The furious sparks in Luke’s eyes matched the ones sizzling in her body. He took a step closer, and she gasped as he tore open her robe and exposed her flimsy costume.
“Look at what you’re wearing,” he said, his voice low, menacing.
She swallowed as his gaze roamed over her body, as those gray eyes focused on her chest and the cleavage spilling over the corset. Then his gaze lowered to her legs and she swallowed harder. Everywhere he looked, she burned. Hot flames licked at her skin, and her knees began to wobble.
Get it together!
Right. She wouldn’t give him the upper hand. She wouldn’t let a silly old crush make her back down.
“You can’t tell me you don’t like what I’m wearing.” Her tone challenging, she arched her back, knowing very well her chest jutted out as she did so.
He glanced at her breasts, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he gulped. “I hate what you’re wearing,” he muttered.
She moved her barely-clad body inches from his. “You’re saying you don’t like seeing a woman in a skimpy outfit?” She twisted her mouth in a smirk. “From what Josh told me, you like your women with as little clothing as possible. So what’s the problem?”
Luke’s mouth set in a tight line. “The problem is my best friend’s kid sister is dancing practically naked in front of strangers.”
Kid sister.
Of course. That was all she’d ever be to him, wasn’t it?
She took a step back and closed her robe. “I’m old enough to make my own decisions. And if I choose to dance practically naked in front of strangers, I damn well can.” She scowled. “You can take that message back to my brother.”
“I already told you, I’m not leaving without you.”
“And I already told you, I’m not going anywhere.”
Their eyes locked, and she refused to back down. She knew Luke was a stubborn man—annoyingly so—but she was just as stubborn. And she wasn’t going to allow him to force her into anything.
“Ellie.” He sighed. “Don’t be difficult.”
“I was born difficult.”
She saw his mouth twitch, as if he wanted to laugh, but she knew he wouldn’t. Luke was the king of cool, always had been.
“You’re really starting to piss me off, Ellie.”
“What else is new?” She paused. “You might as well go now. You’re just wasting your time. I’m not leaving.”
“Fine.”
She lifted her eyebrows. “Fine what?” Suspicion tugged at her stomach. Luke Russell didn’t give up this easily. He never gave up, actually.
“Stay,” he said lightly.
“Really?” She couldn’t help but wonder if maybe this time he would let it go. Maybe this time he would stop being so pigheaded and let her live her own life.
“Sure. Stay.” He shot her a lazy grin. “Should we have dinner tonight, or tomorrow? The sign outside says the first show finishes at eight and the next one doesn’t start ’til ten, so we have time if you want to go now.”
“Huh?”
“Tomorrow, then.”
“Aren’t you going to leave?”
His grin widened. “Nope.”
Of course it wouldn’t be this easy.
“Luke, be logical. You have a job, a life. Maybe even a girlfriend—” she snorted, “—although I can’t picture that one. You can’t stay here.”
“Why not? I’m between assignments right now.”
She tried to keep the desperation at bay. “You won’t convince me to go back.”
“Like I said, as long as you’re here, I’m here. Deal with it.”
He looked so positively smug that she wanted to throw something at him. Why couldn’t he and her brother just leave her alone? Why couldn’t they let her lick her wounds in peace?
“Go home, Lucas.” Her voice came out as a whisper.
He held her gaze, smug, satisfied, stubborn. “Not until you do, Elenore. Not until you do.”
Chapter Two
The next evening, Luke finally worked up the nerve to call Ellie’s brother. The call went exactly as he’d expected.
“She’s doing what?”
Luke held the cell phone away from his ear, afraid if Josh yelled any louder, his eardrums would burst. He hadn’t expected the guy to be pleased with the news, but there was no need to roar.
“Why didn’t you drag her off that stage?” Josh sounded livid.
Luke grinned to himself. “Drag her? She would’ve ripped my eyes out.”
“Better you blind than Ellie stripping in front of strangers.”
“She wasn’t stripping. She was dancing. Just not ballet.”
“Listen to me, man, you need to bring her home right now.”
“I’m working on it,” Luke said in a calm voice.
He raked his fingers through his dark hair and stared up at the neon sign blinking over the front doors of the club. Damn, he didn’t look forward to going back in there. Seeing Ellie in that skimpy costume again.