Starfish Moon Quotes

“Some of us aren’t meant for home and hearth. For white picket fences. Or silly cattle dogs and stone fire pits.”
It was only when Fiona’s gaze sharpened again that she realized she’d said that last part out loud. A knowing smile played at the corners of Fiona’s mouth and her eyes sparked right back to matchmaker life.
“Don’t,” Kerry warned.
“Whatever do you mean?” Fiona said with false innocence. “I hear what you’re saying. And I believe you. At least, I believe you believe you.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“Are you sure you want to sign on for this cattle drive, jillaroo?” he asked her.
“Oh, indeed I do.” She slipped her arms around his waist. “You just try to stop me.”
He grinned. “Well, I tried that once and we see how well that worked out.”
She tipped up on her toes and kissed him. “And aren’t you glad I didn’t listen to you?”
“More than I can say, Starfish.” He pulled her up off her feet and kissed her, and it didn’t take any time for it to shift to something needier and far hungrier than a simple kiss on a side porch would fulfill.
“Do you think they’d miss us in there?” Kerry murmured against his mouth. “If we, uh, went out and inspected the grounds? Or…something?”
“You know, there’s a separate entrance to my quarters around the back. But it’s thumping rain out there, luv.”
She nodded toward the window. “It’s stopped. Look. You can see the moon.”
He looked out to discover she was right indeed. He pulled her over to the window, then looked down to find her eyes sparkling a particularly mischievous shade of emerald in the wash of the golden glow. “A starfish moon,” he said, thinking form now on the two would always go hand in hand.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“I’ve missed you,” he said hoarsely when they broke apart, gasping for breath. “More than I thought possible.
“Me too.” She held on to him just as tightly. “I really do love you, Cooper. And I want to be here. In fact, I can honestly say, standing here right now, I can’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else.”
He brushed the damp from her cheeks. “That’s good. Because I don’t know that I could let you go.” He pulled her back into his arms. “But yes to the rest.”
“What rest?”
He looked down at her. “If--when--you need to go off, fill your soul, feel different earth under your feet, I’ll do my best to handle missing you. As long as you promise to always come back.”
She nodded, sniffling. “Like a boomerang; you won’t be able to get rid of me.”
He chuckled, still getting past being stunned, then kissed her again, and this time the relief, the joy, started to shift to that all-consuming hunger that was always there for them and, he suspected, always would be.
With that in mind, he went to scoop her up, thinking his family and hers would have to understand if they needed a little time alone, when she pressed her palms against his chest.
“Wait. I have one more thing I have to ask.”
“Anything.”
She smiled. “Is that marriage proposal still on the table?”
He grinned. Just when he thought his heart couldn’t get any fuller. “Why, Starfish, I thought you’d never ask.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“It wasn’t until he started to speak that he realized he was shaking, too. He reached up, touched her cheek. “You are real,” he said, then grinned when she rolled her eyes. “I--just checking.” Then he framed her face with his hands, struggling to keep the touch gentle when what he wanted to do was pull her all the way inside him and keep her there forever and ever. “Because I don’t think I could stand losing you a third time, Starfish. I’m barely functional as it is.”
“So I’ve heard,” she said, then half laughed, half caught her breath on an emotion-filled gasp of air.
“Have you, now?” he said, his own voice choking up. “I’ll have a talk with that one after.”
“After?”
“After this.” Then he pulled her tightly into his arms and lowered his mouth to hers, the joy filling him so swiftly and so fully, he truly feared he might burst with the intensity of it.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“If--when--you need to go off, fill your soul, feel different earth under your feet, I’ll do my best to handle missing you. As long as you promise to always come back.”
She nodded, sniffling. “Like a boomerang; you won’t be able to get rid of me.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“You’re really here.”
“I really am.” It was the nervousness, the hint of vulnerability that had entered her eyes that finally snapped him out of his temporary daze.
“Why?” he asked. “I mean, beyond the algebra homework of course.”
“It’s pretty hard algebra. I might need a refresher course.”
“Kerry--”
“I’m here for you,” she said.”
― donna kauffman, Starfish Moon

“Like life isn’t hard enough, mate. Don’t borrow more sorrow.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“He knew Kerry well enough to know that had he turned right back around, apologized, asked her to forgive the knee-jerk reaction, she very likely would have, chalking it up to the stress of the moment. But he hadn’t done that. And now the deed had been done, and Kerry had made it clear she respected his choice with her silence. So, hard as ti was, maybe it was for the best, and he should respect her choice, too.
