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She smirked. “Wow, that’s almost diplomatic.”

He let out a low huff of laughter. “I’m trying to watch what I say after yesterday.”

That was more disappointing than his answer. “Please don’t. I might look fluffy with my hair and my sweaters but it doesn’t mean I’m soft or overly sensitive.” She sighed. “Yesterday you hit a raw spot because decorating the tree with Colin was a very special part of Christmas for me, probably the best part. I was upset to think he didn’t enjoy it.”

Luke exhaled heavily, one of his big hands going to scratch the back of his neck. “He did.”

“Yes.” She accepted now it was no less special that Colin had loved decorating the tree because he’d loved watching her enjoy it. Because he’d loved her. She blinked away the threatening tears. “I had a wobble but I’m not weak. You don’t have to be careful around me. I can take whatever you want to dish out.”

A sharp nod of his head. But when he reached towards her face and plucked at another small strand of her hair, his touch was so gentle, her heart tripped.

“Unique,” he said gruffly. “In a world where most women follow the trends, strive to look similar, your hair stands out.” His eyes found hers. “In my book, that’s a good thing.” Before she had a chance to analyze the tumbling feeling in her belly he shifted away and put one foot on his board. “First one to fall off makes dinner.”

* * *

Luke knew he’d live to regret his challenge, but he’d had to say something to distract from the way he’d basically blurted out how much he liked her hair.

He could almost see Colin shaking his head at the clumsy compliment. Unlike his friend, who’d charmed women with ease, Luke had quickly learned he was better saying very little. He’s the strong silent type, Colin would laughingly tell the inevitable group of women his friend had attracted on their nights out.

Add rusty to his list of female charming deficiencies, and Luke knew he wasn’t going to sweep any woman off her feet.

He especially wasn’t going to sweep Anna off her feet. Even if he wanted to—and the jury was still out on how he felt on that one, though he couldn’t deny he felt something when he was around her, when he watched her when she thought he wasn’t looking. Even if he wanted to explore his pull towards her though, he couldn’t, wouldn’t, for more reasons than he had fingers. She was Colin’s sister. She was grieving and vulnerable right now. They rubbed each other the wrong way most of the time. He had another twenty-one days after this one to get through to fulfill Colin’s last wish—he couldn’t do anything to fuck that up. Then there was the fact he didn’t know what he was doing with his life. Finally, and most important of all, Anna was a good person, a nurse for God’s sake. Luke wasn’t even good enough to lick her boots, so the whole did he want to sweep her off her feet point, was moot.

Beneath his feet, the board wobbled—or was he the one wobbling? In the videos he’d watched this morning, because he’d not wanted to make an arse or an ass of himself, it had looked simple. Now he was on the damn board though . . . was he supposed to bend his knees? Where was his center of gravity meant to be?

Crap. He stumbled off the board, remembering at the last minute to grab it before it went flying off.

A beat later, Anna, knees bent, rolled smoothly past him. “You’re making dinner!”

“I didn’t fall, I bailed.” That was the technical term, wasn’t it? It wasn’t like his arse had hit the deck.

“Still counts!” She yelled.

She wobbled and he grinned in satisfaction, but as he watched the board pick up speed, his heart flew into his mouth.

“Anna.” He started to run towards her, dread pooling in his stomach as her foot slipped from the board.

He watched in horror as she fell off and crumpled to the ground.

“Christ, please tell me you’re alright.” His heart pounded as he crouched down next to her.

“I’m alright.” She winced. “I think.”

His pulse slowed to something nearer normal. “Can you get up?”

He reached out a hand. As she grasped it, as her fingers curled around his, his pulse rate shot up again for an entirely different reason.

One tug and she was on her feet. Unbalanced, she lurched towards him and he grabbed her shoulders to steady her. “Okay?”

This close he could see how clear and make-up free her ivory skin was, could count the freckles dotted across her nose. If he wasn’t careful, he’d become dazzled by the sparkling blue of her eyes, lost wondering how soft her natural pink lips were.

Swallowing hard, he forced his gaze over her shoulder to where her skateboard had come to a stop at the other end of the park. “Take a seat.” He waved over to the bench. “I’ll grab your board.”

“Bossy.” She dusted the dirt off her brown faux fur jacket. Hell, she looked like a blue eyed, freckle faced, teddy bear. “Was there a please in there somewhere because if there was, I missed it.”

“I’m the one doing you a favor,” he pointed out. Wrong thing to say.

Her chin jutted. “I can pick up my own skateboard, you know. I’m not entirely useless.”