Hope Falls_Seeing Stars

by Jennifer Bernard

“Take me home. And I don’t mean the Hollywood Hills.” A smile trembled on her lips. “I want to be home, with you. This,” she laid her hand on his chest, “is my home.”

  His throat closed up as if it was trying to keep a fountain from overflowing. He couldn’t answer, just covered her hand with his and hoped that all his emotion was being communicated through his passionate gaze.

  It must have worked, because her smile widened into the glorious burst of sunshine he loved.

  “Okay, maybe there’s one other thing I want from you, you sexy bastard. I’ve been stuck in that room all morning, and I definitely worked up an appetite last night. Do you happen to have any peanut butter crackers on you?”

  Chapter Ten

  Starly was used to seeing stars. Back at her place in the Hollywood Hills, you couldn’t throw a gluten-free, Stevia-sweetened fair-trade vegan muffin without hitting one. She lived down the street from an A-list actress and could see the rooftop of an Oscar-winning film director’s compound. But this was something entirely different.

  The vast night sky spread overhead like a dark velvet drop cloth, as if an exuberant toddler had gotten into a bucket of glittering crystal confetti and flung handfuls in every direction. Everything up there seemed to vibrate with pure energy.

  Back in LA, she’d paid exactly zero attention to the night sky. For one thing, it was usually sort of clogged up by smog or cloud cover. For another, nighttime meant performing, or sometimes clubbing, or attending tedious industry parties. But on the road heading up the coast toward Jupiter Point, the night sky was impossible to ignore.

  Hunter had pulled over at an overlook and spread a blanket on the grass. They lay on their backs, holding hands, gazing up in wonderment. Was it her imagination, or was the entire spectacular panorama humming? Starly echoed the sound she heard. First she tried it under her breath a few times. Once the melody took shape, she gave it more of her breath.

  “That’s pretty,” murmured Hunter.

  She nodded, still lost in the tune taking over her brain. It wasn’t just the melody now. A beat was developing, a slow, pulsing groove that would build into something fast and exciting. Yes, it would be a dance song, because that’s what she did. She created songs that got people up on the dance floor shaking their booties and feeling happy.

  Nothing wrong with that.

  Just one more gift from Hunter McGraw. He’d made her see that what she did mattered. Not because she gained fame or money or adulation from it.

  But because she made people happy.

  The tune faded away as thoughts of Hunter took over. She rolled on top of him. Ever thoughtful of her wellbeing, he pulled an extra blanket over her. Inside that private nest, he moved his hands to her ass. “I’d complain that you’re blocking my view, except you just made it a thousand times better.”

  “Yeah right. Stargazing isn’t supposed to mean staring into your fiancée’s eyes.”

  “Too bad.” He nipped at her bottom lip with a series of quick kisses. Her nerve endings lit up like a pinball machine. “If I want to gaze into my hot, hot woman’s eyes, Jupiter himself can’t stop me.”

  She squirmed against him. It still amazed her how every little touch from Hunter could light her on fire. And so quickly! One second she’d been listening to the stars, the next she was fantasizing about getting those big hands of his down her pants.

  “So...um...how long does this stargazing thing usually last?” She pressed her hips against the bulge forming in the space between her thighs.

  “That depends on how into it you are. Some people can go all night. Others have more of a quickie, in-and-out approach.”

  “In and out?” Her breath sped up as she thought about how good Hunter was when it came to “in and out.” And “all night,” come to think of it. “I like the sound of that.”

  “Well, since this is your first stargazing, I suppose we should take it easy. We don’t want you getting a sore neck.” He slid his tongue along the curve of her neck. Meanwhile, his hands were doing something naughty and delicious to her rear end. With his hands clamped firmly to her ass, he was moving her up and down along his shaft.

  A pool of liquid desire formed in her lower belly. Actually it would be more accurate to say that it never really left. All it took was one touch from Hunter, and it shimmered back into existence. He was magic, that was all.

  His warm tongue curled under her earlobe. She giggled from the ticklish feeling. All her nerve endings seemed extra sensitive out here in the starlight. She’d never thought of stargazing as a sexy activity. But it was. The stars, the moon, the clear sky, the ocean breeze that made you cuddle closer to your partner. It was utterly romantic. She could absolutely see why Jupiter Point was so popular with honeymooners and anniversary celebrators and romance-minded people of all sorts.

  Speaking of which...

  “My publicist issued the press release today.”

  “Yeah?” He slid his hand under the hem of her skirt. With delicate, featherlike touches, he traced patterns on the skin of her upper thigh. Damn the man, he knew how much that slayed her. “I bet I know what it said.”

  “What?” She closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest.

  Surrendering to Hunter’s wicked touch was her absolute favorite thing in the world.

  “Unable to keep their hands off each other, Starly Minx and Hunter McGraw decided they’d better make it official. They would like the world to know that after May 15, they will be screwing each other’s brains out with the approval of the state of California.”

  “Now that’s good public relations. You really missed your calling.”

