pictures for one night,” she said as she took the camera back from Danny. “I think I’ll go in and take a quick shower.”
Luke grinned, his gray-blue eyes lingering on her for a moment. “While you shower, Danny and I will put out the fire.”
With a curt nod, Sherri hurried into the motor home. The shower was a confounded contraption. The nozzle produced a pathetic spray of water that was virtually ineffective against banishing the lingering feel of Luke’s body pressed against her side.
It had shocked her, the momentary stab of desire that had suddenly reared its head when he’d pressed her against his side. It was an emotion she hadn’t felt for a very long time, had thought never to feel again.
“Ridiculous,” she scoffed aloud, scrubbing her skin to a rosy hue with the washcloth and fresh-scented bar of soap. It had been shock she’d felt, not desire. It had been surprise and distaste. After all, how could she possibly feel desire for a man she disliked? How could she feel desire for a man who’d taken her love and left her bitter and empty? It had been a long time since she’d felt a man’s arms surrounding her, her body had simply reacted to the novelty of the embrace, nothing more.
By the time she’d finished showering and changed into a long, demure sleep shirt, Danny and Luke were back inside. They sat at the table, sharing a bedtime snack of peanut-butter crackers and milk.
“Danny, when you’re finished there, take your shower and don’t forget to brush your teeth,” Sherri reminded him.
“Ah, Mom, we’re on vacation,” Danny protested.
“Hey, sport, dirt and cavities don’t take vacations,” Luke said firmly. He stood up and put away the crackers and milk. “Besides, I don’t want a stinky, tooth-decayed bunk mate.”
“Okay.” Danny laughed and headed for the shower.
When he was gone, Sherri busied herself wiping the table and counters, conscious of Luke’s gaze following her movements. “You’re staring,” she finally said as she sat down across from him.
“Yes, I am,” he agreed with a lazy smile. “I was just observing the fact that you look good. I like what you’ve done to your hair.”
She ran a hand through it self-consciously. “Thanks.”
“Since our divorce, you’ve only managed to get more attractive.”
She flushed. “What did you expect? That without you in my life, I’d somehow fall apart?”
“It would have done my ego wonders if you had.” The lazy grin widened.
“Gosh, Luke, I’m really sorry that I couldn’t accommodate your massive ego, but I’ve not only survived since our divorce, I’ve actually thrived.” She tilted her chin upward, returning his gaze with an edge of defiance. She studiously shoved aside the memory of how frightened she had once been that she wouldn’t survive, that she would fall apart without him.
He stretched out his long jean-clad legs and grinned at her. “I’ve managed to do pretty well myself since our divorce,” he said. “I’m considered quite a catch in the circles I travel.”
Sherri smiled thinly. “I’m sure you have to beat the women off with sticks since you’re such a sexy hunk.”
“You really think so?” His dark eyebrows danced upward.
“Hmm, I’m sure you have to carry two baseball bats with you to fend off the attention of love-starved females,” she replied sarcastically.
“No, I meant do you really think I’m a sexy hunk?” He leaned up over the table, so close she could feel his warm breath on her face, see something unfathomable in his eyes. He reached out and traced the swell of her bottom lip with a fingertip. “You know, Danny wanted to sleep in the top bunk all by himself. You and I could share the bottom one…share a little passion for old times’ sake. What do you think?”
Sherri reeled back in the chair but before she could scald him with a flurry of scathing words, Danny stepped out of the bathroom. “All done,” he exclaimed.
“Terrific, I’ll tuck you in.” Sherri escaped Luke’s proximity, following her son back into the sleeping area. “Make sure you leave plenty of room for your father,” she said loudly enough for Luke to hear.
“I think I’ll take a quick shower,” Luke said, his voice still filled with the lazy amusement that only fueled Sherri’s irritation with him.
“Danny and I will just go on to bed,” she replied coolly.
As he disappeared into the bathroom, Sherri gave her son a kiss, then crawled beneath the sheets on the lower bunk.
The nerve of the man, she fumed inwardly. She punched her pillow and flopped over on her side. He’d been playing with her, using his overt sensuality to get to her. How many of their fights had ended with him cajoling her into bed, sweet-talking her out of her anger and into his arms? Share a little passion for old times’ sake…oh, the nerve of him!
Luke and his lazy, sexy charm. It had always been coupled with a touch of arrogance that had merely increased its potency. His arrogance didn’t cross the line into conceit. If it did, it wouldn’t be so damned appealing. She punched her pillow once again.
“The beds are kinda hard, aren’t they?” Danny said from above her.
“A little,” she replied, but she knew it wasn’t the physical discomfort of the bed that bothered her. It was the fact that she still found Luke sexy. After all these years, she still found his naughty charm stimulating. Damn his handsome hide!
She jumped as above the sounds of the water running in the shower, she heard him begin to sing. Luke had always sang in the shower…always sang loudly and badly.
Some things never change, she thought as she heard him lustily singing the words to a familiar Garth Brooks tune. Without the words, the song would have been totally unrecognizable.
Danny’s giggles filled the air. His laughter grew stronger as Luke’s singing became louder. The sound of her son’s laughter fed a sudden spurt of her own.
“He really is bad, isn’t he, Mom?” Danny said amid fits of giggling.
“He is,” Sherri agreed. “And the frightening part is he honestly doesn’t know how bad he is.” Again, Danny and Sherri burst into laughter.
They were still giggling when Luke finally stepped out of the bathroom. “What’s so funny?” he asked.
Sherri’s laughter died instantly on her lips as she stared at him. He stood backlit by the light from the bathroom. He was clad only in a pair of boxer shorts, exposing his firm muscular chest, flat abdomen and long masculine legs. “Nothing,” she murmured. She quickly turned over on her other side, facing the wall, closing her eyes against the vision that was momentarily burned into her brain. They were silk boxers, bright red and incredibly sexy. Drat the man, anyway, she fumed.
She was vaguely aware of him turning out all the lights and pulling himself up into the bunk above her. She sensed the mattress depressing beneath his weight, smelled the clean soapy scent that emanated from him. She squeezed her eyes more tightly closed. Margaret had been right. This
