salads? I have everything imaginable in the fridge.”
“I make a mean salad. I’ll even whip up a special dressing.”
Kevin prepared baked rosemary potatoes. “They’re pretty good, if I do say so myself.”
When she finished she caught Kevin watching and couldn’t resist a trial of her new-found courage. Sticking a finger in the dressing, she placed it between pursed lips, slowly withdrawing it. “Umm...that’s delicious.”
Instantly, he was by her side. “Let me taste.” He took her finger, dunked it into the dressing and put it in his mouth. He suckled it gently then rubbed it back and forth across his lips, all the while flicking his tongue over and under it. He slid it from his lips, continued layering kisses up her arm, her shoulder, then her neck. Working his way to her mouth, his lips smothered hers with pent up hunger. Burying his hands in her hair, he pulled her closer, kissing her passionately.
Fireworks exploded in her head and heat stirred in her central core. Faraway, she heard him whisper her name, but she was too consumed to answer. Inhibitions melted away.
Kevin emitted a ragged sigh. “I’m not hungry for steaks anymore.” He lifted her, carried her to his room.
She clung to him. “Kevin, it’s been a long time.”
“And for me. No passion—no sweetness. Until you.”
He gently laid her on the bed, kicked off his shoes and removed hers. He leaned over and resumed his sizzling kiss. He rolled from the bed, pulling his shirt off in one swift motion. The remaining clothes followed in hot pursuit. Their mutual goal became the removal of every piece of clothing that stood as a barrier between them.
His glance caressed her soft, smooth body. To him, she was perfect. He nuzzled her neck and along her shoulder, slowly and deliberately traveling to her firm, round breasts, marveling at how well they fit his hands. His body ached with desire as he continued to touch every inch of her.
Kathleen arched, giving herself to him. She slipped deeper and deeper, drowning in passion and desire...steaming like a hot volcano. Love and newly birthed desire pooled like molten lava in her core. Old emotions and fears bubbled and exploded, leaving her free and seeking.
Their wild, raging storm continued, tossing them to and fro on the cresting waves, with passion and raw desire taking them to their final crashing surge of pure rapture.
“I love you with all my heart, Kathleen.”
***
Lying snuggled in his arms, she was no longer afraid of love—now she accepted it and returned it. “I love you, too, Kevin.”
He twisted and kissed her. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I’ve worked up quite an appetite. Think you could handle one of those steaks now?”
She laughed. “Yeah. I thought it was supposed to be the other way around. Something about the way to a man’s heart being his stomach. I think maybe we took a detour.”
“You have my permission to take that detour any time. Meanwhile, I’m going to light the fire.”
“You’ve already done that.” She sat with her arms around her knees.
Kevin laughed and winked, then sobered. “How have I ever gotten along without you?” Turning, he walked out the door.
In the kitchen, she realized how comfortable she was in his house. She poured them another glass of wine and joined Kevin outside.
After dinner, he said, “I wish you didn’t have to go.” He kissed her sweetly. “Call me when you get home. I want to make sure you’re safe.”
“It’s not that far, Kevin,” she said, playfully.
“I know, I know, humor me. Okay?”
“All right, I’ll call.” He leaned in the window, taking her face in his hands, and kissed her. This time hungrily. “You’d better leave before I pull you back out for round two.”
She grinned. “Is that a threat?”
“No. I mean every word of it.”
“I guess I’d better go, but could I have—”
“Yes, my love, you can have a rain check.”
***
Kathleen talked to Kevin every day. Days flew by since they’d met. When she could get a babysitter, they were alone. He filled her thoughts and began to fill her manuscript. Writing love scenes had become incredibly easy. The grief that had filled her heart had vanished.
She was on her way to meet him for some big surprise. She wasn’t sure who the surprise was for, her or Siena—he’d been so hush-hush about it. She walked into Siena’s classroom.
Kevin stood by the window, his back to her. He’d been looking at something in his hand.
“Penny for your thoughts.”
He turned and quickly stuck the item in his pants pocket. “Oh, no. These thoughts are worth far more than mere pennies. In fact, they’re priceless.”
He walked over, took her hands and kissed her cheek. He crossed the room, examined the hallway and closed the door. Taking her in his arms he kissed her passionately. “I’ve been dying for this. I keep thinking of all the things I’d love to do to you. I can’t keep you off my mind, Kathleen, nor do I want to.”
“Wow, what a welcome! Could I have an encore?” she teased.
“I aim to please, lady.” His tender kiss left her breathless.
“I hope you’ll always kiss me like this.”
“Always? I like that word.” He was about to continue when the late bell rang loudly throughout the school.
Startled, she flexed and he tightened his arms around her. “Was the bell for us to separate and go to our respective corners?”
