emotions through her bloodstream, leaving her heated with desire she’d not experienced in a very long time. She suddenly shuddered at the intense feelings sweeping through her.
She hadn’t told him so, but she was acutely aware of who the Stallion brothers were, having met the oldest brother, John, at a cotillion fundraiser many years back. The man had been exceptionally charming, catching the attention of every single female searching for love within a hundred-mile radius of Dallas.
Joanne had only been seventeen at the time, but it had been more than evident that the eldest Stallion had been something special. Now, having met the younger brother, Joanne would firmly attest that good looks and that dynamic charm ran strong through the family’s bloodline. John had just been the tip of the dessert tray. Luke was clearly the icing and the cake.
Joanne remembered reading in the society page that John and another brother had both married, taking themselves off everyone’s potential husband list. Thinking about Luke and the brief time they’d just shared together, she couldn’t help but hope that his personal relationship status might be single and available.
Chapter 3
Luke heard them before he saw them, hushed giggles and laughter coming from the darkened room. He shook his head slowly as he made his way into the kitchen, switching on the room’s bright lights as he did. He didn’t bother to look in the direction from where all the noise was coming. He knew clearly what he would or wouldn’t see, having interrupted his brother and new sister-in-law more times than he cared to count. It amazed him that the two couldn’t be in the same room together for five minutes before they were wrapped around each other like bark on a cedar elm tree.
Luke moved to the refrigerator, opening the stainless-steel door to peer inside the cold cavity. His name was written on a yellow sticky note affixed to a large plate of food wrapped in aluminum foil. Lifting up the foil edge he peered inside, fried chicken and macaroni and cheese awaiting his attention.
“Who fried chicken?” Luke asked, addressing the couple cuddled against the pantry door.
“You know the only cooking I do is takeout,” Michelle said with a soft chuckle. “Engines are my specialty. I don’t do cakes.”
“Aunt Juanita was here,” Mark responded, his answer muffled in his wife’s neck.
Michelle giggled softly as she nuzzled her husband back.
“They have hotel rooms for that kind of nonsense,” Luke said nonchalantly, moving himself and his plate from the refrigerator to the microwave oven. “You two should give it a try sometime.”
Mark laughed loudly as Michelle leaned her back against his chest, her husband’s arms wrapping warmly around her. The two of them turned to stare at the younger man. “Luke’s got jokes. My little brother thinks he’s funny!”
Luke shrugged, a wry smile pulling at his mouth. “Your little brother doesn’t want to keep walking in on the two of you making out all over the house like you don’t know what a bed is for. It’s creepy!” Luke cringed, skewing his face like a five-year-old might. “And it’s starting to seriously warp my psyche.”
Michelle laughed. “No date tonight, Luke?”
Luke crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned back against the center island. “Rub it in, why don’t you. Just add salt to my wound. I don’t have a date, and you two keep going at it like rabbits.”
Michelle moved to Luke’s side, rubbing the palm of her hand against his forearm. “You should talk to Eden and Marah. I’m sure those two would be thrilled to fix you up with someone.”
Luke rolled his eyes. “Heaven help me. I don’t know which is scarier—those two playing matchmaker or me constantly walking in on you and him naked.” Luke cringed.
Michelle gave him a light punch to his shoulder, her cheeks heating with color. “You were supposed to be gone that night. You should have warned us.”
“No, you should have warned me,” Luke said with a hearty laugh. “I’m so scarred that I’m ready to go spill my guts to Oprah.” He pulled his freshly heated meal from the microwave oven, inhaling the decadent aroma rising from the plate.
“So, do you have any plans for tonight?” Mark asked.
Luke chuckled, pulling a spoonful of macaroni to his mouth. “Don’t act like you’re interested in my plans, Mark. I’ll be out of your way in a few minutes. Then you two can go back to doing what you were doing.”
“What?” Mark feigned innocence, pretending to be hurt by his brother’s insinuation. “You act like I don’t have your best interests at heart.”
Luke laughed. “I am not stupid, big brother. The only thing you’re interested in right now is Mitch.” His sister-in-law’s childhood nickname rolled off his tongue as he met her amused gaze. “Ain’t that right, Mrs. Stallion?”
Michelle laughed with him, moving back to her husband’s side. “You two need to stop.” She leaned up to kiss Mark’s mouth. “But since you brought the subject up, we’ll just head upstairs and get out of your way,” she said, eyeing her husband suggestively.
Mark broke out into a full grin, following behind Michelle as she pulled him from where he stood and headed in the direction of the door. Behind them Luke rolled his eyes skyward, the trio still sharing a warm laugh with each other as the couple made their exit.
Watching them, Luke couldn’t help but smile. He’d been responsible for introducing his brother to one of his dearest friends. The wild child of the family, Mark had been headed out on one of his cross-country jaunts to the annual black bike festival in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Luke had recommended Michelle, the best mechanic he knew, to get his brother’s bike travel-ready. Before anyone knew what had happened, Michelle had tamed the once wild Stallion and Mark had fallen in love with a woman who was headstrong and beautiful.
Minutes later the house was quiet, only the sound of the large grandfather clock in the center hall ticking in the background. As Luke sat finishing his evening meal, he couldn’t stop himself from thinking about the woman he’d met earlier.
With her enigmatic personality, Joanne Lake had lit up the room, commanding his full and undivided attention. Luke couldn’t remember the last time he’d met a woman with the wealth of confidence Joanne had exuded. Joanne could easily have been the poster child for women who were not a size 6 but loved every curve and dip of their bodies. With her understated style and poise, she’d tempted every one of his senses, and he found himself completely intrigued by her.
Luke’s hand tightened around the glass of tart lemonade he’d been drinking. He was thinking about the easy lift to Joanne’s mouth, her gentle smile sending waves of heat through every nerve ending in his body. When she’d laughed, the sensuous sound had been like lighter fluid tossed on an already raging flame. The wealth of it had left him breathless. Luke shifted in his seat, the pressure building deep inside of him threatening to take full control of his senses.
Luke sensed that given some time he and Joanne could become fast friends. He imagined that having a woman like her for a friend wouldn’t be a bad thing at all. After all, he had many female friends. Most were just casual companions that he would spend some recreational time with. Rarely did it have anything to do with any serious boyfriend-girlfriend expectations. Luke imagined that he would enjoy just hanging out with Joanne, the two of them enjoying the
