Page 21 of Shadow Touched

“Shouldn’t we stay?” Leia asked, pointingback toward the gathering.

“I want to show you something.” He led herfurther away, toward the line of trees. As they got farther fromthe fire, darkness gathered around them.

Leia blinked a few times to readjust hersight. Soon, they were all alone. “Should I be nervous?”

“Nah, you’re going to love this.”

Finally, they came to a clearing in thetrees, and he pointed up. Leia tilted her head and saw a vast oceanof stars set against the inky black of space.

“Oh, wow,” she breathed, captivated. “It’sbeautiful.”

“I thought you’d love it.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many starsbefore.”

He took a few steps away from her and slowlyspun around as he stared upward. “Nate once said the stars werefireflies. As amazing as our sun, yet only visible to us astwinkling lights.”

Brim came to a halt, still staring upward.Leia walked over to him and joined him, following his gaze.“They’re a constant presence that connects us. That no matter howfar apart we are from one another, we can both look up and see thesame stars.”

As the moment stretched contentedly between them, Brim took hold ofher hand. She didn’t pull away. Somehow the connection felt rightas he shared a brief glimpse of his grief.

“I brought him here, too,” he murmured.“When he was little, of course. As soon as he turned a teenager, hewas suddenly too cool to stare at the stars.”

“What was he like?” she asked softly.

“Smart. Driven. Handsome like his dad.” Heflashed her a quick grin. “He had dreams of traveling theworld.”

The smile faded and he cleared his throat.He tried to pull away, but she wouldn’t let him. She gave herstrength through their clasped hands. The moment stretchedendlessly, as if they were the only two people in the universe.

“It’s okay to miss him,” she murmured. “Andit’s okay to be mad at him. At yourself. At God. At everyone.”

“I told him to go,” Brim whispered.

“It’s not your fault.”

“I feel like it is.”

“And you might feel like that for your wholelife. It’s natural. But we’re all temporal. Tomorrow is neverguaranteed, so we must make the most of the time we have. If Natewas anything like you, I’m sure he followed his own drum, andnothing you said could’ve swayed him. You might have suggested themilitary, but he was the one who chose to go.”

He nodded, head bowed. She squeezed hishand.

“Thank you for showing me the stars,” shesaid, continuing. “They’re breathtaking.”

He gulped a deep breath and turned, facingher. The moon offered some light, although she couldn’t read hisexpression. He raised his free hand and ran his knuckles over hercheek. “You’re breathtaking.”

Electricity danced along the caress. Herheartrate sped up as butterflies flittered through her belly. Shelicked her suddenly dry lips because she knew what was coming.Slowly, he lowered his head, giving her ample time to pull away,but Leia didn’t want to. Instead, she leaned closer. He wrapped hisarms around her and slanted his mouth against hers. Fire and needconsumed her, burning her up. She moaned and he tightened his armsaround her, backing her up until she hit a tree.

“I thought you were beautiful the first timeI saw you,” he breathed into her ear. His fingers trailed down herbody, the touch a little ticklish across her ribs. “I want you,Leia.”

“It’s too soon,” she panted.

“Is it?” He nuzzled the spot behind herear.

“Y-yes.”

“You don’t sound too sure.”

“We can’t have sex after knowing each otheronly a few days.”

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