Page 33 of Married at Midnight

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The sky grew dark early in the Pacific Northwest in October. By five o’clock, the roofers came down and packed up their trucks. The painters finished sanding and had started sealing the cracks and holes in the exterior wood. Before the first stars came out, both crews had headed home for the night. Ellie had never been more grateful.

Since they’d returned from the paint store, she’d thought of nothing but the evening she’d spend with Connor. They’d each gone to their respective rooms to change and would meet downstairs again at six o’clock.

He’d refused to tell her where he was taking her, which made it difficult to decide what to wear. Ten minutes and five outfits later, she finally settled on black leggings, a gray sweater with black lace trim, black pumps, and a red neck scarf.

Connor was in the foyer when she arrived. He was dressed in khaki pants and a crisp white shirt. Ellie’s eyes snagged on the vee of his shirt. It was open. Invitingly so.

She swallowed hard. Her gaze skidded up to his wet hair. He’d just showered. She could smell the light fragrance of soap mixed with Connor’s own scent. It was a heady combination. Desire flared, making her breathing speed up.

“Ready?” Connor asked as he flicked on a flashlight.

“Where are you taking me?”

He held out his other hand to her. “We’re going stargazing.”

She crinkled her nose. “What?”

“Come, you’ll see.”

Ellie furrowed her brow when she looked past Connor to the grandfather clock. The sheet was gone. The old man looked at her with a question in his eyes as though asking what the heck she was doing.

She had no idea, but she didn’t have to explain that to a clock. Turning her back on the old man, Ellie followed Connor up three flights of stairs to the attic. Once there, he dropped her hand and moved to the window. He set the flashlight so the beam shone back into the room; then he stepped out on the scaffolding.

“Where are you going?” Ellie moved toward the window.

He vanished. A moment later she heard a crinkling sound overhead as the blue tarp that lay across the roof was drawn back. Connor’s head was visible through the three-foot hole. “The roofers aren’t done, and they left us a wonderful spot to gaze at the night sky.”

“What about rain?”

“The forecast calls for clear skies. But it will be cold as a result.” Another moment passed, and he joined her once more in the attic, shutting the window behind him. From the corner of the room he picked up a blanket and handed it to Ellie. “You might need this. The heat is off in this room until the roof is sealed again.”

The crispness of the night wrapped around them. The slivered moon hung high in the night sky, a scythe of gold. Grateful, she accepted the thick fleece blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders while he lit two candles on a side table. Soft, yellow-gold light dispelled the darkness.

“Aren’t there any lights up here?” she asked.

“We don’t want lights. They’ll overpower the view of the stars. These candles will provide all the light we need.” The warmth in Connor’s gaze sent a shiver skittering along her flesh.

She looked up through the hole in the ceiling. The stars overhead glittered like diamonds. “I never realized you could see so many stars here in the city.”

“We’re far enough away from downtown that we get a fairly decent view. Magical, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” she replied, slightly breathless.

“Can you find the Big Dipper, also known as Ursa Major?”

“I remember something about the North Polar Star.”

“The North Star is part of the Little Dipper, or Ursa Minor.” He came behind her and pointed toward the night sky. “It looks like a bowl and a handle. Depending on the season of the year, the Big Dipper can be found in different places in the northern sky. Just remember, spring up and fall down. On spring and summer evenings, the Big Dipper shines highest in the sky. On autumn and winter evenings, it lurks close to the horizon.”

“I see it now,” she said, focusing on the horizon. With satisfaction, she turned to him. “I’ve looked up at the stars all my life without really seeing any of the constellations. Will you teach me more?”

“Anytime.”

He took her hand and led her to a small table he’d obviously brought up for the two of them. On the table was a pizza box, a bottle of wine, and two wineglasses. “Dinner?”

He pulled out a chair for her to sit. Moving to his chair, he reached for the box, opened it, and turned it her way. “Only the finest for you.”