Lucky Stars (Ghosts and Reincarnation #5)(61)

She regarded him a moment and said nonsensically, “No, it’s the bossy one.”

He ignored her again and repeated, “Am I understood?”

“You’re understood,” she replied quietly, turned back toward the house, patted her thigh to call the dogs and started forward.

Their walk, apparently, was over.

As they had moved away from the house, she had not only attempted conversation, she’d freely engaged in it.

As they moved back to the house, she remained thoughtfully and somewhat disturbingly quiet and her lightened mood had vanished.

Therefore when The Point was in view, Jack got close to her side, slid an arm around her shoulders and halted her. He curled her to face him and she tilted her head back to look at him.

“Don’t be cross, poppet,” he demanded softly when her eyes caught his, going on to explain. “I acted out of concern.”

To this she oddly announced, “I hiked the Inca Trail.”

Jack stared at her a moment before asking, “What?”

She put her hands to his waist and repeated, “I hiked the Inca Trail with my Mom. We hiked to Machu Picchu.” When he didn’t speak, she went on, “Which is amazing, by the way.”

He was surprised at this news but also uncertain why she was sharing it.

“That may be so but you weren’t pregnant nor were you alone when you did it. I’d rather you not climb out onto a cliff outcrop when you’re out walking alone.”

He’d also rather she not do it when she was with someone, for instance himself, but he didn’t say that.

She moved a hint closer to him, tilting her head back further. “No. That’s not what I mean. I’ve been trying to decide why I’m not scared of that cliff which I’m not. I never thought about it but it’s weird.” Again when he didn’t respond, she continued, informing him, “I think it’s the sea.”

Although this made no sense to Jack, he didn’t tell her that, he remained silent.

When he didn’t speak, Belle went on, “I feel safe around the sea. And I feel safe around my Mom which was why I wasn’t scared on the Inca Trail. So I tried to find times when I wasn’t afraid of something I’m normally afraid of to see if my theory is right. I remembered that, after a while, when we were up in the hayloft that first time, I leaned against the sliding doors that you opened which is something I wouldn’t normally do and…”

She stopped talking abruptly and her eyes grew wide as she realised what she was giving away. Her body went solid, she tore her gaze from his and looked at his ear.

Then belatedly she tried to pull away.

Jack’s arms slid around her, containing her retreat.

She gave up immediately but held her body stiffly in his arms.

She’d felt safe with him.

This was a highly welcome revelation.

At least it was to Jack.

Belle looked like the very thought terrified her to an irrational extreme.

“Look at me,” he commanded gently and her eyes went from his ear to his far more rapidly than normal which was also highly welcome. She was looking in his eyes more often, holding his gaze easier and meeting his eyes more swiftly at his command.

Jack decided to confront her directly, not giving her time to retreat emotionally either. “I’m pleased you feel safe with me, love, but I still don’t want you out on that cliff.”

“Okay,” she replied readily and he knew she was agreeing in order to end the conversation not that she actually agreed. He knew this because she made a move to pull away but his arms tightened. He gave her a gentle shake when her eyes started to slide away again and he held her gaze.

“You’ll always be safe with me, Belle,” he told her.

She wet her lips nervously and hastily changed the subject by requesting, “Can we go back to the house?”

“No,” he answered instantly.

“Why not?” Her voice was beginning to rise with anxiety but he ignored it.

A breeze slid through the air, taking with it some tendrils of hair that had escaped her ponytail. They caught on her wetted lips and Jack lifted a hand to slide his fingers along her hairline, tucking the tendrils behind her ear as he held her to him with his other arm. He felt her body tremble at his touch with a resultant, vastly pleasant, clutch in his gut.

“A number of reasons,” he answered as his hand wrapped around her ponytail, his other arm pulled her even closer and, when he had her affectionately imprisoned, he continued. “Firstly, because I’d like a moment to savour the knowledge that you felt safe with me regardless of the fact that I lost that gift through no fault of my own.” He heard and felt her draw in a quick breath but he kept talking. “Secondly, I’d like to know that you understand you were mistaken when you withdrew that gift and further that you understand now that I’ll always keep you safe.” At these words her body locked and he saw the colour leave her face but, relentless, he carried on. “Thirdly, I’m considering kissing you, I haven’t decided yet but I’m definitely leaning toward it.”

He watched her lips part, colour again suffused her cheeks before she informed him, the anxiety in her voice increasing, “I think we should stop kissing.”

Jack grinned at her. “Now why would we do that?”

She looked away but he gave her ponytail a soft tug and she looked back, saying, “I don’t know. We just should.”