She turned toward him in the narrow hallway, and their hip bones collided.
She wiggled.
And he widened his stance.
Her apple green cotton skirt twisted and teased between his blue-jeaned thighs. He held her so tight, the pearl buttons on her yellow silk blouse dimpled the soft leather of his black vest.
Her nipples puckered.
Something other than his keys poked her belly.
Heat migrated south. “You . . . you’re not—”
“Thinking with my dick? Damn sure am.” He gripped her bottom. “Stop brushing unless you want me.”
Want him? A man who no doubt called out his own name during sex? She stilled, clenching her teeth until her jaw ached. “I don’t want you at this party.”
“I’m not going to ruin anyone’s fun.”
Her fun was already ruined. “Just leave. I’ll tell Addie you remembered a previous engagement.”
“My only commitment’s to you, sweetheart. My entire evening’s free.”
She flattened her palms against his chest, pushing him back. “Are you for real?”
“I can be real, given the right incentive.”
She thumped his shoulder. “If you twitch one more time—”
“Sorry, twitching’s beyond my control.”
His hands stroked up and over her butt before he set her away from him. A room opened left off the hallway, and he ducked across the threshold. Afraid he’d steal the family silver, Eve followed. She caught him adjusting himself.
“Better now.” He took two deep breaths and looked up. His interest was instantly held by the hundreds of framed photographs that drew the viewer into the lives of Liv and Stephan Hannah. From black-and-white to color, the pictures captured their extreme sports. Photos of Taylor’s adrenaline highs were also scattered throughout.
Sloan admired a picture of Taylor waterfall ice climbing. “A lady and her icicles. Not many men would challenge life as she does.”
Only Brek Stryker had dared. “Taylor’s in a league of her own.”
“Your sister’s fearless.”
He continued to circle the room, a room done in shades of sage and lemon sorbet, everything soft, warm, and inviting. As he closed in on one particular corner behind a green-and-gold paisley couch, Eve moved to intercept him. She snagged his arm and attempted to tug him beyond the next cluster of photographs.
The man was not to be tugged.
“This you?” He studied a picture of a young girl on horseback. “Damn, you’re pale as a ghost.”
“It’s a black-and-white photograph.”
“I can sense your fear.”
Eve bit down on her bottom lip. She hated opening her life to this man. “I was eight. My parents thought I’d enjoy horseback riding.”
“They were obviously wrong.” His eyes narrowed sharply. “You’re holding on to the saddle horn for dear life.”
He hadn’t yet noticed her tears—
“You’re crying.”
The man was too observant.
“You’re bawling here too.” He’d moved on to another photograph, one that pictured Eve clinging to her father’s leg after riding the Matterhorn at Disneyland.
“I’m not a fan of roller coasters,” she said stiffly.
He moved to the next picture. “Appears you weren’t a fan of Santa either.”
Eve knew the picture. At age four, she’d been petrified of the red-suited man with the white hair and beard. His merry, “Ho, ho, ho” had stood her hair on end. Tears had flowed. The elves had given her nightmares.
He ran his finger along the frame of the next photograph. “Nor did you enjoy climbing trees.”
The big oak in the backyard. She’d climbed two rungs on a ladder that led to a tree fort when she’d stopped, afraid of heights. Taylor, at her back, had pressed her shoulder into Eve’s bottom and pushed her another notch. Taylor was all laughter and fun, whereas Eve wanted nothing more than to feel the earth beneath her feet. Her expression shouted, Get me down.
She cringed as he took in the next photo. “You running from a duck?”
“It was at a petting zoo. I ran out of sunflower seeds, and the duck was still hungry. He came after me. Nipped my heel.”
He lifted a brow, the corners of his mouth itching to smile.
“I was five, and the duck outran me. The bite hurt.” Her face hot, her hands clenched, Eve drew herself up. “Can we move beyond my crying corner?”
“Bad memories?”
“All memories with my family were good. Some were just more stressful than others. Even though I wasn’t athletic, competitive, or an adrenaline junkie, I was never left out of family functions. There were times my parents and Taylor held back because of me. Eventually I chose to stay with Addie when they traveled.”
“You and Addie are close?”
“Close as mother and daughter.” He’d learned enough about her, she decided. Eve nodded toward the door. “Let’s go.”
“Go, as in joining the others? Or go, as in I’m supposed to leave?”
“Can I get you to eat and run?”
“No man hurries through a steak.”
He moved to stand before her, a broad-chested man who weighed about two-ten before the appetizers. Holding out his hand, he requested, “Date me for two hours?”
“Not for five seconds.”
“Your grandmother thinks we’re a couple.”
“Whose fault is that?”
He let his hand drop. “I think fast on my feet. It seemed right at the time. You don’t want to disappoint Addie, do you?”
“I don’t want my name linked with yours.”
“Why the hell not?”
“You have a three tattooed on your groin.”
“For you, I’d go four dates.”
“Give up, McCaffrey. I don’t like you.”
“I like myself enough for both of us.” He shifted his stance, ready to move on. “Where can I find Taylor?”
He’d rather be with her sister. Eve’s heart squeezed for six surprising seconds. “Taylor’s on the patio,” she told him. Retreating to the hallway, she pointed to the sunshine-hued tiles. “Follow the yellow brick road. Twenty feet and you’ll bump into her.”
“Where will you be?”