Dark Promise. M. L. Guida

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      Sizzling beneath his gaze, Cassandra jumped out of her chair, whacking her knee on the table. “Crap.”

      She half-limped back to the coffee table to refill her cream-colored cup, but she stole a glance at Mr. Yummy. With his tight blue jeans hugging his long legs, his long black hair falling across his shoulders and tight sweater, all he needed was a Harley Davidson and he could be a sexy hell’s angel. He got up and she jerked, splashing hot coffee on herself and the counter. “Shit!” She waved her hand. “Shit, shit.” She wiped her burning hand on her pants. Hoping no one noticed, she grabbed a cloth and mopped up the spill.

      Turning around, she bumped into a hard wall of muscle and staggered backward. Someone grabbed her, steadying her. “Are you all right?”

      His deep brown eyes mesmerized her. Her knee throbbed but she couldn't care less. His firm touch sent tingles through her and he smelled of cinnamon. She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it fast. She couldn’t help focusing on his wicked lips. An urge to kiss him, to see if he tasted like cinnamon swept over her. God, she was a snow bunny in heat. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see you.”

      “I doubt that,” he murmured. He released her arm, stepped around her and filled his cup. He sauntered back to his table like a black panther.

      The group of women wandered away from their table. She tried to maneuver between them and tried not to spill her coffee. The ladies cast admiring glances at the man as he sat at his table. He was honey to hungry bees.

      Lilly slurped her spoon. “Tall, dark and handsome. My favorite man candy.” She leaned close to Cassandra. “With those steamy looks, he could melt the snow outside.”

      Cassandra wanted to shake her, tell her to back off, and stake her claim, but she gripped her coffee cup tight to keep from strangling Lilly. “He’s the best looking guy I’ve seen for a long time, and I just slammed into him like a mindless snowboarder.”

      Lilly smiled. “Sure, you did.”

      “It was an accident. I swear.”

      Lilly lifted a forkful of eggs to her mouth. “Honey, you’ve haven’t been able to take your eyes off him.”

      “Neither have you.”

      “So?” Lilly shrugged. “If I had bumped into him, I wouldn’t have ran and hid like a scared fawn.”

      “I didn’t shy away.”

      “Then why are you talking to me and not to him?”

      Cassandra sipped her coffee, not wanting to argue with Lilly.

      Lilly glanced at dream man and gave him one of her seductive smiles. Men tripped over themselves to get to her wild gypsy looks, her long, curly black hair, violet eyes and high cheekbones. When she wanted a guy, he never had a chance.

      Cassandra sighed. She couldn’t compete. Not that Cassandra couldn’t get men. Then again, she wasn’t foolish enough to challenge Lilly either.

      Lilly tilted her head. “He keeps looking over here.”

      He leaned back on his chair and boldly held her gaze, not appearing the least bit embarrassed she caught him. A sinking pint of disappointment weighed heavy in Cassandra’s gut. Lilly’s charms must have captured him. She’d already lost. “Then go talk to him.” Her voice came out sharper than she’d intended.

      Lilly put her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her folded hands. “He really resembles the guy from your dreams?”

      “Just forget it.”

      “Cassandra, for months, all I’ve ever heard about is this man in your dreams and now he’s here, you’re ready to toss him into a dung heap like you’ve done with every other guy.”

      Too shaken to combat Lilly’s lawyer needling, Cassandra mumbled, “I haven’t tossed them.” She was too busy sorting out her feelings about mystery man. Did she have a chance with him? Could she talk to him without stuttering like a fool?

      “Yes, you have. Left a long line of piled broken hearts, including Luke’s.”

      “Give me a break? Luke?”

      “He told me he slept with Diana, because you wouldn’t. He’s never had anyone turn him down before except you.”

      “So, you want me to feel sorry for him?”

      “No, just understand him. He said he still cares about you.”

      Glaring, Cassandra folded her arms across her chest. “And you believed him?”

      “I don’t know. He’s such a player who could tell. But players do have feelings.”

      Was she talking about Luke or herself? Cassandra tapped her foot nervously on the floor, trying to decide whether she had led Luke on.

      Lilly. Lilly grew bored with the men she dated and was always on the lookout for some new conquest. “Look Cassandra. You and I have never competed for a guy for a reason.”

      “Yeah, I’d lose.”

      “No, honey. We’re friends. Besides, what makes you think you’d lose? You got Luke didn’t you?”

      “You wanted Luke?”

      Lilly shrugged. “Your friendship means a lot to me. If you want this guy…”

      Fear pooled in her stomach. Dreaming about the man was one thing. She had control in the dream, free to do what she wanted, but this, this was real. What could she say to the man? “Lilly, I don’t…”

      “You’re a liar. Now, go get him.”

      She froze. What if dream man didn’t want her? Luke would laugh, telling her she deserved it. “Excuse me?”

      “Come on, go on.”

      He was sitting reading the paper. No way was she going to interrupt him. Lilly would have no problem sliding into the empty chair next to him and getting his attention, but Cassandra broke out in a cold sweat just thinking about it. Her stomach growled.

      “I’m hungry.” She darted from the table.

      “Chicken.”

      Ignoring Lilly, she hurried to the buffet table, filled her plate with homemade waffles, fresh blueberries and СКАЧАТЬ