His gaze drifted to her mouth and felt the tug of lust that had him bringing her flushed against him.
The lazy look changed, turning intense, sending shivers along her spine.
Abby tried to steady her breathing, feeling every inch of his hand pressed firmly at the small of her back. The music thrummed through her, but it was nothing compared to the heady sensation of being so close to him.
She told herself to focus, to keep her wits about her, but Kincaid's presence was overwhelming, his nearness blurring the world around them into a dizzying haze. Even as she tried to convince herself to be cautious, she couldn't deny the electric pull between them.
"What's your name?" His usual finesse had deserted him as he felt himself drowning in her gaze.
"Abigail Blake. Abby." She had to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat.
"Well, Abigail...Abby." His eyes crinkled in amusement, and she had the awful feeling he was laughing at her. "Why haven't I seen you around before? By the way, the name is Kincaid, but people who're close to me call me Cade."
His eyes smoldered as he walked his fingers gently up and down her back.
Run! The word screamed into her brain and had her jolting.
"Well?" His voice was pitched low, soft, seductive and practiced. He had been playing this game since he was thirteen and was an expert. She didn't stand a chance.
"Where have you been?" He could smell her perfume. Something soft and floral that suited her perfectly.
"I just graduated college." She hated that her voice sounded hoarse and she was trembling.
"Really?" One thick brow lifted as he stared at her. "What did you study?"
"Literature." The song ended and she told herself that it was relief she was feeling instead of disappointment.
"Why don't we go somewhere private?" He kept his arms around her narrow waist, a persuasive look on his face.
"No. I..."
"To talk. You can tell me more about your college experience."
Ignoring the looks they were receiving, he nudged her towards the entrance. "The gardens are lovely here." Signaling for her coat, he waited until it was brought over and draped it around her shoulders.
Taking her hand, he led them away from the busy front entrance and wound his way around a side entrance that led to a garden bursting with the scent of flowers in full bloom.
Moonlight spilled across the flagstone path, painting silver shadows on the ground as they walked. Abby's heart beat a frantic rhythm, every step making her more aware of the quiet intimacy settling between them.
The hush of the garden, interrupted only by the gentle rustle of leaves and distant laughter, wrapped around them like a secret. For a moment, she let herself imagine what it would be like to trust him, to surrender to the warmth in his voice and the promise in his touch.
And called herself all sorts of fool. Her parents would surely wonder where she was, and Andre would be dispatched to find her. She was their little girl still, even though she was an adult.
Tonight, as for shaking off the shackles of childhood, it was time to become a woman.
With that in mind, she decided that a harmless flirtation with a gorgeous man was just the way to go about it.
"I love flowers." She sighed as they strolled along the narrow path that led to a fountain spewing water into an intricately carved porcelain basin.
"Do you?" Turning her to face him, he tilted her chin up and studied her face under the moonlight. "You have the most beautiful eyes."
"How many more have you said that to?" She might not be sophisticated, but she was not a fool.
"Several." His smile came slowly, sending heat spiraling through her body. "And I have even meant it most of the time. This time I do."
His thumb pressed on her bottom lip and watched as it opened to reveal white teeth. "Little Abby." He whispered. "I should send you back inside and tell you to run."
"Why don't you?" She was caught up in the magic, her heart pounding painfully. Her nipples were already reacting to his touch.
