gleam of comprehension in her
eyes.
"Brrrr." He shivered, keeping his face straight.
"The temperature seems perfectly fine to me," she said, still cool, but clearly more
self-conscious about it.
Luke smiled. In some ways, she was such an innocent. Any ruthless thief of hearts
could play on a woman's ideal of the perfect man. Unfortunately, he had his own peculiar
brand of integrity. Winning Lillie through foul means didn't suit his ego.
"Did you have any trouble finding the place?" she asked politely as if they were strangers.
"No." His glance skated over her face, her chilly attitude poking at him like a thorn.
He'd come to anticipate the parade of emotion across Lillie's face, her openness as
refreshing as the unfurling of spring. Now it seemed she was shutting him out, closing
the door to herself.
Luke felt the back of his neck itch just like it had when he was a kid about to pick
a fight. So much for using charm to win her over.
"So has your brother found himself a new roommate?" he asked with a mocking note.
"We wouldn't want him to have trouble sleeping at night."
Lillie's eyes darkened, the change in her expression like a flash fire melting a glacier.
"What exactly does that remark mean? Scott is very capable of sleeping by himself
and taking care of himself."
"Good for him. Do you want to dance?"
"What?" She frowned, clearly startled by his change of subject.
"Dance," he repeated, drawing her into his arms without giving her a chance to refuse.
With one quick maneuver, he shifted onto the dance floor with an armful of insulted
woman.
"If you're trying to infer that my brother only wants to be with your sister--"
"I don't even want to talk about your brother," Luke said with what he hoped was a
disarming smile. "I just wanted to wipe that iceberg expression off your face."
Lillie felt her irritation sputtering like a dying candle. How did he manage to push
all her buttons? Sensing his gaze on her face, she struggled to subdue the tumultuous
emotions in her chest. Never before had any man rubbed her wrong in so many ways.
She had to admit he moved well to music, his steps sure as he held her close. That
surprised her. Most testosterone-laden men were afraid to learn to dance. They usually
had a fear of looking foolish and couldn't be coaxed into the activity even though
their women longed to dance.
She'd never met a more contradictory man, Lillie thought as Luke guided her into the
flow of the music. He'd puzzled her from the start.
Gradually losing her initial stiffness, Lillie relaxed in Luke's arms, unwillingly
inhaling his scent. He felt so good against her, strong and confident, leading without
the aggressive push-pull that some men needed. She swallowed, trying to ignore the
awareness rising in her. Her pulse felt like a rising drumbeat and she prayed that
he couldn't feel its thrumming beneath her skin.
Remembrance was a dangerous thing with him holding her so close. His kiss, the drugging
sensuality of his touch.
The room seemed warm now, a heady, soft heat that owed nothing to air conditioning
or the lack of the same. Scrambling to locate a fraction of her earlier coolness,
Lillie closed her eyes for a moment as she swayed in his arms.
The music ebbed around them, rich and soft. She felt it in her blood, a heavy throbbing
that had little to do with the orchestra's rhythm. Beneath her fingers, Luke's jacket
felt warm and rough, its texture almost coarse.
He was too close, too overwhelming, too much everything.
She struggled to remember all the reasons she shouldn't let this man get to her. But
every flaw she plucked from her memory seemed pale when she looked up into his face.
The determined square jaw ought to have warned her away, the hungry roving brush of
his dark eyes should have shouted caution.
As he bent nearer, their bodies swaying in unison, she caught the scent of his aftershave,
an unnameable combination that wove
eyes.
"Brrrr." He shivered, keeping his face straight.
"The temperature seems perfectly fine to me," she said, still cool, but clearly more
self-conscious about it.
Luke smiled. In some ways, she was such an innocent. Any ruthless thief of hearts
could play on a woman's ideal of the perfect man. Unfortunately, he had his own peculiar
brand of integrity. Winning Lillie through foul means didn't suit his ego.
"Did you have any trouble finding the place?" she asked politely as if they were strangers.
"No." His glance skated over her face, her chilly attitude poking at him like a thorn.
He'd come to anticipate the parade of emotion across Lillie's face, her openness as
refreshing as the unfurling of spring. Now it seemed she was shutting him out, closing
the door to herself.
Luke felt the back of his neck itch just like it had when he was a kid about to pick
a fight. So much for using charm to win her over.
"So has your brother found himself a new roommate?" he asked with a mocking note.
"We wouldn't want him to have trouble sleeping at night."
Lillie's eyes darkened, the change in her expression like a flash fire melting a glacier.
"What exactly does that remark mean? Scott is very capable of sleeping by himself
and taking care of himself."
"Good for him. Do you want to dance?"
"What?" She frowned, clearly startled by his change of subject.
"Dance," he repeated, drawing her into his arms without giving her a chance to refuse.
With one quick maneuver, he shifted onto the dance floor with an armful of insulted
woman.
"If you're trying to infer that my brother only wants to be with your sister--"
"I don't even want to talk about your brother," Luke said with what he hoped was a
disarming smile. "I just wanted to wipe that iceberg expression off your face."
Lillie felt her irritation sputtering like a dying candle. How did he manage to push
all her buttons? Sensing his gaze on her face, she struggled to subdue the tumultuous
emotions in her chest. Never before had any man rubbed her wrong in so many ways.
She had to admit he moved well to music, his steps sure as he held her close. That
surprised her. Most testosterone-laden men were afraid to learn to dance. They usually
had a fear of looking foolish and couldn't be coaxed into the activity even though
their women longed to dance.
She'd never met a more contradictory man, Lillie thought as Luke guided her into the
flow of the music. He'd puzzled her from the start.
Gradually losing her initial stiffness, Lillie relaxed in Luke's arms, unwillingly
inhaling his scent. He felt so good against her, strong and confident, leading without
the aggressive push-pull that some men needed. She swallowed, trying to ignore the
awareness rising in her. Her pulse felt like a rising drumbeat and she prayed that
he couldn't feel its thrumming beneath her skin.
Remembrance was a dangerous thing with him holding her so close. His kiss, the drugging
sensuality of his touch.
The room seemed warm now, a heady, soft heat that owed nothing to air conditioning
or the lack of the same. Scrambling to locate a fraction of her earlier coolness,
Lillie closed her eyes for a moment as she swayed in his arms.
The music ebbed around them, rich and soft. She felt it in her blood, a heavy throbbing
that had little to do with the orchestra's rhythm. Beneath her fingers, Luke's jacket
felt warm and rough, its texture almost coarse.
He was too close, too overwhelming, too much everything.
She struggled to remember all the reasons she shouldn't let this man get to her. But
every flaw she plucked from her memory seemed pale when she looked up into his face.
The determined square jaw ought to have warned her away, the hungry roving brush of
his dark eyes should have shouted caution.
As he bent nearer, their bodies swaying in unison, she caught the scent of his aftershave,
an unnameable combination that wove
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