by Becky Barker
The comment was heavy with innuendo, suggesting she was very familiar with Luke's preferences, and he was partial to her party mood.
Susan cringed at the thought. “Witch," she muttered under her breath. Luke threw her a sideways glance. "Did you say you're hungry?" he asked, dropping a hand to her waist and guiding her toward the tables.
He leaned his head close to her ear. "Forget about Caroline and Linda. Eat and keep up your strength," he advised. "Tonight might be another long night."
Susan blushed, knowing that was the reaction he'd hoped to spur, but helpless to contain it. Heat coursed through her at the reminder of how they'd spent the previous night and of another one to come. She didn't know if she could stand the anticipation.
For the next couple of hours, she renewed old friendships. She'd lost contact with many of her classmates when she'd gone to college and been married to Shane. Catching up on their lives and sharing the memories helped her relax and enjoy the party more than she’d expected. The people who’d known her the longest were the least likely to judge her or ask probing questions. She really appreciated the respite.
Luke stayed close to her for most of the evening, but when they got separated, he usually made his way back to her in a short while. Susan assumed he was playing the part of dutiful bridegroom. Even though everyone present was bound to speculate about their reason for marrying, he apparently wanted to make it clear that the marriage was going to be more than a business arrangement.
That was fine with her. She liked having him near and feeling his touch. Whether it was a guiding hand at the small of her back or a brief touch on the arm, he generated warmth and a sense of security she hadn't even realized she needed. Whenever and wherever he touched her, her skin tingled with pleasure.
She was a little more hesitant about touching him, but the contact their bodies made was a sweet, torturous reminder of the passion that simmered between them. By the time the sun had set, she was growing increasingly anxious to have the party over. She was craving his sole attention.
A four-piece band had set up to play music. They began to tune their instruments when the lanterns were lit, and a small space in front of the stage was cleared for dancing. The music started and several tunes were played, but the kids were the only ones brave enough to dance. No one else wanted to be the first or only ones on the floor.
At a break between songs, Caroline sauntered up to the stage and blew into the microphone a few times to test it. She laughed and teased the band members, drawing chuckles. She'd obviously managed to get herself in a party mood. Luke was close enough for Susan to feel him go tense, and she glanced at him.
"What's she up to?"
The two of them had gradually shifted into a corner of the patio that wasn't too crowded. People were clustered everywhere, but none too close. They could actually talk with some privacy.
At first she didn't think Luke was going to respond, and then he explained, "She has this thing about dancing. She loves to dance, and I don’t. She always made such a big deal of it that I finally stopped asking her out."
That answered one of Susan’s questions. She’d wondered if Luke and Caroline had an ongoing thing. Apparently he’d put an end to it before their decision to marry. Thank goodness.
"You think she's going to ask you to dance?" she wondered aloud. A little public humiliation for the new wife and groom? Did Caroline consider herself the woman scorned?
Luke flashed her a tight smile for perception. "I wouldn't put anything past her."
Susan remembered Shane making some derogatory remarks in the past about Luke not being able to dance. It was unusual in this area where barn and school dances were one of the rare forms of entertainment, but that didn't mean everyone participated or enjoyed it.
She had always loved music and dancing even though she was out of practice. Caroline was temporarily forgotten as she concentrated on her husband. Being a man with such natural athleticism and coordination, she couldn't imagine him not being a good dancer if he’d give it a try.
"Why don't you dance?"
"I just don't," he grumbled, his tone suggesting it was a sore subject.
"I would have thought you'd like it," she said, sipping her cola, but shifting her gaze back to Caroline. The suggestive tone of her voice drew his full attention. He shifted closer, drawing her gaze back to him.
"Why would you think that?"
"It's a lot like making love," she supplied, her voice a throaty whisper as she shyly flirted with him over the rim of her glass. He’d moved close enough for their bodies to touch. Susan absorbed the heat of him. His scent permeated her senses, reminding her of the incredible pleasure he could give her.
"You think?" he drawled in a low tone, intrigued. "I never quite saw it that way."
"You press your bodies together, hold on tight, and slide around the floor," she insisted a little breathlessly. "It's all a matter of coordination and rhythm."
A glimmer of interest lit his eyes, and his voice dropped to a rough whisper. The warmth of it tickled her ear. "And you think I'm good at that, huh?" Every nerve in her body shivered in reaction. “Real good," she assured.
"So what are you suggesting?"
Encouraged by his continued interest, she teased. "Well, you're very good at one, and I'm pretty good at the other." The rest came out in a rush. "We could compare notes."
"You're offering to teach me a few things?" he asked, brow raised.
Susan shrugged her shoulders and lowered her lashes, flirting as she hadn't done in years. Then Caroline commanded their attention again.
"It's time to dance, party goers," she announced. "I know all you cowboys are a little shy about being the first one on the floor, so I think our new bride and groom should get things started. It's a tradition, you know."
Although well on her way to being intoxicated, the other woman was still sober enough to know exactly what she was doing. She threw a “gotcha" look at Luke.
An expectant hush was followed by a general murmur of agreement while everyone searched out the newlyweds again. Those who knew Luke never danced understood Caroline's little trick, but the others just thought it a nice gesture.
