Kiss a Falling Star

by Barabara Elsborg

  She snickered and slumped on the chair. Caspar settled next to her.

  “Have you thought about going to see your father?” he asked.

  Pick your moments, why don’t you. “I’ve thought about it.” A lot.

  “And?”

  “Decided not to. If he wants to see me, I’m sure the police will tell me. If I turn up on his doorstep, it’ll look like I’m after his money and I’m not. Except…”

  Caspar leaned back in his chair. “Except what?”

  “Well, maybe he did try to find me and couldn’t. My birth mother’s vindictive and unbalanced. She might not have even told him about me for a long time. I had to keep her surname until I was legally old enough to change it to Everton. Maybe that made it harder to find me. I still think he has to make the first move.”

  The door next to them opened and a small, bald, tough-looking guy in camouflage pants and jacket came out, dragging a scruffy, wheeled bag. “Next one,” he said, and walked off.

  Ally stood, picked up her bag and put a smile on her face.

  “Good luck.” Caspar stroked her hand.

  “He won’t know what hit him.”

  Ally walked in, closed the door and looked around. The room was empty. Well, there were two easy chairs and a low table, a coffee machine with cups but no inconsiderate bastard. There was another door on the opposite wall and Ally wondered if she was supposed to go through it. Was this some sort of initiative test? She put her bag down and crossed the room. Taking a deep breath, she pulled open the door.

  Shit.

  And closed it again. How had she managed to miss the washroom sign? The guy was tall, dark and had his back toward her as he stood at the washbasin, but she’d caught his startled glance in the mirror.

  Ally retreated to the chairs and slumped down. A folder sat on the table. Inches away. Did it hold details about them? What did it say about Caspar? And her? She sat on her hands. He came out of the bathroom and she leapt to her feet.

  “I am so sorry. I decided to check if you were all right. It occurred to me that you might have had a heart attack and need CPR or perhaps had fallen and cracked your head on a washbasin and be bleeding to death and might need a tourni…quet.” Her voice trailed off as she took in his incredulous expression.

  “And where would you put the tourniquet if my head was bleeding?”

  “Round your neck.”

  He laughed and Ally sighed with relief.

  “Sorry. I can read. I just didn’t on this occasion.”

  He held out his hand. “Ally Everton?”

  “Inconsiderate bastard?”

  His jaw twitched. “Please take a seat.”

  Good thing she was already in deep lust with Caspar because she was sitting next to strong temptation. Shining black hair, navy-blue eyes and an aura of tightly coiled energy about him that drew her like a magnet. He looked the same height as Caspar but more muscled. A few years older. White shirt, navy chinos and—flip-flops. Oh.

  “Did you dress yourself?” Ally asked. Shit, I said that out loud.

  “I accidentally set fire to my shoes. This was the best I could manage.”

  Ally’s eyes widened. “You really do need help, Mr…”

  “Adam Kesey. Call me Adam. Tell me why you want this job.”

  Ally took a deep breath. “I’m going to tell you why the best person for the job is sitting outside that door.”

  “I already know what I need to about Caspar Sanderson.”

  White heat flared in Ally’s chest. “No you don’t. He can do everything you had on that list, he’s loyal, he’s really smart, he’s sharp and he’s fun and—”

  “He’s been in prison for—”

  “He was set up. He did everything he was told to do and the Foreign Office hung him out to dry. He lost everything. His sister, his reputation, his family and friends. No one will give him a chance and it’s not fair. A few days ago he saved a man’s life. Yesterday, he helped save mine. He could be great if only someone would give him the chance. He already shines for me and he could for you.”

  Adam stared straight at her, and Ally met his gaze. “At the moment, I’m interviewing you. How many languages do you speak?”

  “One and a bit of French. Caspar speaks five.”

  “Can you dive, ski, sail, ride or climb?”

  “I don’t see why not. Caspar…”

  He rolled his eyes.

  “I can cook,” she said.

  “Good.”

  “So can Caspar,” she whispered.

  “Do you love him?”

  Ally unclenched her fingers from the arms of the chair. “Yes.”

