Page 66 of Luna

“I’d better hush, or everyone will be awake,” she said, rising to her feet.

Hunter stood, but before she could brush past him to return inside the house, he wrapped her in his arms. Just once, he needed to taste Luna’s kiss. Just once.

Slowly, his head lowered to hers, giving her time to escape or protest, of which she did neither.

Hunter thought of what Rebecca had shared with Nik when he was tied up in knots over Dally before they’d wed, about kissing her in the morning with enough passion to carry them through the day.

Although he had no right to kiss Luna, no claim upon her, that’s exactly what Hunter did.

He lifted one hand and trailed it along the smooth silkiness of her cheek before burying it in the thick, dark tresses of her hair. His lips brushed the left corner of her mouth, then the right, before they settled on the lips that had tempted him from the first time they’d met.

Unhurried, wanting to relish every second of the experience, he tenderly kissed her, savored her, loved her. When her lips moved beneath his in response, warm and soft, he deepened their exchange until Hunter forgot there was anything in the world beyond the two of them. He shifted, drawing Luna closer to him as his hands rubbed up and down across her shoulders.

Her fingers toyed with the hair at the back of his neck. When a soft moan escaped her, Hunter could have lost himself in the sweetness of her kiss—the sweetness that was all Luna—for the rest of his life.

However, after one more passion-filled exchange, he snagged his unraveling composure together, kissed the tip of her nose, and took a step back.

“Gracious,” Luna whispered, her eyes searching his, even though it was still too dark to see any evident emotions despite the muted light spilling from the kitchen windows.

“I’m not one bit sorry I did that, Luna Moona. I’d do it all over again if I didn’t need to see to the chores. If I don’t get a chance later, I’ll say it now. We’re so, so grateful you’re here and willing to help out. I wish you a wonderful day.” Hunter took a step back and shook his head to clear his thoughts. “That isn’t what I really wanted to tell you, although we do appreciate you being here, and I do hope you have a great day. What I want to say is that was the single best kiss I’ve ever experienced. Your unexpected arrival in my life has been an incredible blessing and joy to me.”

Before Luna could offer a reply, he jumped off the porch and jogged off toward the barn, the outline of the building barely visible in the dark.

Hunter fed and watered the animals there, then looked at the thresher that was giving them trouble. He wished Harley John were there because he had a skill and talent when it came to machines that Hunter would never possess. Just when he was ready to beat the thresher with a hammer, he figured out the problem and was able to repair it before Rowdy found him and sent him in for breakfast.

Hunter couldn’t help but think about the kiss—well, it was more like several kisses—he’d shared with Luna earlier. He’d meant what he’d said, that he didn’t regret it. What he regretted, though, was the inability to repeat the experience, at least anytime in the near future.

After washing up, he walked into the kitchen. Luna glanced at him from where she scrambled a big pan of eggs, caught his eye, and blushed a becoming shade of pink. He might have teased her if Rachel and Laila hadn’t dashed into the kitchen and Cornelia hadn’t been pouring cups of coffee over by the sink.

Breakfast was lively, especially with the two young girls in attendance. As they ate, Luna took charge of giving all the females in the house assignments for the day. He noticed she chose activities for Dally that she could do sitting at the table.

The telephone jangled, and Nik hopped up from the table to answer it. Dally quickly stuffed strips of bacon and scoops of scrambled egg into two biscuits, wrapped them in a napkin, and handed them to Nik when he hung up the telephone.

“There’s an emergency at the hospital, and I need to go. Have a good day, and everyone keep safe.” He pulled Dally to her feet and kissed her right there in front of everyone. Laila and Rachel giggled behind their fingers, but Luna only appeared wistful as she glanced at Hunter and blushed again.

Hunter carried dishes to the sink, took a big jar full of cold well water Dally had set out for him, and left to get started with the harvest crew.

Two hours later, Laila and Rachel appeared in the field, pulling a child’s wagon loaded down with cold well water and a basket full of fresh doughnuts.

Everyone stopped their work to get a drink and enjoy the treat.

“Those were mighty fine,” Hunter said, winking at the two little girls who were growing up far too quickly. He was sure he’d blink, and they’d be wearing long skirts and putting up their hair.

He supposed they weren’t the only ones growing up. He felt like he’d done a lot of that in the past year.

Although it would have been faster if the noon meal could be served in the field, the men working on the crew needed a break, so they piled into one of the wagons that hauled the wheat into town and headed to the house.

Dally stayed in the house, leaving Luna, Corni, Laila, and Rachel to serve the meal beneath the shade trees at the side of the house. The little girls kept pitchers of water and lemonade filled and dashed back and forth, bringing out whatever was needed.

Hunter could see how having them there was a help to Luna and Corni and a good experience for the girls.

Luna went inside as the meal wound down and returned with a large cake. She cut it into pieces, and Laila and Rachel passed them out. When Hunter took a bite, he wasn’t sure what to expect, but the vanilla cake with a creamy, cool topping that had a slight tang to it, and fresh berries scattered over it was one of the best things he’d ever tasted.

There wasn’t a single crumb left in the pan by the time the men finished having seconds and some of them three servings of the dessert.

A few of the younger men gave Luna interested looks as they thanked her for another fine meal. Hunter tamped down the urge to wallop them.

“That cake was spectacular, Luna. Thank you,” he said as he handed her his dirty dishes, then hurried to catch up to the crew.

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