“No, Miss Funny Face, we’re never separating. Come...let me show you some of Siena’s work.”
***
“Was that my surprise?”
“No. We’re having dinner, then taking a drive. I’m going to show you and Siena something you’ve never seen before. It’s very special. That’s all I’ll tell you. And now, we have to leave and get Siena.”
Kevin double-parked in front of the dance studio while Kathleen went inside. He pulled the ring box out of his pocket and looked at it again. He’d known her less than a month, and didn’t do things impetuously, but he knew what he wanted. He prayed it wasn’t too soon for her. But tonight there was the Blue Moon. He knew what he’d wish for and hoped she would also. He closed the lid and stuffed the box into his pocket. “I could use some good Irish luck tonight,” he whispered.
Kathleen and Siena joined Kevin in the car. “Hey, Dr. Kevin. I’m all ready to go.”
“It’s too early to eat, so I thought we’d ride to my farm and take a
look around. I think you’ll like it out there. How about it?”
“Okay.”
When he drove up to the front gate, Siena exclaimed, “Wow, this is a big house!”
“I’m glad you like it. Come on, I’ll show you around.”
Siena squealed with delight at the cows and horses, especially the baby ones. Kevin showed her how to pitch hay, and she got as much on herself as she fed to the animals.
“I guess we’d better go eat,” Kevin said. “We need to be back here around seven for my surprise.” He looked at Siena and winked.
Siena looked like she would burst with excitement. “And you can’t ask any questions, Aunt Kath, ‘cause it’s something Dr. Kevin and I talked about at school today.”
“What’s going on, you two?”
“Never mind, sweet...uh, Kathleen. We’ve got everything covered, right, Siena?”
“Right, Dr. Kevin.”
***
After it was sufficiently dark outside, he put an arm around Kathleen’s shoulder and drew her close, took Siena’s hand and led them to the back porch.
“Now look up,” he told them.
“Oh, my goodness, I’ve never seen a more beautiful moon in my entire life. It’s almost like you can see right through it. Siena, do you see it, honey?”
“Yes. I told you, Aunt Kath, I told you it was really true.”
Kevin turned Kathleen around and looked into her eyes. “I wanted to be with you when you first saw it. Now, it’s time to make our wishes.”
They each turned toward the moon and stared for a minute, making their private wish. “Now, if you want to, you can tell your wish. Unlike some wishes, it’s supposed to come true either way.”
Surprising both of them, Siena announced she didn’t want to tell hers, so Kevin went first. Taking Kathleen’s hands, his eyes met and held hers. “I wish Kathleen McDowell will love me as much as I love her, and that she’ll marry me and live on this farm.”
Kathleen’s eyes brimmed with tears. She squeezed his hands and looked up into his eyes. “I’ve been heartbroken and lonely for years. But, Kevin, you’ve brought love and joy back into my heart and my life. I think I fell in love with you the first time I saw you. You’ve made me want to live again and I’ve been happier than I can describe since I met you. You might not believe this, but my wish was almost the same—that we share our love and our lives.”
“In that case,” he said, reaching into his pocket, “will you become my wife, live with me here, and be my love forever?” The diamond sparkled by the light of the moon.
Siena squealed, jumping up and down. “That was my wish! That was my wish! Oh, Aunt Kath, I wished that, too!”
Both adults laughed. Kathleen looked back at Kevin, tears coursing down her cheeks. She brushed them away with the back of her hand. “Becoming your wife will make me the happiest woman in the world.”
He took her in his arms, helped brush her tears away and kissed her—a long, sweet kiss, full of promise and love.
Pulling away, Kevin leaned down, picked up Siena and put his free arm around Kathleen’s shoulder. All three looked up at the moon. “So what do you make of that, girls? Looks like we all made the same wish on the beautiful Blue Moon!”
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Beneath The Velvet Blue Moon
Candace Gold
“Which star do you want to wish on, Nadine?” Father asked as we leaned against the railing, gazing up at the brilliant star-studded summer sky.
I pointed to the brightest and we each made a wish.
Sometimes when there were two full moons in one month—a Blue Moon—which happened approximately every two and a half years, we made special wishes. All my wishes were special to me, for I always wished for a handsome prince to come and sweep me off my feet. However, I was willing to wait until I grew up.
***
The summer of my nineteenth year, my wish came true. That was when I met Michael Greene. Michael was everything I’d dreamed my prince would be and we spent those sun-kissed days together. I have to admit, though, we met in a most unconventional way.
On the second day of our vacation, my parents, both English professors, were fast at work on the novel they were co-authoring. Basically, that left me pretty much on my own. I grabbed my beach bag and scribbled a note telling them I’d gone to the small beach on the other side of the lake. Chances were I’d be back before they even read the note, anyway. I only liked to bask, not bake, in the sun. Being a redhead with fair skin, my freckles didn’t need new relatives.
