stuck to the roof of her mouth.
“I asked Josie about you,” he said. “She didn’t think you were dating anyone.”
“Not at the moment.” She had not met the love of her life yet, thank you.
“Were you planning to go to the krewe coronation ball?”
“I don’t believe I jotted it down in my day planner.”
“Does Josie know? She gave up a honeymoon trip to Indonesia to get back in time for the ball. I would have thought she’d have guilted you into that, too.”
“Like I told you last night, I don’t know your sister all that well. Even knowing what I do, I couldn’t begin to understand her priorities. An Indonesian honeymoon would win over Krewe du Chaud’s coronation ball in my book.”
Lucas laughed, a rich, velvet sound that proved you could take the man out of the Big Easy, but you couldn’t take the Big Easy out of the man. There was just something sultry about a Deep South male laugh, something that hinted at lots of bare skin and the promise of sex. It was a sound that raised more goose bumps on her arms than the river breeze.
“Okay,” she conceded with a heavy breath to blow the hair out of her face. “I had to promise I’d be a masker on parade day and do my bit with the throws.”
“Then I’d like you to reconsider the ball, so I can take you. I coerced Josie into giving me a place on a float. We can make a whole day of it.”
“You’ve really extended your trip. The parade isn’t for another week.” She eyed the warehouse. “Good thing, too, because this new float isn’t close to being ready.”
“She will be. Can’t sail without the captain’s ship.”
“Okay, Mr. Nice Guy, I have a question. If you want to ask me out, why are you waiting until a ball that’s a week away?”
“Because it’s Mardi Gras, and I have respect. I’m asking you to celebrate with me and not your friends, so I figure you’d want to make sure I’m worthy of the honor. Now you’ve got some time to get to know me.”
Bree laughed. “Very smooth.”
When he lifted his hand toward her face, she knew he meant to brush away the hair from her cheek, but her breath caught in her throat as she waited for him to touch her.
It was only a simple stroke of callused fingertips across her skin, yet she stood frozen with her throat constricted around that breath, her body intensely aware of him.
Given their chemistry, Bree wasn’t surprised by his offer. Lucas was obviously used to getting what he wanted, and right now he wanted to monopolize her time for the duration of his stay. She was attracted to him, too,and hadn’t had any decent sex in too long. Everything about Lucas screamed, Stellar sex!
So why shouldn’t she enjoy the moment? Just because Jude had decided to show his face again didn’t mean she should let him throw her life into turmoil. Lucas Russell was an attractive man, so far out of Jude Robicheaux’s league….
The thought stopped Bree short.
Even Jude would recognize he didn’t stand a chance of winning her away from Lucas.
Glancing back to the river, where the torn bits of a letter she hadn’t wanted to receive still floated along the surface, Bree stared at the pieces.
Jude had a special talent for scenting vulnerability, and if he thought she was still the same impressionable young girl she’d once been then he’d never leave her alone.
What better way to show him she wasn’t that girl anymore than by not letting him rattle her? She’d just keep living life as if he didn’t faze her. She’d contact the police—after the promotion announcement and after Lucas went home.
Peering up into Lucas’s face, she found him watching her. He wanted her. It was in his eyes, in the stony set of his jaw. Lucas had dealt straight with her so far, and a part of her felt as if she should deal straight back. But what would she say?
I’ve got some guy stalking me, so make sure you don’t turn your back for too long.
That would lead to questions about her past and
“I asked Josie about you,” he said. “She didn’t think you were dating anyone.”
“Not at the moment.” She had not met the love of her life yet, thank you.
“Were you planning to go to the krewe coronation ball?”
“I don’t believe I jotted it down in my day planner.”
“Does Josie know? She gave up a honeymoon trip to Indonesia to get back in time for the ball. I would have thought she’d have guilted you into that, too.”
“Like I told you last night, I don’t know your sister all that well. Even knowing what I do, I couldn’t begin to understand her priorities. An Indonesian honeymoon would win over Krewe du Chaud’s coronation ball in my book.”
Lucas laughed, a rich, velvet sound that proved you could take the man out of the Big Easy, but you couldn’t take the Big Easy out of the man. There was just something sultry about a Deep South male laugh, something that hinted at lots of bare skin and the promise of sex. It was a sound that raised more goose bumps on her arms than the river breeze.
“Okay,” she conceded with a heavy breath to blow the hair out of her face. “I had to promise I’d be a masker on parade day and do my bit with the throws.”
“Then I’d like you to reconsider the ball, so I can take you. I coerced Josie into giving me a place on a float. We can make a whole day of it.”
“You’ve really extended your trip. The parade isn’t for another week.” She eyed the warehouse. “Good thing, too, because this new float isn’t close to being ready.”
“She will be. Can’t sail without the captain’s ship.”
“Okay, Mr. Nice Guy, I have a question. If you want to ask me out, why are you waiting until a ball that’s a week away?”
“Because it’s Mardi Gras, and I have respect. I’m asking you to celebrate with me and not your friends, so I figure you’d want to make sure I’m worthy of the honor. Now you’ve got some time to get to know me.”
Bree laughed. “Very smooth.”
When he lifted his hand toward her face, she knew he meant to brush away the hair from her cheek, but her breath caught in her throat as she waited for him to touch her.
It was only a simple stroke of callused fingertips across her skin, yet she stood frozen with her throat constricted around that breath, her body intensely aware of him.
Given their chemistry, Bree wasn’t surprised by his offer. Lucas was obviously used to getting what he wanted, and right now he wanted to monopolize her time for the duration of his stay. She was attracted to him, too,and hadn’t had any decent sex in too long. Everything about Lucas screamed, Stellar sex!
So why shouldn’t she enjoy the moment? Just because Jude had decided to show his face again didn’t mean she should let him throw her life into turmoil. Lucas Russell was an attractive man, so far out of Jude Robicheaux’s league….
The thought stopped Bree short.
Even Jude would recognize he didn’t stand a chance of winning her away from Lucas.
Glancing back to the river, where the torn bits of a letter she hadn’t wanted to receive still floated along the surface, Bree stared at the pieces.
Jude had a special talent for scenting vulnerability, and if he thought she was still the same impressionable young girl she’d once been then he’d never leave her alone.
What better way to show him she wasn’t that girl anymore than by not letting him rattle her? She’d just keep living life as if he didn’t faze her. She’d contact the police—after the promotion announcement and after Lucas went home.
Peering up into Lucas’s face, she found him watching her. He wanted her. It was in his eyes, in the stony set of his jaw. Lucas had dealt straight with her so far, and a part of her felt as if she should deal straight back. But what would she say?
I’ve got some guy stalking me, so make sure you don’t turn your back for too long.
That would lead to questions about her past and
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