over her shoulder.
“I’m impressed,” he murmured, the rich texture of his voice and the smell of his cologne driving her crazy. “You sure know how to plan one hell of a party.”
She shrugged. “I enjoy it.”
“I like that about you.” His dark eyes met hers when she looked at him. “Work hard. Play hard.”
She stared at his lips, wondering what it would be like for him to kiss her. If she rose to her tiptoes she would only reach his chin. He’d have to bend a little to kiss a woman her height.
Or save himself the trouble and date tall models like the ones she’d seen leaving his house in the mornings.
She’d be climbing into her Rover to head to work and there they were, rushing to start their day. Willowy, beautiful women with kiss-swollen lips, dazed eyes, and big grins. They’d wave and call out a cheerful greeting as they practically danced to their cars. Abby always wondered what it would be like to wake up next to Shane. Was he amorous in the mornings? Would he reach for her, make love to her, ride her deep and slow with lazy expertise until she began her day with a wondrous orgasm?
“Where’s your friend?” she asked, wincing inwardly at the breathlessness of her query.
“Tony’s girlfriend works until closing tonight, so they’ll be over a little after ten.”
“Your friend’s a guy?”
Shane’s brows lifted. “Yeah. I hope that’s okay.”
“Sure.” Relief flooded her, quickly followed by anxiety. She didn’t know which was worse-Shane arriving with a date or hooking up with someone at the party. Lord knew the female guests would be all over him. “I just thought you were bringing a date.”
“I’m not seeing anyone right now.”
“Oh.” She looked away to hide her pleasure at the news, then busied herself with ripping open candy bags. She dumped the contents into various Halloween-themed serving bowls, and Shane stood beside her, helping. Together they managed the task within moments, then moved on to setting up the spiked punch with a big block of dry ice tossed in to create an atmospheric fog.
“I bet you’re great to have around for the holidays,” he said with an indulgent smile. “My idea of decorating is tying a red bow to the doorknocker.”
“No lights?”
He raised a finger to his lips in a gesture for secrecy. “Don’t tell anyone, but I keep the lights up all year long. They’re clear rope lights, so no one notices them until they’re pointed out.”
Abby laughed. “That’s cheating!”
“Hey! Some of my buddies only hang one string around their living room windows, if that. I should get some points.”
“Maybe.”
“I’m a guy. I need help with this stuff.” He bumped shoulders with her. “Maybe I can convince you to help me out?”
She shook her head. “You won’t need my help then.”
“Trust me,” he said dryly. “I’ll still be a guy in December.”
She bumped him right back. “Yeah, but you won’t be a single guy. Your new girl can domesticate you.”
“I guess.” He ran a hand through his hair. “So what’s next on the list?”
“My table.” At his curious look, she explained, “I’m a fortune-teller, so I have a table and crystal ball as part of my costume.”
“Ah, props. Again, I’m impressed.”
The doorbell rang, and they both froze, then they turned their gazes in unison to look at the wall clock.
“Wow, time flies,” he said with a wink, setting his hand at the small of her back and escorting her to the door. The familiarity was agonizing for Abby. The feel of Shane’s palm against her bare skin made sharp needles of awareness spread along every nerve ending.
They reached the foyer and he turned the knob, startling Kayla and her date, who waited on the porch. “Well, don’t you two look cute? I love it when couples wear matching costumes.”
Narrowing her eyes in warning, Abby showed her guests to the living room, where the stereo played a repeating selection of Halloween CDs. Various entertainments were set up in the corners, like bobbing for apples and a box where guests had to stick their hand inside and guess the contents. She hurried back to the entryway as the bell rang again, and found the next hour of her evening spent shuttling partygoers from the door to wherever the largest congregation happened to be.
She was finally taking a break and downing a glass of punch when Shane joined her in the kitchen.
“Having fun yet?” he asked with a mischievous smile.
“Are you?”
“Why don’t you tell me my fortune and find out?”
Abby laughed. She knew he was enjoying himself. The female guests flocked to him like flies on honey, and his deep rich laughter followed her wherever she went.
“Come on.” He took her empty paper cup with its black cats in witches’ hats and tossed it in the trash before linking fingers with hers and tugging her into the living room. There, in the corner, waited her small, scarf-draped table and two chairs. Shane pulled her seat out and saw her settled, then he rounded the table and sat, waiting expectantly.
“You’re kidding,” she said.
“Nope.”
“Okay.” She rubbed the crystal ball with both hands. “I see lots of home sales and a life-size plastic snowman in your yard at Christmas.”
“Now who’s cheating?” He leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms, displaying his scrumptious arms to perfection. “I want to know,” he murmured in a low, provocative voice, “what does my future hold?”
Startled by the tone of the request, and thrown off-balance by the way he was watching her with those heavy- lidded eyes, Abby blurted out the first mystical-sounding thing that popped into her head. It wasn’t until he froze, unblinking, staring at her with brooding intensity that she wondered what she’d said.
“A lover to awaken your darkest desires?”
She recoiled into the seat with a hand clapped over her mouth. “Uh…”
“Are we talking about your desires or mine?”
“Gah…”
Shane unfolded, leaning against the table in a way that opened his vest and revealed the beauty of his powerful chest. “Are you, by chance, hitting on me, Abby?”
Swallowing hard, she shook her head violently. “Of course not.”
He arched a dark brow.
“Seriously,” she insisted. “You’re not my type.”
His other brow rose to match the first. “How would you know?” he challenged.
“How does anyone know? You just…know.”
“That’s not very scientific.”
“Huh?” Her brain couldn’t seem to catch up with the conversation. She was supposed to be reading his damn fortune. “You’ll become very rich and live happily ever after.”
Pushing her chair back, Abby rose and skirted the table. Shane was right there with her.
“Oh no,” he rumbled, sidestepping into her path. “We’re not done yet.”
She swallowed hard and tilted her head back to look up at him. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. Just forget I said anything.”
His slow smile made her shiver. “No.” Lifting his hand, his fingertips brushed from her shoulder to the hollow of her throat in a featherlight caress. Goose bumps flared across her skin. “You say I’m not your type. I say I might be.”
Her mouth fell open.
“Honey, you’re hell on a man’s ego.” He cupped the back of her neck, wrapped an arm around her waist, and tugged her closer.
Abby was so shocked by his advance she didn’t know what to say. Then he brushed his lips across hers, and
