She didn’t remember the music from that night so many years ago, only the feel of Connor holding her as they shuffled back and forth in the middle of the darkened gymnasium. Her complete adoration for the boy of her dreams had been embarrassingly clear on her face, she was sure.
Thank God she’d grown up and moved on. She was beyond the starry eyes and stupid, love-struck glances of adolescence. She was strong, independent, and over him.
As soon as the thought passed through her mind, she knew she had to exert a bit of that independence and get away from him. She didn’t want to talk about junior high or high school. Or anything from their past, for that matter. Better to let those memories—not a one of them good for her—remain dead and buried.
Before the song even ended, she stopped cold and took a step back. He still held her hand, his other arm extended from her waist.
“What’s wrong?” he wanted to know, but he didn’t release her.
“Nothing. I just don’t want to dance anymore.”
“Then let’s take a walk.” His fingers clenched around hers for a moment before relaxing. “I’ll get us something to drink and we can go outside for a breath of fresh air.”
“Thank you, but no.”
“Come on. Just for a few minutes.”
She stopped trying to pull away from him then and simply stared him straight in the eye.
“Why?” she wanted to know, studying him closely. “Why won’t you let me go back to the table and leave me alone?”
For a second, he didn’t say anything. Then he gave a heartfelt sigh, letting one arm drop to his side, but keeping a grip on her other hand.
“Look, I know things have been weird between us the past few years. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that you do your best to avoid me every time you come home to visit your family, and I just thought that maybe we could talk. Clear the air a bit.”
Clear the air. As soon as the words sank in, her hackles went up.
If only life were that simple. If only a breath of fresh air and a few interesting stories about the good old days could wipe away all the pain, misery and anguish from that time in her life.
But they couldn’t, and she had no desire to dredge up the past. Coming home for her brother’s wedding had been difficult enough. Having a heart-to-heart with Connor was more than she could handle, more than she was willing to handle tonight.
She had been telling herself for years that she’d put him and everything that had passed between them behind her. Now seemed like the perfect time to prove it.
She yanked her hand from his, giving him no choice but to finally let go.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” she told him, leaving no room in her tone for argument. “Consider the air perfectly clear. Now, I’m going back to the bridal table to finish my champagne. And you should go back to your girlfriend.”
She cast a glance over his broad shoulder, toward the well-built blonde in a stylish burgundy sheath who’d been glaring at them for the past several minutes. “She doesn’t look too happy that you’ve been dancing with another woman.”
With that, Beth turned on her heel and walked away. She grabbed her empty glass and the fresh bottle of champagne from the table as she passed, deciding to catch that breath of fresh air, after all. Alone.
Three
Connor ran a hand over the top of his head, blowing out a frustrated breath. Well, that had gone just great.
He’d meant to smooth things over with Beth, try to repair their old but battered friendship, not piss her off all over again. Or even more, depending on how one looked at it.
And there had to be something seriously wrong with him to be staring at the tight curve of her bottom as she stormed away while she was so obviously annoyed with him and while Lori was watching.
He couldn’t seem to help himself, though. Beth had been an adorable kid, an attractive teenager, and now, as an adult, she was drop-dead beautiful.
He cursed himself for thinking it, for noticing her feminine attributes at all. She was his best friend’s sister and he was practically engaged to Lori, for God’s sake. Or at least, they’d been living together for the past three years, and he knew that was what she expected.
But he was a man, and as much as he might wish it otherwise, he wasn’t made of stone. Beth Curtis had eyes like the Hope Diamond—clear and bright and reflective. With one glance, she could either make him squirm or make him want, freeze him out or set fire to his belly and below.
She used to wear her chestnut hair in a ponytail or braid, but the older she’d gotten, the more she let it hang long and loose down her back. The wavy strands reminded him of the finest silk, and he wanted to run his fingers through them every time she was near.
And her body…man, her body had filled out like nothing he’d ever seen. Yeah, Lori was built. Tiny waist, long legs, big breasts. But her chest had been surgically enhanced, and as much as he’d enjoyed the benefits of that work, there was something about the idea of silicone or saline swishing around in there that turned him off. He would never tell Lori he felt that way, of course, but it was true.
Beth, on the other hand, was just as God had made her. And he’d done a damn fine job. She wasn’t model thin or tall, but he liked that. He liked the way her breasts filled that awful pink-and-green gown without looking fake. He liked the curve of her waist, the flare of her hips, the sweet little behind the cut of her dress alluded to. He even liked the slim expanse of her ankle, visible above the strap of her pink, three-inch heels.
And that was why he was going straight to hell.
He pressed a finger and thumb to his eye sockets, thinking—not for the first time—that he was either crazy or the unluckiest bastard around to keep getting into these situations. Beth was practically family, but he couldn’t seem to stop lusting after her.
Knowing he couldn’t put it off any longer, he dragged his gaze away from Beth’s retreating form and turned to face Lori.
Beth had been right, she didn’t look happy. Which meant he’d managed to piss off two beautiful women in one night. That was a record, even for him.
She was sitting at the table where he’d left her, arms crossed over her ample chest, legs crossed, top foot tapping angrily in midair. A pulsing, upbeat dance number shook the floor beneath their feet, but the music failed to permeate Lori’s sour mood.
Well, this should be fun.
He started toward her, but she leaped to her feet and met him halfway, fire brimming in her eyes.
“Hey,” he greeted her, smiling and trying to pretend he didn’t realize how upset she was.
“So that was her.”
“Who?” Connor cocked his head slightly, hoping he would catch another glimpse of Beth before she disappeared too deeply into the crowd. No such luck.
When he turned back around, Lori’s expression was even darker, brows drawn and lips pulled down.
“Her. She’s the one.”
“The one, who?” he asked, growing more confused by the minute.
“The one who’s keeping you from making a commitment to me.”
“Lori,” he began, scoffing at her accusation.
“No,” she cut him off. “I knew there was something going on. I knew there was someone or some incident you couldn’t put behind you, but I had no idea it was her. Your best friend’s sister.”
She said the last as though it was the gravest of insults, and Connor once again felt his insides tighten with shame.
She