“Much,” she admitted, though she didn’t want to think about the consequences of pressing her body to his, of swaying to the music in the evening-dark night. Other couples danced around them. John had found his youngest daughter and Katie, in peach silk, was beaming up at him as she danced. Brynnie had, presumably, chosen the second of her twins to dance with, though Tiffany wasn’t sure. For all she knew, Brynnie could have been dancing with the same brother. Mason and Bliss had found new partners but their gazes sought each other continuously.

For a few wonderful minutes, Tiffany closed her eyes, rested her head against J.D.’s chest and lost herself in the feel of his body, so long and lean and possessive. The scent of his after-shave filled her nostrils and she heard the beating of his heart, comforting and steady.

Why was it that being in his arms felt so right when she knew deep in her heart it was wrong? Why did his touch thrill her as no one else’s had? There had been men who had tried to date her when she’d moved to Bittersweet. A widowed rancher with a hundred-acre spread bordering Cougar Creek and three half-grown daughters had shown interest, and a divorced insurance adjuster who lived in Medford had called a few times. She hadn’t responded to either. She’d been grieving, trying to get over the guilt surrounding the accident that had taken Philip’s life, while attempting to keep her small family intact. She hadn’t had time for a relationship of any kind; but with J.D. her silly heart wanted to make an exception. The touch of his splayed fingers against the small of her back was erotic, even through her blouse; the sensation of his breath fanning her hair made her tingle.

What was wrong with her? This was J.D. Santini, for crying out loud. Her brother-in-law. A man she was no more sure of than sand shifting beneath her feet.

“Okay, let’s switch again,” the bandleader said, and reluctantly J.D. released her.

“You go ahead and dance,” she said, slipping away from him and breaking off the magic that she felt existed between them, “but I’m going to have a talk with my son.” She couldn’t be swayed by the seduction of the night, nor let her mind wander into the dangerous territory of thinking J.D. was anything but her brother-in-law.

But he wasn’t about to be left behind. He caught up with her as she rounded the house and wended her way through the parked cars toward the barn. Four boys sat on the top rail of the fence and the smell of cigarette smoke burned in the air.

Stephen was at one end of the group and he watched her approach with openly suspicious eyes.