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And it wasn’t just reassurance he was hanging on for now. It was for the connection, for simply the feeling of Holly’s soft skin beneath the roughened calluses on his hand, for the quickened beat of her pulse against his thumb. He could feel the heat rising in him as he looked into her eyes. Any minute she would break contact, move away as she always had. Always—but once...
But she didn’t. She stared straight into his gaze. And whatever they had been talking about blew right out the window in the face of the desire he felt for her.
“I want to kiss you.” He couldn’t stop the words, only knew them for the truth they were. “You know that, don’t you?”
Her cheeks went red, and she shook her head rapidly. “No!” She took a quick breath. “Not a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“Because...because I said no.” She wouldn’t look at him.
“Afraid I won’t follow through?” Lukas pressed. “Or that I will?”
She jerked away from him. “Stop it!” She crossed the room, put the desk between them.
“There’s something between us,” he told her. “Don’t tell me you don’t feel it.”
She looked away, shook her head vehemently. “Can’t you ever take no for an answer?”
“I can,” Lukas said. “But I want to know you mean it.”
She flicked a glance back his way. “I mean it.” She thrust out her jaw defiantly.
He drew in a slow, careful breath. “Okay.” He let the word out just as slowly. He had pushed her before and look where that had got him. Never let it be said that Lukas Antonides didn’t learn from his mistakes. “We’ll take it slow.”
“We won’t take it at all,” Holly said fiercely.
He raised a brow. That was what she thought. She was back in his life now. He wasn’t letting her walk out again without a fight. But he could afford to take his time—for a little while at least. But it went against all of his instincts. He felt like a panther trapped in a birdcage, trying to play by the canary’s rules.
Holly apparently took his lack of a verbal reply as acquiescence. She rubbed her hands together as if she were trying to erase the feel of his fingers wrapping hers, then gave him a bright determined smile. “Well, I’m glad we understand each other. About...about everything,” she added lamely.
Lukas dipped his head. Let her take it however she wanted.
“Thank you for...understanding about the kids. If you change your mind and decide not to go every week—”
“I won’t.”
The firmness of his tone must have got through to her. “Well, then, good. I guess,” she added awkwardly. “I should go.” She was already edging toward the door.
“Why?”
Holly looked confused. “Why what?”
He shoved his hands into his pockets. “Why go?” He glanced at his watch. “It’s almost five. We could grab an early dinner.”
“I’m going to Althea’s for dinner. And Stig’s. Have you met Stig?”
Lukas shook his head. “Which one is he?”
“The fourth. And final,” Holly said. “I believe in Stig.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Lukas had heard occasional stories about Matt’s sister’s marital adventures from Matt. Since Matt’s death he’d only caught the occasional rumor passed on by his mother. It didn’t sound promising.
“You’ll believe if you ever meet Stig,” Holly assured him. She started toward the door again.
“What time’s your dinner?”
“Seven. But I should get there early.”
“At five?” Lukas gave her his best skeptical look.
“I need to call my Realtor. She’s showing the condo now at this very moment to some lunatic film director.” She shook her head. “A location scout saw it last week and thought it might be a good movie set. As if.” She gave a small laugh.
“It’s got a view.”
“I’ve had a dozen prospective buyers come through since I’ve put the place on the market, and I haven’t had a single offer yet.” She looked a bit despondent. “I don’t mind if the condo doesn’t sell right away, but I’d like an offer I can close on before I leave. The view won’t sell it,” she said, going back to the current issue. “Lots of places have great views.”
“Not this one.” Lukas gestured toward the vista outside the tall, narrow windows that gave them a bird’s-eye view of other buildings like his own. He was willing her to stick around, to let him get a toe in the door before she vanished again.
