Behind the Stars (33 page)
Authors: Leigh Talbert Moore
Tags: #love, #romantic, #action, #adventure, #small town, #paranormal, #female protagonist, #suspense, #survival
“He’s going to mount her,” the doctor explained. “And she just has to stand still. If I need to, I’ll hold her head.”
He stopped moving then and looked at me. “What’s wrong?”
I realized I’d fallen behind, staring wistfully back across the pasture.
“Oh, I’ve had this headache all morning,” I quickly lied. “If you don’t need me, maybe I’ll just go back to the house and lie down.”
“This is all part of the job, Pren. If you’re going to take over, you need to know how it works.”
“I know,” I nodded. “It’s just... I feel a little dizzy.”
“Migraine?” He held my chin and looked in my eyes. I glanced away, but I could tell he was buying it.
“I don’t know. Maybe.” It was my very best acting job—all driven by that natural instinct he kept going on about. That natural instinct that had my insides all tied up in knots.
“Well, go on home, then.” He patted my shoulder. “It’s spring, after all. We’ll have plenty more opportunities.”
I nodded, walking slowly until I was out of his sight.
When I was safely away, I broke into a run. Our house was empty when I got there. Daddy lived with Aunt Millie-Ray now, and she was helping him get sober. Braxton had renewed his faith in God and relocated to Natchez to start a church. That left the house to Gallatin and me. I figured we’d live in it, since it was close to the farm, then we’d build something new. If we had time for that.
I stripped off my work jeans and my old t-shirt as I dashed to the bathroom. I threw my sweaty bra in the laundry and ran topless across the hall into my mamma’s old closet where a few light summer dresses were hidden. I grabbed one with a full skirt and small buttons up the front and jerked it over my body.
A brush through my hair and a tiny bit of perfume behind my ears, I smoothed cherry lip gloss over my mouth and threw the tube on my dresser. The screen door screeched as I pushed through it, and it banged shut behind me.
Running as fast as I could, I took off across the field. The tall grasses swished at my thighs under my skirt, taunting me, and as I got closer to the sound of the tractor, the tightness in my chest had spread to the top of my head. I was feverish as I jumped up on the metal gate and watched him driving the huge machine.
The sun made shadow-lines across Gallatin’s bare back, and I watched his olive muscles flex as he turned the wheel. My stomach twisted. I knew he wouldn’t hear me if I called, but I was desperate for him to look up. Then he rounded the corner and saw me.
I didn’t know if he read my face or my mind, but he killed the engine, leaving the tractor mid-field. He swung a leg over and jogged in his dirty cowboy boots to where I waited and quickly crossed the fence. His mouth found mine as I pulled him, stumbling into the trees. My heart beat faster, and I strained to cover his neck and shoulders with kisses, tasting his saltiness mixed with my sweet lip gloss.
His mouth chased mine before moving to my cheek and neck, forging a trail of tingling sensations across my skin. I ached for his rough touch as he dropped to his knees, pulling me onto his lap.
Looking back, I blushed at my wildness. I barely remembered his voice saying my name, as electric waves followed by effervescent bubbles surged through my torso. Gasping I felt us lifting higher, like we were soaring past the clouds, among the stars, as sensation upon sensation curled the arches of my feet. Shudders rippled through my body as I came down, until at last I was lying against his chest, my arms weakly holding his neck.
We were both quiet, regaining our breath. He held me against him, stroking my back through the thin fabric of my dress. Suddenly I couldn’t stop a giggle. My brain was still fuzzy, and laughed more.
“What’s so funny?” I heard the smile in his voice.
“Teen pregnancy would cease to be a problem if human guys could touch that way.” Sliding my finger across his bare chest, I couldn’t help another small laugh. “Even after we’re married and we’re together for real, I want you to kiss me like that.”
“I’ll do whatever you want, but when we’re married and I take you, you’ll change your mind.”
Excited nerves tightened my stomach. I couldn’t even imagine. Lifting my head I met his glowing amber eyes. They were so warm and full of love, I couldn’t help kissing him again.
“How will I ever be normal after this?” I sighed.
“Do you want me to stop?”
My nose pressed into his cheek, and I smiled. He knew I’d never say no. I traced my finger down the line of his scar under the dark hair that always covered it, then I stretched up to kiss his cheek, thinking about how far we’d come, how much had changed.
“You always want to protect me,” I said.
“It’s my job now isn’t it?”
“Less than a year ago, you said I was too young to get married, and look at us already engaged.”
“That was nearly a year ago, and I could sense this was what you wanted.”
“Through your alien powers?”
“Through the spirits of my ancestors, the trees.” He smiled against my hair, and I laughed. “And through you telling me straight out we should be together.”
Straightening, I brought my hands to my lap. “Well, you did stay here for me. It was the least I could do.”
Even glowing in the warmth of being together, the memory was bittersweet. The night I’d left Jackson’s camp, my fear at the thought of him dead or across the galaxy never to return, was a heartbreak I’d never forget—along with our other big difference.
