Playing with Dynamite by Leanne Banks Page B

know where to look first. He probably watched his Braves games in the lounger that occupied the prize spot in front of the television, she guessed. Her gaze skipped over the large comfortable sofa that occupied one wall to the CD system housed on a small shelving unit. Country-western and rock CDs lay on one of the shelves. Nary a classical one contaminated the bunch, she noticed with a grin. On the bottom shelf were several photo albums.
    Her fingers itched to open them and learn the secrets of Brick’s past. The temptation was great enough that she would have except she suspected he’d be out of the shower very soon.
    With a reluctant sigh, she moved away from the albums and found a collection of photos on the wall. All family, she suspected. There were pictures of three different weddings. Carly and Russ’s, Erin and Garth’s, and Daniel and Sara’s. The rest were assorted pictures taken with his brothers, except for one older-looking photo.
    â€œThat’s my mom and dad,” Brick said from the hallway.
    Lisa quickly turned and looked at him. His hair was still wet. He’d left his shirt unbuttoned, and she could see a smattering of droplets on his chest. For some reason, the sight made her thirsty. She swallowed. “I didn’t hear the shower cut off.”
    He gave a slow grin. “Maybe your hearing was damaged by that blast horn.”
    â€œMaybe,” she agreed, feeling his humor grab something inside her and pull. “I like your apartment.”
    He shrugged. “It’s a place to eat and sleep, not as nice as yours.”
    She tilted her head to one side, considering what he’d said. “Is that why you never brought me here, when we were—” She searched for a word. Dating didn’t seem to quite cover it. “When we were—”
    â€œTogether,” Brick finished for her. “I always liked being at your place better than mine. Yours felt more like a home.” He paused and studied her. “Did it bother you that I didn’t bring you here?”
    â€œOh, no,” Lisa said too quickly. “I assumed it was more convenient for you, or that maybe you needed your privacy.”
    He lifted an eyebrow in disbelief. “Why do I think I missed the boat on this one too?”
    â€œNo, really,” she said in a tone rife with undercurrents of embarrassment. “I didn’t think—”
    Ignoring her protest, Brick hooked his fingers around her wrist and tugged. “Let me give you the nickel tour.” As he led her down the hallway, the reason he’d tried to keep his relationship with her so isolated from the rest of his life hit him in the face. His time with her had been so special, he hadn’t wanted to share it. Being with Lisa always made him feel as if he’d come home. Sighing, he wished he could find a way to tell her that now. He watched her carefully, wondering if it would make a difference to her.
    â€œA seascape,” Lisa said, pointing to the picture above his king-size bed in his bedroom.
    â€œYeah, it’s the one drawback to living in Tennessee. No ocean.”
    â€œI know what you mean. I keep wishing I could get to the beach.” Her eyes widened as if she’d just remembered something. “As a matter of fact, I’ll be going on a weekend cruise next month.”
    Brick’s grin froze on his face. “With Mr. Perfect?” he tried to say in a normal voice.
    Lisa shook her head. “No. That dating service I told you about is sponsoring a cruise, so I signed up.” Her hands fluttered until she clasped them together. “You never know,” she said with a shrug as her gaze slid from his. “Moonlight, music and island breezes might stir something up.”
    She sounded as if she were hoping to be stirred, and Brick wanted to be the one doing the stirring. He laced his fingers together and caught himself before he cracked his