A Tender Touch: A Donnelley Brother's Novel (Logan Point Book 4) by Alannah Carbonneau

body stand on end. My every sense was aware of him. I felt electrified and despite the summer heat circulating through the barn, goosebumps pebbled my flesh. His hands spread lotion into my shoulders, over the back of my neck and then down to the slope of my arm. I’d already sun screened my arms, but I didn’t say that to Luke. He already knew. He’d watched me.
    Instead, I stood stone still as he spread the sunscreen over my flesh. I couldn’t take my eyes from his face in the mirror even though he’d dropped his eyes to focus on his hands on my skin long ago. His jaw was clenched tight, as though he were restraining himself and his breathing was roughly audible. The heavy sound in the still room was almost - erotic.
    Never in my life had I thought, for even a moment, not even in my wildest dreams, that the application of sunscreen could be so erotic. I mean, it’s cliché as all hell, but shit, this was so hot I’d bet money that my panties were wet.
    The thought stunned me into a new kind of chill. No longer was my flesh pebbled with goosebumps of erotic anticipation, but instead, it was iced by the uncertainty of my nerves.
    What the hell was I doing?
    “Luke?” I whispered his name on an uneven breath and as his eyes flickered up to mine, their darkness was so heated it was explosive.
    “We’re still running, aren’t we, pretty girl?” He moved his hands slowly down the length of my arms and I tightened every muscle in a weak attempt to fight the shivers his tender touch promised. “I’m okay with that.”
    “Luke.” I spoke his name again - but nothing followed. Instead, Luke bowed his head down to my shoulder. Gently, he pressed his warm lips to my flesh, and I swear, a fire that could rival the heat in a live volcano erupted inside me.
    He pulled back, severing all contact between us. “Finish up. We’ve got a tour.”
    I watched, stunned, and so confused, as he walked from the room.
    Since I made him enchiladas and he held me as I cried in the hot tub, I’d been so much more confortable with the man than I had ever been with any other man in my life. I knew in my soul that Luke was a good man. I knew he was pure and honest and so wonderful, but I didn’t know how to proceed from this point. Everything in my life was plotted and planned so as to avoid all unnecessary pain. There was no calculated way to take a chance on Luke Donnelley. There were no statistics to prove that a life with him would be beneficial or harmful to me in the long run. When it came to Luke, I just did not know what to do.
    However, there was one thing I knew with unwavering certainty. Luke Donnelley wasn’t about to allow me to reject him. I’d tried. I had tried vehemently to reject all his sneaky touches and hidden advances, but I couldn’t. From the very first time I’d seen him in March, almost four months ago now, Luke had refused to accept my cold shoulder. He’s infiltrated my mind and compromised the tactics I have forever employed over my life - the tactics that have kept my heart safe from hurt.
    Luke Donnelley was determined, and with every day that passed, more and more of my guard was falling away to his one-man army. Soon, there would be nothing left to protect my heart from all that he was. Soon, I would be entirely at his mercy. And that thought terrified me.
    Not because I would be weak against him...but because I wanted it.
    And I knew, I shouldn’t.
    ***
    I opened the door of the change room to model the strapless, soft pink, chiffon maxi dress to the four women waiting in the waiting room. Apparently, I was the last one to get a bridesmaid dress, and I was lucky as hell that the boutique had one in my size and Hadley’s color, on the rack. It was already July and Hadley’s wedding was set for the end of August, so there was no time for ordering another bridesmaid dress.
    Reese, the maid of honor, would be wearing the same dress as Kami and I, only in a calm mocha color. Hadley was aiming for a