He remembered! Nessa stared at the planked ceiling. She couldn’t forget. She would sneak out of the castle to lay on the top of a hill to be close to the twinkling stars. Luke had followed her one time, discovering what she was doing. Instead of telling her father, he had joined her. It was a special time to simply stare at the blinking twin pricks of light in the sky and pretend. She was surprised he had remembered. “I do. Remember we looked for patterns in the stars?”
Luke nodded.
Nessa stifled a yawn. That had been when she had imagined herself in love with him. She would imagine they were married and she ran a castle of her own. He was always so kind to her. And she was so young. Now, she wasn’t so young and she found him even kinder. And heartbreakingly handsome. She turned her head to look at him. They were close. Very close. She studied his rugged profile as he stared at the roof. A proud, aquiline nose, a square, strong jaw.
“Not quite the same view,” he whispered and turned to look at her.
Their noses touched. She felt a puff of his warm breath across her lips. For just one moment, one second, she wished... she wished he could be hers. Before the thought had vanished from her mind, he moved forward and pressed his lips to hers. Soft, gentle. His lips were wet from the ale. Nessa ached. Desire speared through her body, making it tingle with life. She had wanted to know what it was like to kiss him for a very long time. The kiss deepened. His arm went around her waist, drawing her close against the length of his body. His hand moved to the nape of her neck, brushing his fingers along her hairline. His lips coaxed hers to part for him. A soft sigh escaped her lips and Luke thrust his tongue into her mouth.
The sudden intrusion snapped her from her daze. What was she doing?! She pulled back, ripping herself free of his hold. She pushed her clenched fists against her mouth.
Luke reached for her. “It’s okay, Nessa.”
She shook her head violently. Tears formed in her eyes, blurring her vision of him. She had tempted Luke like a willful whore. And she had kissed him! “She’ll hate me.” The words were ripped from her soul.
“No, Nessa,” Luke whispered. “No one could ever hate you.”
But she knew Mel would. She knew Mel would hate her. She had told her as much when they were young. Mel had told her that Luke would be hers and she would never forgive her if she ruined that. Nessa shook her head. What had she done? She rose and ran from the barn, even as Luke called to her.
Lightning ripped the distant dark sky as Nessa emerged from the barn breathless and sobbing. She berated herself. She had no will power around Luke. She wanted to kiss him; she had wanted to kiss him since she was young. Anguish filled her, shaking her body. He was Mel’s. He had always been Mel’s. And Nessa never wanted her sister to hate her. She fell to her bottom below a large tree. Why had Luke come after her? Luke had come because of his honor. Because they were friends. He had come to save her because she was Mel’s sister.
Nessa wiped her eyes. The small black and white cat rubbed up against her shins and she stroked its head. “I love him,” she whispered, defeated. She knew she had to give him up. Forever. He could never know of her love. Mel loved him.
“Nessa.”
Nessa turned. Thunder rumbled in the sky. Urien stood beside the tree.