But she hadn’t been silent with Sadie. He knew the two were talking, though Sadie wasn’t more forthcoming than that about the nature or content of their e-mail and messaging conversations, other than to make it clear she thought all three men in her family were idiots.
And she likely had a point.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“It’s where I want to be most in the world, Starfish. I know my home; I’ve found my place in the world. I shouldn’t--won’t--keep you from finding yours.”
“But--”
He kissed her, gently at first and then with all the hunger of a man who might never eat again.
Tears were trickling down her face now. “What if I want to come, if I know the risks, but--”
“You might be able to handle that,” he said roughly. “But I’m not sure I could.”
“Life doesn’t offer any guarantees,” she said, knowing she had to push, had to make him understand. She wouldn’t get another chance. “I want to try. I want us to try. What happened to figuring things out because that’s what you do for the people you love?”
He kissed her wet cheeks and pulled her close. “Can’t you see?” he whispered hoarsely. “That’s exactly what I’m doing.”
And then he was gone.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“It’s not that I would say no to you going on walkabout along; it’s your life to lead and I’ll always have the station to deal with, but I do want to say…I’d worry about you if you did. And I might pout just a wee bit.”
“You’re probably ridiculously adorable when you pout.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“It was later, after they’d dozed and he’d pulled her into the shower upon waking, that Cooper started on a plan. She laughed at his timing.
“I do my best thinking in the shower,” he told her, then poured bath soap in his hand and started rubbing her back. “I’m pretty sure I’ll think even better if I have something more fun to be washing than my own self.” He slipped his hands around to the front, making her squeal, then maybe moan a bit.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“My, my,” she teased, her heart full to bursting, “what a big…sword you have.”
“All the better to pillage you with,” he murmured, lowering his head again.
“I should tell you one more thing,” she whispered, making him lift his head a bit, an eyebrow raised in question. “I’m protected. Makes traveling easier when you know what will be happening when,” she explained. “So if you’re okay with, uh, keeping your sword there unsheathed, I’m okay with--”
“Oh, aye, I’m very okay,” he said, eyes gleaming that much more brightly.
“Good,” she sighed, then tipped her head back and arched up into him. “Please feel free to pillage away.”
He laughed, a deep, sexy, guttural laugh, full of joy and promise. He moved slowly inside her this time, both of them groaning in appreciation of the increased pleasure with no barrier between them.
Their lovemaking was slow, yet all the more intense for the increased intimacy, as they kept their eyes open, looking at each other, kissing, playing, moving, enjoying.
And, for the first time, she let herself believe that maybe he was right, maybe there was a way to have it all.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“My, my,” she teased, her heart full to bursting, “what a big…sword you have.”
“All the better to pillage you with,” he murmured, lowering his head again.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“Are you calling me a dummy?”
“Not at all. I’m just saying that maybe some of us caught on a bit faster than others.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“Maybe there is a way to have it all,” he said, lowering his head to hers. “If you want me, Starfish, we’ll find that way.”
“I do,” she said, the sudden prickle of tears surprising her, but it was such a huge rush finally to admit it, to tell him. To tell herself. “But--”
“No buts,” he said, kissing the damp from the corner of one eye, then the other. “We’ll sort it out,” he said. “It’s what we do for the people we love.”
If she hadn’t already been certain her heart had tipped his way, it was definitely in free fall now. She reached up, stroked his face. “What have I done to deserve you?” she asked, quite serious. “Why me?”
“Because you’re made for me,” he replied. “I knew it from the moment I met you.” He leaned in, kissed the side of her jaw. “It’s not about earning or deserving. Everyone deserves to be loved.” He lifted his head, and the intensity of his gaze was matched by the slow slide of his beautiful, cocky, sexy-as-hell grin. “We just have to be smart enough to recognize our perfect match when we find it.”
Her smile matched his, her heart bumping hard inside her chest. “Are you calling me a dummy?”
“Not at all. I’m just saying that maybe some of us caught on a bit faster than others.”
She tried to hook his ankle and roll him to his back but he was on to that move.
“Now, now, my little pirate wench, the only one with a hook is me.” He rolled fully on top of her, then, bracing his weight even as he nudged her thighs apart.
“My, my,” she teased, her heart full to bursting, “what a big…sword you have.”
“All the better to pillage you with,” he murmured, lowering his head again.
