Blake leaned back in her white wicker rocking chair, happily soaking in the last of the fading sunset as she swayed. The warm Georgia summer heat encompassed her senses, inviting her to stay lounging in the relatively cool shade of her veranda forever. She closed her eyes with a groan when she heard the sharp clicks heralding her sure-to-be-irate mother.
“Blake Lorelai Dawes, it is unseemly for you to be out here unaccompanied. I have taught you better than to put yourself in such a precarious situation. Your father would have a fit if he discovered you out here alone.” The elegantly plump lady tapped her foot over and over, ruining the calm stillness of the coming night.
Blake sighed, raising her head to look over at where her mother was standing in the doorway, hands on hips and covered in flour.
“He’d have even more of a fit if he came out and discovered I wasn’t alone momma.”
Blake’s mother gasped in dismay. “Child, what a thing to say to your mother!”
“Oh momma. I wasn’t planning a scandal. The sky was putting on a colorful show that I simply couldn’t resist. Soon enough it will be dark and the stars will be twinkling up there just for me.” Blake lay back again, tipping her chair back further.
“Come inside, girl. I will remind you that rarely does a young lady plan for a scandal…and they still happen.”
Lazily shaking her head Blake didn’t look over. “Please, a few minutes more momma. Then I’ll come inside. I promise.”
Mrs Josephine Dawes left in a slight tizzy, muttering under her breath about willful daughters who don’t listen to their mothers as they ought. Apparently she didn’t appreciate that her only daughter never listened to her anymore.
It only took a minute, maybe less, for Blake to completely forget her promise to her mother. The stars were out and the beautiful simplicity of the sky made it impossible for her to leave. Minutes stretched as the stars twinkled overhead.
The stillness was shattered when a sharp crack came from the small grove of trees off to her right. Instantly adrenaline stampeded through her as she stood and leaned against the rail of the veranda. It was much darker than she had realized. Maybe going inside would be best. Sitting out alone in the dark wasn’t her most brilliant idea. She couldn’t see a thing. The beginnings of panic edged into her breath as she took a slow step back, as if she could sneak inside unnoticed if she moved slow and quiet enough.
Another crack that sounded much closer had her nearly jumping in her skin. She scarcely breathed as she looked for the source of the noise and failed. She spun around to flee indoors. Instead she ran right into a solid mass of warmth. Staggering back in surprise, Blake struggled to keep herself upright. He stepped forward, his arms outstretched but not touching her, as if he could hold her up by willpower alone.
“Ma’am.” The deep gravelly voice was just as heart-stopping as the rest of what she could see of him in the waning light. “Robert Hawkes, at your service.”
“Oh Mr. Hawkes.” Blake swept a hand to dust off her skirts before checking on her hair. Rumors had circulated about the man who had bought the nearby plantation and here he was standing in front of her looking all tempting. “A pleasure to meet you. My parents mentioned you had moved into the neighborhood. If you would excuse me for a moment I can step in and fetch them.”
Blake forced herself to stop staring, dropping her gaze to the porch. She moved to go around the large appealing man when his hand shot out, unseen in the darkness, snagging her corseted waist and forcing her to stop. He didn’t pull her into him, as she’d heard rogues would do when they caught a lady unattended but he didn’t let her pass either. A shiver ran amok across her nerves, her mind hyper aware of the warmth of his touch. She opened her mouth to protest, only to discover no sound would come out. She simply stood there gaping at his audacity.
After she stared at him for several seconds in shock, he loosened his hold slightly. “Before you go, if I might ask you a question?” He paused. “A personal question.”
Doing her level best to not hyperventilate at his close proximity, Blake strove for her most detached snooty tone. “You may.”
“Do you make a habit of tempting any and all passersby with your beauty in the moonlight?” His low voice immediately flooded her imagination with a variety of stolen kisses in the moonlight.
She didn’t have a chance to answer as his face moved in closer to hers, his arms wrapping further around her, pulling her in. Her breath caught. She couldn’t believe her first kiss was going to be with a man she didn’t know, even one as tempting and rugged as Mr. Hawkes. Her hands moved to push him away, knowing she should, and found herself unable to move him. In seconds her hands were pinned between them, useless.
A mere breath away from their lips touching he stopped and held her there, caught.
He sighed, looking straight into her eyes, “I suppose you’d never forgive me for stealing a kiss.” After a pause, he added, “I also suppose I better meet your mama if I ever hope to have a chance at courtin’ you.”
“Me?” She breathed in shock as he still held her close, pressed up against him. “You want to court me?”
“Right now, I can’t think of anything I’d want to do more.” He stepped back, gently letting her go. With a tip of his hat he moved even further away to a distance a respectable gentleman should give any young lady he chanced upon in the dark or anywhere since well-behaved young ladies were not out in the dark where they could be chanced upon.
“Momma.” She called out calmly, after she managed to catch her breath. “We have a visitor.”
