She hadn’t thought of it that way before and had to admit the idea brought comfort. “I sure hope you’re right.”

“Want to take the boat out on the pond?”

Startled by the sudden change in conversation, she looked up at him. “Now? It’s getting late.”

“Perfect for stargazing.”

She remembered how he knew every constellation and the story behind each one.

“We can do it another time,” he said.

Sydney decided she wasn’t ready to go home. Not yet. “Now is fine.”

“You’re sure?”

She nodded, and they turned back the way they’d come. With the light of a half moon guiding them, they climbed the stairs and crossed the yard to the path that led to the pond and Luke’s old rowboat. He helped her in and got her settled before he lifted Buddy into the bow. Pushing the boat off the sand, Luke hopped in and reached for the oars.

Sydney let her head fall back as she studied the sky above and enjoyed the smooth glide of the old wooden boat through the flat-calm water. She brought her eyes down from the heavens to study the play of muscles visible through Luke’s T-shirt as he rowed.

“I love it out here at night,” he said after a long period of comfortable silence. “It’s so busy all day, but then the sun goes down and it becomes the calmest place on the island.”

“That’s because all the boaters are in the bars.”

He chuckled. “True. Ready for some stargazing?”

“Whenever you are.”

Luke let the oars go idle and arranged two cushions on the floor of the boat. He guided her to sit between his legs, resting against his chest with his arms around her. “Comfortable?”

“Very.” And yet so uncomfortable, too.

“Let’s see what you remember.” He pointed to a constellation.

She tipped her head back to use his shoulder as a pillow. “Orion.”

“Good,” he said, trailing a finger over her neck. “How about that one?”

Sydney swallowed hard as his touch sent goose bumps cascading down her arms and legs. “Big Dipper.”

“A plus.”

Sydney laughed, even though he was making her crazy with what he was doing to her neck with just the tip of his finger against her skin. “Those are the easy ones.”

“All right then, how about that one?”

“Cassiopeia.”

“I’m impressed.”

Sydney turned her head so she could see him. “I had a good teacher.” She reached up to touch his face, which was warm and smooth. “You shaved.”

“Huh?”

“After work. You shaved.”

“Yeah, so?”

“You always shaved in the morning.”

“Still do, most of the time.”

“Why the change in routine?”

“Because,” he said, nuzzling her cheek, “if I was lucky enough to get this close to you tonight, I didn’t want to burn your soft skin.”