As if his voice triggered a sensitivity beyond her typical normal, she managed to separate his scent from the others. A drugging scent she wanted to roll around naked in until the decadent fragrance of amber and musk and male coated her skin.
Damn. Porter didn’t just act the sexy charmer, he was a sexy charmer. It exuded from him in seeking tendrils. Silent promises of forbidden pleasures in the deep velvet nights, entrapping the unwary, delighting the willing.
For one such as Rachel, who wasn’t given to bouts of promiscuity—she actually needed to know and care for a man before she gave her body into his hands—such a physical reaction was as bewildering as it was bewitching.
“I was just coming to get you.” Rachel’s eyes popped open to see Melinda walking toward her, a warm smile lighting her face. “You look stunning. I simply adore that dress.”
Rachel brushed damp palms over the soft cotton skirt that skimmed down her legs to the low-heeled open-toed sandals, on her feet. Her dress was white, sprinkled with tiny flowers in yellows, pinks, and blues. The straps were cut wide, the neckline high and square. Rachel always thought it ultra-feminine, demure, and cool for the hot summer months. Her hair was loose, the soft, blond curls flowing down to the middle of her shoulder blades in a soft waterfall. Blue and pink stones set in gold dangled delicately from her ears.
“Thank you.” Rachel brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “I forgot that tonight’s a family affair, since you don’t have any other guests. I don’t want to intrude, so maybe if I could get a plate and—”
Melinda brushed off that suggestion with a “bah” and wave of her hand. “Absolutely not.” She linked her arm through Rachel’s, much as Gwen had earlier, and tugged her not-so-gently toward the dining room. “Friends are not an intrusion and there’s plenty of room.”
Rachel dug in her heels, forcing Melinda to a halt. “Porter told me about the financial tracking Rome is doing and why you didn’t take my credit card last night.” Her eyes were steady and determined, even when Melinda raised a brow that reminded her all too much of her own mother’s certain look when Rachel knew she wasn’t about to get her way. “I’m still a guest and will pay for my stay.”
Melinda patted her arm and resumed walking. “Of course, dear.”
Feeling as if she’d only been placated, Rachel readied herself to forge on and insist when they passed through the archway into the dining room. Conversation sputtered to a halt.
This was exactly why second thoughts had hounded Rachel at the base of the stairs. She didn’t like to be the center of attention, hated having several pairs of eyes focus on her. It made her want to curl in on herself, despite already meeting most of those who were seated around the large table.
A loud thunk caught her attention and her gaze immediately sought out the source, only to see Porter in a chair, staring up at her slack-jawed, eyes so dark they appeared black. The bottle of beer wrapped in his hand lay on the table, liquid trickling down the sides to pool on the dark tablecloth. Annie and a gorgeous unknown woman with short hair, both flanking Porter at the table, scrambled to sop up the mess with muttered exclamations when he only jumped from the table as if poked with an electric prod and stalked toward Rachel.
Her eyes went wide when they locked on his face. She’d been concerned about his lip, after splitting it with her head and all, but the sight of his bruised cheek and black eye shocked her.
“Really, Porter.” With a cutting glance, Melinda left Rachel at the entrance of the room to assist the other women.
“Sorry,” Porter said offhandedly, his attention never shifting from Rachel. The look in his eyes as they swept over her, lingering on her unbound hair, was filled with molten heat. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.” Her belly flipped at the husky appreciation, her
Damn. Porter didn’t just act the sexy charmer, he was a sexy charmer. It exuded from him in seeking tendrils. Silent promises of forbidden pleasures in the deep velvet nights, entrapping the unwary, delighting the willing.
For one such as Rachel, who wasn’t given to bouts of promiscuity—she actually needed to know and care for a man before she gave her body into his hands—such a physical reaction was as bewildering as it was bewitching.
“I was just coming to get you.” Rachel’s eyes popped open to see Melinda walking toward her, a warm smile lighting her face. “You look stunning. I simply adore that dress.”
Rachel brushed damp palms over the soft cotton skirt that skimmed down her legs to the low-heeled open-toed sandals, on her feet. Her dress was white, sprinkled with tiny flowers in yellows, pinks, and blues. The straps were cut wide, the neckline high and square. Rachel always thought it ultra-feminine, demure, and cool for the hot summer months. Her hair was loose, the soft, blond curls flowing down to the middle of her shoulder blades in a soft waterfall. Blue and pink stones set in gold dangled delicately from her ears.
“Thank you.” Rachel brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “I forgot that tonight’s a family affair, since you don’t have any other guests. I don’t want to intrude, so maybe if I could get a plate and—”
Melinda brushed off that suggestion with a “bah” and wave of her hand. “Absolutely not.” She linked her arm through Rachel’s, much as Gwen had earlier, and tugged her not-so-gently toward the dining room. “Friends are not an intrusion and there’s plenty of room.”
Rachel dug in her heels, forcing Melinda to a halt. “Porter told me about the financial tracking Rome is doing and why you didn’t take my credit card last night.” Her eyes were steady and determined, even when Melinda raised a brow that reminded her all too much of her own mother’s certain look when Rachel knew she wasn’t about to get her way. “I’m still a guest and will pay for my stay.”
Melinda patted her arm and resumed walking. “Of course, dear.”
Feeling as if she’d only been placated, Rachel readied herself to forge on and insist when they passed through the archway into the dining room. Conversation sputtered to a halt.
This was exactly why second thoughts had hounded Rachel at the base of the stairs. She didn’t like to be the center of attention, hated having several pairs of eyes focus on her. It made her want to curl in on herself, despite already meeting most of those who were seated around the large table.
A loud thunk caught her attention and her gaze immediately sought out the source, only to see Porter in a chair, staring up at her slack-jawed, eyes so dark they appeared black. The bottle of beer wrapped in his hand lay on the table, liquid trickling down the sides to pool on the dark tablecloth. Annie and a gorgeous unknown woman with short hair, both flanking Porter at the table, scrambled to sop up the mess with muttered exclamations when he only jumped from the table as if poked with an electric prod and stalked toward Rachel.
Her eyes went wide when they locked on his face. She’d been concerned about his lip, after splitting it with her head and all, but the sight of his bruised cheek and black eye shocked her.
“Really, Porter.” With a cutting glance, Melinda left Rachel at the entrance of the room to assist the other women.
“Sorry,” Porter said offhandedly, his attention never shifting from Rachel. The look in his eyes as they swept over her, lingering on her unbound hair, was filled with molten heat. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.” Her belly flipped at the husky appreciation, her
Similar Books
