102
" You’ve stayed true to who you are, never letting anyone believe otherwise or leading anyone on. If you’re happy with your path, continue on along it. You know we’ll support you.”
“I’m not leading him on,” Kerry said softly. “Am I, Han? I mean, I’ve been honest with him. But at the same time, I’m here, spending time with him, giving him the chance to change my mind.”
“Can he?”
“I don’t know.”
Hannah lifted her head, waited until Kerry looked up at her. “Do you want him to?”
Kerry didn’t think or analyze; she simply gave her instinctive, gut response. And nodded. “Yes. I think I do.”
Hannah grinned, seeming surprised but happy. Truly happy. “Well, then, good.” She squeezed Kerry’s shoulders. “Good.”
Kerry groaned. “I should never have answered you.”
“Yes, you should have. Maybe it’s the only way you’ll hear it, to hear yourself say it out loud like that. At least now I know you see what we all see.”
“Which is what?” Kerry asked warily, straightening away from her sister and leaning once again on the fence rail.
“That he makes you happy.” She lifted a hand to stall Kerry’s reply. “Maybe not for all eternity, but then, none of us can know that about anyone. What’s important to recognize is that he makes you happy now. So live in that space for a bit. Try it on, wear it around town. Sleep with it at night,” she added with a little twinkle. “Who knows, maybe in a few weeks the idea of heading back out into the world alone won’t look so appealing to you. "
― Donna Kauffman , Starfish Moon (Brides of Blueberry Cove, #3)
103
" I see you’ve been paying attention to my pirate tricks.”
“Indeed I have,” she said, looking down into his handsome face and twinkling blue eyes. She didn’t want to think about the next chapter, not now, not yet. But there it was, staring up at her, framed in tousled blond hair and five o’clock shadow. This could be your life, Kerry McCrae. Just say yes.
“In other news,” she said, sliding off him to sit on the side of the bed, drawing the sheet around her, trying like hell to push those thoughts away for now, “we need to pull anchor before the sun gets any lower.”
“Aw, because that would be…bad?” he said, tugging at the sheet.
She couldn’t help it; she laughed, and the glow simply refused to fade. She tugged the sheet free from his grasp and stood, albeit on wobbly legs for a moment or two. Summoning her most haughty pirate queen manner, she made a show of draping the end of the sheet over her shoulder and shaking loose her bed-head curls, knowing she likely looked more like Medusa than anything remotely regal. “Your merry band of one here is going topside to get us underway.” She made the mistake of looking at him, sprawled in all his gorgeous, naked indolence across white sheets, beams of the lowering sun streaking across his golden skin, making it look even more burnished than it already was. Dear Lord, she wanted to have him all over again. Even hungrier now that she knew what awaited her when she did.
Taking full advantage of her hesitation, he propped his arms behind his head and crossed his legs at the ankles, a grin equally as indolent as his pose sliding across his handsome face. “You were saying, my queen?”
She scooped a pillow off the floor and threw it at him. “Incorrigible.”
Chuckling, he caught the pillow with one hand and tucked it behind his head. “Well, I’m pretty sure that’s near the top of the list of preferred character traits in the pirate handbook.”
She laughed, then dodged to the door when he made a sudden, nimble grab for the edges of the sheet. "
― Donna Kauffman , Starfish Moon (Brides of Blueberry Cove, #3)
104
" My, my,” she said, as he hauled her up against him, feet dangling off the floor, and held her there as he walked her into the room, using his elbow to hit the button to close the screens and turn them opaque. “The invitation didn’t say clothing optional,” she said, running her sandaled feet up the back of his bare legs. Which matched the rest of him. She let out a little laugh as he tossed her gently on the bed.
“That’s because I wanted to peel your clothes off you,” he said, following her down.
“Well,” she said, stretching her arms up over her head, “if you must.” She reveled in the way the two of them sank into the thick down mattress pad and even thicker down comforter that was layered on top. The word sumptuous came to mind. Even better, the bed didn’t pitch and roll with each ocean swell, though that slow roll had provided a few key moments of its own, she recalled.
“Such a wicked smile you’re wearing,” he said approvingly, flipping her sandals off. “I think it should be the only thing you have on.” He unsnapped her shorts, then slid everything off the lower half of her body in one smooth slide.
“You’ve been practicing,” she said, though it was hard to keep the casual banter going now, seeing as he was slowly kissing his way past her ankle and on up along the curve of her calf. "
― Donna Kauffman , Starfish Moon (Brides of Blueberry Cove, #3)
107
" Lani couldn't respond. She was too busy reveling in just how amazing they felt, joined. She'd thought maybe it was the delirium of the first time that had her thinking rosy thoughts. Well, and the second time. And the third.
"How is it even better this time? How?" she panted, moving on top of him.
