Page 60 of Serenity Harbor

“Good to know. I’ll keep it in mind. I understand if you’d like me to take a few lessons first before you dance with me.”

She wasn’t going to let him weasel out that easily. “Devin is a doctor. She can fix me up if I need first aid.”

“Let’s both hope it doesn’t come to that.” He took her hand and led her out to the floor. She felt ridiculously light-headed again and sucked in a few deep breaths, but that only made her more aware of that delectable aftershave.

His hand was warm in hers, his body tightly muscled, and she again had to fight the urge to throw her arms around his neck and hold on.

After only a few turns around the dance floor, she drew away and gave him a mock glare. “You are such a liar!” she exclaimed. “You’re a great dancer. Apparently you’ve been taking advantage of Wilma’s ballroom dance lessons already.”

He gave a rueful smile. “One of my college roommates had a thing for a salsa instructor, so he dragged me along to a couple of classes. Apparently a few things stuck, all these years later.”

“In my neck of the woods, that’s what we call a con.”

He laughed and spun her into a twirl. “Maybe a little one. I’m afraid I still won’t win any dance competitions.”

“If it’s a life goal, Wilma probably can help you out with that,” she offered, which made him laugh again.

“No, thanks. My need for fancy footwork is limited to the occasional wedding. And I’m good with that.”

She was, too, she decided. It was close to perfect, with the sprawl of stars overhead and the music playing softly over the sound of the river rolling past at the edge of Cade’s lawn. She could see Wynnie and Cade dancing nearby, heads close together, and her mom dancing with Uncle Mike.

Katrina relaxed a little more and gave herself up to the moment.

“Has it been a good day?”

“The best. Wyn is so happy, my heart wants to burst with joy for her.”

He smiled a little. “That’s nice. You have a pretty tight family, don’t you?”

“Yes. We’ve always been close.”

“I met your brother Elliot when we first arrived. He was talking to Ben and Marshall. FBI, right?”

“That’s right.”

“One brother who’s a sheriff, one who is an FBI agent, and Wynona used to be a police officer. Now you’ve got a police chief in the family. Nobody better mess with the Bailey family.”

“Not if they know what’s good for them.”

She smiled, though it was tinged with sadness. Her family had a long and storied history in law enforcement, but it had come at a terrible cost. “Law enforcement is something of a family tradition,” she told him. “There have been Baileys protecting the people around Lake Haven since the first European settlers came here more than a hundred and fifty years ago.”

“You decided to break the mold, hmm?”

“We each have our strengths,” she murmured. Law enforcement had never appealed to her in the slightest, something else that set her apart from the rest of her family.

“Looks like Milo has a new partner,” she said to change the subject.

He followed her gaze to where Lizzie Lawson, Milo’s teenage babysitter, had just tapped McKenzie on the shoulder so she could dance with him.

“Man, how does he do it?” Bowie said. “I’m over here trying to keep from crushing your toes and he’s moving through all the other pretty girls at the wedding. It’s obvious which Callahan brother ended up with all the mojo.”

“I think you do all right in the mojo department,” she murmured, then could have kicked herself when his gaze caught hers.

For one intoxicating moment, she saw that heat glitter in his gaze and knew he wanted to kiss her again.

The worst thing was, she wanted him, too, with a hunger that bordered on desperation. And wouldn’t that be a disaster?

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

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