Lost in a Stallion's Arms (Kimani Romance) by Deborah Fletcher Mello Page A

be happy about that.”
    “You have to do what works for you, Mr. Stallion, not what works for me.”
    Luke nodded slowly. “What would work for me is if you and I could start all over again. Somehow I think we got off on the wrong foot, and I’d like to make up for that. I hope we can be friends. I would really like for us to be good friends.” Luke took a step toward her, seeming to tower above her full frame. “Maybe we can do dinner tonight? If you’re not busy?”
    Unnerved, Joanne took a step back, moving right up against the egg-shell-colored wall, visibly shaken by the nearness of him. The smile that pulled at his full lips seemed to widen with understanding. Luke sensed that he’d touched a nerve. What audacity! Joanne mused as she slipped to her left side, needing to put some space between the two of them. She spun about on her heels, feeling as if she were about to break out into a full gallop. As the man sauntered easily behind her, she still didn’t bother to answer his question.
    Minutes later, with their chore accomplished, Luke brushed the dust from his hands onto his jeans. His gaze met Joanne’s again, the woman fighting not to stare at him. He sensed that she wanted to say something, the words seemingly caught on her tongue. He didn’t give her an opportunity, instead saying what he had hoped to say before.
    “Do you dance, Joanne?”
    “Excuse me?”
    “Dance. Do you dance?” he repeated.
    Joanne leaned her weight on one full hip. She met his stare. “I can.”
    “Do you salsa?”
    Joanne smiled. “I do.”
    “There’s a great club in downtown Dallas called the Tom Cat Club. Do you know it?”
    Recognition painted her expression. “I’ve heard of it,” she said casually.
    “It’s a nice place. The food is good and the music is on point. A group of us get together every now and then for dinner and dancing. I was thinking that maybe you could join us tonight. It’s a group thing. Are you interested?”
    A pregnant pause filled the space between them as Joanne assessed her options. If I say yes, then he might think I’m interested in him. If I say no, then he might think I’m not interested in him. But it isn’t a date. It’s a group thing. A group date couldn’t be taken the wrong way. I could do a group thing. Joanne blew a deep sigh, second thoughts flooding her mind. It wasn’t a good idea for her to be mixing center business with personal pleasure. But then again, she hadn’t gone out in ages. And dinner and dancing might be fun. After all, it wasn’t like they would be alone together, and he needed to know that Joanne Lake didn’t have attitude!
    “That sounds like fun,” she finally answered, her cheeks heated. She inhaled, filling her lungs with air, then blowing it past her pink-tinted lips. “I’d love to.”
    Luke grinned broadly. “Great. I’ll meet you there around seven o’clock.”
    She nodded. “I’ll see you then.”
    “See you later, buddy!” he chimed as he lifted his hand in a quick good-bye and moved down the hall away from her.
    Watching until he disappeared out of sight, Joanne shook her head in dismay. Buddy?

Chapter 7
     
    J oanne was throwing clothes around her bedroom when her doorbell sounded. The ring was unexpected, startling her from her thoughts as she debated slacks or a skirt for her evening with Luke Stallion. She wasn’t expecting company, and she knew it wasn’t her friend Marley, who was supposed to be en route from her job at Starbucks to her philosophy class at the university.
    Moving to the door, Joanne peered through the peephole, her expression shifting from curious to annoyed. She had half a mind to ignore the man standing on the other side of the wooden door, but then he rang the bell again, this time holding it longer than necessary, seeming to demand a response from her.
    Joanne opened the door reluctantly, annoyance greeting annoyance, as she and her father locked gazes. It had been over a month since he’d last