She squealed an instant later when she found herself neatly on her back once again. He pushed deeper, and growled a little. "Am I hurtin' you?"
"No. Don't stop," she panted, then growled a little herself as he thrust into her, again and again. She knew now, when he was fully beyond controlling himself, bits and pieces of his childhood accent resurfaced. For whatever reason, that was just hot as hell to her. It was earthy, primal.
"Oh," she said, then, "Oh!" when he pulled her thighs up higher along his waist, tilting her so she was just at the right angle to-
"How do you- do that?" she managed. That was it as the crescendo of sensation washed up and over, taking her on a hard, fast ride in to shore. "
― Donna Kauffman , Sugar Rush (Cupcake Club #1)
108
" G’day, Starfish. I’ve a date with a horse this afternoon. If you’re free, I thought you might like to chaperone. You’re quite good at that, as it happens. Fortunately, this time I’ll actually know how to steer my ride, so your duties will be more limited. Might free you up to enjoy a ride of your own. And yes, I meant on horseback. Mind out of the gutter, pirate queen. Of course if you’ve time for dinner, I’ll be happy to discuss dragging it back there later. As ever, your swashbuckling merry band of one, Hook "
― Donna Kauffman , Starfish Moon (Brides of Blueberry Cove, #3)
113
" Do you have your keys?” Kerry abruptly asked.
Hannah looked surprised, then alarmed. “Kerry, don’t go and do--”
“I just need to take a drive. Clear my head. Think. Cooper is in his element here and likely will be for a good long while. If he asks--”
“If?” Hannah said, lawyering up again, clearly not on board with Kerry’s sudden wild hare.
“If he asks,” Kerry repeated evenly, “tell him I’ve gone for a drive and will be back for dinner.” She looked Hannah square in the eyes. “I promise. I just need some space. I have a lot to think about.”
“It doesn’t all need thinking out today,” Hannah reminded her.
“If I don’t get a handle on it now, it’s only going to pile on and be that much more complicated and confusing. I don’t want to get pushed or overwhelmed and do something I’ll regret.” She took the keys Hannah begrudgingly handed her. “Thank you. I won’t put a scratch on her, I swear.”
“It’s not her getting banged up I’m worried about,” Hannah said.
Kerry impulsively pulled her sister in for a tight hug. “Thank you,” she whispered. “For loving me despite what a confusing pain in the ass I can be.”
Hannah hugged her back, then let her go. “I do love you,” she said to Kerry’s retreating back. “But if you’re not here by dinner, I’m going to tell Cooper to run, run fast.”
Kerry tossed a smile over her shoulder. “Good luck with that. I already tried. "
― Donna Kauffman , Starfish Moon (Brides of Blueberry Cove, #3)
115
" I was trying to apologize,” she said, relief and humor easing into her eyes and curving her lips.
“You didn’t answer my question.” He thought he might snap off the end of the pier, he was gripping it so hard.
In response, she ducked her hand into the pocket of her shorts and pulled out a folded and now somewhat crumpled piece of paper. “Here. Read for yourself.”
He took the paper, realizing he was acting like a complete yobbo, and knew then that perhaps he wasn’t nearly so cool and levelheaded about this whole endeavor as he’d led her to believe. The truth of it being, he only really wanted her to figure out what would make her happy if what made her happy was him.
Under her amused stare, he unfolded the paper and read:
Dear Hook,
I’m trying to be a good and supportive sister and help get Fiona and her ridiculously long veil down the aisle before I strangle her into submission with every hand-beaded, pearl-seeded foot of it. At the moment, sitting here knee-deep in crinolines and enough netting to outfit every member of Downton Abbey, I can’t safely predict a win in that ongoing effort.
That said, I’d much rather be spending the time with you, sailing the high seas on our pirate ship. Especially that part where we stayed anchored in one spot for an afternoon and all the plundering was going on aboard our own boat. I’ve been thinking a lot about everything everyone has said and have come to the conclusion that the only thing I’m sure of is that I’m thinking too much.
I’ve decided it was better when I was just feeling things and not thinking endlessly about them. I especially liked the things I was feeling on our picnic for two. So this is all to say I’d like to go, um, sailing again. Even if there’s no boat involved this time. I hope you won’t think less of me for the request, but please take seeing a whole lot more of me as a consolation prize if you do. Also? Save me. Or send bail money. Sincerely, Starfish, Queen of the High Seas, Plunderer of Pirates, especially those with a really clever right Hook.
He was smiling and shaking his head as he folded the note closed and tucked it in his shirt pocket.
“Well?” she said at length.
“Apology accepted” was all he said.
“And?”
He slid a look her way. “And…what?” She’d made him wait three days, and punitive or not, he wasn’t in any hurry to put her out of her misery. Plus, when he did, it was likely to be that much more fun.