“I should tell you one more thing,” she whispered, making him lift his head a bit, an eyebrow raised in question. “I’m protected. Makes traveling easier when you know what will be happening when,” she explained. “So if you’re okay with, uh, keeping your sword there unsheathed, I’m okay with--”
“Oh, aye, I’m very okay,” he said, eyes gleaming that much more brightly.
“Good,” she sighed, then tipped her head back and arched up into him. “Please feel free to pillage away.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“I want to know I can pick up and go if I feel the need. If I’m feeling all done with what I’m doing, I want to be able to go do something else, somewhere else, soak in new scents, new scenery, new people, new challenges.” She smiled. She realized something else. “I miss the restlessness. The pull to head somewhere new, find something I’ve never seen, learn something I didn’t know.”
“It’s comfortable, I would imagine,” he said. “And comforting. It’s what you know, what you understand. Makes you feel like you.”
She nodded. “That’s exactly it.” It was a little overwhelming at times, how well he seemed to understand her, to get what she meant. But in the best possible way. “There’s one more part,” she said, finding the courage, knowing she needed to tell him the rest of it. “Of the all I want to have.”
“Which is?”
She lifted her head then, propped her chin on his chest, and looked into his beautiful blue eyes. “You.”
The light that leaped into those eyes was almost startling in its fierceness. His hand stilled in her hair, his body seemed to vibrate a little, as if injected with a sudden shot of life. But he otherwise said nothing, didn’t move, didn’t roll her to her back and kiss her senseless. He just held her gaze and let her see everything her declaration made him feel.
That emboldened her to go on, to give voice to the rest of it. “I want to go back to Cameroo, see everyone again, see if it feels the same, if it still calls to me like it did before.” She clung to his gaze. “Feel what it would be like to be there and be with you. Really with you.”
She expected him to say something like he’d book her the next flight back, but instead he regarded her for a long moment, and she realized she was trembling by the time he spoke.
“That’s a lot of all,” he said.
She nodded, unable to say anything more.
Then he surprised a gasp out of her by reaching for her and pulling her up on top of him, slowing rolling to his other side and tucking her under the shelter of his body. He slid his leg between hers, leveraged his weight on one forearm, and cupped her cheek in his free hand. He stared down so intently, so deeply into her eyes, she thought she might drown in all that deep, dark, bottomless blue.
“Cooper,” she whispered, for once not having any idea what he was thinking.
“Maybe there is a way to have it all,” he said, lowering his head to hers. “If you want me, Starfish, we’ll find that way.”
“I do,” she said, the sudden prickle of tears surprising her, but it was such a huge rush finally to admit it, to tell him. To tell herself. “But--”
“No buts,” he said, kissing the damp from the corner of one eye, then the other. “We’ll sort it out,” he said. “It’s what we do for the people we love.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“There’s one more part,” she said, finding the courage, knowing she needed to tell him the rest of it. “Of the all I want to have.”
“Which is?”
She lifted her head then, propped her chin on his chest, and looked into his beautiful blue eyes. “You.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“Such a wicked smile you’re wearing,” he said approvingly, flipping her sandals off. “I think it should be the only thing you have on.” He unsnapped her shorts, then slid everything off the lower half of her body in one smooth slide.
“You’ve been practicing,” she said, though it was hard to keep the casual banter going now, seeing as he was slowly kissing his way past her ankle and on up along the curve of her calf.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“Such a wicked smile you’re wearing,” he said approvingly, flipping her sandals off. “I think it should be the only thing you have on.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“My, my,” she said, as he hauled her up against him, feet dangling off the floor, and held her there as he walked her into the room, using his elbow to hit the button to close the screens and turn them opaque. “The invitation didn’t say clothing optional,” she said, running her sandaled feet up the back of his bare legs. Which matched the rest of him. She let out a little laugh as he tossed her gently on the bed.
“That’s because I wanted to peel your clothes off you,” he said, following her down.
“Well,” she said, stretching her arms up over her head, “if you must.” She reveled in the way the two of them sank into the thick down mattress pad and even thicker down comforter that was layered on top. The word sumptuous came to mind. Even better, the bed didn’t pitch and roll with each ocean swell, though that slow roll had provided a few key moments of its own, she recalled.
“Such a wicked smile you’re wearing,” he said approvingly, flipping her sandals off. “I think it should be the only thing you have on.” He unsnapped her shorts, then slid everything off the lower half of her body in one smooth slide.
