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“It was, I suppose…” His voice trailed off.
“But how…” I stopped as I tried to process this fact.
“It was great to see you and to touch you. I hadn’t made the connection from the first time. Well, technically, the second time. Who knew I could touch you in your dreams?” he murmured.
“Oh.” My hand cupped my face where his fingers had stroked my cheek. But I couldn’t make sense of what he was saying.
“Yeah.” He stood and was in front of me again. “I’d like to do it again.”
My heart began to thunder, and I gazed into bright, burning eyes, lost for words. He looked bewildered, wary. Why? What was going on?
“How did you—? How does it, um, work?” I whispered.
“I told you. The candle. It led me to the church and from the church to the village square. There was swooping.”
“Swooping?”
He laughed. “Yeah. Scoping the area. I was searching for your light. And there it was. You’re like a beacon, Emily. I cannot tell you how brightly you shine. And then I recognized the house. You know. I’d seen it. From him. Knightley. Being inside his head. And there you were.”
“But how did you get into my dream?”
His eyes widened. “You won’t like the answer.”
“What does that mean?” And then I knew. “No! You told me you wouldn’t do that again.” He’d occupied my… my… space! Again. My temper flared.
He gave a tiny apologetic shrug. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to say hi. I missed you.” His sweet admission put a chink in my anger. “And I couldn’t believe that you’d lit a candle for me. No one’s ever done that before.”
“No one?”
“No,” he mouthed, and my anger evaporated.
“That’s terrible.”
He bit his upper lip, showing even white teeth. “It’s complicated,” he said.
“Complicated? Complicated how?”
“You’re all questions today,” he said. He was so close that if I wanted, I could lean forward a fraction and almost touch him. His scent intensified, and he closed his eyes. “Oh, Emily,” he whispered. “Do you have any idea how brightly you burn?”
“What?”
He opened his eyes, and they seared mine. “You. Your life force. You shine like the sun. You dazzle me. Why do you think I’m here?”
“Um…” Coherent thought escaped me.
He leaned toward me, and we were nose to nose.
“I can’t stay away from you,” he whispered. “You light up my world.”
Oh!
Mesmerized by his words, I tilted my head up, wanting something, wanting… contact. Yes. I wanted his lips on mine. My eyelids fluttered as I leaned forward. In a flash, he disappeared, then reappeared on the other side of the bed.
“Whoa! Beauchamp!” He swallowed and faced me with his hand palm up, in a back off, Beauchamp stance.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean… I don’t know what happened there,” I babbled, mortified, then stared down at my knotted fingers to hide my acute embarrassment.
Hell, hell, hell! Emily, what are you doing!