I found a nice spot not too far from the water and spread out my blanket. Then I took my book from the bag, stretched out on my stomach, and began to read. Suddenly, out of nowhere, something hit the sand a few inches from my nose.
“What the...?”
“I’m so sorry,” a deep male voice said as a hand reached out to help me to a sitting position.
I couldn’t actually see him because I had sand in my eyes, not to mention the ton that found its way into the top of my bathing suit.
“Stay right there—don’t move. I’ll be right back,” he said.
I tried to shake some of the sand off me in the few moments he was gone. He returned with wet towels and gently began to wipe the sand off my face. I opened my eyes to find myself gazing into beautiful eyes.
“Better, huh?” he asked.
“Much.” I took the towel from him and wiped the sand from my shoulders and chest. Now that I could see again, I took in the rest of him, from the tussled full head of blue-black hair hanging over his forehead, the straight nose and dimpled chin, to his muscled arms and chest. In my wildest dreams, I couldn’t have conjured up a more handsome guy.
He grabbed the offending missile—a volley ball—and apologized again. “Look, it was an accident. I’m really okay.”
Before he could reply, another guy with bronzed skin and windblown hair trotted over. “Hey, you coming back to play?”
My handsome stranger wrinkled his nose and shook his head. “Nah. Play without me,” he replied, tossing the ball to the other guy.
“Catch you later,” the guy said as he ran off with the ball.
“I’d like to make it up to you. Can I buy you a drink or something to eat at the snack bar?”
“My mother told me never to go off with strangers,” I teased.
He smacked his forehead. “Forgive me for not introducing myself. I’m Michael Greene,” he said, extending his hand.
I shook his hand and said, “I’m Nadine Stone.”
He grinned, his green eyes twinkling. “Now that we’re no longer strangers, how about getting something to eat at the snack bar?”
“I really should clean up first.”
“No. I don’t want to waste a moment.”
“I’ll only be a few minutes,” I protested.
“You might disappear before I can learn everything there is to know about you.”
“All right, you win,” I said and walked with him to the snack bar.
He bought franks, French fries and soda for us to eat under the umbrella at one of the small tables. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was and quickly took a bite. I must have gotten some mustard on my nose, because Michael smiled as he took a napkin and wiped it off. A strange vision passed in front of me of my own child asking Michael what he remembers most about me. I can hear the reply now. “Forever wiping off your mother’s face. It always seems to get in the way of things.”
“Tell me, who are you, Nadine Stone?” he asked, bringing me back to the present where I vowed to be neater.
“Nobody special. I’m starting my sophomore year in college this September.”
“Have any idea what you want to do when you finish?” he asked before taking another healthy bite of his frank. He must have been just as hungry as I.
“I’m not sure. Maybe teaching, maybe research. What about you?”
“I’m finishing my senior year. Arc
hitecture’s my thing. It was probably those Lincoln Logs my parents bought me when I was a kid.”
I chuckled. “You must have designed luxury cabins.”
“Not quite. I guess it’s in my genes. My dad’s an architect, too.”
“Well, if genes count, then I’ll end up a teacher. Both my parents are English professors. They’re hard at work, as we speak, writing the great American novel this summer.”
“Together?” he asked looking skeptical.
I nodded. “They’re pretty close.”
“I hope they remain that way after the summer is over,” Michael said.
I smiled, understanding fully what he meant. I wanted to be alone with him, too.
“So you’ll be here the entire summer, Nadine?”
“Yes. How about you?”
“Two of my buddies from school rented a cabin for the summer with me. Sort of our last fling before plunging into the real world.”
I wanted to know everything there was to know about Michael. As we sat talking, I suddenly became conscious of the rhythm of my heart. It seemed to be beating at a dangerously fast rate. I feared if it beat any faster it would crash right through me. If he could have this effect on me by only talking, I found myself wondering what would happen if he kissed me? Was there such a thing as love at first sight? I’d never given it much thought until that day, for I’d already fallen in love with Michael Greene.
Being with Michael every day made all ordinary things, like hiking and biking magical. Of course, my parents weren’t totally unaware of what was going on, nor were they completely thrilled. My mother felt she needed to caution me. Knowing I was with Michael every day caused her parental radar to go off the screen. Instead of just coming out and saying what she actually meant, she used figures of speech and euphemisms. I found it somewhat amusing that she seemed so uncomfortable.
I was halfway out of the cabin one morning when she stopped me. “Nadine, I’d like to talk with you a moment.”
I turned around and faced her.
“Are you on your way to meet Michael?”
Blue Moon Enchantment (Once In A Blue Moon Series) Page 18