While Mac and Joe said hello to the women and shook hands with Sydney when Maddie introduced them, Luke, being Luke, hung back. Within a minute, Maddie was seated on Mac’s lap, and Joe had dragged Janey off to dance.

“So much for girl’s night out,” Maddie muttered as she leaned into her husband’s loving embrace. “What’ve you done with our son?”

“He’s with my parents,” Mac said with a suggestive wink as he rested a hand on her pregnant belly. “Having a sleepover.”

Maddie flashed him a seductive smile. “Is that so?”

“Uh-huh,” he said, laying a lingering kiss on her.

Sydney was about to escape to the lady’s room when Luke leaned down to whisper in her ear.

“Dance with me.”

Chapter 5

Tongue-tied, Sydney stared up at him. “Um, sure. Okay.” She started to get up and tripped on the chair leg.

Luke reached out to steady her, and their eyes met. A hum of awareness rippled between them.

Sydney had no doubt everyone at her table as well as the entire bar full of people were staring at them as Luke wrapped his hand around hers to lead her to the dance floor.

Naturally, the musical trio picked that moment to switch the tempo to something slow and sultry. Sydney wondered if Luke had paid them to do that. She expected they’d be awkward and fumbling with each other, but Luke brought her smoothly into his arms and moved them around like they’d been dancing together forever. His fingers on her neck sent shivers rippling through her.

Absorbed in the clean scent of soap and citrusy aftershave, Sydney had to remind herself to keep breathing. She’d forgotten how much bigger than her he was, but she hadn’t forgotten the tenderness he’d always shown her or the gentle way he’d held her. The way he did now, as if she was the most precious thing in his world.

She fixated on the shark’s tooth hanging from the leather cord around his neck, all the while resisting the urge to reach up and touch it. “Did you find the shark’s tooth or buy it?”

“Found it.” He drew her in even closer to him, and Sydney had no choice but to rest her head on his chest. His heart hammered under her ear, and she was relieved to know she wasn’t the only one affected by this dance.

“So how’ve you been?” he asked.

“I’ve been good. How about you?”

“Great.”

“Oh. Really?”

“No,” he said, laughing softly. “I’ve been crappy.”

Sydney raised her head to look up at him. “You have?”

With his dark eyes fixed on her, he nodded.

“Me, too,” Sydney confessed.

“In case you were wondering, I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.”

“I could tell you were surprised to see me.”