The Renegade Returns (Mill Town Millionaires) (5 page)

FIVE

W
hy did going to dinner at a friend’s house spark uncomfortable butterflies in her stomach? Avery had been to Blackstone Manor many times before, but this felt different.

Yes, Luke would be here. Yes, he had invited her. But it was a family dinner, for goodness’ sake.

In all the years she’d been coming to Blackstone Manor to see Christina—and even before that for social events as a teenager—Avery had always been greeted at the door by the Blackstone butler, Nolen. Tonight the heavy door with its lion knocker swung back to reveal Luke.

As a concession to the cooling night air, he wore khakis with a smooth, deep blue polo shirt that made his amber eyes almost glow in contrast. His blond hair, longer than his twin’s, was stylishly disheveled. He’d probably just dried it with a towel, applied a quick comb and been done. His casual good looks took her breath away.

Avery always felt like she was trying too hard. She’d give anything for a set of yellow scrubs right now, instead of her casual black jeans and thin gray sweater with a bright blue argyle pattern down the center. At least then she’d feel more in control than she did right now, with him eyeing her from head to toe. Professional distance might be the only thing to save her sanity in the face of this undeniable draw to Luke Blackstone.

Heaven help her.

As jitters set in, she eyed the door frame while she approached in an effort not to catch it with her shoulder.
Careful.
Luke’s grin widened just a touch, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.

Then—
oompf
.

Avery stumbled over the doorstep, tripping as momentum propelled her forward until she landed right in Luke’s outstretched arms. He mumbled something. She wasn’t sure what, because her senses narrowed down to the warm, spicy scent of his skin and the heat of his hands as they rested against her back. He pressed her closer, making her feel at once safe and unbridled.

Then reality returned. She jerked upright, only to be held in place by his embrace. A sneaking glance found his amber eyes filled with laughter.

“Are you trying to throw yourself at me?” he asked.

As if she could coordinate her limbs to do that on purpose.

She searched for her strictest voice. “I was simply testing your stability. That’s all.”
Oh, could this floor open up and swallow me?
Her heart raced as his hands inched back until they rested on her upper arms.

He wasn’t quite convinced. “Uh-huh.” Then he fingered a strand of her hair. “Gorgeous.”

Startled, she remembered this was one of the few occasions she’d worn it completely down. A ponytail was a necessity for work, especially with the thickness of her hair. For most formal occasions she wore an elegant, upswept hairdo because it kept the thick mass out of her face and she could accessorize it with jeweled combs and such. But tonight, facing the mirror and seeing the same old, same old, she’d opted to leave it loose around her face.

Suddenly a masculine voice filled the foyer. “Master Luke, is that the proper way to answer the door?” Nolen asked. His voice remained completely deadpan, but Avery could swear his knowing eyes twinkled.

She stepped back, only to hear Luke’s cane clatter as it fell to the floor. “Oh, no,” Luke said as she bent to sweep it up. “That was most improper of me. I should be fired, Nolen. On the spot.”

Turning toward the butler, Avery smiled. “Completely my fault, Nolen. I’m so clumsy sometimes.” Even now her knees shook. She couldn’t tell if it was from her almost-fall, or from being close enough to sniff Luke Blackstone. His clean, warm scent lingered on her clothes, though it seemed as though she hadn’t been close nearly long enough for that to be possible.

“A gentleman never lays the blame with a woman,” Nolen said. “Welcome, Miss Avery.”

“Thank you, Nolen.”

“Yes,” Luke murmured. “Welcome.”

How could just the tone of his voice make her every cell sit up and beg for attention? The simple words were spoken low and smooth. But his sexy, teasing tone lingered over her, becoming absorbed within the earlier sensations and fogging her brain for a moment.

With a quick shake of her head, she carefully stepped forward, following Nolen through the breezeway into the front parlor. Another fall would be too embarrassing for words. She could feel the emotions burning on her fair cheeks. Hopefully it wasn’t too noticeable as she hugged Christina in greeting.

Tonight should have been like any other night that she’d joined the Blackstones for dinner. Casual conversation among friends. Mary’s wonderful food and fine wine. But as they chatted, then moved into the elegant dining room and were served, a constant awareness hummed beneath Avery’s skin.

It didn’t help that Luke seemed to have developed a fascination with her hair. She caught him studying it more than once, with a sort of longing on his face that made her breath catch. Even when Luke wasn’t paying her direct attention, the feeling remained. What would he do if she actually responded to his teasing with interest? Would he run for the hills? Laugh?

Kiss her?

She shouldn’t think like that. It would never happen. Not for a girl like her. He simply liked to joke and play games. She was something to alleviate his boredom. That’s all. Instead she tried to focus on the conversation flowing around her.

The Blackstone brothers began talking about the horrible incidences of sabotage that had threatened to put Blackstone Mills out of business over the last year. Avery had closely watched the drama unfold, along with the rest of the community.

She couldn’t help asking, “Do you think it’s over? Or is someone just waiting out there for another opportunity?” That thought sent shivers over her, though she was far from the target. How could someone in their community work so hard to tear the very people who supported it apart?

“Let’s just say I’m cautiously optimistic,” Aiden said, though he wore a slight frown that fit his dark good looks. “We’ve been without a major incident for two months now. Since the cotton crop debacle.”

Avery remembered the widespread gossip and panic when Zachary Gatlin, now the Blackstones’ head of security, had flown the plane that sprayed the majority of the county’s cotton crop with defoliant long before it was ready. He’d maintained his innocence, stating he’d been framed by someone who had secretly switched out the chemicals in the tanks, but small towns bred distrust.

Jacob shook his head. “This lull makes me suspicious. Worried. I have a feeling whoever did this isn’t done yet.”

