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The way her manicured nails trailed along the back of his neck as she spoke was mesmerizing. It made him want to open up to her about anything and everything. She was casting a spell over him, and he didn’t even care . . . much.
“I knew it would be difficult coming home,” he admitted. “I wasn’t sure what my family thought about how I’ve behaved over the last several years.”
“How did you behave?” she asked. She snuggled a little closer to him, and though he was pulsing with need, he also felt sweet comfort in her embrace. He wanted to harden himself against that but seemed unable to do so.
“I pushed them away. It’s what had to be done.”
“Why?”
He sighed as he pulled back so he could look into her lovely green eyes. There was such warmth in them, such understanding. He felt as if she was looking straight into his soul. He didn’t like that feeling.
Leaning down, he brushed his lips against hers, not caring who was watching them. Her eyes closed as she kissed him back, and he slowly moved them to the easy rhythm of the song.
“I had to push them away to keep them safe,” he finally answered.
“Is it easier for you to push people away?”
Ace actually thought about that for a moment. “Yes. It’s what I’m supposed to do,” he told her.
“You haven’t pushed me anywhere,” she pointed out.
He smiled down at her as his hand caressed her lower back.
“That’s because you are a force of nature who has my complete attention,” he said. He couldn’t help himself from bending down again and running his lips across hers as he let his hand drift over the top of her butt.
Her eyes flared, and he knew he was getting himself way too worked up in such a crowded room. He was going to announce to everyone there exactly how he felt about this woman, and he didn’t think his brother would appreciate that too much. Flashbacks of the last Armstrong wedding wove through his head, and he actually felt . . . shame. What the hell!
“I’m also stubborn and like to get my way,” she warned.
“That has been more than obvious from the second I met you,” he said with a laugh. It was strange to be laughing so easily when he hadn’t done so in years. Being here with this woman, with his family surrounding him, had lifted a weight off his shoulders he hadn’t even realized he’d been carrying. He wished all the weight would evaporate.
“This is moving mighty fast, Ace,” she said. There was still a sparkle in her eyes, but he could see an edge of fear in there too. He knew how she felt. It was frightening when a person had such an impact on you. Besides that, Ace had learned long ago not to try to hold on to things too tightly, because it made it more painful when they were ripped away from you.
“I’ve been warned that you’re off-limits,” he told her. Secretly he added, by his family and himself. He knew the smart thing would be to make her stay as far from him as humanly possible. Maybe while he was home he could send her on an all-expenses-paid vacation. Nope. He couldn’t even imagine doing that.
She smiled at him. “And that probably made you want to claim me that much more.”
He loved that she wasn’t afraid to say exactly what was on her mind. Why had he ever bothered chasing women who pretended they didn’t want to be caught?
“Yes, I might have to admit that intensified the appeal,” he said. “But even without the warning, you’re a beautiful, confident woman. I’m sure you’re very used to being chased.”
“But if you aren’t pursued for the right reasons, then it’s no fun,” she said.
“Are you giving me permission to chase you, Ms. Forbes?” he asked, letting his hands slide along her hips now. He wanted to reach between them and feel the sweet weight of her breasts, but their lack of privacy stopped him. Maybe he could dance the two of them out to a patio and have his wicked way with her. That was an appealing thought. Maybe he could give himself this one night . . .
“You can try to catch me, but it might not be as easy as you think,” she warned him.
Ace smiled as a chuckle escaped, and he pulled her lower half tightly against him, making sure she felt the power of his attraction to her.
“Not only can I catch you, but I can assure you, you would never want me to ever let you go,” he replied.
She smiled, her eyes sparkling, her hips pushing into his in a sweet swirl that h
ad his head spinning.
“Are you telling me you want me forever, Ace Armstrong?” she asked with a teasing smile. “Has your brother’s wedding given you ideas?”
He knew his eyes must have shown the terror those words held for him, because Dakota laughed. He lifted his hand, giving her a smack on her delectable butt cheek. That only made her grin more.
