Page 16 of Stars and Swipes
She lifts her head and her soft hazel eyes glow gold and green. “I don’t want it either. I want to be tied to you every way that I can. Until the end of our days.”
It’s too soon to get married. But one of these days, I will marry this woman.
I grin at her. “Let’s go watch the fireworks out on the boat in the harbor tonight.”
“Absolutely. I’d love that.”
The night sky is dark all around us and we can hear the soft putter of motors around us as everyone sets up outside of the harbor to watch the lights.
As soon as the sky goes completely dark, the first starburst streaks up into the darkness and then explodes in a fiery shimmer that lightly falls to the ground, like a fountain of glistening stars.
One after the other the rockets streak up and Promise oohs and aah in my arms, her fingernails digging in when there’s a particularly beautiful one that falls to the ground.
People all around us whistle and cheer as each one goes up but I don’t hear them. All I can see is my little kitten, safe in my arms, a huge smile on her face and her eyes lit up with the glow of the rockets flying all around us.
The show lasts for at least twenty minutes and then the loud opening salvo of the finale booms up into the night and the sky is alive with shimmers of gold and green and purple all around us.
And as the last one fades away, I lean down and kiss her lips, smiling.
“Happy Independence Day, kitten!”
“Happy Independence Day, sparky,” she murmurs and she wraps her hand around my neck and pulls me down, her mouth finding mine in the dark.
And my whole soul lights up more than the night sky ever did. She’s my guiding star, my whole world and with her…there’s nothing else I need.
Except maybe a cup for when I’m around Tigerlily.
The End
And don’t forget to check out the next book in Magnolia Point! Kiss and Shell by Annie Charme https://mybook.to/KissAndShell
Bonus Epilogue: Tigerlily
Humans, I huff and rub my head against my mistress. She laughs and smiles at me, rubbing my head right where I like it.
The male who stays with her now, giggles as I swat his hand when he tries to touch me.
“I told you she doesn’t like me,” he says.
Little does he know. I really do. He’s perfect for my mistress and I did my best to get them together.
I know I shouldn’t have eaten the note but…why make it easy on him? My lady is worth a lot so he should have had to work for her. I didn’t want to make it too easy on him.
I reach over and pull his finger over, gnawing on it just a little. Not enough to hurt but just enough to remind him who’s the boss here.
Tigerlily. That’s who.
Epilogue One: Promise
Igroan and shove my hand into my back.
“Your back hurt, kitten?”
I glare at him. “Are you kidding me? Your freaking gigantic baby is pressing on my bladder and my back. I either have to pee or I need a heating pad. Sometimes both,” I growl.
He grins and wraps his hands around my belly. I’m only four months pregnant but I’m already so big that I have to wear maternity clothes. I went from flat to beach ball in what felt like less than twenty-four hours.
“You’re beautiful though.”