Cherry Adair - Slow Burn

Earlier they’d gone into a cooking frenzy, each trying to outdo the other. The result was a rather eclectic amalgamation of foods and beverages. Luke’s Mexican salsa, tamales and Chinese egg rolls. Cat’s spaghetti and meatballs and Greek salad. Everyone was having a great old time.

With the exception of the host.

Cat was across the living room putting the finishing touches to the buffet with a huge leafy something in a red ceramic pot. She’d persuaded him to buy half a dozen plants at the store, insisting he lived a sterile existence without living things around him. No matter that Luke knew he’d never remember to water the things.

He remembered the alarming amount of plants scattered around his dad’s house, but had given up without too much of a fuss. Cat was a born nurturer. She needed to be needed, even if by just a few houseplants.

He felt as nervous as a mother bird pushing her chick out of the nest for the first time. Luke watched her without seeming to, and tried to see her as his friends would. With his luck they’d have the immediate hots for her.

At the moment Cat was the center of attention of a pack of chest-puffing, lip-smacking, posturing males. Luke monitored the behavior of his friends with a jaundiced eye. They might as well let her inspect their teeth, check their brokerage statements and call old girlfriends for references.

Mike leaned close to whisper in Cat’s ear. She laughed. The sound rippled just beneath the music. Luke felt it in his gut.

Her looks were addictive, her compelling, innocent sensuality impossible to ignore. God knows, he was trying. Her sassy mouth and sharp wit were destined to drive some lucky guy to the brink of madness. His friends circled her like sharks in a feeding frenzy. He intercepted a lascivious look from Ted, so busy flexing his muscles and trying to hide his receding hairline he didn’t even notice Luke’s warning glower from across the room.

“If you keep glaring like that no one will go near her.” Nick raised his voice to be heard over the music, and handed him a beer. “All they’re doing is talking about the stock market.”

Luke pulled the tab, then took a swig. “Allan had his hand on her ass.” Cat wore perfectly respectable, not-too-tight, black pants and a teal T-shirt. She wasn’t wearing jewelry, and hardly any makeup. And she outshone every woman there.

“And a very sweet ass it is, too,” Nick said. “Chill. The whole point of this soirée is for Catherine to meet people. She’s doing fine. Leave her alone.”

“I need to stick close. She was really nervous about tonight.”

“Nervous about what? Meeting our degenerate friends?”

Luke shrugged, covertly studying the dynamics of the group surrounding her. “I guess.” The guys were salivating as they watched her eat an egg roll. “She didn’t have much of a social life in Beaverton. I told her the city was too fast-paced for her.”

“Ho, boy.” Nick chuckled. “In other words, you challenged her.”

Paul elbowed Mike out. Decent guy, Paul. A good eight inches shorter than Cat. No one held that squint against him.

Luke turned his glare on Nick. “Challenged her? I was trying to protect her.”

Nick took a swig of his beer, eyeing his friend over the can. “By telling an intelligent, attractive woman she’d be out of her depth in the city?”

Across the room Cat did a quick sleight of hand, twisting and piling her hair on top of her head as she talked to Paul and the others by the open balcony door. All that hair around her shoulders must be hot. Still, he’d have to warn her how provocative the pose looked. As her T-shirt pulled across her moving breasts, Rob just about swallowed his tongue.

“She’s not as self-confident as one might think,” Luke muttered, not tasting the beer he chugged. Allan strolled up and formed another wall around Cat. He said something; she smiled, showing pretty white teeth and no desire to drop the hand she held provocatively on top of her head.

Nick smiled. “Doesn’t look the least bit nervous to me.”

An annoying tick started in Luke’s right eyelid. He scowled. “She’s biting her bottom lip. See? There,” he muttered. “She did it again.”

“God, yes,” Nick enthused. “Very sexy.”

“That’s a sign she’s nervous, you sex maniac.” Luke glared at him, then narrowed his eyes when he saw the way his friend’s eyes lit up with devilry. “What?”

“Huh?” Nick asked, all innocence.

“Whatever you’re plotting, forget it. I don’t want her hurt.”

“Got it.” Nick saluted. Without missing a beat, he asked mildly, “Sooo...what happened to Karen?”

“Karen?”

“The girlfriend du jour?”

“I know who Karen is. She’s around here somewhere.”

“Where’s Catherine?”

“Over by the CD flirting with... You’re looking at her, you lamebrain. Why’re you asking me?”

“Don’t you think it’s a little odd that you don’t know where your girlfriend is, but you know Catherine’s exact location in a crowded room?”

“No,” Luke said shortly. “I don’t. It’s my job to take care of her. Didn’t you come with a date?”

“Are you kidding?” Nick grinned. “And have to look and not partake of this delectable smorgasbord of single women? You invite me to a feast, then expect me to bring a bag lunch?”

“I wanted to give Cat a reasonable selection. It would’ve looked a little obvious if I’d invited just guys. Not to mention boring.”

“And I’m eternally grateful. You did good.”

“Putting this together was a lot of hard work.”

“Especially since Catherine was the one who did all the hard work,” Nick said dryly. “A ten spot says Ted will be date number one.”

Luke snorted. “He’s showing her that stupid scar he got when he fell off my roof last summer. Probably spinning her some far-fetched tale.”

“Women go for that stuff.”

“Nah,” Luke said absently. The tick over his eye was really getting on his nerves now. “It’ll be Allan. Twenty, on...” He peered across the room. Ted had his hands on the back of Cat’s neck. “What does he think he’s doing? Excuse me a sec.”

“It’s just a casual massage.” Nick snagged his arm. “Uh-uh. Better change that plan, old son. Incoming. Karen at three o’clock.” His smile widened.

“Don’t you have moves to make?” Luke muttered.

“You betcha. I’m off to give the guys some competition.”

Luke swore under his breath as his friend threaded his way across the crowded room to Cat’s side. She gave Nick a wide, friendly smile and took his offered hand. He led her to the small area where a few couples were dancing.

Nick was a suave, good-looking guy. Women liked Nick. Luke himself was a decent-looking guy, and just as suave as Nick was. Women liked him, too. Which was why they were going to protect Cat from smooth-talking men like themselves. That’s what Nick had meant.

Competition? Luke watched them walk into each other’s arms and move to the dreamy music. Slowly. Competition? Nick? What a repugnant thought.

Ridiculous.

Out of the question.

Luke dragged his focus away from Cat snuggled in Nick’s arms to watch Karen shimmy closer. His date looked dazzling in a short, tight red dress, black hair streaming down her bare back, long legs showcased to perfection in red high heels. He didn’t feel a single solitary spark. Nothing. Nada. Zip.

Obviously he was a sick man.

Karen slid her arm about his waist. Her perfume, recently applied, smelled great. Unfortunately, it didn’t do a thing for him. She looked up at him with heavy-lidded, sultry brown eyes. “Hi, sweetie. Miss me?”

Luke bit back the truth. Karen was a nice woman. He’d invited her to the party. Now he couldn’t wait to take her home. And leave her there. Alone.