Light of a Thousand Stars Read online

  It definitely helps that he knows me so well and trusts me with his daughter.

  Once Ari is seated in the passenger side of my Jeep, she stretches across me and blows a kiss out the window toward her dad. Malcolm raises his hand and catches it in his fist. I’m smiling at the familiarity of the gesture as I ease the car out onto the smooth pavement.

  “So, where are we going?” Ari asks for the umpteenth time, sliding her arms into the sleeves of her woolly black cardigan.

  Leaning over, I tweak her nose. “Not telling.” I grin smugly.

  “I have ways of making you tell,” she threatens.

  “Not gonna work.” I sneak a quick peek at her.

  Rising on her knees, she stretches over the center console and presses her lips to the sensitive spot just below my ear. I jolt in my seat, and the Jeep swerves ever so slightly. “Jeez, Ari. Knock that off, or we’ll never make it anywhere in one piece.”

  “No.” Her hands trail determinedly around the nape of my neck as she lowers her mouth again. I reach around and pry her fingers loose. My body remonstrates as I place her hands back in her lap, but I ignore the tingling sensation flooding my entire being.

  “Behave.” I pin her with a look.

  “Or what?” The challenge is clear in her tone and the wicked look she shoots my way. She wiggles her fingers as her body edges over the seat toward me again.

  “Or, I’ll have no choice but to turn around and bring you back home. I’d love to hear you explain to your dad why I had to do that.”

  “Party pooper.” Pursing her lips, she pretends to be cross, but I see the glint in her eyes. A surge of warmth floods my body. At times like this, it’s easy to forget what’s happened, easy to forget those periods where darkness contorts her features and snatches her into deep, hidden recesses where I can’t reach her. I push those thoughts away quickly, unwilling to allow that to infect this happy occasion. I’m determined that tonight will be fun, so Ari can be her old, light-hearted happy self.

  Reaching over, I take her hand in mine and plant a light kiss on the palm of her hand. She shivers, and I gain great pleasure in seeing the effect I have on her.

  I understand it fully; it’s the same effect she has on me.

  A ping sounds from my pants pocket, and my fingers itch to reach for my cell. Ari arches an eyebrow. “Do you want me to check?” she asks a minute later as she notices my distraction.

  “It’s okay. It can wait.” I smile tightly.

  “Uh-huh.” She grins knowingly. I’ve never been a good liar.

  “It’s probably just notification of some code I plugged in earlier. I’ll check it when I get back home.”

  “Explain to me again what it is you’re developing?” she asks. I know she doesn’t get my obsession with technology or understand why I seem to have an almost paternal attachment to my digital pad and cell, but I love that she takes a genuine interest in my passion and attempts to figure it out.

  “Remember I told you about that hacker who breached the auto-drive system and caused havoc?” I start at the easiest point of explanation. She nods her head sadly, clearly recalling the news reports from a couple of months back which highlighted how thousands of vehicles had careered out of control on one of the busiest highways in New York, causing head-on collisions and a pile up that stretched for miles. The loss of life was catastrophic. “Imagine the damage he would have caused if he’d hacked into the military’s transport systems and the threat to national security. Hell, he could have started World War Three. It’s only a matter of time before someone works out how to do that. So I’m figuring out how to do it first so I can develop a system to prevent it. Software like that? It’d be worth a fortune,” I admit.

  That is hardly my motivation. First, it’s the project I’ve chosen to undertake as part of my IT studies. I’m one of only a few handpicked students selected by Southern Connecticut University to enroll in a new pre-entry undergraduate program. If I successfully pass, I’ve earned my place in their Computer Science program, and I’m chomping at the bit. Being able to pursue my passion for IT on a full-time basis would be a dream come true. Making a name for myself early on will help me achieve that goal. If I can prove my worth, every organization in the country will want to hire me. Plus I’d like to think that some of my dad’s personality has rubbed off on me, and that I’m helping to protect our country in my own unique way. I think he’d be proud of that.

