Lovers at Heart (The Bradens, Book One: Love in Bloom Series)

Chapter Six, Lovers at Heart

Chapter Six

HUGH AND HIS date, Nova Bashe, a comically tall, impossibly skinny Swedish swimsuit model, were flanked by photographers as they made their way into the party. Hugh looked back with a shrug and a wave. Treat was glad to be out of the limelight. Max didn’t strike him as an after-party type of woman, and the last thing he wanted to do was hang out with drunken celebrities. He planned to hide in the shadows and keep an eye on his sister.

“Thanks for coming with me. I knew I could count on you,” Savannah said, looking gorgeous in her gold minidress.

“Why aren’t you with Connor Dean?” Treat asked, swirling the liquor in his glass.

“Are you kidding? He’ll have a whole entourage. I’m off duty when he’s out drinking. I can’t be held responsible for his liquored-up state, even if that’s when he gets in the most trouble. He gave me tickets, of course, but I gave them to the girls in my office. Now, they’re the kind of girls who love this stuff.”

“So, why did you want to come then?”

Savannah looked around, and then pointed across the room.

Treat followed the line of her finger and there, in the dim light of the nightclub, stood Max.

“See you later, big brother.” Savannah kissed his cheek and disappeared into a crowd of people off to his left.

Treat couldn’t take his eyes off of Max. There she was. He’d blown it once, and he wasn’t going to blow it again. His heart started that thunderous dance again, and he took a step in her direction just as she lifted her eyes and connected with his.

Damn, she was gorgeous. Her hair looked so full and sexy. He wondered what it would feel like to run his fingers through it. What does it smell like? What does she smell like? What does she taste— He stopped himself from taking that thought any further. The muscles in his legs tensed as he crossed the dance floor. He ignored the gyrating bodies, never taking his eyes from hers, afraid that if he did, she might not be there when he looked again.

She held a drink between both hands. She bit her lower lip as he approached, and his body reacted instantly when she released her lip and ran her tongue along the corner of her mouth.

Two more steps and he’d be close enough to touch her. One more step, and the same rush of perfume she’d worn at the resort assaulted his senses, sending a thrill through his chest. 

“Max,” he said.

She didn’t lower her eyes the way she had at the resort. She narrowed them in a heated stare.

He drank in her revealing dress, the way it hugged her hips and plunged so deeply between her firm breasts that it made him want to lick all the way from her neck to her belly button. Stop. That’s not what you want with her, he reminded himself.

“Treat.” She ran her eyes seductively down his body, then brought her drink to her lips. She took a sip and licked the alcohol from her lips while dropping her eyes to just below his waist, where they lingered.

What happened to the shy girl who couldn’t hold my gaze?

“What are you doing here?” Her eyes trailed slowly back up.

His pulse raced and he grasped for words. “Um, I…My brother.” He took a drink and then began anew. “My brother had extra tickets. I came with him and Savannah.”

She looked around the room.

“She disappeared into the crowd,” he explained.

“Who’s your brother?”