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“Your feet too sore to dance?”

Quinn!

Brianna twirled around at the deep, rich voice that had elicited the teasing question. Drinking him in from his sexy lopsided grin to his shiny black shoes, she surreptitiously checked to make sure she wasn’t actually drooling.

Damn, he looked really good in a tux. Really, really good. “You’re asking me to dance?” She couldn’t believe it after the way he’d made it eminently clear he disliked her. Unlike the blonde he’d been pseudo-dancing with.

“I’ve wanted to dance with you all night. Finally got my best-man duties out of the way, and they just called out the last dance. It’s now or never.”

He actually sounded sincere. Go figure. “What happened to the blonde? You looked like you were having fun.”

Quinn shuddered. “I finally managed to peel her off and make my escape.”

He wasn’t getting off that easy. “After your behavior last night, is there any reason I should want to dance with you?”

He leaned in close. “Why not? I’d say we rather clicked, wouldn’t you?”

His gorgeous gray eyes searched her face closely and she felt as if he could see right through her, reminding her he’d seen her all but naked last night. She supposed she should feel embarrassed about that, but all she could think of was that it was too bad he hadn’t been naked, too. Both of them together. Bodies touching. Hearts pounding. Hands exploring.

Why not indeed?

When she didn’t answer right away, he continued his efforts at persuasion. “Come on, you know I stopped you from doing something you really didn’t want to do anyway.”

What was he, psychic? Damn him. But he had a point. And how the hell did he know that? Her fantasy of their naked bodies flashed into her brain again. If he were able to read minds she’d be in big trouble. “Maybe. But I’m not sure dancing with you would be such a good idea. After last night, it could be dangerous.”

Quinn chuckled. “Could be. You up to the challenge?”

Brianna flashed back to their hotter-than-Hades kiss and wondered if she was. She was damned sure interested in taking that challenge. More than just interested, actually. More like flat-out dying to.

In her work uniform of plain white shirt and black pants, she’d look pretty stupid dancing with a guy in a tux, but when the hell had she ever cared what anyone thought? Now was not the time to start. What she really cared about was seeing if those sparks were still there, and what better way to find out than by doing her own version of foreplay on the dance floor with Quinn.

Before she could utter a word, Wanda pushed her towards him. “Well, don’t keep the man waiting! He might change his mind.”

Quinn laughed. “Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere without Brianna.” He extended his hand to her. “You heard the woman, come on.”

Brianna broke out in a big grin. “I guess there’s no saying no to you, is there?” Not that she’d seriously had any intention of it.

She took his hand and his strong, tanned fingers engulfed hers, making her feel protected and taken care of. A dangerous feeling she avoided as a rule.

A frisson of electricity leapt between them. Yep, the sparks were definitely still there.

Their gazes snagged and she could have sworn she saw desire flash across his now-almost-black pupils. That had to be a good sign, didn’t it? Maybe Kayla was right and they did have the lust thing going for them, no matter what opinion he had of her. Definitely a good thing.

He threw her a rakish grin that tugged at some unnamable feeling inside her, and winked before turning and towing her along behind him, leaving her feeling slightly off-kilter from the gamut of emotions that had hurled themselves around inside her in the last twenty-four hours. Damn, but the man was potent stuff.

A little confused as they headed right past the dance floor, she was about to ask where they were going until she realized where he was leading her.

Oh, this was promising.

Following him through the middle set of French doors that opened onto a barely lit patio area, she tamped down a nervous giggle that threatened to escape. Or maybe it wasn’t nervousness, but rather anticipation. Yeah, that was it, anticipation.

No one else was out there and it gave an instant feeling of intimacy. An intimacy that could lead to some rather interesting things. She hid a grin and hoped it wasn’t too obvious what was on her mind.

It was a perfect summer night. Warm and inviting, with stars twinkling in the midnight sky. Nothing but the sound of crickets chirping and the music coming through the open doors to accompany them. And the sound of their breathing, because she was already breathing hard just at the thought of being held flush against Quinn’s rock-hard chest.

He folded her into his arms, pulling her close, making her feel warm and safe in his embrace. How did he do that to her? Twice in the last few minutes. And it sure as hell didn’t make much sense for her to feel that way with Quinn, especially after what had happened yesterday. But oddly, while most men made her want to assert herself, to make sure they knew she was fully in charge, somehow Quinn had the opposite effect on her. Against all reason, she trusted him.

Talk about nuts. Maybe she’d finally gone off the deep end. “Why, Quinn MacRae, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you have more than just dancing on your mind.”

She felt his chuckle more than heard it. “Maybe I do.”