  “So, how is it going? What progress have you made?” She pins me with an earnest look, and I have to resist the urge to pull the car over and grab her into my arms. Her confidence in my ability blows me away. I’ve seen the derisory look some of my fellow IT students shoot my way whenever I explain the nature of my project. Doubting Thomases— all of them are. But not my Ari. She believes in me whole-heartedly, and that unshaken belief causes the most intense swelling of love to build inside me. My heart feels like it might actually burst right out of my chest.

  Her cheeks flush brightly, and I’m guessing she’s sensing my emotions. “Progress is slow,” I admit, “but slow and steady is fine by me. I’m learning from my mistakes.”

  She straightens in her seat. “I know you’ll do it.”

  “You’re amazing. You know that, right?” I glance sideways at her.

  “I know.” She shrugs her shoulders. “Just call me Little Miss Awesome from now on!”

  “Deal.” I chuckle softly as I take the next exit. “We’re almost there,” I say.

  “Yay!” Her shoulders lift as she twists in the seat to look out the window.

  “Why are we at Gil’s vacation home?” Ari asks, ten minutes later as I smoothly swing the Jeep into the parking garage at the side of the vast gray-bricked estate.

  “You’ll see.” I’m still giving nothing away. Hopping out of the car, I sprint over to her side and open the door. I grasp her hand and pull her to me. “I want tonight to be super special,” I whisper, my lips brushing her forehead.

  “Every day with you is super special,” she whispers back, a telltale blush staining her cheeks. “And I really really missed you today.”

  “I missed you too.” And I did. Because we are practically joined at the hip, spending pretty much every waking minute together. “Come on,” I say, taking her hand in mine and towing her along the path, which leads to the beach. I’m just as excited as she is now. I can’t wait to see the look on her face. Instinctively glancing up, I spot Syl giving me a thumbs-up from one of the first level windows, and I discreetly nod my head.

  I can feel Ari’s mounting excitement the farther we walk. She’s bouncing up and down like a kangaroo on speed. I feel the bulk of the box pressing against my leg as we walk, and I contemplate all that I’ve decided to tell her tonight. Lifting my head, I stare in awe at the light of a thousand stars illuminating the dark, night sky. The setting really couldn’t be any more romantic, any more perfect.

  “Stop here a minute,” I instruct, when we reach the edge of the path which borders the beach. Crouching down, I slide my hand around the back of her foot and carefully remove her sandal.

  “What are you doing, Zane?” She looks curiously at me.

  Peering up, I grin. “We’re going out on the beach. I think it’ll work better if we’re barefoot.” My hand maneuvers her second sandal off, and my fingertips linger on her foot. Her skin is smooth under my touch, and I feel an insane desire to dip my head and plant kisses all over her delicate feet. Instead, I dampen the urge and toe off my shoes. Clutching her hand, I gently pull her out onto the beach and we wade through the damp sand to the far edge of the beach.

  A cool breeze blows from the sea, and I hope that Syl remembered to power up the heater. Ending up with frostbite wouldn’t be the most romantic way to end our date. Gil thought I was crazy to attempt this in early spring. Though it’s one of our mildest yet, it’s still cold. I can already feel my fingers stiffening, so perhaps it wasn’t the smartest idea. But it’s too late to question the wisdom of it now. Besides,
it gives us an excuse to snuggle up under a blanket, and certain parts of me are totally down with that.

  Ari’s fingers grip mine tightly, and her grin is so wide I fear it’ll split her face.

  Melodic sounds reach my ears, and my nostrils pick up the faint trace of exotic smells as they waft in the air. Ari is tugging on my hand, her feet moving quickly in the direction of the music. Her face glows, and my chest swells again with the love I feel for her.

  Finally, we draw up in front of the cave, and Ari comes to an abrupt halt. Her head whips side to side, her eyes rapidly scanning her surroundings. She turns to look at me, wide-eyed, with tears brimming in her eyes. “Oh my God, Zane, you did all this for me?” Her look is incredulous, like she isn’t worth it, and my heart aches for her. Tears roll slowly down her face as she steps forward cautiously.

