Page 87 of Roaring Fork Rockstar

“We did,” I confirmed, lifting her into my arms. “And it’s amazing, thanks to your mom.”

Luna beamed. “Can I hear it?”

“Tomorrow,” Keltie said firmly. “After dinner and a good night’s sleep.”

Luna pouted but didn’t argue, another sign of how tired she truly was.

After we’d eatenand Luna got ready for bed, Victor retired to the guest room, leaving Keltie and me alone in the living room. The moment the doors closed, she was in my arms, her mouth finding mine with urgent hunger.

“Let’s go to bed, cowgirl,” I said, lifting her into my arms and carrying her up the stairs. Once in the room, we shed our clothes between desperate kisses. As soon as we were both naked, she pushed me down and straddled me.

“Keltie, God,” I groaned when she ripped open a condom, rolled it on me, then lowered herself onto my hardness. “Fuck, you feel good.”

I reached up and palmed her breasts, tweaking her nipples between my fingers. She picked up her pace, grinding her body on mine until I was as deep as I could go. Then she’d ease all the way up, only to do it all over again.

“You’re driving me wild, darlin’.” My teeth clenched. “I’m not gonna last.”

“I don’t want you to.”

I gripped her waist, holding her still as an orgasm shot through my body.

“Holt,” she cried out, clenching me so hard as she came with me.

“Stay tonight?” she murmured against my chest.

“Try to make me leave,” I replied, stroking her hair.

When we eventually slipped beneath her sheets, she curled against me, her breathing slowly evening out as sleep claimed her.

“Holt?Holt, wake up.”

Keltie’s voice broke through the nightmare, her hand cool against my face. I jerked awake, heart pounding and sweat cooling on my skin.

“You were having a bad dream,” she said, her brow furrowed.

I pulled her close, burying my face in her hair as the remnants of it clung to me. A hospital room. My mother. The tiny, sick baby in her arms.

“I dreamed about my mom again,” I whispered. “She was holding an infant who was very sick. But this time”—I swallowed hard—“she called the baby Scarlett.”

Keltie’s eyes widened in the darkness. “Scarlett’s Hope,” she whispered.

I nodded as her words sent a chill through me.

23

KELTIE

The morning of Luna’s second round of chemotherapy arrived too quickly. She sat at the kitchen table, eyes downcast beneath her purple bandana, arranging Bunny, Shimmer, and Sparkles in a protective line beside her.

The front door opened, and Holt’s familiar footsteps sounded in the hallway. He appeared in the kitchen doorway, snow dusting his shoulders and his cheeks reddened from the cold.

“There’s my favorite unicorn girl,” he said, hanging his jacket by the door. He crossed to Luna and crouched beside her chair. “Ready for our big adventure today?”

Luna shook her head, tears spilling down her cheeks. “I don’t want to go! The medicine hurts and makes me throw up and… and…” Her words dissolved into sobs that rattled her small frame.

Holt gathered her in his arms, holding her against his chest while she cried. Over her head, his eyes met mine, reflecting the same ache I felt.

“Let’s work on our story,” he was saying. “Remember how, in the last part, Sparkles was feeling sick after she drank from the magic pond?”

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