Susan heard his low curse and understood his frustration. She didn't want to let Caroline win this little skirmish. Emboldened by her success at flirting, she snared his eyes again and practiced a little seductive persuasion.
"I can't promise it won't hurt," she repeated the words he'd whispered to her last night as they'd made love, blushing despite the bold ploy. "But if you want to give it a try, I'll be gentle with you."
Luke's eyes flared with the swift brilliance of the flame of a match. The look he gave her was hot enough to start a fire deep in the pit of her belly, and shoot sparks over the rest of her. He took the glass from her suddenly shaky fingers and set it aside. With a possessive hand at her waist, he ushered her to the dance floor amidst cheers from the guests.
The look on Caroline's face was incredulous and outraged, but Susan didn't see it. She was too fascinated with Luke and the feel of his hard, hot body as he pulled her into his arms.
"Just press our bodies together?" he asked, his tone low and seductive.
His left hand enveloped her right one, and Susan slid her other hand over his shoulder until their bodies were pressed snugly together. The breath hissed out of her as she felt the strength of his arousal against her stomach.
"See what you get for playing with fire?" he taunted, eyes dark and gleaming. "You didn't leave me any choice but to dance."
The heat raging through her made it hard to catch her breath, but she finally managed a soft laugh and some bold teasing. "Hiding behind the little lady's skirt?"
"It would seem," he agreed, though the supreme confidence in his tone outweighed any signs of weakness.
Her gaze stayed glued to the brilliance of his as she continued to challenge him with sensual promise. She was suddenly high on life and the heat in his eyes. It had been so long since s
he'd had the desire or confidence to flirt and reason to feel good about herself. She credited Luke for the good feelings. He was the best thing that had ever happened to her, and she just wished she had the courage to tell him so.
His gaze skimmed her face and then focused on her mouth. For just an instant, his eyes glittered with a hunger so raw it scattered Susan's breath. Her chest constricted, and her hold on him tightened convulsively. Her heart stopped, and then restarted with a surge of overheated blood through her veins.
Other couples gradually joined them on the tiny dance floor, but nobody cut in or interrupted them while their bodies swayed in time to the music. Their dancing was little more than a shuffle of feet, but she was so conscious of his hard body that everything else faded in importance.
Normally a very reserved person, her reaction to Luke temporarily destroyed her inhibitions. For once, she didn't try to hide her emotions. Instead, she gazed at him with wide, awestruck eyes. Those who watched were speculative. Some cynically regarded it as an act, some thought it was very special, and others hoped it wouldn't last. Susan just enjoyed every second of it.
As the evening passed, the majority of their guests wished them well, at least to their faces. Most stayed until well after midnight and then they began leaving in large numbers. The adult members of the family thanked them for attending and bade them good night.
Brad, Lynette, and their girls were spending the night, so Tami and Paige had already been put to bed. Dan and Linda had allowed their children to stay up late, but both were battling heavy eyes.
Luke helped Dan carry Molly and Alex to their car while the other men folded chairs and tables, and then carried them to the barn for storage. Linda, Susan, Lynette, and Caroline helped Rosa with a final clean up of the kitchen. Since Caroline was a good friend of Linda’s, nobody thought it strange that she stayed to help.
Then Susan went onto the patio to do a final check for dirty dishes, and Caroline followed in the pretense of helping. The other woman wasn't too drunk to corner her with some spiteful comments.
"You needn't feel too smug about talking Luke into marriage, you know," she said conversationally. "Everyone knows he and his granddad would do just about anything to keep the Hanchart heritage intact."
If she expected to get a rise out of Susan, she was disappointed. She knew exactly why Luke had married her. What worried her more was if he’d ever considered marrying Caroline.
"Luke's a law unto himself," was her only comment.
"Oh, he's independent enough," Caroline agreed. "But your mother was one of Alma's dearest friends and you know John adored her. When your mother died so soon after Alma, John took it upon himself to gather you into the family fold one way or the other."
"John was very kind after my parents' deaths, but he's a kind man," said Susan. She wondered where the other woman was going with the conversation.
"Didn't you ever think it was a little strange that Luke suddenly came courting back then?" While Susan collected trash and disposed of it, Caroline leaned against a table, lit a cigarette and took a deep drag before she continued.
"He started seeing you because John asked him to. I think he even would have married you to please his granddad, but then the next thing he knew you were married to his cousin. It must be especially grating to feel obliged to marry you now since he refused to date any of Shane's castoffs after Toni Pagent."
Toni Pagent? Susan vaguely remembered the name from high school, but Toni had been closer to Luke's age than hers. She had married and moved out of state a few years back. What did she have to do with anything?
Caroline explained. "Toni was Luke's first and only real love until she got the hots for Shane. She tried to keep seeing them both, but then Luke found out she was screwing around with his cousin. Toni realized too late that Shane wasn't the Hanchart with the money or control, so she dumped him and went running back to Luke. But it was too late. By then he'd vowed to never have anything to do with any woman who found Shane attractive."
