Aurora glanced at the time on her phone. “I guess it is.”
“Do not open that door,” Emmy told her. “Have you never seen those scary movies where the killer stalks the cabin in the woods?”
Aurora rolled her eyes, yet even as she did so, she found herself stepping over to the window to ease the curtain back and take a peek outside. “It’s Gage,” she told her friend, noting that he looked anxious.
“All the same,” her friend replied, “I’ll stay on the phone until you find out why he’s there.”
Aurora walked over to open the door. “Hi.”
“I know it’s late,” he admitted. “But I thought you’d want to see this.”
“This?” she repeated.
He smiled and motioned for her to join him out on the porch. As she did so, he pointed up toward the night sky. “Looks like Alaska has a special going-away gift for you.”
“The Northern Lights!” Aurora gasped, her heart skipping a beat as she took in the vibrant green and purple glow visible through the openings in the treetops. “Oh, Gage! Thank you so much for coming to get me.” She brought her phone back up to her ear. “Emmy, I have to go! The Northern Lights are out!”
“Aurora,” her friend replied.
“Yes?” she said distractedly.
“He scores double-digit points for this. Go enjoy.”
Aurora hung up and said, “I have to grab my jacket and my camera.”
“No need to rush,” he told her. “I think the Northern Lights are going to be out for a while.”
She hurried to grab her things anyway, not wanting to miss a single moment of the colorful display painted across Alaska’s night sky.
“I think our best option for viewing tonight’s light display will be down at the dock,” Gage told her when she came back out.
“You don’t need to walk me down there,” she told him. “I know you have to work tomorrow morning. I grabbed the flashlight from the cabin. I’ll find my way there.”
“I’ve seen how excited you get over something as simple as a dam-building beaver,” he said with a husky chuckle. “There’s no way I’m going to miss your reaction to seeing the Northern Lights for the very first time. Beyond this small glimpse of them through the treetops.” He took her hand, and they moved down the steps, out onto the path leading down to the docks.
“My heart is pounding,” she admitted.
“I tend to have that effect on women,” he said with a grin, visible under the glow of the lit sky above.
Aurora laughed giddily. “Not denying it.” She felt close to bursting with the happiness she felt inside.
Moments later, they were walking carefully out onto the dock, boats on both sides of them. Thankfully, Gage still held her hand because Aurora surely would have fallen off the side in her distraction. Her gaze was fixed solely on the sky above with its brilliant streaks and swirls of green, blue, and purple.
She couldn’t look away from the mesmerizing glow of the Northern Lights as they whirled about in a glorious dance. To add to the beauty, the gently rippling water below mirrored the brilliant colors stretched out across the night sky.
Lifting her camera, Aurora hurried to adjust her settings and snapped a shot, paused, and then several seconds later snapped another. “It’s so beautiful,” she breathed as she stood capturing the wondrous moment in pictures.
“Like you,” Gage said.
Lowering her camera, she looked his way. The ever-changing rainbow of colors above reflected in those brilliant blue eyes. Overcome with emotion, she said, “I don’t know how I’m ever going to be able to leave this place.”
He drew her into his arms. “I don’t know how I’m ever going to let you leave.” His gaze slid down to her lips, and then his head lowered.
Closing her eyes, Aurora melted into his sweet kiss. Gage was right. He did have a way of making a woman’s heart pound. When the kiss ended, they stood for a long moment, gazing into each other’s eyes.
Gage was the first to collect his senses and take a step back. “I shouldn’t be keeping you from capturing this incredible sky.”
I don’t mind, she wanted to say. But as her gaze lifted past him, Aurora saw the ribbons of bright pink that had woven their way through the myriad of colors already lighting up the night sky. A soft gasp left her lips. “It’s even more breathtaking than it was moments ago.”