“You’ve been practicing,” she said, though it was hard to keep the casual banter going now, seeing as he was slowly kissing his way past her ankle and on up along the curve of her calf.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“The invitation didn’t say clothing optional,” she said, running her sandaled feet up the back of his bare legs. Which matched the rest of him. She let out a little laugh as he tossed her gently on the bed.
“That’s because I wanted to peel your clothes off you,” he said, following her down.
“Well,” she said, stretching her arms up over her head, “if you must.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“I got waylaid by another of your throng of supporters and well-wishers so you only have yourself to blame.”
“So I heard,” he said. “I’ll be sure to thank her later and tip double the usual when we order breakfast in tomorrow morning.”
“Awfully sure of yourself, mister.”
“Finish climbing that ladder and I’ll be happy to explain the source of my confidence.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Or, better yet, I’ll show you.”
“Well, if I’d known there was going to be show and tell, I’d have gotten up here sooner.” She finished her climb and took hold of Cooper’s hand as he levered himself off the balcony deck and pulled her all but bodily up through the trapdoor and into his arms. “My, my,” she said, as he hauled her up against him, feet dangling off the floor, and held her there as he walked her into the room, using his elbow to hit the button to close the screens and turn them opaque. “The invitation didn’t say clothing optional,” she said, running her sandaled feet up the back of his bare legs. Which matched the rest of him. She let out a little laugh as he tossed her gently on the bed.
“That’s because I wanted to peel your clothes off you,” he said, following her down.
“Well,” she said, stretching her arms up over her head, “if you must.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“I got waylaid by another of your throng of supporters and well-wishers so you only have yourself to blame.”
“So I heard,” he said. “I’ll be sure to thank her later and tip double the usual when we order breakfast in tomorrow morning.”
“Awfully sure of yourself, mister.”
“Finish climbing that ladder and I’ll be happy to explain the source of my confidence.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Or, better yet, I’ll show you.”
“Well, if I’d known there was going to be show and tell, I’d have gotten up here sooner.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“I didn’t get a chance to say it earlier,” Delia said in a whisper loud enough to be heard…well, almost two stories up on a rope ladder anyway, making Kerry wince a little. “We really do like him. We’re happy for you.”
Kerry wanted to hiss who’s we? but refrained. As far as she could tell, Cooper had spent the past three days befriending every man, woman, and lobster in Blueberry Cove. And every single one of them had managed to find a moment to tell her so. She was happy--truly--that everyone liked him but not surprised. He was a likeable guy. And she was equally happy folks were happy for her.
Now she just wished they’d butt out and let her get on with being happy with Cooper. She managed to give Delia a little salute with half of one hand while still clutching the rope, and Delia gave her another enthusiastic wave, eyes sparkling. Kerry waited until Delia had scooted on back toward the café before turning her attention to the trapdoor. And almost had her second heart attack when she looked up, only to find Cooper staring down at her, his chin propped on folded arms, meaning he was lying flat on the balcony deck. He smiled and lifted his fingers in a little wave. “Nice of you to drop up,” he said, a smile curving his lips but the glittering light in his blue eyes telling a different story.
His voice was deep and just a shade rough, which made her skin tingle in delicious anticipation. “I got waylaid by another of your throng of supporters and well-wishers so you only have yourself to blame.”
“So I heard,” he said. “I’ll be sure to thank her later and tip double the usual when we order breakfast in tomorrow morning.”
“Awfully sure of yourself, mister.”
“Finish climbing that ladder and I’ll be happy to explain the source of my confidence.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Or, better yet, I’ll show you.”
“Well, if I’d known there was going to be show and tell, I’d have gotten up here sooner.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“I was revisiting the whole black spandex cat burglar idea. Maybe you could sneak out under cover of darkness, shimmy down a rope from my window.”
“Okay, you’ve given that particular scenario way too much thought.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“What about after? Getting back through the lobby, I mean. Assuming you’ll need to leave at some point. For the bachelorette party, if nothing else.”
“That’s not until the weekend.”
He grinned. “Your point being?”
“You know,” she said, tipping up on her toes and kissing his cheek, “I like it when you do the thinking.”
“Well, I was going to mention that, but--”
She pinched his butt, making him laugh.
“Careful or I’ll swing you up and carry you up to my room over my shoulder.”