“And you have hundreds of years ahead of you, but I don’t.” His expression shifted, and my eyes flickered down. “I don’t want us to waste time.”
Strong arms circled my body, pulling me against him in a tight embrace. “We’ll figure it out. It doesn’t make sense that humans once lived so long and now they don’t. Maybe it’s environmental. Perhaps in another world, it’ll be different.”
I nodded against his neck, swallowing my fear at his words, at the idea of other planets, other aliens. Scary aliens. His uncle. I traced my finger along the leather strap to the round pendant in the center of his chest.
“Dr. Green said the urge to procreate was one of the strongest forces in nature.” I tilted the shimmering charm back and forth, watching the three warriors appear. “It made me think of your uncle.”
Gallatin leaned back to study my face. “What about him?”
“Cato said the threat of your offspring... he’d come for you. I assume that means for them, too?”
“Are you ready to leave?”
“I want us to be safe,” I dropped my chin, not wanting to see his eyes as I confessed. “But I’m still afraid.”
“Then we’ll wait until you’re not afraid.”
I hugged him close, resting my chin on his shoulder again, looking off into the trees. “When I was little, I used to dream of being swept away from my broken home by a handsome prince. We’d live happily ever after somewhere in a castle, like in one of those fairytales.”
His hand moved up and down my back. “Would you settle for science fiction? Or nonfiction, I suppose. And I already told you, I’m not a prince...” A deep exhale. “I’m screwing this all up.”
I pulled back. “No! I meant...”
Amber eyes twinkled with mischief, and I lightly punched his arm. Then I stood, pulling my dress back around and straightening the front. “I’m not smart enough for science fiction.”
“That’s not true. I’ve seen you in action.” His hand sneaked under my skirt and up my thigh. It left tingle in its wake, and I skipped back out of his reach, turning to go.
“I’ve got to get back to work. Or maybe I’ll go down to the creek instead?”
When I heard him rise, I started running. He caught my arm, and I shrieked with laughter as he dragged me back to him, covering my mouth with his and pulling me back to the soft ground. I held us together as his lips pushed mine apart, his arms strong and solid around my waist.
We weren’t safe. We weren’t even necessarily in a better place, but we’d found a break from the running, from the people getting hurt or killed. I’d take over Dr. Green’s practice, and Gallatin would work our farm. We’d spend afternoons at the creek and nights in each others’ arms.
When the time came, I knew I’d go with him to Gliese or wherever else he was sent. It was hard to know what our future would hold, but we loved each other. We’d found peace. It was only temporary, but we were together, and that’s the most anyone can hope for, human or alien.
The End.
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T
he idea for this story grew from two things—summers I used to spend with my grandparents in southern Mississippi, running through the woods behind their house and letting my imagination roam, and driving with my husband from south Alabama to north Louisiana along U.S. 49.
Reading road signs with names like Prentiss Puckett, D’Lo, Cato, and more, we brainstormed a story of a girl who lived in Dabb Creek and had adventures with her friends. Since it was my husband, it had to be science fiction.
I finished Behind the Stars in the spring of 2012, but life being life, I’m only now getting the chance to release it to my reader-friends. I hope you all love it as much as my first readers in Spanish Fort did.
Thank you for going with me on another journey. Here’s hoping for many more!
Please let me know what you think of this story—I created a special email address just for it, behindthestars21(at)gmail.com. As always, please also leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads!
Reviews help me a lot—both in advertising opportunities and in reaching new readers. So I appreciate and read every one.
Be sure to follow my Facebook page at
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Exciting New Release!
Prentiss Puckett is certain of three things:
-Graduation is two weeks away.
-Summer only gets hotter in south Mississippi.
-She’s getting a job with air-conditioning.
She did
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Jason just wants a date with Harley.
Harley just wants a date with Trent.
Trent's still getting over Stephanie.
When Harley and Jason decide to fake date, they uncover a school of deceptions. Trent's got a secret, but so does Jason. And the more time Harley spends secretly kissing her fake boyfriend, the further she gets from her dreams with Trent.
Worst of all, Harley's mom is getting cozy with her hot massage therapy student, and even Harley's Reverend Dad can't fake not being bothered by it. But when the masks finally come off, can everyone handle the real truth?
A full-length Young Adult romantic comedy. Contains mild language and themes appropriate for readers aged 13 and older.
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Top 5 Finalist, 2013 “Best Indie Book” awards,
The Kindle Book Review
Ashley Lockett has always followed the rules. She's always done the right thing, played it safe, and then her ideal life is shattered when her dad dies suddenly. Fueled by anger and grief, she vows to do everything opposite of how she lived before. She rejects safety, the rules, faith, and then she meets Jordan.
Jordan has big dreams, he's had a crush on Ashley for years, he's a great kisser... but he's also safe. Enter Colt. He is not safe, and he's more than willing to help Ashley fulfill her vow.