Solid Soul (Forged of Steele #1)

At that moment he was grateful he was standing behind a waist-high plant that could shield the physical evidence of just how much he desired her. That, coupled with the knowledge of how much he loved her, was setting his loins on fire.

The minidress she was wearing was definitely a shocker he could sum up in three words—short, sassy and sexy. It fit her body to perfection, showing off all her curves and the luscious length of her long, shapely legs. And if the dress wasn’t jaw-droppingly seductive enough, then there was the way she had her hair piled atop her head with a few swirling braids crowning her face.

“Who are they?” Morgan leaned over and whispered, while raising an impressive eyebrow. “I don’t know either of them,” he said as if it were his God-given right to be acquainted with every beautiful woman in Charlotte.

Chance studied his brother’s face for a second and noted his gaze wasn’t as glued to Kylie as it was to Lena Spears. That was a good thing since it would have been of waste of Morgan’s time to show any interest in Kylie. When it came to her he could get downright territorial. “The one in the black dress is Kylie Hagan, and she’s mine,” he said, deciding to state his claim here and now. “The woman in the fuchsia dress is her best friend, Lena Spears.”

“Spears? Where have I heard that name before?” Morgan asked.

“I have no idea. She’s a part of the committee that put on tonight’s ball and owns a real estate office in town.”

“A real estate office?”

“Yes.”

Morgan glanced over at Chance after taking a sip from his wineglass. “You know her, then?”

“Yes.”

Morgan’s dark eyes sparkled in the glow of the huge chandelier that hung over their heads. “Good. I want an introduction.” He then glanced back over at the two women. “So the one in black is Marcus’s girlfriend’s mother?”

At Chance’s nod, he said, “Umm, definitely good-looking. But she doesn’t look old enough to have a fifteen-year-old daughter.”

“Well, she does,” Chance answered, with no intention of going into any details as to how that had happened.

For a brief moment Morgan didn’t say anything and then he spoke. “It seems she’s caught Derek Peterson’s eye. He didn’t waste any time going over there to talk to her. If I were you I’d go claim what’s mine.”

Chance had noticed the man’s flight across to the room to get all in Kylie’s face. Derek Peterson, twice divorced, had a reputation as a skirt chaser and it seemed that he wasn’t wasting any time making Kylie’s acquaintance. “I think I will.”

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend, Lena?” Derek Peterson asked.

“I’ll think about it,” Lena responded noncommittally.

Kylie raised an eyebrow. Lena was known for her friendly disposition. If she was giving this man the cold shoulder, there must be a good reason.

“Since Lena won’t cooperate, I guess I have to introduce myself,” the man said, capturing Kylie’s hand in his. “I’m Dr. Derek Peterson.”

Upon recognizing the name, Kylie understood her friend’s less-than-friendly attitude. Derek was a doctor who had at one time shown interest in Lena until he discovered she was her elderly mother’s caretaker. He’d told her there was no way the two of them could get serious since she came with “extra baggage.”

“And I’m Kylie Hagan,” Kylie said, in an attempt to be polite.

He gave her a smile that showed perfect white teeth. “Ms. Hagan, it is a pleasure to meet you. You must be new to town.”

Kylie decided she didn’t like him any more than Lena did, probably because his gaze was focused more on her chest than her face. “I’ve been living here for almost four months now.”

“What section of town do you live in?”

“Myers Park.”

“Myers Park?”

“Yes.” She heard his impressed tone. Myers Park, one of the first suburbs of Charlotte, featured large stately homes that were canopied in willow oaks. More than any other neighborhood in the city, Myers Park had preserved its true character over the years. The “front-porch” neighborhoods had the traditional sidewalks, funky shops and restaurants. The house she had purchased had cost a pretty penny but thanks to Lena’s negotiating skills, the owners, who’d needed a quick sale, had readily agreed to her offer.

“Then I must definitely get to know you. We’re neighbors,” Dr. Peterson said, “though I don’t ever remember running into you while out and about.”