BETWEEN CLOUDS AND STARS: A Sexy Standalone Romance by Sharlyn G. Branson Page A

She, of course, meant “harmless.”
    “Ask your mum, and if she lets us, I’ll draw something on you.”
    Vicky looked at her mother and quickly ran over to her. Mary was lying on one of the loungers, basking in the sun. She seemed to have put some weight on. Or was she pregnant? My friend Ted was clearly in a rush to get a male heir.
    Mary gave her permission, and the child, grinning from ear to ear, ran back to Estelle, shouting, “We’re allowed. We’re allowed.”
    Estelle began to paint her cheeks with multicolored butterfly wings—pink, light blue, yellow and so on. The final outcome was stunning. It turned out my woman was very talented at drawing. Instead of listening to what Ted was saying, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Miss Klide. I’d fallen hard for her like I never had before. But that didn’t scare me—I felt lucky to have met her. With her, I’d finally found true peace and happiness. My mind was no longer occupied only by work.
    “I want my eyes to be the same color as yours. Can you paint them?”
    “No, I can’t do that. It’s impossible.”
    “But why?” Vicky frowned, the corners of her lips turning down.
    Estelle put the paintbrush down on the small table and took the girl’s little hands into hers. “Promise me you’ll never put anything in your eyes. You might hurt them and never be able to see again.”
    Vicky looked at her thoughtfully. “Never?”
    “Yes, never. It’s very dangerous.”
    “Okay. I don’t want to go blind like Uncle Tom’s dog. Have you seen his dog?”
    Estelle laughed. “No.”
    Vicky stretched her arms out excitedly and continued, “It’s sooooo big and really scary. But it can’t see and keeps bumping into things.”
    Estelle put her hands on Vicky’s small shoulders and said. “So do you understand how bad it is to be unable to see?”
    Vicky nodded. “Yes, I do. I don’t want to be scary, so I promise I won’t do anything to my eyes.”
    “You can’t tear your eyes away from her.” Ted’s voice made me turn to him.
    “What’re you trying to say?”
    “That you’ve fallen hard for her. Have you bought an engagement ring yet?” A satisfied smile slid across my friend’s face.
    I took a sip of my drink and replied, “No, I haven’t thought about anything so serious yet.”
    “But you will. Do you want to bet you’ll have proposed to her by the fall?”
    Estelle already had a failed marriage behind her. She was young and perhaps wasn’t thinking about making another major commitment any time soon.
    “Your stopping to think about my question gave me the answer I was looking for.” Ted clinked his glass against mine and continued, “You’re a goner. Welcome to the club, my friend.”
    It was true. Estelle had me by the balls. But the feeling was simply sensational.

13
    Estelle
    “M om told me babies come after a woman finds a man. When will you have a baby?”
    Never. The truth stabbed me straight through the heart. Sweet little Vicky had no idea how painful her question was. But it wasn’t the child’s fault. She had no way of knowing how much I wanted to have kids. Fate had taken this source of happiness from me.
    Vicky put her tiny hand on my belly and added, “Mom said I’m going to have a brother or sister. What do you want to have? Boy or girl?”
    “Hey, you curious sweetie-pie.” Nick came over to us and picked Vicky up. Holding her with one hand, he tickled her with the other. The little treasure doubled up with laughter. He put her down and she started to run across the grass. At first, Nick pretended he couldn’t catch her, but then he reached her and picked up her again.
    The more I watched them, the sadder I felt. Nicholas Frey was a great man whom I simply didn’t deserve. He’d be very happy in a relationship with a woman without problems, with a woman who could give him a child.
    This thought was suffocating me. I truly loved him like no man before him.
    Wasn’t it for the best to end our