Matt entered the dining room, and Luke gestured to the foot of the table. “Have a seat, Matt.”
Sarah threw him a scathing glare before returning to the kitchen. Becky hid a smile and seated herself to Matt’s right. “Sarah’s going to eat in the kitchen,” she reported. “She doesn’t want to join us.”
Luke cursed under his breath and pushed back his chair. “I’ll go get her,”
He found Sarah frosting a chocolate cake, humming beneath her breath. “You don’t belong in here by yourself.”
“It’s one thing for me to dine with you when we’re alone, quite another when you have guests.” She refused to meet his gaze and continued to frost the cake.
Frustrated, he grabbed her hand, startling her into dropping the knife on the kitchen counter. There was a glob of frosting on one of her fingers, and he drew it to his mouth, licking the sweetness away. “Come on, Sarah. I want you to have dinner with me. I want you to meet my brother. After all, if it wasn’t for him, you wouldn’t be here.”
Her eyes widened, and she stared at his lips with an intensity that made him dizzy with desire. Then she sighed and looked away. “I look a fright. I’ve been working all day, and I don’t have anything else to wear.”
“You look beautiful to me.” It was true, she always looked lovely in his eyes, but he understood her reluctance to dine with his family. Women took quite a store in outshining each other, and Becky was always immaculately turned out.
Sarah should never have to feel she didn’t measure up. He wished he had the right to buy her some new clothes. He wanted to spoil her rotten, give her all the things the war had taken from her. He could do so much for her, if only she’d let him.
She met his gaze and must have read some of his thoughts, because she relaxed. “All right. I’ll join you for dinner.”
