Page 16 of This Loving Feeling (Mirror Lake)

Sam pushed the plate of pancakes back toward Stevie. “Oh, thanks, but I’m here for a meeting. You go ahead and enjoy.”

“Will you come over later and see our house?”

Sam looked a little incredulous, as if the idea of Lukas in a real house was too great a stretch of the imagination.

Stevie shook his head. He had a blueberry smudge on his chin that made him look even sweeter. “Uncle Lukas got us arealhouse. And I’m going to have a whole bedroom to myself. Right, Uncle Lukas?”

Samantha shot Lukas a dubious look. It saddened him to think she thought so little of him, something he’d actually encouraged in the past. Something he still needed to do, because God knew a woman so full of sunshine and light would have no business getting mixed up with him. But dammit, he was trying his best with Stevie. Somehow he wanted her to know that. “Right,” he said. “And you get to pick what color you want it painted.”

“I told you, Uncle Lukas, I want black with flames.”

“Well, that might be a little complicated, but we’ll see what we can do.”

“Flames?” Sam said, her pretty mouth turning up in a half smile. She had a wholesome, fresh look, so unlike the mascara-lined, tatted-up groupies that waited so eagerly for him and his entourage after every show, in every city. The same screaming, worshipping women, hoping for a chance to say they fucked an up-and-comer. He couldn’t do it. Not that he didn’t ever sleep with women but neverthem. Not the adoring, desperate ones who wanted to do it for bragging rights.

“Yeah, you know,” Stevie said. “Like big, huge, giant flames, all orange and red and purple.”

“Why do you want flames?” Sam asked. Lukas was amused by the conversation, but his mind had wandered. Specifically to Samantha’s amazing rack. Not that the sundress was slutty at all but he couldn’t help noticing she’d filled out some in the past six years. Her breasts weren’t large by any means but they were ... amazing. Each one would be ... a perfect handful.

“Because they’re really cool,” Stevie said. “And they look likeThe Fast and the Furious.”

Sam stabbed Lukas with a glare, forcing his thoughts back. “He’s been watching R-rated movies?”

Lukas felt his face heat again. She didn’t know the half of it, but now wasn’t the time to discussthat. So he deflected the question. “Tell you what, Steven, how about a nice shade of blue? All guys like blue, right? It’s a manly color.”

Stevie’s brows knit together in a frown. “Uncle Lukas, you promised. Black with flames.”

Sam rubbed the kid’s shoulder. Lukas could tell from the way her eyes went all mushy that she, too, was appalled by his boniness. “Tell you what,” she said. “I’m an art teacher. I actuallyknowhow to paint flames. Maybe I can come over and help when the time comes, okay?”

Stevie nodded, very pleased, the little flirt. Great, just what Lukas didn’t want. Her at his house. A visual flitted through his mind of Sam pushing the paint roller along the plain white walls, moving that gorgeous little ass of hers as she reached up and down, up and down. He forced himself to shake off the thought.

“Well, I’ve got to go,” Sam said. “I’ve got a breakfast meeting for the Mirror Lake Historical Society. See you guys later.” She was off with a wave and a smile.

Sunshine had left the table. He couldn’t help noticing how that yellow dress brought out the natural red highlights in her auburn hair. And how her hips sashayed so softly in that dress. It took a minute for Lukas to realize both he and Stevie were staring after her.

Saying that he’d always been attracted to Samantha was an understatement. She still drove him wild, maybe because she was so unlike all the other women he’d known. In the past, his common sense had prevailed. Breaking up with her had saved her and him from what would have been a disastrous match, a combustible scorcher of an affair that would have taken both of them down in flames, like Stevie’s imaginary paint job.

She was from a different world than he was. She deserved someone who knew how to love, not a damaged man whose entire personality had been forged while being shuttled between one foster home and the next. That sentiment had made him leave six years ago. He just had to make sure he didn’t forget it now.

Problem was, impulsiveness had always gotten him into trouble. And the intoxication of seeing her beautiful face again made him want to break all the rules.

He couldn’t forget the reasons he was back—to try to make a home for Stevie in the closest place to a home he’d ever had himself. To find a place where they could escape when they weren’t on the road. To find Stevie—and himself—some normalcy. Not to obsess about an old love who was already spoken for.

She’s not married yet, a voice taunted from inside his head.Why hadn’t that idiot married her after six years?

Lukas reached over to sneak a bite of pancake from Stevie’s plate. It tasted like sweet nostalgia. He had to stop this foolishness and focus on his goals. Stevie watched him silently, then reached over and grabbed Lukas’s coffee and took a big gulp. He set it down and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Don’t like milk,” he said with a big grin.

He was a charmer, all right, with those big long lashes and that angelic smile. Lukas slid back his mug and took his own sip. “Whatever you do, don’t tell that to Mrs.Panagakos.”

Samantha plopped down on the orange vinyl seat next to her sweet little grandmother, Effie, and gave her a quick side hug. She said hi to Effie’s best friend, Gloria, and Mrs.Panagakos, who were seated across the table. Gloria wore a regal-looking Queen Elizabethesque red suit and matching hat overlain with red netting. Alethea patted her own poof of hairsprayed hair and adjusted her big glasses to see the menu. Effie, in a fuzzy pink sweater and matching orthopedic sneakers, eyeballed Sam up and down in her no-nonsense way that made Sam know it was only a matter of time before the interrogation began.

Jess slipped into the booth next to Sam. “Are you all right?” she whispered as the older ladies talked loudly among themselves as always.

“Of course I’m all right,” Sam said, sounding a little too passionate. She wasnotall right. Her heart was pumping crazily, knocking hard against her chest the way it always did whenever she came within twenty feet of Lukas Spikonos. Her body always seemed to react to him like it hadn’t gotten the memo that Lukas Spikonos was out of bounds, off limits, and, in general, really bad for her.

“Oh, my God, you haven’t seen it, have you?” Jess said.

In response to Sam’s confused look, Jess slid her phone across the table. There, recorded for posterity, was the evidence of her indiscretion. No, just to be clear, ofLukas’sindiscretion. It was a stunning photo, a sensuous lip lock of a couple bathed in a spotlight and surrounded by darkness. The photographer had captured the kiss in such a way that a beam of light shone between their two faces, as if the sun were between them. Lukas’s hand was reaching behind her neck, pulling her close. It was romantic and ethereal and sent goose bumps pinpricking up and down her spine.

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