Renegade Moon (CupidKey) by Karen E. Rigley, Ann M. House Page A

“Hi, Eric. Join us?”
    Eric glanced at Lee in silent reply and took a chair. He planted his strong arms on the table, drawing Destiny’s gaze to them. He wore a tan short-sleeved western shirt, a perfect complement to his bronze muscles. He had very little hair on his arms. She wanted to touch him. Instead, she folded her hands in her lap to thwart the temptation.
    Iris Blake Rampton then blew into the room, leaving a wake of turning heads. She flowed on the scent of her expensive perfume directly to their table, her lavender chiffon dress billowing above her model-slim legs.
    Destiny suddenly felt tacky. Defiantly, she sat up straighter and sipped her drink with an assumed elegance. She couldn’t allow this gorgeous female to steal her self-confidence.
    “Eric, darling, are we joining Lee?” Iris cooed. She rested the fingertips of one ivory hand on Eric’s shoulder for a brief moment, pointedly excluding Destiny.
    Destiny watched a strange smile hint at Eric’s lips. What existed between him and Iris? Had they really come here together tonight? If so, why did Eric enter alone? Questions that only led to more questions.
    “Yes, please join us,” Lee offered, rising to seat Iris.
    “Have you forgotten about Martin?” Eric asked, cocking an eyebrow at Iris.
    “Martin?” Destiny inquired.
    “Eric’s brother,” Iris supplied, fluttering her lashes at Eric. “He can pull up a chair.” She flicked her perfectly manicured lavender nail against Eric’s arm, adding, “Speak of the devil, and he appears.”
    Destiny smiled at the newcomer. Without glancing up, Eric said, “Destiny, Martin. Martin, Destiny.”
    “How do you do?” Destiny murmured, admiring this tall slender man with light chestnut hair and green-gold eyes set like clear pools in a patrician, regal face. His light olive complexion was smooth except for small squint lines around his eyes. He appeared cool, almost detached. Destiny offered her hand.
    Curling his long, slim fingers around her small hand, Martin smiled, dissipating all that cool detachment. “My pleasure entirely,” he said, and for a moment Destiny thought he would raise her hand to his lips and kiss it. Then with a graceful move he claimed a chair from another table and placed it at the corner of their table between Eric and Destiny.
    Martin smiled at Eric. “Now, little brother, aren’t you glad I persuaded you to come tonight?”
    Eric grunted.
    Martin turned his attention back to Destiny. “Tell me, what brings such a lovely creature such as yourself to Las Nubes?”
    “She’s a photojournalist,” Lee Duncan volunteered, beaming at Destiny as if she belonged to him. It annoyed her, but she didn’t bother to protest.
    Eric silently scowled at everyone before giving Destiny a little nod. “Want to dance?”
    “Ah, yes,” she stammered, startled by his request. She stood abruptly, sending her denim skirt swirling around her legs, exactly as she’d hoped. A flash of pure fury blazed across Iris’s face. Lee appeared irritated. Yet the challenge that gleamed in Martin’s green-gold eyes puzzled Destiny the most.
    Sweeping Destiny firmly into his embrace, Eric whirled her onto the dance floor. Dancing in Eric’s arms transported her to a tantalizing place between heaven and torture. For a moment he stared down at her mouth and she wondered if he would kiss her, right there in front of the whole world. He didn’t and a stab of disappointment shot through her. How would it feel to have his lips upon hers again? Her pulse raced at the thought, recalling how he’d swept her into his arms and kissed her so passionately and unexpectedly that day in front of the ranch house. One dark brow arched as if he read her mind. Flustered, she glanced aside but their strange connection remained intact.
    Suddenly, Martin Montoya tapped Eric’s broad shoulder. “May I?”
    Dropping his arms from around Destiny, Eric stalked off the dance floor.
    “That man,” Destiny breathed,