  “You do realize this job involves a lot of traveling. I require an assistant who can anticipate my every need, someone I can shout at and laugh with. Someone who enjoys reading The Financial Times at the bottom of a ski slope. Someone who’ll pick up my clothes and sort out my mess. Someone who knows how to keep their mouth shut.”

  “Why don’t you get married? A wife would do all that, apart from the last part obviously.”

  Adam scowled.

  “You won’t find a wife with a face like that,” Ally said. “Smile quick before the wind changes.”

  He started to laugh and didn’t seem able to stop. He wiped the tears from his eyes and leaned back in his chair. “I wish I could give you the job, I really do, but—”

  “I’d be crap at it. I know. But Caspar wouldn’t.”

  Adam nodded at her bag. “Did you pack?”

  Ally shook her head. “It’s empty. Did you really expect someone to start work this afternoon?”

  “I want someone who says yes, not no.”

  “Caspar always says yes.” Ally forced herself not to cross her fingers.

  “He’s a lucky man,” Adam said.

  “No, he’s not. Not yet.”

  “Send him in.” Adam stood and held out his hand. “It was good to meet you, Ally.”

  She squeezed his fingers. “I don’t want to hold him back,” she whispered. “I want him to be the best he can.”

  “He is a lucky man.”

  Ally carried her bag outside and blew out a sigh of relief. “Your turn. He’s a really nice guy. He didn’t shout once. Mind you I didn’t have time to get left and right muddled up. Tell him the best place to read The Financial Times is at the bottom of—”

  “A ski slope,” said Adam behind her.

  Ally cringed.

  After the pair of them disappeared inside the room, she slumped on a seat. Maybe she’d done too good a job of selling Caspar. What if he actually got the job? Would she have to give him up? A year. He only needed to do the job for a year. She could wait. She could fly out to see him so long as it wasn’t too far away. Only, what if Adam wanted Caspar to leave with him tonight?

  Ally bit back a groan. The bag thing was just a test, wasn’t it? Would Caspar go? Oh God, she’d have to do the same as he’d done to her and make him leave.

  Caspar’s interview took ages. Ally wondered if that was a good thing. She leaned back and closed her eyes.

  “You fucking bitch.”

  Fear skittered down Ally’s spine. She screamed as hands wrapped around her throat.

  * * * * *

  An icy wind twisted around Caspar’s heart. Ally’s in trouble.

  “Excuse me,” he said to Adam and jumped to his feet.

  He flung open the door and saw a well-built guy struggling with Ally, dragging her down the corridor, no one else around. He had his hands around her throat and she was trying to pull his fingers off as she kicked back at his shins. Caspar’s heart lurched and he bolted after them.

  “Keep back or I’ll kill her.”

  Caspar didn’t stop. He barged into them both, slipped his hand between Ally and the man, squeezed hard on his balls and kept squeezing. The guy let out a piercing cry and Ally slithered to the floor, choking.

  As the guy bent over, Caspar slipped behind him, wrapped his right arm around the attacker’s neck
and pressed hard on the carotid arteries, using his other arm to maintain the hold as he maneuvered him to the ground. Within a few seconds the guy went limp. Caspar lessened the pressure but kept his arms where they were until he was sure he wasn’t pretending.

  As he stood, Ally rushed to his side. Caspar held her against his chest but didn’t take his gaze from the figure on the floor. He knew he was holding her too tight but he couldn’t help it. He might have lost her, just as he’d lost his sister. If he hadn’t heard Ally scream…

  “It’s Geoff,” she whispered.

  “Are you okay?” He tipped her back to look into her eyes.

  “Yes.”

  Two security guards came running down the corridor, and Ally explained what had happened. Geoff came round as they cuffed him, groaning about his balls. He was lucky he still had them. Caspar’s heart pounded as fury blazed around his bloodstream.

  “The Derbyshire police are looking for him,” Caspar said to the guards. “He’s wanted for attempted murder. He’s presumably trying to flee the country.”

  When Caspar noticed the red marks on Ally’s neck, he wished he’d kept that chokehold on a little longer. He turned and saw Adam wide-eyed in the doorway, staring at them.