  “No, I didn’t. My calling is exactly what I’m doing right this minute.”

  “Feeling me up?” His hands made their way to her panties, where they drew aside the fabric. Starly knew they were already damp from her arousal. With Hunter, it really didn’t take much.

  He held one cheek in each hand and gently rotated with just enough force to cause her clit to rub against his erection. She groaned into his neck. “Is it safe out here?”

  “No one around for miles.”

  He dipped a finger into the soft wetness between her legs, coating it with her arousal. He slid it along her slit as she quaked against him. Holy Galaxy, what was he thinking? No way was she going to come like this. Sure, they were in a very private, protected spot. Sure, they hadn’t seen anyone up here tonight. Sure, she was hidden under a blanket.

  But seriously?

  He circled her clit with his wet finger and she forgot her caution. She trusted Hunter, with everything in her, in every possible way.

  Something buzzed between them. “Either you’re happy I’m on top of you or your phone is ringing,” she murmured into his ear.

  “Or both. Hang on, it’s my alarm. I set it for Evie’s date-escape call.”

  She rolled off him so he could dig into his pocket for his phone.

  He scrolled through his “favorites” for his sister’s number. Hunter used to have a photo of Evie plugged into her contact information, but too many guys had caught sight of it when she called and bugged him for her number.

  She was that beautiful.

  Evie McGraw had the same chestnut hair and gray-green eyes that looked so good on Hunter, but her eyes had an extra sheen of silver, and she kept her hair long. With her creamy skin and slender build, she was probably one of the most stunning women Starly had ever seen.

  But she didn’t seem to care at all about her looks. Evie could have been a model or an actress or any profession that required physical gorgeousness. But instead she’d stayed in Jupiter Point and opened a gallery. Starly found her to be warm, unpretentious, generous, and perfectly friendly. But she always kept a part of herself separate. She wasn’t married and hardly ever dated. It was very mysterious. Hunter—her whole family, really—worried about her.

  “Can I be her escape caller?”

  Hunter grinned and handed over the phone just as Evie was answering. />
  Starly sang a few lines from Miley’s song, the one about hands in the air and “we won’t stop.”

  When she stopped, Evie was laughing. “Excuse me,” she said to her date. “My friend might be having a seizure. Be right back.” A pause, then she spoke again. “Oh my God, thank you, Starly.”

  The McGraws had asked her if she wanted them to call her Beatrice, but she’d stuck with Starly. That had been her name for so long—and she was proud of being Starly Minx. Why not own it?

  “Not going so well?”

  “You could say that. On the plus side, I know everything there is to know about how to exercise the obliques.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I think it’s that muscle along your side, but I’m afraid to ask. He’ll either take his shirt off to show me or use it as an excuse to touch my chest.”

  “Hands off the obliques, mister.”

  “Exactly.”

  “So what are you going to tell him?”

  “Well, I’m sorry to say that my brother’s fiancée is having one of her episodes and I really have to make sure she doesn’t hurt herself.”

  “You’re a lifesaver. What would I do without you?”

  “Thanks for the escape call. Say ‘hi’ to Hunter.”

  “Hi, Hunter.” Starly passed the phone to Hunter, who spoke into it.

  “You should give the guy more of a chance, Evie. You’re probably making him nervous.”

  Starly rolled her eyes. Hunter was many things, but a relationship coach he was not. She was hoping that after Evie got used to her, she’d open up about her romantic difficulties. Not that Starly was an expert on romance. Her prescription was simple. Find the right man and hold on tight.

  She rested her head on Hunter’s belly and listened to the rumble of his voice as he finished up the call with Evie. The McGraws had accepted her with open arms. She’d received more unconditional love from his family than she ever had from her own. Even the town of Jupiter Point had embraced her.

  It turned out that she loved the little community. The town had a slogan: “Remember to Look Up at the Stars.” It was controversial because some residents worried that visitors would look at the stars while they were driving. Apparently every town hall meeting included a proposal for a different slogan.

  But Starly liked it. She interpreted the slogan to mean, “Get off your crazy train and look for your higher purpose.” Or maybe that was just her.

  She’d definitely stepped off the crazy train after her escape to Hope Falls. She got the time off she so desperately needed. She and Hunter had purchased a home nestled into the hills outside of Jupiter Point. It had plenty of room for any new little McGraws that might arrive. She wanted that. Now that she’d experienced a true connection with someone, she wanted more. Now that Hunter had released all the love in her heart, she wanted to shower it on some tiny beings.

  They’d decided to split their time between Jupiter Point and Los Angeles, where her favorite producer and studio was located. Hunter had scrapped his plan to join the new wildfire crew. Instead, he’d landed the job of community liaison between the rough-and-rowdy hotshots and the quiet stargazing town. That way, they didn’t have to be apart for long periods of time. Now that she’d found true love with Hunter, she planned to hang on to it until her last breath.

  Hunter ended the call and tossed his phone aside. “Now where were we?” In a jiffy, she was back on top of him, the blanket securely tucked around them, and his arms were tight around her. “I want to be inside you,” he whispered. “Right here, under the stars.”