Kerry spluttered a laugh, then said, “You know, it’s almost worth doing, just to blow everyone’s minds.”
He pulled her closer. “Don’t tempt me.”
She batted her lashes again. “But I thought you liked it when I tempted you.”
Now he slid his hand behind her and gave her a little pinch, making her skip a little step but laugh at the same time. “I guess I had that coming.”
“There’s a lot I’d like to do that has coming in the description.”
“Okay, okay, so assuming I will have to leave your pirate’s lair at some point, then yes, how to do that without being the front-page story of the gossip gazette.” She looked up at him, her expression serious. “I could always come down the ramp carrying a box of tiddledywinks. Then no one would suspect for sure.”
“A real funny one, you are,” he said dryly. “I was revisiting the whole black spandex cat burglar idea. Maybe you could sneak out under cover of darkness, shimmy down a rope from my window.”
“Okay, you’ve given that particular scenario way too much thought.” They were still laughing when they reached the end of the pier.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“Grab your phone from the truck before you go in,” he said.
“Why?”
“So I can send you suggestive and encouraging texts when you take too long with the party planning of course.”
“Of course,” she said. “I really might have to revamp my whole not-thinking plan and put you in charge.”
He lifted his hands. “I’m willing and able,” he said, then sketched a bow. When he stood, he slid his phone out and handed it to her. “To put in your number,” he said when she looked confused.
“Oh, right.” She did as he asked, then that mischievous light sparkled in her eyes as she took a moment and typed in a little more before turning it off and handing it back to him.
“What was that last bit?”
“Just helping to get that encouraging conversation going.” She left him standing there, looking down at his phone then at her retreating back as she headed back around to the parking lot and her truck.
He pocketed the phone without reading the message, thinking he should probably be alone when that happened. And possibly naked.
“Yes, much better when we don’t think.” He planned to do his best to keep them both not thinking for at least the remainder of that day and, if he was lucky, all of the night, too.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“You know, what with all the weddings here and about, there’s been a lot of talk about who’d be up to take on the challenge of the youngest McCrae,” Brodie said, then stepped in and gave Cooper’s shoulder a clap. “I’d say you look good for it, mate,” he said with a grin. “I’ll leave you two to it, then. And by it I mean--”
“Good-bye, Brodie,” Kerry said, giving him a little shove, even as they both laughed. “I should have known not to encourage the incorrigible.”
“You did start it,” he said, then gave them a quick salute before jogging back down the pier, Whomper close at his heels.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“Sorry,” Brodie said with a grin as he covered the last ten yards at the end of the pier, a small mutt racing down the docks behind him. “Didn’t mean to startle.”
“So, an Irishman and an Aussie walk into a bar,” Kerry said, recovering quickly and teasing Grace’s husband as he stopped a few feet away. She bent down and clapped her hands as the scruffy mutt came skidding to a stop in front of her. “Hello, Mr. Whomper, and how are you today?” She gave him a good ear scratch, then laughed when he immediately wriggled over to his back in hopes of a belly rub to go with it. Laughing she obliged, then straightened, leaving the dog to sniff out Cooper’s feet, hoping for more of the same from the newcomer.
“Heck of a watchdog you have there, Monaghan,” Cooper said, squatting down to give the dog a good once-over.
“You realize,” Brodie said, “you’ve just made a shameless love slave out of him for life.”
“Well, he has good hands,” Kerry said, then lifted her own in mock surrender when both men looked at her. Cooper was certain his surprised expression mirrored Brodie’s. “What?”
Brodie chuckled, and his grin had the same cheek Cooper had been told his did.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon

“So how about we stop putting on a show for everyone out here and go find ourselves a floating playpen?”
He grinned. “Well, when you put it like that…” He leaned down, kissed her soundly, and tried not to let his thoughts stray to what came next. He’d exhausted himself with that the past three days and was thankful they were back to doing, not thinking.
“I’d tell you to get a room, but I happen to know you already have one.”
The sudden intrusion of a deep voice with an entirely different accent made Kerry jump, and it was only because Cooper already had his arms around her that he was able to pull her back before they both went in the drink.
“Sorry,” Brodie said with a grin as he covered the last ten yards at the end of the pier, a small mutt racing down the docks behind him. “Didn’t mean to startle.”
“So, an Irishman and an Aussie walk into a bar,” Kerry said, recovering quickly and teasing Grace’s husband as he stopped a few feet away.”
― Donna Kauffman, Starfish Moon