Cherry Adair - Slow Burn - Seducing Mr. Right / Take Me

“Gross. You must have been sick as a dog.”

“Well, yeah. But it was worth it.” His grin was infectious and her heart leaped ridiculously as he laid his arm across her shoulders and stood beside her, looking at the wall of stone with pride. “There are over two hundred fieldstones embedded in that thar li’l ol’ fireplace.”

Reaching to the cathedral ceiling, and about fifteen feet wide, it hardly qualified as little. She shook her head, used to Luke’s and Nick’s ridiculous but harmless bets.

“When are you two going to stop that nonsense? You’ve been betting on anything and everything since fifth grade.”

“We did a sealed bet when we’d stop.”

Catherine shook her head again and slipped casually from under his arm. The back of her neck tingled and her knees felt wobbly as she strolled over to the plastic-covered bay window.

“Oh, Luke, this is absolutely glorious. Look at this view. Are there any deer out there, do you think?”

“Several. I saw a doe and her fawn last weekend.”

He walked over and leaned against an exposed stud, his arms folded as he watched her from hooded eyes. A stud leaning against a stud. How appropriate. Uncomfortable under his scrutiny, she shifted without looking at him.

“Are you okay?”

“Of course,” she said brightly. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“You just seem...I don’t know...different.”

“Different? How?” Since when?

“I don’t know.” He looked as puzzled as he sounded.

Excruciatingly aware of him watching her, she didn’t know where to look, what to do with her too-large hands and feet.

“There’s Nick! Is that his new car? I’ll go out and help him carry whatever he’s brought for lunch.”

If she took a breath in there, Luke didn’t hear it. She dashed out of the room, fiery ponytail bobbing against her shoulders, her sneakers echoing in the vast, empty room. Luke stared at her retreating back, avoiding the view of her tight little butt in retreat.

He shook his head and followed her outside. Just in time to see her fling herself into Nick’s open arms.

Scowling, Luke jogged down the stairs, gave a cursory glance at the screaming red BMW parked beside his bike, and dug into his back pocket. When Nick caught his eye over Cat’s head, Luke flashed him the twenty in his hand. The top of Cat’s head reached Nick’s jaw. Luke didn’t like the way they had their arms looped about each other’s waist as they strolled toward the house together.

He’d seen that look in his partner’s eye about seven million times. Luke wanted to gently set Cat aside and pummel his best friend’s and business partner’s face into the dirt. Twice, for good measure. He settled for a meaningful glare.

Nick grinned. Still holding Cat under one brawny arm, he snagged the money out of Luke’s fingers. “Thank you kindly, son.” He chuckled, stuffing the bill into his front pocket.

Cat glanced from one to the other and raised one red eyebrow.

“License plate. Has two threes in it,” Luke explained, keeping abreast with them on the steps and porch, but unable to squeeze through the front door. He glared at Nick, whose mockingbird-blue eyes held the devil today.

All three of them paused on the threshold.

“We could try it single file,” Cat offered seriously, her head doing the tennis match waltz to see who was going to cave first.

“No,” Luke and Nick agreed. Nick pulled a quarter out of his pocket. “Call it.”

“Tails.”

The coin caught the light as it twisted in the air, then landed on Nick’s palm. “Step back, pardner. The lady’s with me tonight.”

Luke scowled as he followed them into the living room. There wasn’t that much heavy lifting to do. He could have done without Nick’s help today.

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