Starcrossed (Starcrossed 1)

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you nonstop. It?s like being an infant, only you?re old enough to appreciate

it.?

?Not so much fun when you have to go to the bathroom, though.?

?No! Especially not when you?re around strangers,? Helen said,

expecting a laugh or a witty response from Luke, and not getting

either.

?We?re not strangers,? he said quietly, slowing down so he could

look her in the eye.

?Well, not anymore,? she agreed. She felt a hot blush stinging her

cheeks and had to look down. His eyes were so honest and so blue

that Helen felt if she didn?t force herself to look away right from

the start that she?d get stuck and never stop staring at him.

They held hands as they walked back. When they got close to the

house, Helen noticed Cassandra staring down at them from one of

the second-story balconies. She didn?t look happy.

When they went into the kitchen, they found Noel already hard at

work over half a dozen pots and pans. She set them up with a pint

of ice cream, cookies, nuts, and caramel sauce and told them they

were strong enough to make their own darned sundaes before she

went back to snarling at the ox-sized roast she was wrangling into

the oven. After a decadent snack that tempted the rest of the house

into the kitchen to spoil their appetites, Noel told everyone that

they might as well just stay in their seats because dinner would be

ready in another twenty minutes.

?I can?t. I have to go home,? Helen admitted in a disappointed

tone as she pushed a few soggy pecans around the bottom of her

bowl.

?Ridiculous. You?re not going anywhere,? Lucas responded.