  “I need—to think about this. I’ll be in touch,” Adam said. He went back into the room and came out holding Caspar’s bag. “You travel light.” He put the bag down and closed the door.

  Ally grabbed the bag before he could reach it. She glared and unzipped it. “You didn’t pack anything.”

  “You think I’d get on a plane and leave you?” Caspar reached for her bag and opened it. He looked at her and raised his eyebrows.

  Ally shrugged. “I knew I wouldn’t get it.”

  He laughed. “Let’s go home.”

  * * * * *

  The bus was pulling into Wyndale when Caspar’s phone rang. He looked at the screen and groaned. “My father.”

  “Yes?” Caspar snapped into the phone.

  “Can you come for dinner?”

  “It’s not Wednesday.”

  “How observant. Still?”

  “If I can bring a friend.” Caspar looked at Ally.

  “Obviously. Seven.”

  Caspar pocketed his phone as they got off the bus. “We’re summoned to dine with my parents within the hour.”

  The color washed out of Ally’s face.

  “What’s the matter?” Caspar asked in alarm.

  “I keep forgetting you’re titled. How do I address your father? And your mother? Should I curtsey? Walk backward? Oh God, I don’t like oysters.”

  Caspar laughed. “My mother hates oysters. Lord and Lady Lynham are their titles. Don’t curtsey. Don’t walk backward. Just be yourself.”

  “Where do they live?”

  “Next door.”

  She frowned. “You don’t have a next door.”

  “Wyndale Hall?”

  “Oh.” She bit her lip.

  “Is that a problem?”

  “No.” Ally’s smile looked forced.

  He slung his arm over her shoulder as they walked up the hill from the bus stop. He loved her, but did she love him? Caspar felt that she did, but Ally hadn’t told him.

  Her phone rang and she pulled it from her purse. “Hello?”

  “Hello, Ally.”

  Caspar could just make out Adam Kesey’s voice. His heart jumped into his throat. He was going to offer the job to Ally? Caspar wasn’t sure he could feel happy about that.

  “Hi Adam.” Ally gave Caspar an anxious glance.

  “Is Caspar with you?” Adam asked.

  “Yes.”

  “You’ve got the job.”

  Ally stumbled to a halt. Caspar heard what Adam said and felt as though his feet were dissolving into the pavement. He wanted to grab Ally’s phone and yell that Ally was his. No point trying to smile his congratulations, that was beyond him.

  “No, thank you,” Ally said.

  “Wait,” Adam shouted. “You can’t say no. You wanted me to offer it to him.”

  Ally tensed against Caspar’s side. What the hell did that mean? Both Ally’s reaction and Adam’s comment. What had Ally said at her interview?

  “You mean Caspar’s got the job?” Ally asked.

  Something was missed by Caspar in his annoyance. “What—?”

  “Both of you,” Adam said. “You’re obviously joined at the hip, but I’m not doubling the pay. In fact I’m tempted to reduce the salary because I have a feeling you’re going to cost me a fortune, but I’ve never had such an entertaining afternoon. I want you both.”

  Ally stood in openmouthed amazement.

  “Ally, are you still there?” Adam asked.

  When she opened her mouth and nothing came out, Caspar took the phone from her hand. “You’ve rendered her speechless. A useful attribute.”

  “Hi, Caspar. Did you hear what I said?”

  “You’re offering the job to both of us.”

  “Yes. I need to be in New Zealand next week. Flying out of Heathrow on Monday. Shall I send your tickets?”

  “Can I call you back? I need to give CPR to Ally.”

  Adam laughed and cut the connection.

  He’s given us the job? Caspar couldn’t believe— “What did you say in your interview?”

  “That I wasn’t prepared to accept the job unless he took you on as his chauffeur.”

  Caspar raised his eyebrows.

  “I just told him you’d be brilliant.” Ally tugged him up the hill. “You know right from left. What more could he need?”

  “Do you want the job?”

  Ally stopped walking. “Don’t you?”

  “I asked first.”

  She looked straight at him. “Yes, but I want you more. If you don’t want to take it, neither do I.”

  “I like him.”

  “Me too.”