The little speech was punctuated by puffs of smoke and ended with a malicious laugh. Susan was appalled by the story, yet she tried not to show any reaction. If it was true, it explained more of the rivalry between the cousins, and maybe why Shane had gone to such extremes to get even with Luke.
"Yes, indeed," Caroline drawled, "I bet it really sticks in Luke's craw that he had to marry you for the property, especially with all his friends suggesting he's settling for Shane's leavings. It's enough to make a proud man sick to death."
Her little lecture was cut short by Luke's return. He glanced from one to the other, the taut line of his jaw tightening even more.
He didn't need a psychic to tell him Caroline had been trying to cause trouble. At this point, he was fed up with people in general and troublemakers in particular. He'd just suffered a tantrum from Linda, a host of sly congratulations from fellow ranchers and more than enough snide comments to last a lifetime. He was fed up.
"Dan and Linda are ready to leave," he told Caroline, keeping a tight rein on his temper. She'd had too much to drink and shouldn't drive. "They'll take you home and one of the ranch staff will bring your car tomorrow morning."
"You're welcome to take me home," she suggested throatily. "You know the way well enough."
"So does Dan," he clipped. Too little sleep and too much tension had him as irritable as hell. He wasn't in any mood for games. All he wanted was some privacy with his wife. He wanted another long night of losing himself in her sensual sweetness.
Caroline gave him a smoldering look, but conceded defeat. "Well, I guess I'll be running along then," she said as she sauntered toward the door. She ran a hand up his arm as she went past. "Thanks for everything, Sugar."
Susan ground her teeth together to keep a civil tongue in her head. She wanted to tell her to keep her hands to herself. The parting shot made her feel like smashing things. She took out her frustration on the trash.
Luke started toward her, but then everyone seemed to converge on the patio again. Juan and a couple of the ranch hands returned from carrying troughs back to the barn. Brad, Lynette, and John came back from seeing off guests, and Rosa came out of the kitchen.
"That's it for tonight," the housekeeper declared with satisfaction. "Time to go home."
"I'll second that," put in John. "Thanks for the party everyone. I'll see you tomorrow. I promised the youngsters we’d have a picnic if they behaved tonight, so we have a picnic to plan."
Brad turned to Luke and Susan. "Would you mind if Lynette and I walk Granddad home? The girls should stay asleep, and we won't be long."
"No problem," they chorused.
Everyone departed with final good nights, and Luke turned to Susan. Tension radiated from him, making her wonder if it was sexual in nature or if someone had made a parting remark that roused his temper.
"Go on upstairs. I'll do one last check down here and be up when Brad and Lynette get back," he said.
Her gaze scoured his features. She wanted to ask him what was wrong, but couldn't find the courage. "I'll take a quick peek at the girls."
She started past him to the door, their bodies brushing as each moved at the same time. Luke's arm shot out to steady her. One touch was all it took to ignite the passion that had simmered beneath the surface all night. She wasn't sure who made the next move, but she was suddenly clutched close to his unyielding hardness.
He dragged her closer, the angry stiffness of his body suggesting he couldn't resist, yet he resented the loss of control. Then her arms locked around his neck as their mouths met in a punishing rush.
Whatever anger and frustration he felt swiftly erupted into savage hunger. Hours of wanting and needing and waiting, of being close and touching, yet forced to control their needs finally exploded into a kiss that was deep and hard and hungry. His mouth ground onto hers, and she met it with equal fervor.
Her grip on his neck tightened and when his tongue plunged into her mouth, she rocked her body against his
in answering need. A shudder rippled over him as she pressed herself closer to the rock-hard length of him. The kiss went on and on and on, tongues stroking and entwining until they were both dizzy with wanting. Susan's body came alive, and all the sensitive places Luke had explored last night began to throb with renewed excitement. His kisses seduced, and she was ready and willing to succumb.
When they finally dragged their mouths apart to draw in air, their breathing was so rough it hurt. His gaze seared her with silvery heat, their faces so close it was hard to tell whose breath they breathed.
His voice came in a ragged hum. "You'd better go."
"I guess," she whispered without conviction. Then she sunk all her fingers in the thick silk of his hair and tugged his mouth to hers again.
The second kiss was less desperate, but no less arousing. They took turns sucking each other's tongues until they were sharing moans and were breathless again. When their lips next parted, he lifted her against his body and carried her through the kitchen door, down the hall and to the bottom of the stairs. Then he set her down and gave her one more swift, hard kiss.
"I'll be up as soon as I shut off lights and lock doors," he said.
Her throat was tight, making her beyond words. She nodded and turned to climb the stairs without looking back even though she felt the heat of his eyes watch her every step of the way.
Once upstairs, she drew in a deep, calming breath and went to the guest room to check on Tami and Paige. The little girls were sharing one big bed with a host of stuffed animals. They looked so precious it made her breath catch again.
The need for a child of her own was intense and her heart ached with longing. It suddenly occurred to her that she and Luke hadn't used any form of protection last night. She could already be carrying his child. Her hand involuntarily moved to her stomach, and she remembered Caroline's suggestion that Luke only married her to supply heirs for the family. It was partly true, yet she didn't think his passion would be so fierce if he didn't care a little.