“Lola Buchanan?” I scoff. “The least you could do is share my last name.”
My sister’s mouth falls open as if she takes umbrage to the fact.
“I could have been married,” she squawks.
“You could have been buried—and believe me, there’s still time,” I shoot back. “Shep, this is my sister, Stephanie Santini, who will from here on out be known as Lola Binx.”
Stephanie gasps and smacks me silly all at the very same time.
“Would you stop?” I say, trying my best to contain her. “Shep knows everything. He’s a genius. He figured it all out on his own. I didn’t tell him anything.”
Shep’s eyes enlarge before he takes a breath and looks as if he has no choice but to acquiesce to the disaster at hand.
“Nice to meet you, Stephanie. I’m assuming Lola is your cover. I’ll be sure not to out you. Can I ask how long you plan on staying?” There is not one ounce of curtness in his voice.
Hey? Why does she get nice Shep and I get the grumpy version?
Stephanie shrugs. “A day, a week, a year. As long as it takes to get over this broken heart.”
“Eat,” I say as I point hard to the banana bounty. “You—come with me,” I say as I pull Shep out into the night, closing the door behind us.
We head out past the cabin and into the woods to the left where the moon shines its magic through the navy branches. And if you look straight up, you can see a sprinkling of stars sparkling in a rainbow of pastel.
“Your sister seems nice.” Shep frowns as he says it. “Does she magnetize to danger in the same way you do?”
I frown right back. “A second ago you were a prince. It’s nice to know you save your sour mood for me, Honey Bunch.”
“You’re welcome, Sweet Cheeks.” A growl works its way up his throat. “You almost got killed tonight, Bowie. If I wasn’t there, if Sophia didn’t fire that first shot, we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now.” His tone is tense and angry. “And the part that frustrates me the most is that I can’t figure out how to keep you from crossing the line. I can’t figure out how to keep you safe.” His voice jackknifes into the night with a hostile edge to it.
“You’re not my keeper, Shep,” I riot back. “Nobody is asking you to lose any sleep over my safety. If you haven’t noticed, I’ve been doing a fine job of that on my own!” My voice echoes through the woods before it spirals up to the sky with a shrill.
Shep bears those steely eyes to mine.
“This is where it ends with you and me. It’s over. It’s done.”
“What?”
A breath hitches in my throat as I realize that final and horrible vision I had the night I tried to sleep off my wine-induced hangover has finally come true.
“Shep?” I shake my head, wholly confused by his harsh words.
“That’s right.” His voice remains tight. “I’m through with all of the charades. I’m through pretending that I don’t care. It’s over. It’s done.” His chest expands an impossible width. “Because I do care.”
Shep steps in and crashes his lips to mine. Before I can make heads or tails of it, my arms are wrapped around him as our kisses continue to grow with a fury all of their own.
Shepherd Wexler is kissing me—kissing me—and it feels as if the world is shifting below my feet, the landscape is changing, and I doubt I’ll recognize it when I open my eyes.
Shep pours out all of his pent-up emotions directly into my mouth, and I am here for it in the very best way. He moans into my mouth as every moment we’ve shared plays out like a montage in my mind as my heart riots out against his own. And there is not a single kiss prior to this one that can even hold a candle to the dizzying display of magic Shep is doling out by the delicious mile.
It feels as if the universe, the stars up above, all of human history has lined up to bring Shep and me to this very moment. For the first time in a long while, I feel safe, I feel as if I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. I feel as if I finally made my way home.
I don’t know what the future holds for Shep and me, but I know what this moment, what these kisses promise. They promise something good, something amazing that I have never experienced before. They promise a bittersweet happily ever after—if only for this single moment.
But most importantly, they promise me that something good is waiting for us on the horizon.
I can’t wait to turn the page and see what the next chapter holds for us.
It feels as if I’ve waited a lifetime for Shepherd Wexler and his magical Starry Falls kisses.
And the best is yet to come.
I hope.
*Thank you so much for reading! We hope you enjoyed the ride! Need more Starry Falls? Hop on over and pick up the next book in the series! Click here—> A Haunted Hallow-whiskers
Something wicked this way comes. Opal volunteers to turn the manor into a haunted mansion for the entire month of October in hopes to turn a dollar, but the spooky festivities soon take on a haunted life of their own when a real corpse shows up at the scene.
Shep and I take on a life of our own as well, and a special guest from my past conjures up before me. Something tells me making it through this month of horrors will be murder.
Living in Starry Falls is proving to be deadly. Click here—> A Haunted Hallow-whiskers
***Love your books with humor, sass and murder? You’ll devour the Murder in the Mix Series!
Start at the beginning! Cutie Pies and Deadly Lies (Murder in the Mix 1)
Enjoy this preview. Happy reading!
I see dead people.
Okay, so
