She couldn’t help it when her gaze singled him out and roamed over him from head to toe. He was wearing a dark suit and his hair was flowing around his shoulders. He didn’t just look handsome—he looked dashing. It seemed as if all eyes were on the three men who together were cotton-candy extraordinaire. But it was quite obvious that Ray had his eyes directed on Ashley, Sawyer had his on Vashti...and, heaven help her, Kaegan’s gaze was directly on her.

Emotions were at war within her. A part of her couldn’t help the sensations flowing through her. Sensations only he could stimulate. That fact had been proved time and time again with other men she’d dated. None could arouse her the way Kaegan could. Over the years, even those she’d thought were top contenders had failed miserably.

She wanted to break eye contact but couldn’t, so she sat there transfixed under his stare as she watched his approach. He would be sitting at their table, which was a logical choice since he was close friends with Sawyer and Ray and he felt comfortable with them.

She could easily go sit at the table with her parents, but why should she? She and Kaegan had no reason not to be cordial to each other. He had apologized for believing she had betrayed him, and she had accepted his apology. If nothing else, tonight would be the perfect place to show she had moved on and he wasn’t on her radar.

Now she wished she had brought a date. At this point even the thought of Jeremy wasn’t a bad one after all. He had called two nights ago to let her know he would be back in New Orleans again next week and to confirm their date. This time he wanted to do dinner rather than just coffee.

Unfortunately, her instructor had offered to give an extra instructional hour to the students to prepare them for the big exam in a few weeks. She told him that she couldn’t take the time for dinner, but could make time to meet for coffee. She promised a rain check on dinner. So they would be meeting for coffee again next week. Now a part of her wished she would have invited him here tonight. Too late to think of that now.

“Look who we ran into in the parking lot,” Sawyer said, grinning. “I almost didn’t recognize him without his jeans, T-shirt and fisherman boots.”

“And don’t forget the ponytail,” Ray said, grinning, as well.

“Oh, yeah, the ponytail,” Sawyer said. “I think you clean up well, Kaegan.”

“Thanks.” He then looked at them. “Good evening, Bryce, Ashley and Vashti. You ladies look nice.”

“Thanks, Kaegan, for your compliment. You look nice tonight, as well,” she said, after Ashley and Vashti exchanged greetings with him.

There—he’d given her a compliment and she’d given him one back. Maybe she’d be able to get through this night after all.

* * *

KAEGAN TRIED NOT to stare at Bryce, but found himself doing so anyway. Even now as he sat there sipping his beer, half listening to the conversation going on around him, he was staring at her on the dance floor. He’d known the exact moment some man had approached the table and asked her to dance. He hadn’t liked it one damn bit.