Excerpt from The Billionaire's Lover

 

 

 

Summer and Luke found a booth in a corner of the bar. "Would you like another glass of champagne or do you want something else?" Luke asked.

 

"It seems a shame to pay for drinks when there's free champagne and beer at the wedding."

 

"But then we'd have to go back. I like it here."

 

"I do, too," Summer said, looking around. The bar, like the rest of the hotel, was elegant, tastefully decorated, and it whispered "money" in dulcet tones. "I'd like a mojito."

 

Luke signaled the waitress who came over instantly. After he ordered two mojitos, he said, "Are you staying at the hotel or are you local?"

 

"Staying. I'm from Dallas. What about you?"

 

"Staying, and I live in Dallas, too."

 

While a coincidence, it wasn't much of one. Summer imagined a good third of the guests lived in the DFW metroplex.

 

They talked some more and the waitress brought their drinks. "To your eyes," Luke said and touched his glass to hers.

 

"If you say I have eyes the color of jade or emeralds, I'm outta here."

 

He studied her, then tipped her chin up with a finger and looked into her eyes. Summer stared back, words deserting her as she fell into the depths of his gaze.

 

"No, your eyes are an unusual shade. If I were to describe them, I'd say they look like malachite." He dropped his hand and added with a wicked grin, "With some jade and emerald swirling around."

 

"You're very smooth, aren't you?" And he was revving up her heartbeat with a look and a touch. She took a sip of her drink to steady herself. It didn't help.

 

"I try," he said modestly. "How am I doing?"

 

"You're good and you know it. Okay, what color is my hair?" She was curious how he'd describe it. Lots of men had tried, so she'd heard a gazillion variations of redhead and red.

 

Luke picked up a strand of hair and rubbed it between his fingers. "A thousand shades of wildfire."

 

Summer's breath caught in her throat. They were playing a game, but my, oh my, he was good with words. She wondered what else he was good at.

 

"My turn," she said.

 

"You want to describe my eyes and hair?"

 

"No, although I'd describe your eyes as espresso."

 

"I like that."

 

"But what I really want," she said, moving closer, "is to touch your hair."

 

He looked surprised, then gave a deep, hearty laugh. He tilted his head toward her. "Feel free."

 

"Not like that." She slid her hands over his very broad, very firm shoulders to loop behind his neck.

 

"Like this." Summer threaded her hands through his hair. It was as soft and silky as it looked. Their faces were close together, so close she could kiss him if she wanted. And she wanted.

 

"I don't think I've ever been seduced by a woman playing with my hair before. Although, I can't say I haven't tried it the other way around." He wrapped one arm around her pulling her closer and put his other hand on the back of her head, his fingers gently sliding through her hair.

 

"Is that what I'm doing? Seducing you?" she murmured.

 

"Like a siren."

 

And then he kissed her.

#

She tasted hot, sexy, spicy, and somehow, mysterious. Luke moved his lips over hers softly, slowly, teasing them open and flicking his tongue into her mouth. He wrapped his hand in her hair, which really was a thousand shades of wildfire, and as soft, silky and seductive as the rest of her.

 

Her tongue met his, then retreated. She did it again, retreating but asking him to join. He slid his tongue inside and knew without a doubt that this was the sexiest first meeting he'd ever had with a woman. Luke couldn't remember a kiss quite like this. Her hands were in his hair, her fingers playing with it, her body and his getting closer by the moment.

 

"Luke!" an outraged feminine voice said. "Oh, for God's sake, Luke, come up for air," she insisted.

 

Damn, he knew that voice. What was his sister doing tracking him down?