  They were both hedging. Caspar wanted the job but needed to know Ally did too. He pulled her on. They were in sight of his front door.

  “The plus points,” Ally said. “New start. Something wildly different. Good pay. A chance to shine. I might get to see where they filmed Lord of the Rings and we’d be together.”

  Caspar unlocked the door and they went inside.

  “On the minus side,” Ally said. “Life with a moody guy who shouts and squeezes his toothpaste from the bottom—”

  “How do you know Adam— Oh, you mean me.” Caspar spun her against the door and kissed her. “Shall.” Kiss. “I.” Kiss. “Ring.” Kiss. “Adam.” Kiss. “And.” Kiss. “Say.” Kiss. “Yes?”

  “Make him wait. We don’t want to look too desperate.”

  Caspar unbuttoned her coat. “Are you desperate?”

  “Yep.”

  “Good. Me too.”

  He edged her toward the stairs. Before they’d reached the top step, Ally was sprawled facedown, clinging to the carpet as Caspar stripped her of her clothes.

  “Put the water on so we can have a hot shower before we go,” Ally mumbled.

  Caspar kissed his way up her leg. “I’m trying to drive you wild and you’re thinking about showers?”

  He licked the back of her knee, and Ally slithered down two steps. When he trailed his tongue over her bottom, she scrambled up three. Caspar grasped her hips and tugged her down.

  “This is like snakes and ladders,” he said with a laugh.

  “Do they have big snakes in New Zealand?”

  “They don’t have any.”

  Ally spun onto her back. “Call Adam now and say yes.”

  “I’ve something more important to do.”

  Caspar scooped her into his arms and carried her the rest of the way. He paused by the switch for the water heater and Ally flipped it on. Caspar laid her gently on the bed and took off his clothes. His stomach muscles clenched as she rolled onto her knees and looked at him over her shoulder. Caspar ate her up with his eyes before he stepped forward.

  “Open your legs,” he said.

  Ally presse
d her forehead into the pillow and moved her knees farther apart. Caspar grabbed his balls and pulled down on them. He could see she was wet, her folds glistened in the lamp light. He knelt on the bed and ran his fingers down the crease of her butt and into the silky dampness of her folds. She let out a smothered groan and arched higher into his touch.

  Caspar dropped his head and licked her, pushing his finger into her as he teased her with his tongue. The taste turned his thoughts to mist. All he could think about was bringing Ally pleasure, exploring every inch of her body, driving her wild, making her moan. When he slid his thumb over the pucker of her asshole, she groaned. He sucked her clit while he dipped his finger in and out of her pussy and then pressed his thumb against the tight ring.

  “Oh God,” Ally moaned.

  He wet his thumb with her cream and swirled it around her anus, urging the muscles to relax and let him in. Caspar kept licking her folds, stroking with his fingers and then his thumb slipped inside, and Ally whimpered. She rocked as she squirmed against him. He could feel the heat pouring from her as her body fell into sexual thrall. She wasn’t the only one. His temperature had soared.

  Caspar played her with infinite care, fingers, thumb, tongue in perfect harmony. Ally was perfect. He wanted this first time to be perfect.

  “Sexy, sexy, star girl,” he whispered into her sex. “Christ, you drive me crazy with longing.”

  Pulling back, Caspar dragged his cock between the crease of her buttocks. He spread her cheeks and pressed the blunt head against her asshole.

  “Caspar,” Ally whispered.

  “Can I?”

  “Condom. Oil?”

  “Don’t move.” Lounge. Wallet. He was back in a flash, condom on.

  “Stop if it hurts?” Ally asked.

  “God, sweetheart. I don’t want to hurt you. We don’t have to do this.”

  “I want to try.”

  Thank fuck. “I’ll stop the moment you tell me to.”

  Caspar ran his oiled palm up and down his protected cock then held up the bottle to let a trickle slide over Ally’s anus.

  “Ohhh,” she groaned.

  He pressed his crown against the tight entrance to her body, swirling in a circling motion and slipped his fingers around her hip to slide two fingers into her pussy. Ally arched back against his cock and he groaned at the pressure on his sensitive glans.