Behind the Stars by Leigh Talbert Moore

down, but Star’d wanted all the cheerleaders to look the same today, and she was captain.
    I dusted some powder that smelled like straw over my nose and slicked red gloss on my lips. It was sticky, but it tasted like cherries. At least my lashes were dark enough that I didn’t need mascara.
    “Okay, let’s go,” I said, rushing into the kitchen where my books were waiting on the table.
    From the corner of my eye, I saw Jackson’s hand drop, and I glanced up just in time to catch the stunned look on his face.
    “What?” I frowned, looking down and then around my shoulder at my backside. “Is something wrong?”
    Jackson cleared his throat. “No.” He turned away, but I noticed his hand slide across his mouth.
    “What’s the matter with you?” I went over to him and grabbed his arm, turning him back to face me.
    He looked at me with an expression I’d seen before. Like he’d skipped breakfast, and I was a big plate of biscuits.
    “You look. Good.” His voice went lower, and my cheeks got hot.
    “I’m going to change.”
    “Not likely.” Jackson caught my wrist and pulled me back to him. I turned around and his lips found mine. Oh, sure, Jackson had kissed me before, lots of times, but this was one of those different kisses we’d been having lately. Lately since the beginning of summer.
    His fingers slid through my hair, cradling my head as he pushed my lips apart. My mouth filled with the taste of mint, and I could smell the soap he used to shave. I reached to hold him but my fingers slipped across the soft nylon of his football jersey.
    “Jackson. Stop,” I whispered, turning my face away. “We gotta get to school.”
    My whole body was hot, and my heart beat wildly. I stepped back, and the way he looked at me wasn’t helping one bit. I turned away and reached up to wipe the gloss off my chin.
    “Why’d you kiss me like that?” I said.
    Jackson’s hand slid across my back then up and under my hair. As his fingers lightly touched my neck, I shivered.
    “Hey, Pip,” he murmured, moving closer behind me. I heard the smile in his voice. “Nobody’s home but us.”
    “I thought you were mad because I was making us late.”
    His other hand tickled across my bare stomach at the edge of my top, but I stepped around the table to where my books still sat and quickly scooped them into my arms. I clutched them to my chest, facing him now but not meeting his gaze.
    I’d been dodging this issue for months it seemed. I really didn’t want to put Jackson off or make him hurt like he said I did, but I was scared Braxton’s stories of hell fire might be right. And we were so close to getting married. I was sure we could wait just a little longer, if only to be on the safe side. I didn’t want God holding something against us or deciding he was mad at me for breaking one of his big rules.
    Our farm would rely heavily on things like enough rain and freezes hitting at the right times—things that were actually called “acts of God” by the insurance guys. Us screwing around seemed like the best way to sink our chances.
    Jackson picked up his keys. “You’re right. We’d better get to school.”
    ––––––––
    A baritone voice pulled me from the memory.
    “Are you okay?” I looked up and Gallatin was standing right in front of me. His hair hung down over that scar on his cheek, but his other golden eye was studying my face. I could almost see that little shine in it that had made me think of a cat. I looked down and saw my milking was done.
    “I’m sorry,” I murmured, picking up the pail.
    “Did you work too hard? Your cheeks are red.”
    Knowing I was flushed only made me blush harder, and I kept my eyes on the floor as I walked to the churn. I lifted the wooden lid and poured the milk into the base with the first batch I’d collected. I could feel his eyes still on me, but I replaced the lid and started moving the plunger up and down.
    I heard him exhale as he took my stool over to