Seven-Year Seduction

“Hello, Connor.”

He looked as handsome as ever. Better even, in his best-man tuxedo, when his usual uniform was well-worn blue jeans and soft flannel shirts. His hair was still barbershop short, no signs of gray in the brownish-blond strands. And his brown eyes twinkled as though he carried a secret no one else knew.

He did, of course. He knew what they’d done after the football game all those years ago, up at Makeout Point. She doubted he’d ever told anyone, though. She certainly hadn’t.

“Hey, Beth. I meant to tell you earlier that you’re looking good. L.A. must be treating you right.”

She nodded. He didn’t need to know about the small ulcer she’d developed from eighteen-hour workdays and a demanding clientele, or the antacids she kept in her purse for the occasional flare-up.

As far as the residents of Crystal Springs were concerned, she’d gone off to California and become a huge success. There was no sense in telling them things weren’t always as silver lined as they seemed.

“Would you like to dance?” Connor asked when another slow song began to fill the reception hall.

With him? Definitely not. She opened her mouth to politely refuse, but he already had his hand curled around her upper arm, steering her into his embrace, and her brother seemed more than willing to pass her off.

“Great,” Nick said. “You dance with Connor, and I’ll get back to Karen.”

“She’s got you on a tight leash already, huh?” Connor joked, throwing her brother a guy-to-guy grin.

“You should try it sometime,” Nick replied, tossing his friend an equally teasing smile before sauntering off.

It would have caused a scene if she’d pulled away and returned to the table at that point, even though that’s exactly what she wanted to do. Instead, she continued smiling and allowed Connor to put an arm at her waist, entwine his fingers with hers.

Because she didn’t have a choice, she slid her free hand up to rest on his shoulder. The heat of his body pulsed through the fine wool of his tuxedo jacket, setting her palm to tingling.

She muttered a colorful oath under her breath, annoyed that he could still have any sort of impact on her, even a purely physical one.

And that’s all it was—the physiological response of her female body to the nearness of such an attractive, obviously male body. Their shared history added to her body’s response, but it didn’t mean anything. Nothing at all.

“How have you been, Beth? I hear you’ve done well for yourself out there in la-la land.”

“I’m doing all right,” she said shortly. “And you?”

“Couldn’t be better. Nick probably told you the company’s doing well, keeping us both busy. Things slow down in the winter, of course, which is the only reason I’m letting him take off on this two-week honeymoon of his.”

He shot her a wide, sparkling grin. She didn’t respond.

“So what do you think about your big brother finally tying the knot?”

“It’s about time, I say. They’ve only been dating since they were in diapers.”

“Yeah. Makes you wonder, though, how much longer he’d have put it off if Karen hadn’t surprised him with her little announcement.”

“I don’t know,” Beth told him, trying not to get too drawn in to the conversation…or the warmth of his hold on her…or the lulling sensation of the music and moving around the dance floor with him. “I think Nick just needed an excuse to jump in with both feet. He’s been wanting to marry Karen since they were teenagers, but he had all those typical male fears and insecurities. They fell into a comfortable pattern after high school that kept him from having to put his heart on the line until now.”

Connor was still smiling, that stupid boy-next-door smile that reminded her of exactly why she’d moved as far across the country as possible after her graduation from law school.

“That’s awfully philosophical for a gal who spends her days reading contracts and suing production companies,” he remarked.

“Lawyers can be philosophical,” she volleyed back. “We just prefer not to show that side of ourselves during billable hours.”

Connor threw back his head and laughed at that, and Beth couldn’t help but laugh with him. She’d forgotten how infectious his sense of humor was. How his low chuckle or full-belly laugh washed over her like a warm sea breeze.

When the moment passed, she found herself dancing even more closely to him. He’d somehow tightened his grip and brought her flush with his tall, muscular frame without her noticing. He took the lead as they swayed to an old Air Supply ballad, keeping a firm grasp on her so she couldn’t slip away or even put space between them again.

Her breasts were pressed against his chest, and her damn, traitorous nipples began to pucker beneath the satin bodice of her lime green and hot-pink maid-of-honor gown. She only hoped he wouldn’t notice through the thick material of his own formal attire.

“Remember that dance back in junior high,” he said, “when your folks wouldn’t let you go unless Nick and Karen and I went along?”

How could she forget? She’d convinced herself it was a real date, while to Connor, it was nothing more than a favor for his best friend’s sister and her parents.

“We danced half the night just like this,” he continued.

Not exactly like this, she thought as his pelvis brushed against hers, making her stomach muscles tighten and heat pool thick in her veins.

“I even think they played this same song,” he said with a chuckle.

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.