“You’re going to make me spell it out, aren’t you? Don’t you realize it was hard enough just putting it in writing?”
“I accept your lovely invitation,” he said, then added, “I only have one caveat.”
Her relief turned to wary suspicion as she eyed him. “Oh? And that would be?”
“Will you wear the crinolines? "
― Donna Kauffman , Starfish Moon (Brides of Blueberry Cove, #3)
116
" I accept your lovely invitation,” he said, then added, “I only have one caveat.”
Her relief turned to wary suspicion as she eyed him. “Oh? And that would be?”
“Will you wear the crinolines?”
She bumped his shoulder with hers, hard enough to make him put his hand out to brace himself so he didn’t topple off the pier.
“Is that a yes?” he asked, chuckling and putting his hands up as she turned toward him.
“You know, never mind,” she said. “I don’t know what possessed me to--”
“Proposition a pirate?” he finished for her, his smile spreading to a grin. “What did you expect, Starfish? Tea and roses?”
“And you wonder why I don’t try to communicate more. "
― Donna Kauffman , Starfish Moon (Brides of Blueberry Cove, #3)
117
" I accept your lovely invitation,” he said, then added, “I only have one caveat.”
Her relief turned to wary suspicion as she eyed him. “Oh? And that would be?”
“Will you wear the crinolines?”
She bumped his shoulder with hers, hard enough to make him put his hand out to brace himself so he didn’t topple off the pier.
“Is that a yes?” he asked, chuckling and putting his hands up as she turned toward him.
“You know, never mind,” she said. “I don’t know what possessed me to--”
“Proposition a pirate?” he finished for her, his smile spreading to a grin. “What did you expect, Starfish? Tea and roses?”
“And you wonder why I don’t try to communicate more.”
She went to boost herself up, but he reached out and took hold of her arms before she could so much as get her butt off the planks. Then he pushed her straight back down on the pier and, following her down, leaned over her so her side pressed against his chest. “You have one way of communicating that’s exceedingly effective.”
“I believe that’s what I was trying to convey,” she said, but any haughtiness she might have been trying to inject in her tone was utterly erased by the hunger that had her eyes dark and glittering for him.
“Maybe you should show,” he said, lowering his head, “not tell.”
“You really think putting your mouth near my teeth is a good idea right now?”
He kissed her nose, then the soft spot of her temple, then worked his way down the side of her cheek to her jaw. “If you still want to use those teeth by the time I get to your mouth, go right ahead,” he murmured. “I’ll deserve it. "
― Donna Kauffman , Starfish Moon (Brides of Blueberry Cove, #3)
118
" It wasn’t until he started to speak that he realized he was shaking, too. He reached up, touched her cheek. “You are real,” he said, then grinned when she rolled her eyes. “I--just checking.” Then he framed her face with his hands, struggling to keep the touch gentle when what he wanted to do was pull her all the way inside him and keep her there forever and ever. “Because I don’t think I could stand losing you a third time, Starfish. I’m barely functional as it is.”
“So I’ve heard,” she said, then half laughed, half caught her breath on an emotion-filled gasp of air.
“Have you, now?” he said, his own voice choking up. “I’ll have a talk with that one after.”
“After?”
“After this.” Then he pulled her tightly into his arms and lowered his mouth to hers, the joy filling him so swiftly and so fully, he truly feared he might burst with the intensity of it. "
― Donna Kauffman , Starfish Moon (Brides of Blueberry Cove, #3)
120
" I’ve missed you,” he said hoarsely when they broke apart, gasping for breath. “More than I thought possible.
“Me too.” She held on to him just as tightly. “I really do love you, Cooper. And I want to be here. In fact, I can honestly say, standing here right now, I can’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else.”
He brushed the damp from her cheeks. “That’s good. Because I don’t know that I could let you go.” He pulled her back into his arms. “But yes to the rest.”
“What rest?”
He looked down at her. “If--when--you need to go off, fill your soul, feel different earth under your feet, I’ll do my best to handle missing you. As long as you promise to always come back.”
She nodded, sniffling. “Like a boomerang; you won’t be able to get rid of me.”
He chuckled, still getting past being stunned, then kissed her again, and this time the relief, the joy, started to shift to that all-consuming hunger that was always there for them and, he suspected, always would be.
With that in mind, he went to scoop her up, thinking his family and hers would have to understand if they needed a little time alone, when she pressed her palms against his chest.
“Wait. I have one more thing I have to ask.”
“Anything.”
She smiled. “Is that marriage proposal still on the table?”
He grinned. Just when he thought his heart couldn’t get any fuller. “Why, Starfish, I thought you’d never ask. "
― Donna Kauffman , Starfish Moon (Brides of Blueberry Cove, #3)
