returned the gun to his room, he had pulled on a red tank top that complemented his muscled arms and shoulders. She knew the strength that was there extended to his spirit. She could even see the stirrings of it.
When he looked back at her, she smiled. He felt that tug in his stomach again. Sometime during the long sleepless night, during the hours of restlessness,
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Joey Light
he had felt it then, too. What was it about her that got to him when nothing else could? Because she was something good in his life. Something real and something nice. And because he saw a side of her the other day that told him she was hiding some wounds of her own.
The sun danced through her hair. A zest for life sparkled in her eyes. She might be a little bizarre, but if that’s what it took to make Sterling Powell who she was, then who was he to question? Besides that, she took his vote over nightmares, a drunken stupor, and a bad book any day. Furthermore, maybe she needed him. Maybe she was recovering from some crisis of her own and needed him.
Sterling took her time to dress. She wanted to knock his eyes out tonight and she didn’t stop to question exactly why. He was rejoining the living. If they could make it through this evening as any average couple… Couple? She smiled at herself in the mirror.
He came by way of the front door and pushed it open. “You ready?” He stopped when she came from the bedroom. She was beautiful. Her hair was piled on top of her head leaving long curls at her neck and ears. Her dress was a stunning emerald-green silk that caressed her body as it fell over the curves. The neckline dipped to a V and a long gold chain with a small emerald winked there.
She had accented her eyes with something dark and tinted her mouth with just the slightest tint of pink. The image of the interfering imp disappeared and the reality of a lovely woman took place.
“You look very nice,” she told him as she walked over to him. And he did.
He was wearing a western-cut black sport coat, black slacks, and a black shirt with pearl snaps. A thin gray tie clipped with silver lay slightly crooked down 84
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Sterling’s Reasons
the front. Straightening it for him, she caught the scent of his spicy aftershave. He was handsome and he looked indomitable.
“I never was any good with these things,” he told her as her closeness contracted his muscles. “You’re beautiful.”
She stood back. “Thank you.” She had to. The attraction she felt for him had leaped to a dangerous level. She had seen him at his worst and pretty close to his best. That alone made her feel an admiration for him. She just plain liked the man. He had a good heart and she felt things she couldn’t describe radiate from him to her. It pulled at her. It didn’t leave her alone.
She handed him the keys to the Porsche. He took them, offered her his arm, and together they went outside.
Sterling felt a pulse of excitement as they arrived at the dock. It was sundown and the ship was draped with colored lights. People strolled on board, chattering and laughing. Music floated on the air invitingly.
She felt his fingers curl around hers as they went up the gangplank. They were led to a table and seated. Their wineglasses were filled and then a deep voice welcomed them aboard over a grainy intercom system. The ship’s horn blasted its signal and they were on their way.
They were one of at least twenty couples. Some were old, some young, some appeared to be on their honeymoon. Joe and Sterling took their drinks to the rail and watched as the mooring ropes were released and the boat glided out of port.
“I love this. Look, over there. I’d hate to wash all those windows.”
He followed her gaze to the multistoried house that stood near the water’s edge. Then turning back, he looked at her and watched the way she took in everything and found pleasure in it all: the jet skiers jumping the wake of
When he looked back at her, she smiled. He felt that tug in his stomach again. Sometime during the long sleepless night, during the hours of restlessness,
www.samhainpublishing.com
83
Joey Light
he had felt it then, too. What was it about her that got to him when nothing else could? Because she was something good in his life. Something real and something nice. And because he saw a side of her the other day that told him she was hiding some wounds of her own.
The sun danced through her hair. A zest for life sparkled in her eyes. She might be a little bizarre, but if that’s what it took to make Sterling Powell who she was, then who was he to question? Besides that, she took his vote over nightmares, a drunken stupor, and a bad book any day. Furthermore, maybe she needed him. Maybe she was recovering from some crisis of her own and needed him.
Sterling took her time to dress. She wanted to knock his eyes out tonight and she didn’t stop to question exactly why. He was rejoining the living. If they could make it through this evening as any average couple… Couple? She smiled at herself in the mirror.
He came by way of the front door and pushed it open. “You ready?” He stopped when she came from the bedroom. She was beautiful. Her hair was piled on top of her head leaving long curls at her neck and ears. Her dress was a stunning emerald-green silk that caressed her body as it fell over the curves. The neckline dipped to a V and a long gold chain with a small emerald winked there.
She had accented her eyes with something dark and tinted her mouth with just the slightest tint of pink. The image of the interfering imp disappeared and the reality of a lovely woman took place.
“You look very nice,” she told him as she walked over to him. And he did.
He was wearing a western-cut black sport coat, black slacks, and a black shirt with pearl snaps. A thin gray tie clipped with silver lay slightly crooked down 84
www.samhainpublishing.com
Sterling’s Reasons
the front. Straightening it for him, she caught the scent of his spicy aftershave. He was handsome and he looked indomitable.
“I never was any good with these things,” he told her as her closeness contracted his muscles. “You’re beautiful.”
She stood back. “Thank you.” She had to. The attraction she felt for him had leaped to a dangerous level. She had seen him at his worst and pretty close to his best. That alone made her feel an admiration for him. She just plain liked the man. He had a good heart and she felt things she couldn’t describe radiate from him to her. It pulled at her. It didn’t leave her alone.
She handed him the keys to the Porsche. He took them, offered her his arm, and together they went outside.
Sterling felt a pulse of excitement as they arrived at the dock. It was sundown and the ship was draped with colored lights. People strolled on board, chattering and laughing. Music floated on the air invitingly.
She felt his fingers curl around hers as they went up the gangplank. They were led to a table and seated. Their wineglasses were filled and then a deep voice welcomed them aboard over a grainy intercom system. The ship’s horn blasted its signal and they were on their way.
They were one of at least twenty couples. Some were old, some young, some appeared to be on their honeymoon. Joe and Sterling took their drinks to the rail and watched as the mooring ropes were released and the boat glided out of port.
“I love this. Look, over there. I’d hate to wash all those windows.”
He followed her gaze to the multistoried house that stood near the water’s edge. Then turning back, he looked at her and watched the way she took in everything and found pleasure in it all: the jet skiers jumping the wake of
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