The Seduction Challenge

Joel tossed him a warning glance which Lucy didn’t understand. Why was Nick looking at Joel like that?

Joel held out his arm, his eyes warm as he looked down at her. ‘Come on then. Let’s go and dance.’

He was as good as his word, and as soon as the meal and the speeches were over, he swept her onto the dance floor without listening to her arguments that she couldn’t be the first person to dance.

To add to her embarrassment, as they walked onto the floor he reached up and tugged the pins out of her hair so that it tumbled loose and soft around her shoulders.

She gave a gasp of astonishment and touched her hair self-consciously. ‘What are you doing?’

He grinned and shrugged. ‘Sorry, but you look better with long hair.’

‘But Tina thought—’

‘Tina’s not a man.’ His slow, sexy smile lit a fire inside her and she felt a liquid warmth spread through her veins.

The jazz band was playing and he spun her onto the dance floor, never letting go of her for one second. He was a superb dancer, holding her close one minute, whirling her round the next, but always in control so that she completely forgot to feel embarrassed.

And she had fun.

More fun than she could remember having had in years.

Maybe ever…

They danced without stopping for at least an hour, but finally the music slowed and he slid an arm round her and pulled her against him.

She felt the hard strength of his body pressing through the thin fabric of her dress and she gave a shiver of reaction. It was exciting and frightening at the same time, the way she felt when Joel touched her.

They would have danced for ever but Nick intervened, giving his brother a meaningful look as he pushed him to one side and pulled Lucy into his arms.

‘Is something the matter?’ Trying not to show her disappointment, Lucy looked up at him, wondering why he seemed so tense. He seemed angry with Joel, but what possible reason could he have for being angry?

She remembered the look that Nick had given Joel back at the apartment, and wondered what was going on.

‘Nothing’s the matter.’ He gave her a reassuring smile and then sighed. ‘Look, Lucy, I’m going to be honest…’ His voice was hesitant. ‘We’re all worried about you.’

She stopped dead, no longer moving in time to the music as she looked up at him. ‘Worried about me? Why?’

Why on earth were they worried about her? She actually felt better than she had for a very long time.

‘We’re all worried that you’ll fall for Joel,’ Nick said gently, his arms tightening around her. ‘He’s a great guy, and I love him, but he’s never committed to a woman in his life and he’ll break your heart.’

It was like being showered with cold water. Oh, Nick was right, of course. He wasn’t telling her anything she didn’t already know but, still, hearing him say it—and tonight of all nights when she’d been having such a good time—really hurt.

‘W-we’re just friends, Nick,’ she stammered, and Nick looked her straight in the eye.

‘Sweetheart, you are like an open book,’ he said quietly. ‘You adore him, Lucy. It’s written all over your face.’

She stared at him, appalled, and then pulled herself together. ‘D-does he know?’

Nick shrugged and then shook his head. ‘I don’t know—I don’t think so. He seems to have a lot on his mind at the moment, for some reason, so he’s not himself. I just don’t want him to take advantage of you.’

Lucy thought of all the long hours she and Joel had talked into the night—plenty of time for him to have taken advantage of her if that was all he was interested in.

But he hadn’t done that.

Apart from that one spectacular kiss, he’d never touched her. Instead, he’d just been the friend he’d promised he’d be. And her happiness over the weeks since she’d met him had been entirely because of him.

‘He hasn’t taken advantage of me,’ she said bleakly. ‘And I’m not a child, Nick. I’m touched by your concern but you don’t have to worry about me. Is that why you’ve been glaring at poor Joel? Because you’re afraid he’ll make a pass at me?’