“I really do have to go pick up Josh right now, but maybe I’ll see ya around. At Tiffany’s. Or Bliss’s wedding reception.”

“I don’t think so.” But he hesitated.

“Well, I’ll look for you anyway,” she said, surprised that she was intentionally flirting with him. Hadn’t she told herself a thousand times over to avoid him, that he was all wrong for her, that there was something about him no sane woman would trust?

“I don’t think I’ll show.”

“Your loss.” Somehow she managed to turn on her heel and walk to the Jeep without feeling like she was fleeing. But her fingers were shaking and her palms sweating as she jabbed her key into the ignition. “You’re an idiot,” she told herself not for the first time, as the engine fired and she twisted the steering wheel. With what she hoped looked like a carefree wave out the window, she was off in a cloud of dust and exhaust. “Stay away from him, Katie! For once in your life, be smart!” She glanced in the rearview mirror and along with a vision of her worried eyes she saw him standing watching her, his feet apart, his long, jeans-clad legs stiff as they met at his slim hips. His arms were folded over his bare chest and his jeans hung low enough to show off the bend at his waist.

Katie’s throat went dry and she knew right then and there that she was in trouble. Deep, deep trouble.

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Every muscle in Luke’s body ached. He’d spent ten hours setting fence posts and cleaning out the stables. He smelled bad and probably looked worse, though the woman behind the convenience-store counter hadn’t appeared to notice as she’d counted out his change when he’d stopped to buy a six-pack of beer, a bag of chips and a copy of the local paper.

He pulled into the driveway of the carriage house and parked near the garage. As he grabbed his copy of the Review and his sack from the store, the Santini family, dressed to the nines, emerged from the back door of the main house.

Tiffany had her purse in one hand and her other was wrapped around Christina’s wrist. Wearing a long, shimmering blue dress she was giving orders to her family, commands Luke heard through the open windows of his pickup. “Now, listen, I don’t want any more fights,” Tiffany said, leveling her gaze at her son as her small family gathered on the back porch. “You’re a lot older than Christina and fighting with her is ridiculous.”

The little girl, pleased with the turn of the conversation, smiled broadly, then, behind her mother’s back, stuck out her tongue at her brother.

Stephen yanked at his tie, looked about to say something but just rolled his eyes instead.