  Syl has done me proud. The smells lingering in the cave have my mouth watering so badly that I’m practically drooling. Racing ahead of Ari, I pull out a chair and motion for her to sit down. But she’s staring at me strangely. A mixture of emotions flits across her face, and I worry momentarily that it’s too much.

  “Ari, are you okay?” I take a step toward her.

  She gulps back a lump, and emotion shines out of her every pore. She launches herself at me, wrapping her arms around my waist, and I can feel her whole body trembling against me. I’m starting to stress out that this really was the wrong thing to do. Then she lifts her head, and her warm breath skates across my ear as she whispers, “I love you, Zane.”

  CHAPTER 2

  My heart splutters in my chest. Did she say what I thought she did? Or is it conjecture? Because all I’ve thought about since we got together is how much I love her and whether she feels the same way about me. “Say it again,” I whisper, staring directly into her eyes.

  Two red splotches darken her cheeks. “I love you, Zane.” My lips press against hers of their own accord, and she welcomes me openly. As I deepen the kiss, my arms hold her tight, pulling her against my chest. I feel the softness of her curves and the emotion emanating from her body in waves as she melts into me. My hand snakes up to the nape of her neck, and my fingers tangle in her hair as the blood surges through my veins. It’s too easy to lose control with her, and it would be so natural to take it there, but I won’t do it.

  Slowing down the kiss, I ease back and put some space between us. Sounds of joint ragged breathing reverberate in the vaulted cave. I rest my forehead against hers and plant my hands loosely around her waist. “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to hear you say that,” I admit, my lips conducting a quick sweep of hers. “I love you. More than I ever thought possible.” Pulling back slightly, she stares up at me through wide eyes. Then she smiles, a mega-watt powerhouse of a smile that shatters me inside.

  “I don’t know what I would do without you,” she admits, cradling my jaw with her hand.

  “Nor I without you.” I plant a gentle kiss on the back of her hand, before guiding her to the table. “Time to eat. Sit,” I demand, and she quickly obliges.

  I lift the lids off the plates in front of us and gasp at the meal that Syl has prepared. Rich, deep, flavors waft from the oriental curry, steamed jasmine rice, and variety of different garnishes that accompany our meal. Lowering my head to my plate, I wiggle my nose and soak up the delicious aroma. We waste no time tucking in and polish it off quickly. Ari beams at me the entire time, and we stare at each other like total lovesick fools. Thank God, Gil wasn’t here to witness this. Whatever semblance of a reputation I have left would be shot to pieces instantly.

  We take our chocolate tart out onto the beach, and Ari holds the bowls while I stretch a blanket out on the sand. I pat the space beside me, as I throw another blanket over my legs and feet. Ari sinks down, huddling in next to me. I shudder in all the places where her body touches against mine.

  Cutting into the tart with my spoon, I lift it to her mouth. The blush spreads quickly up her chest and over her neck, but she opens her mouth and lets me feed her. We continue like this, silently feeding each other, until both our bowls are cleared. It’s strangely sensual, and as I place the empty dishes behind us, I scoot over and pull her into my arms. Her head rests in the space between my head and my shoulder, as if molded especially for her.

  Lying back, I stretch out fully and keep her tucked into my side, the blanket pulled up to our chins. Her bare legs brush against mine, and even though I’m fully clothed, a shiver runs up and down my body, sending delectable tremors of warmth flooding through me. My fingers move idly through her hair as I gaze up at the starry sky. “I think all the stars came out for you tonight. Look.” I point upward as she moves her head off my chest and rests back against my arm.

  “It’s so beautiful out here.” Propping up on one elbow, she turns to face me. “Thank you so much for all this. I can’t believe you went to all this trouble. I really don’t deserve it.”

  “You’re right,” I say. Her brow creases and I laugh lightly. “You deserve so much more. And I promise to spend the rest of my life giving you everything you deserve.” I pull myself up into a seated position, my legs crossed in front of me. Leaning forward, my lips brush hers lightning-fast. “I love you, Ari. Always and forever.” I reach into my pants pocket and withdraw the shiny, red box. “Happy birthday, baby.” I press the box into her hand as she stares at me open-mouthed, tears rolling down her face once again. “Don’t cry,” I plead, my thumb smoothing across her cheek.

