arm
to hang at her side. Kayla made an announcement over the back speakers. Time to
line up.
“No,” she
muttered. “I’m not changing my mind.” She knew she sounded pouty. But dang, he
would have been a good diversion for the next couple of weeks.
Lucas wrapped
his fingers around her clenched fist and leaned in again, putting his mouth
back to her ear. “It would be fun,” he cajoled. “Hot,” he whispered. She
shivered. “And not a single person other than us would have to know.”
Right. Because it was so easy to keep a secret on this small island.
His thumb
stroked along the outside of hers, each movement licking heat along the
underside of her wrist before zipping up her forearm. His touch frustrated her
even more. But she didn’t pull her hand out of his.
Because she
liked it.
She tilted her
head back, lamenting the fact that she was only five feet tall. Even in heels,
he still had almost a foot on her.
It was a shame,
really. That they couldn’t have a good time. Because she liked him. Not only did he have that fun vibe
going, not only was he sexy as sin, but she’d bet big money that he knew how to
handle a girl. And yesterday at lunch he’d pushed his work aside and returned
her attention when she’d sat down with him.
Charles had
never put work aside for her.
“I’m the face of
the competition, Lucas,” she whispered. “I’m the one everyone will see. Every
day.” Geez, how she wanted not to care about that. “I
can’t …” She trailed off as she realized his fingers were now entwined with
hers.
She looked down
at their hands and gave a half-hearted tug, but he kept hold of her. When he
didn’t turn her loose, she made a face at him. He smiled in return. The corners
of his eyes crinkled with the action.
“Someone could come
in here and see us holding hands,” she pointed out, her tone droll. Not at all
accusingly as she’d intended. “Do you want to get me in trouble?”
“I want to get
you to smile.” His words were simple and honest.
She let out a
soft breath. “Lucas.” Her voice was pleading. He seemed like a good guy.
Really, he did. She’d paid far more attention to him the night before than she
should have. He’d been polite and pleasant. He’d chatted up everyone, making
people laugh and seemingly having a good time. And other than teasing Roni mercilessly, he’d been adorable. “I’m sorry I
flirted—”
“No, you’re
not,” he said. “You’re sorry it’s more complicated than you thought. But it
doesn’t have to be.”
The band quit
playing and the crowd went silent. Her mouth turned dry.
The curtains
would be closing and the piano rolled to the stage.
“I see no
reason—” Lucas’s words stopped and his features hardened. That’s when she
realized that the edges of his blue irises were trimmed in a thin strip of
gray. They were intriguing, beautiful.
“What’s wrong?”
he asked.
“What do you
mean?”
His hand
squeezed hers. “You’re shaking. What’s wrong?”
The man had gone
from teasing and playful to take-charge and intense in an instant. She looked
down at their hands twisted together. Yes, her hand was shaking. Her whole body
was, actually.
Then she heard
her cue and knew that the curtains would be opening again soon and she would be
up. “You’ve got to go.” She shoved at him. “I have to take my spot.”
Instead of
leaving, he gripped her hand tighter. He peered down at her. “You’re nervous?”
She shrugged,
embarrassed. “Apparently.”
He stared at her
for two long seconds and then brought her hand to his mouth. He pressed his
lips to the spot above her knuckles. “You’re going to wow them, you know.”
“What?”
“You will be amazing.
You’re brilliant onstage. All you have to do is put your fingers on the keys,
close your eyes, and nothing else in the world will matter.”
He was trying to
calm her nerves. What a sweetheart. And the fact he’d keyed in on exactly what
her issue was
to hang at her side. Kayla made an announcement over the back speakers. Time to
line up.
“No,” she
muttered. “I’m not changing my mind.” She knew she sounded pouty. But dang, he
would have been a good diversion for the next couple of weeks.
Lucas wrapped
his fingers around her clenched fist and leaned in again, putting his mouth
back to her ear. “It would be fun,” he cajoled. “Hot,” he whispered. She
shivered. “And not a single person other than us would have to know.”
Right. Because it was so easy to keep a secret on this small island.
His thumb
stroked along the outside of hers, each movement licking heat along the
underside of her wrist before zipping up her forearm. His touch frustrated her
even more. But she didn’t pull her hand out of his.
Because she
liked it.
She tilted her
head back, lamenting the fact that she was only five feet tall. Even in heels,
he still had almost a foot on her.
It was a shame,
really. That they couldn’t have a good time. Because she liked him. Not only did he have that fun vibe
going, not only was he sexy as sin, but she’d bet big money that he knew how to
handle a girl. And yesterday at lunch he’d pushed his work aside and returned
her attention when she’d sat down with him.
Charles had
never put work aside for her.
“I’m the face of
the competition, Lucas,” she whispered. “I’m the one everyone will see. Every
day.” Geez, how she wanted not to care about that. “I
can’t …” She trailed off as she realized his fingers were now entwined with
hers.
She looked down
at their hands and gave a half-hearted tug, but he kept hold of her. When he
didn’t turn her loose, she made a face at him. He smiled in return. The corners
of his eyes crinkled with the action.
“Someone could come
in here and see us holding hands,” she pointed out, her tone droll. Not at all
accusingly as she’d intended. “Do you want to get me in trouble?”
“I want to get
you to smile.” His words were simple and honest.
She let out a
soft breath. “Lucas.” Her voice was pleading. He seemed like a good guy.
Really, he did. She’d paid far more attention to him the night before than she
should have. He’d been polite and pleasant. He’d chatted up everyone, making
people laugh and seemingly having a good time. And other than teasing Roni mercilessly, he’d been adorable. “I’m sorry I
flirted—”
“No, you’re
not,” he said. “You’re sorry it’s more complicated than you thought. But it
doesn’t have to be.”
The band quit
playing and the crowd went silent. Her mouth turned dry.
The curtains
would be closing and the piano rolled to the stage.
“I see no
reason—” Lucas’s words stopped and his features hardened. That’s when she
realized that the edges of his blue irises were trimmed in a thin strip of
gray. They were intriguing, beautiful.
“What’s wrong?”
he asked.
“What do you
mean?”
His hand
squeezed hers. “You’re shaking. What’s wrong?”
The man had gone
from teasing and playful to take-charge and intense in an instant. She looked
down at their hands twisted together. Yes, her hand was shaking. Her whole body
was, actually.
Then she heard
her cue and knew that the curtains would be opening again soon and she would be
up. “You’ve got to go.” She shoved at him. “I have to take my spot.”
Instead of
leaving, he gripped her hand tighter. He peered down at her. “You’re nervous?”
She shrugged,
embarrassed. “Apparently.”
He stared at her
for two long seconds and then brought her hand to his mouth. He pressed his
lips to the spot above her knuckles. “You’re going to wow them, you know.”
“What?”
“You will be amazing.
You’re brilliant onstage. All you have to do is put your fingers on the keys,
close your eyes, and nothing else in the world will matter.”
He was trying to
calm her nerves. What a sweetheart. And the fact he’d keyed in on exactly what
her issue was
Similar Books