  A thrill shot through her. Hunter had a thing about pushing her boundaries. She had a thing about letting him.

  They rolled over, so they lay on their sides facing each other. With quick, hot hands, he pushed her skirt up to her waist and pulled down her panties. She unzipped his jeans and reached inside for the pulsing shaft of flesh that made her mouth water Every Single Time.

  He reached between her legs with a possessive touch that made her moan softly. “So wet already,” he murmured. “Are you sure you don’t like a touch of danger in bed?”

  “I guess that’s for you to find out.”

  “And I plan to. I intend to find out every little thing that makes you lose your mind. And maybe invent some new ones.” He stroked her gently until she was squirming for more.

  “Please, Hunter. Just get inside me. Someone could come any minute.”

  “That’s what I’m hoping.” He grinned, the soft moonlight making his eyes sparkle. “Actually I’m hoping both of us will. But you first.”

  She arched into his hand. His big palm pressed against her, rough but gentle. He had so much strength and power in every part of his body, all the way down to his little finger. And he knew exactly how to use it to draw sensations out of her that she never knew existed. With two fingers, he circled and caressed her clit, rubbed the hood, teased and flirted until she was frantically pushing into his hand, silently begging for release.

  Luckily, he wasn’t out to torture her. “Come for me, my love,” he whispered. “I love it when you come on my hand. Or on my tongue, or my thigh or my cock.”

  The list of his body parts that made her come could go on for a while. But his hot words were the final straw, and she erupted into a silent, pulsating orgasm. She grabbed his strong shoulders, holding on for dear life while he milked every last spasm from her ecstatic climax.

  When she was spent and beyond happy, he gently laid her down and peppered kisses all over her face. “Thank you,” she murmured as soon as she had caught her breath. “That was amazing.”

  “Love under the stars. Nothing like it.”

  For a long, blissful moment, they simply breathed together. It felt as if their heartbeats were speaking to each other. His hard cock pulsed against her leg. Nothing turned Hunter on like watching her come, she’d noticed. Which totally worked for her. But watching him come—knowing she’d given him pleasure—was her absolute favorite thing in the world.

  She reached between them and took hold of his erection. Staring boldly into his eyes, she rubbed his organ across her slippery seam. When it was coated with her juices, she slid her hand up and down its hard length.

  His eyes closed with pleasure and he let out a slow hiss through his teeth. “Oh Starly, Jesus, that feels good. Almost as good as …”

  Before he could finish that sentence, she positioned the thick head of his member at her entrance and flexed her hips so he slipped inside.

  “Yeah. That.” He planted his hands on her ass and shifted her body to a better angle. Slowly, inch by thick inch, he filled her. After they’d gotten engaged, they’d both gotten tested. Sex without latex or worries...wow, it was even better, if that was possible. “Oh fuck, you feel incredible. Like satin. How can you feel so good? I can never get enough of you. I could do this forever. Just be inside you.”

  As always, just the feeling of being possessed by Hunter made her heart nearly burst with joy. He pulled out, just as slowly, his sheer length drawing the process out. The next thrust came a little faster, and she met it with one of her own. She twined her legs around his, pushing to get closer and closer. He gripped the flesh of her ass, shaking with the effort of not coming.

  “Don’t hold back,” she whispered. “Give it all to me. Every bit.”

  With that permission, he flipped her onto her back and hammered into her. She buried her face in his shoulder to keep from crying out. She’d never get tired of the absolute bliss of feeling big, strong Hunter lose control in her arms. That would be enough to make her come in and of itself.

  But what really did the trick was the incredible feeling of trust and intimacy she felt whenever she was with him, in bed or out. At the thought of how lucky she was that this amazing man loved her, a sweet, piercing pleasure radiated through her. At the exact same moment, he reached his own climax. Waves crashed over her, one after another. Braced above her, arms shaking, Hunter went rigid as he pumped his essence into h
er.

  Afterwards, they snuggled under the blanket, cocooned against the night air. Starly lifted her eyes to the starscape glittering above them and smiled to herself. Hunter had guaranteed that she would see stars.

  Boy, did her man know how to keep a promise.

  About the Author

  Jennifer Bernard is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance. Her books have been called “an irresistible reading experience” full of “quick wit and sizzling love scenes.” A graduate of Harvard and former news promo producer, she left big city life in Los Angeles for true love in Alaska, where she now lives with her husband and stepdaughters. She still hasn’t adjusted to the cold, so most often she can be found huddling with her laptop and a cup of tea. No stranger to book success, she also writes steamy novellas under a naughty secret name that she’s happy to share with the curious.

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  Drive You Wild

  The Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel

  The Fireman Who Loved Me

  Hot for Fireman

  Sex and the Single Fireman

  How to Tame a Wild Fireman

  Four Weddings and a Fireman

  The Night Belongs to Fireman

  Novellas

  One Fine Fireman

  Desperately Seeking Fireman

  It’s a Wonderful Fireman