  “They’re happy tears,” she croaks, and I smile. She flings her arms around me and holds me tight.

  “Struggling to breathe here!” She releases her arms slightly but doesn’t let go, and my heart feels fit to explode. “Open your present,” I whisper in her ear.

  Rocking back on her heels, she tears at the wrapping. She looks up at me, opens the small black box, and gasps. Her hands tremble as she removes the chain and holds the delicate silver locket between her fingertips. “Look inside,” I say. She pries the locket open, and tears glisten in her eyes as she gazes at the picture of us.

  “Always and forever,” she says, reading the inscription aloud.

  “That’s my promise to you.” She looks up at me through tear-laden eyes. “I will never love anyone as much as I love you, Ari. And I never want to be with anyone else. I get that we’re still young, but I know my own heart. And it belongs to you for as long as you’ll have me.” She breaks down as huge sobs wrack her body, her slim shoulders heaving with emotion. Maybe this was too much. Pulling her onto my lap, I cradle her to me.

  “I’m so happy,” she cries, but the look in her eyes is one of sorrow.

  “Baby, what’s wrong?”

  “I don’t deserve to be happy. How can we be happy when …”

  An icy chill treks up and down my spine, and she goes rigid in my arms. “No way, Ari. We are not thinking about that tonight. This is your night, and Goddamnit, you deserve every bit of happiness. I love you, you love me, and that’s all that matters right now. You with me?” My fingers brush a lock of hair back off her face, and I feel like crying when I see the vulnerability in her stare.

  The usual feelings of helplessness and frustration threaten to overwhelm me as I dredge up the memory of that day. But I push it away, resolutely refusing to allow it to infect this special night. God knows, we’ve spent enough time agonizing over our actions, and it’s like a dark, ominous cloud hovering in the distance, threatening to unravel our relationship and claim our sanity. I know I’m handling it far better than she is. Maybe it’s because I’m older, or perhaps she’s more compassionate than I am. But I refuse to wallow in a pit of guilt for the rest of my life.

  The issue is helping Ari get to the same place, but that’s a very slow work in progress.

  How I wish we had spoken to her father, but we can’t turn the clock back.

  For now, I need to take her mind off it. I refuse to suffer another ruined night because of it. “Here, let me put it on.” I pry the locket from her clenched fi
st. Pivoting in my lap, she holds her hair up to allow me close it around the back of her neck. She turns back around, her fingers brushing over the slim silver chain, and I love the feeling it invokes in me. I clasp her face in my hands and kiss her softly, once, twice, ten times. Eventually, she responds, kissing me back urgently, understanding how much we both need to be distracted right now.

  I don’t know how long we stay there kissing and holding each other, but when I finally glance at my watch and notice the time, I almost expire on the spot. “Damnit, we should have left ten minutes ago. Quick, we need to make tracks.” I hop up and extend my hand, helping her to a standing position. We tidy up the cave super-fast and run back across the beach, tugging on our shoes as we reach the access path.

  I get her home in the nick of time. Technically, we’re two minutes late, but I’m hoping that Malcolm will understand. I walk her to the door, and it opens just as we reach the porch. “By the skin of your teeth,” Malcolm says. But he’s grinning, so I know I’m forgiven. “Did you have a good time, sweetheart?”

  “Yes. It was amazing. Look what Zane gave me.” Her fingers rest around the locket as she shows it to her dad.

  “It’s beautiful, honey.” He smiles at me proudly. “You have one minute to say goodnight. I’ll see you bright and early, Zane.” He closes the door with a wink.

  “Zane, thank you so much for tonight. It was the best night of my life.” Biting down on her lip, she looks shyly at me.

  “The first of many,” I promise, pulling her into my embrace. My head rests atop her hair, and I smell the familiar scent of vanilla and peaches from her shampoo. I kiss her one last time and tell her I love her again before I leave.