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Exactly half an hour later, there was another tap on the door. “Anna?”

“Yep.” She cleared her throat and tried again. “I’m here.”

“Thought you might have fallen asleep,” came the dry response. “I’m ready when you are.”

“Be right out.”

Why did her belly feel stuffed full of butterflies? Why was her pulse racing a million miles an hour?

When she pulled open the door, she saw exactly why.

Luke Harris, in a black turtleneck sweater and dark charcoal grey jacket.

The butterflies woke up and began a crazy dance. And that was before she saw the flare of his nostrils, the flex of his jaw. Looked into his darkening eyes.

Hunger. Raw, sexual hunger.

“Wow.” He gave a deep swallow and looked her up and down in a way that sent a shiver of awareness through her. “You have legs.”

Feeling giddy she lifted one and waggled it. “You know I do. It’s why I was so good at ice skating compared to you.”

Keep it light, she told herself. That way she could hide how deeply affected she was by his obvious admiration. Hopefully also hide how much she desperately wanted to kiss his freshly shaved cheek, his well-defined mouth. Slide her hands inside that jacket, under that chest-hugging sweater and feel how hot his skin was.

His eyes flared. “Whatever you’re thinking, you need to stop,” he told her roughly.

Arousal pooled between her thighs. “What if I was thinking which coat to wear?”

Hot green eyes narrowed on hers. “Were you?”

“Err, no.” He was right, now was not the time to start this conversation. She pushed a smile onto her face. “But it is a relevant consideration.”

He slotted a hand into the pocket of his dark jeans. “You look stunning, Anna.” The expression on his face softened, becoming almost tender. “You’ve done Colin proud.”

She swallowed down the lump of emotion. “You don’t look too bad yourself. Clearly you found a jacket.”

“Yes. Shall we go?” He held out his arm for her, then swore. When she glanced down, she saw him rip a label from the cuff.

Slowly it dawned on her what he’d done. “You dashed out to buy a jacket?”

He avoided her eyes. “I didn’t have one here.” He scratched at the back of his neck. “And you said you’d put a dress on.”

He’d gone to buy one so she didn’t feel stupid. Enormously touched, and extra glad she’d not changed, she leaned into him. “Thank you.”

He smelt divine, the sandalwood waking up all her hormones. Or maybe that was just him.

He gave her a long, lingering look, his gaze dipping to her mouth like he was wondering whether to kiss her. Just as her lips began to tingle in anticipation, he cleared his throat. “We should go.”

Again, he held out his arm. She inhaled a deep breath to calm the butterflies and slid her hand through it.

The butterflies flapped their wings more crazily than ever.

* * *

Colin was torturing him.

There was now no doubt in Luke’s mind that his best friend was looking down on him, laughing his ass off. See my sister? Help her through this month, get to know her, enjoy her company . . . but make sure you don’t get too comfy. Okay, he’d made the last one up, but his mate had never been backward at coming forward. If Colin had wanted him to get together with his sister, he’d have pushed the idea a long time ago.

But I’m here with her now.