Free Starcrossed: Perigee - A paranormal romance trilogy by Tracey Lee Campbell

extraordinary - not just because of their color, but because they held in them what seemed to be the answers to a mystery I didn't even know I'd been trying to solve. We stayed silent, looking at each other, for a long moment.
    In a staring contest, he would win. I broke eye contact, blushing after I imagined myself leaning over to kiss his lips.
    I coughed, embarrassed, pushing my milkshake aside. He cocked his head to one side, and my heart lurched again. He was adorable. I could tell he was stifling a grin. I was certain I must be close to dark crimson by now.
    "Okay, what are you thinking?" I asked, in the absence of nothing witty to say. His eyes met mine, and for once I couldn't look away, no matter how acutely aware I was of my blushing complexion.
    His expression was thoughtful as he watched me, and then he looked away, throwing his straw into the milkshake cup. "I'm thinking this milkshake is absolute rubbish."
    I laughed. The mood was broken. "Sorry. Maybe I'm immune to the food here now. I don't get around much. I don't think I've been further than fifty miles from this town in the past couple of years." I cringed at how that might sound, but what the hell, I told myself, if it made me sound like an unworldly country bumpkin, too bad. He probably had worked that out for himself.
    He smiled and peered out through the window at the sky, his face unreadable.
    I finished off my pie and wiped my mouth with a napkin. I was being extra careful I didn't leave anything on my face after yesterday's ice cream debacle.
    "Thanks for the grub," I said, throwing the crumpled napkin on to my plate.
    He leaned back against his seat, and I tried not to drool as the outline of his chest showed through his t-shirt. The words ' and for the view ' sprang to mind and I quickly diverted my eyes. Cut it out Lucy, I told myself sternly. You're turning into a besotted perv. This was so weird. I'd never reacted so strongly to anyone like this before. I had to get myself in hand before it was too late and I really was 'in love'.
    He stood up and fished his wallet from his back pocket.
    "You're welcome," he said, producing some bills for the tip. "I wish I could thank you for recommending it!"
    For a second, caught up in my own thoughts, I couldn't work out what he was talking about, and then I remembered we'd been talking about the food. We laughed together. I didn't think there would be another moment in my life where I could be happier and I wanted to save the moment like a snapshot I could revisit in the future. He stood up and stretched out his hand to me.
    "Come on," he said, "I'd better get you home. I think your uncle has a job for us."

    * * * * *

    Chapter Three

    Uncle Tom already had two horses saddled up when we got back to the ranch. Gus was tying his sleeping bag to the back of the saddle. They seemed to have plans to spend the night out of doors. Tom fetched a load of gear from the front porch and dumped it near his horse.
    "Ah, Luce, I was about to phone you. I need Aric here. I'm afraid a fence is down over at the Flats. We're missing four head of cattle - probably headed over Turner's Ridge into Shadow Valley. Don't know what it is about that place, but the heifers love it there. Gus and I are going to have to go after them, we're taking the gear in case we don't find them before night fall. We need Aric to repair the fence."
    Aric passed a bag to Tom, and he strapped it across the front of the saddle. "Well I can go find the cattle if you like - it'll give me a chance to see the lay of the land."
    Ask to take Gus's place. Aric's voice appeared inside my head. I reacted with a start. He was affecting me so weirdly I was hearing things but I did as the imaginary voice had ordered.
    "And I can go instead of Gus." I suggested. "I know my way around up there as much as you two do, and well, Aric and I are, well young and fit and you two are..."
    Gus shook his head and his leathery face broke into a grin. "The young pups are trying