Page 171 of Play of Love
"Travelling," I added. "Although I don't do much of the traveling part, but I will. I spend a lot of time working."
He nodded. "Yes. It seems so." He shuffled and looked up to the night sky. Then a smile spread across his face. "Come here, let me show you something you'll like."
"What is it?" I moved over to him.
"The stars," he smiled.
I looked up and saw that the clear sky was filled. It was different here than back home. It was like looking at a piece of black glass with diamonds splashed over it.
"You know the stars?"
"Every last one. My dad taught me. It was the last thing I remember about him. He loved taking me camping, and we'd always star gaze."
I smiled at the beauty in that.
"That sounds amazing."
"I'll teach you. Unless... if you'd like to go back." A curious expression crossed his face. "You haven't said, but I wouldn't want to upset Mr. Evie by keeping you out too late. He might want you to check in with him."
Mr. Evie.
I had to give him credit for his originality, but then I couldn't see him asking anyone if they were single. I was sure that the women he talked to were available, and if they weren't, they'd certainly become available after he'd worked his charm on them. I thought I was immune to his charm but no. It was working its way into me, pushing against any logical resistance I'd set up.
"There is no Mr. Evie," I replied, getting lost in his gaze. "Will Mrs. Gage mind you being out so late with some woman on the beach,stargazing?"
He laughed and did that thing that paralyzed my earlier. He took a lock of my hair and curled it around his thumb. Earlier I pulled back, but I wouldn't be doing that now.
"No princess, there is no Mrs. Gage." His eyes never left mine as he brought my hair up to his nose. "Yet."
A new and unexpected warmth surged through me. It was the way he said it that caught my attention, and the way he looked at me. His stare overwhelmed me, and I found I could hardly breathe.
* * *
Gage
* * *
I watched Evie go up the winding staircase allowing my eyes to drift over her shamelessly. Long, velvet hair flowed down her back from her ponytail, once again drawing my attention to her perfectly rounded behind that looked even better in those shorts. Her elegant, swanlike, exquisite beauty was built to drive a man wild, and mindless. Mindless against everything.
I didn't want to say goodnight but thought it was best to cut our stargazing session short.
Something happened to me every time I came in contact with her, and now I couldn't even control the sneaky sessions I'd usually allow myself of checking her out. Now I'd find myself staring uncontrollably and not even bothering to look away when she caught me. Like now, she looked behind her as she got to the top of the staircase and I couldn't look away.
The other day I thought I was in a new kind of trouble, now I realized I definitely was.
The problem was I wanted her, and I shouldn't. Evie wasn't just some person or some woman I could pass the time with and have fun. She meant a lot to my grandmother, and she was starting to mean something to me too.
I'd always thought she was beautiful and I'd liked her strong-willed personality, but during the time that we'd been here, I'd gotten to know her. The real her. The woman behind the strong façade, the woman behind the music that was so enchanting and riveting. I liked everything, everything about her.
It was only when she disappeared around the corner that I moved and made my way into the dining room.
Grams was in there. She wore her fluffy yellow dressing gown and had her hair braided to the side in one single plait that ran down to her waist.
"Make you a sandwich?" She offered with a warm smile. She seemed to be in a better mood than earlier. I was right in thinking that the break would do her good, she seemed more at ease.
"I'd love one," I replied.
I missed having someone to look after me, and having her make a fuss over me. It was one of the things I looked forward to when I went home to see her. It didn't matter how old I got, or what I was doing in life she looked after me just the same as she had when I was little.
