Backstage Romance: An Austen-Inspired Romantic Comedy Box Set by Gigi Blume (ebook reader with highlighter txt) 📕

After the adventure we’d had so far, even I didn’t believe my own words. But what could be done at this point? I closed my hand over his and gave a comforting squeeze. He jerked his head to meet my gaze, his features alight with awareness. He was so beautiful. I bit my bottom lip to keep my jaw from coming unhinged and his focus instinctively dipped to my mouth then back to focus on my eyes.

I’d never wanted a kiss in my life more than I did just then. I wanted more than a kiss. I wanted everything about Wyatt—the smiles, the small touches, the quirky conversation. I’d even take the zany disasters as long as I could be near him. I channeled all my energy to convey my desire for a kiss in my lazy gaze. What was that come-hither look the heroine always made in my brother’s movies? Hooded eyes? Ah yes. I dropped my lids to half-mast, trying not to blink. My lashes fluttered. So sexy. I had him now.

“Are you okay?” He grimaced. “You look really tired.”

“Tired? No. A little cold, maybe.” I tried the pouty lips next. “I wonder if you could...warm me up?”

He blinked at me. “Why don’t you climb in the back and get in the bed?”

“The bed?!”

Yikes, I better dial the sexy back a notch.

“Yeah. Crawl under the blankets and I’ll wake you up when we make our next stop.” He pranced to the front of the camper and slid in the driver’s seat, whistling Jingle Bells. I eyed Reeses who had his little tongue dangling out of his snout, the corners of his doggie mouth upturned. He was totally laughing at me.

“Do you wanna kiss me?”

He yipped and wagged his tail.

“All right. Come along.” I slugged to the back of the RV and planted myself on the bed. Come to think of it, I was kind of drowsy. Joy kept me up most of the night showing me trending Tik Toks until my eyeballs bled.

Kids these days.

I snuggled under the covers, lifting them up to my chin as Reeses rested his head on my shoulder—his furry whiskers tickling my cheek. The camper rocked into motion and before we drove onto the highway, the soothing rhythm lulled me to sleep.

19

Georgia

I woke with a start as the RV bounced over the bumpy road. Disoriented and groggy, it took a minute to remember where I was. I’d slept so heavily, I didn’t notice when we left the main highway onto rural streets. I peeked out the back curtain. Rural terrain stretched on as jagged rocks glowed red with the last tinge of the setting sun. Snow-capped mountains stood watch in the distance, safeguarding the dry, uneven foothills dotted with patches of white.

“Where are we?” I stumbled the length of the RV, taming the tangles in my hair.

“New Mexico,” Wyatt chirped.

Reeses was in my seat, the traitor. He perched his front paws on the windowsill so he could see outside and his tail was going a mile a minute. He was so jumpy and excited. I scooped him up and reclaimed my seat as we rolled onto a dirt road passing huge wooden posts, which appeared as though they had once been part of a great fence. The serpentine road, pocked with dips and craggy rocks, weaved through small hills and inclined gently into a forest of odd-looking pines. The RV rocked and swayed as we rambled up the road, reaching a stretch of farmland resembling an old ranch. It could have been a scene from an old western if it weren’t for the gleaming red Chevy parked below the steps of a stunning flat-roofed adobe house.

Wyatt parked the RV and grinned at me, his teeth dazzling across his face.

"We're here."

"Where's here exactly?"

Reeses went ballistic. He leapt off my lap and bounded over to Wyatt, scratching on the driver's side window.

"Okay, already. Calm down peanut."

The crazy little dog shook all over like he couldn't stand being inside the RV a second more. How long had the poor thing been holding it?

Wyatt cracked the door and Reeses bolted. I didn't see where he went at first, guessing he'd found a tree to baptize, but then he came into view galloping up the steps toward the house, barking all the way.

"Wow, he's really gone bonkers. Did he find a squirrel?'

Wyatt reached over and tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear, grazing his knuckles along my cheek as he retracted his hand.

"Come on before he gets into too much trouble.”

He spun his legs around and hopped out onto the gravel, closing the door behind him.

“Wait! Wyatt. What is this place?”

He didn’t hear me. He was already heading up, two steps at a time.

I stumbled out to join him, still not completely awake until the cold hit me. I turned right back around to get our coats.

The house stood prominently on high ground with stone steps leading to a gravel footpath. Desert brush and cacti lined the walkways and served as ground cover. And the whole area was lit up by luminaries.

When I caught up, Wyatt was waiting for me at the top landing of the steps. He reached out as I approached, not for the coat, even though I handed it to him, but for my hand. He leveled his gaze on me, filling his chest with the crisp air, and ran his thumb over my wrist. The most peaceful wave ran though me, and there with a backdrop of the deep blue sky and the warm paper bag lights, he glowed. Beyond real, in a Photoshop sort of way.

“Wyatt? Is that you?” An older woman called excitedly, running down the footpath. “Good heavens!”

She was a petite, slender woman in her fifties with cropped auburn hair, wire rimmed glasses and the friendliest smile imaginable. She had a free, salt-of-the earth quality. Reeses ran in circles around her as she hurried along, wiping her hands on