Page 56 of Beat of Love
More … intimate.
Maybe it was because she knew what the figure-hugging stretchy material concealed. And she wasn’t talking about thescars, but the play of light and shadow across the contours and valleys of his muscular frame as he had stormed away, the breathtakingly sinister scorpion tattoo alive with danger and beauty.
Or maybe it was the unconcealed lust that had flashed in his eyes earlier as his gaze had raked over her body, holding a promise of endless nights of passion and pleasure if they were ever to give into the inconvenient pull between them.
At that lusty thought, her gaze flashed to the substantial swell contained behind his jeans zipper.
Hey, don’t blame her slutty brain.
That bulge was rightthere.
Eye-level.
Taunting her.
“Just poured Brandy-Lyn a soda. Want one, son?”
Jonathan’s question reminded her that she was in the company of the parentsandgrandmother of the object of her wayward thoughts, and she lowered her gaze to her lap.
“Sounds good, but I’ll get it, Dad. Can I top you up, Brandy-Lyn?”
Her eyes snapped up to meet his gaze. Those hypnotic blues flashed with annoyance, and a frown cut a groove above the bridge of his nose.
Heat flooded her cheeks, his displeasure at her blatant gawking quickly dousing any lingering ardor.
Silently berating herself for her foolish desires, she shook her head. “I’m good for now.”
She congratulated herself on sounding normal.
And not watching as he swaggered across the room
Only to meet the amused stare of his grandmother.
Jeez. What was it with those all-knowing blue eyes of this family?
She searched for something to say. “I hear you’re planning a Thanksgiving wedding?”
A huge smile broke across Branna’s face. “Yes.” She clasped her hands together in front of her chest. “Essie and Max. They settled on Thanksgiving Day. It seemed fitting.”
As Branna droned on about the arrangements for that big day, Brandy sipped her soda, surreptitiously watching Rafferty from the corner of her eye as he continued to roam around them. For all its spaciousness, the only actual seating (excluding the two upright chairs against the far wall) consisted of the armchairs which Branna and Maebh occupied, and the sofa she sat on.
Was that why he prowled like a caged animal? To avoid sitting beside me?
As she considered the idea, the man in question dropped onto the other end of the sofa with ahumph. And she couldn’t help but notice how the denim pulled taut across his thick thighs.
Brandy. Get a grip, girl.
She shifted closer to the armrest, and the soft crinkle of paper reminded her of the gift in her pocket.
“Here … this is for you,” she said, placing the small package in the gap between them. “From the kids,” she fumbled, just in case he got the wrong idea.
“That’s sweet of them,” Branna murmured.
Brandy watched Rafferty look at his gift as if it were a snake ready to strike. She nudged it closer, whispering, “It won’t bite.”
“It wasn’t necessary,” he protested, picking it up.
“After you organized the twins’ fourteenth birthday at a real hostage rescue training facility, you’ve basically secured lifelong friend status.”
