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“Oh.”
Jane looked around, hoping to appear casual and not panicked like she felt. All around them people were laughing and talking and generally making merry.
“So…” she said.
“So…” Bradley repeated.
He glanced at his watch, then at his empty cup. “I’m getting a drink refill. Need anything?”
“Whiskey straight with a Valium chaser.”
Brad blinked at her.
“Just kidding,” Jane said, mentally kicking herself for the lame attempt at humor.
“Oh, ha ha. Nice talking to you.”
Jane chewed her lip and contemplated following him. No, that would definitely appear needy. Maybe he’d come back and sit beside her. She watched as he got another drink and went to stand with a group of guys talking sports. Apparently he wasn’t coming back.
She got the feeling someone was watching her, and when she looked over at another clump of guys in the foyer, she spotted Luke. When their eyes met, he made a move as if he was going to come over to her, but then one of the triplets appeared.
“Janie, hon?” It was Heather. “Do you think you could help the caterers out? They’re one person short, and they need someone to bring around hors d’oeuvre trays.”
Jane would have laughed if anyone else had asked. But with Heather, it was just assumed that her big sister was equivalent to the hired help.
“I’ve developed an allergy to finger foods.”
Heather frowned without a single crease forming in her forehead. Jane suspected her little sis was paying regular visits to the plastic surgeon—for preventive measures, of course.
“But, how could that be?” None of the triplets had ever developed the ability to detect sarcasm.
“The allergist said it’s from overattendance of parties, probably. One too many trays of miniature wieners, and I’m scarred for life.”
“Oh, wow. I’ll see if cousin Lily can do it.”
Heather hurried off in search of their wallflower cousin, and Jane occupied herself with a plate of finger foods.
She tried to look as though she didn’t care that she was sitting alone. After a few minutes, Bradley came back and took a seat next to her again, but he was accompanied by a friend of Heather’s, some girl who’d been in the Miss Texas pageant with her, judging by her perfect proportions.
Time for a bathroom break, she decided, or maybe a speedy escape out the bathroom window. No one would know she was missing until the bartender went home and they needed someone to fill in.
Jane slipped into the bathroom and shut the door. Was she ever going to learn not to make an absolute fool of herself in front of Bradley? The answer to that question clearly seemed to be no.
She switched on the light and looked at herself in the mirror. This was not how she imagined the night going, with her huddled in the bathroom feeling sorry for herself because Bradley had forgotten her name and failed to show interest in her lackluster attempt at conversation.
Before she could even react to the sound of the door-knob turning, the bathroom door popped open and Luke stepped inside.
“Excuse me, I’m trying to get a little privacy here.”
Luke shut the door behind him and locked it. “Private enough for you now?”
“As soon as you leave, it will be.”
He stood disconcertingly close, peering down at her with those inscrutable eyes. “What were you doing out there?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” Jane tried to move around him to get some air, but he held out his arm and pinned her against the bathroom counter.
If all her female parts hadn’t come alive with a rush of blood, she would have protested, but as it was, she just stood there, stunned to silence.
“You were panting after Bradley Stone like a lovesick puppy. Is he your idea of a real man?”
Oh God. Had she really been that obvious? Jane did a mental replay of her attempt at conversation with Bradley and realized with a sinking feeling that Luke was possibly right. Still, he didn’t have to point it out.
A sense of righteous indignation rose up and overshadowed her embarrassment. The jerk.
“Um, none of your business, and I am not a lovesick puppy.”
He suppressed a smile. “Okay, if you say so.”
Jane started to protest, but he edged closer, and she fell silent.
How could one human being generate so much heat? Jane felt as though she might spontaneously combust if she didn’t put some space between herself and Luke fast. All her pent-up longing for Bradley must have been redirected at Luke for the moment, because she had the sudden urge to grab him and kiss him senseless.
And that was not going to happen. Was it? He was so close, and she was so, so, so…horny.