Though he and Jacob looked a lot alike, apparently Luke had his own opinion that fell somewhere in the middle. “Maybe he figured out we’re gonna fix whatever he breaks, instead of abandoning the mill or the town. Might as well hit the road, Jack.”

The other two didn’t look convinced. Neither did Christina, but she said, “Worrying about it won’t help. We have to keep living, keep working, while continuing to implement the tightest security we can for now. If we let our guard down, one of our employees could pay the price.”

Or one of us.
The words were unspoken, but even Avery could feel their impression. Whoever the saboteur had been, he’d struck out at each of the Blackstone brothers in turn. Almost fatally in Aiden’s case, when an attempt to burn down his sculpting studio occurred with Christina trapped inside. Avery looked at Luke, and prayed he wouldn’t become another target in whatever game this crazy person was playing.

“Thank goodness Zach agreed to put his military training to good use,” Jacob said.

“Amen,” KC said. “Now, can we talk about something more pleasant, please?” Jacob’s fiancée handed their son, Carter, over to his dad so she could dig into her lasagna without baby fingers in her plate.

“What do you suggest, my dear?” he asked in a sotto voice that earned him a raised eyebrow.

But Christina quickly filled the gap. “How about the Christmas dinner and dance?” she said, a pleading look coming over her elegant features. “Avery, you must help. Taking this event from the country club to the civic ballroom and opening it up to the public has increased interest by leaps and bounds. Which is great for fund-raising, but not so great on its organizers…” Her voice trailed off as she and KC shared a look.

KC nodded, a crease appearing between her eyebrows. “Especially since one of those organizers has never done anything fancy before. I’m much more comfortable with county fairs and hoedowns.”

“It’ll be fun,” Christina reassured her friend. “I promise.”

And it would be. Avery always had a good time coordinating the fund-raisers that helped sustain and build their community. A new playground. School support. A new building for the senior center. They were fun and helped her feel like she was contributing something worthwhile, like her life meant something more than her just working day in and day out. But she couldn’t help wondering if—when—there would be something more.

“I’m trying to talk Lucas into helping me with a little side project,” Christina said.

Oh, this sounded interesting. Luke’s glare across the table told Avery how he felt about it.

“No,” he said. “I’d be horrible.”

Christina had her protests all lined up. “Why? You’re great in front of a camera, with your hundred-watt charm. You’ve got experience from being interviewed many, many times. Heck, this would even be scripted—sort of.”

“Sort of?” Luke’s brow shot sky high. “You want me to appear on camera with a dozen or so little kids. How the heck is that gonna be scripted?”

The other brothers laughed. Avery suppressed a grin of her own. Luke always appeared one hundred percent comfortable in front of a camera…but with a bunch of kids? That seemed like a recipe for disaster. She didn’t know a single child that was predictable.

Christina leaned forward against the edge of the table. “It’s to help with the fund-raising efforts for the new pediatric ER. Imagine how much exposure we could get statewide with you on the screen.”

“I realize I’m a handsome devil,” Luke conceded with a smirk that quickly disappeared. “But, no.”

Avery happily stepped into the fray. Having something to tease Luke about was fun, since it was usually the other way around. “Come on, Mr. Big Shot. Surely you aren’t afraid of a few grimy fingers and wet diapers?”

The incredulous look he shot her sent her into giggles. She had this mental image of Luke standing tall while dozens of kids swarmed him from all sides, climbing him like he was a mountain. Talk about an adventure.

“I’m not good with kids,” he insisted. “I barely know what to do with this one.”

He gestured to little Carter, sitting proud in his daddy’s lap. As if realizing all eyes were on him, the little boy gurgled. The sound and his golden curls were sweetness overload.

“Well, you better figure it out quick,” Aiden said. “We’ll have another here soon for you to practice on.”

For just a moment, the light reflecting off the hundreds of crystal teardrops on the chandelier was too hot, too bright for Avery. Then the room erupted into smiles and congratulations as Christina glowed with happiness. Avery thought that was the biggest grin she’d ever seen on Aiden’s face. The normally stoic businessman only softened around his wife, but he’d soon have another reason to let down that infamous guard.

As Avery watched the family rejoice, she couldn’t help but compare their happiness to her own barren life. She had friends aplenty, but no one to go home to. No life events on the horizon. She looked at Luke, so full of vitality despite his accident and all the hard work he had to do just to return to normal—and wanted a taste of that experience.

Surely she deserved a little taste.

But she wouldn’t get even a nibble in Black Hills. After all, Luke wasn’t a wedding-and-babies kind of guy. Why should he be? A baby meant roots, staying put, not a lifetime in perpetual motion. It was a reminder Avery needed, but it still made her sad. Why? She couldn’t say, but the feeling lingered.

“Luke, you’ll be a great uncle…again,” Christina said.

He would. Luke could charm the warts off a toad. Even when it was a tantrum-throwing toddler. Even if he didn’t know it yet.

Just like he charmed her, no matter how many times she hid behind her professionalism. She’d wondered earlier if he would run screaming if she responded in kind, teased and flirted instead of trying to steer him back on a straighter road.

Maybe it was time to shuck the scrubs and embrace an overload of adventure.

* * *

Luke could almost feel the moment Avery decided it was time to leave.

KC and Jacob had excused themselves earlier to put Carter to bed. They didn’t always stay at Blackstone Manor, preferring the privacy of KC’s little house closer to town, but tonight they were using their suite on the third floor.

Conversation between the remaining four of them slowed. No more exciting baby news or community improvement plans, thank goodness. Seated so close to her on a couch in the front parlor, Luke felt tension creep over Avery. Her shoulders pulled up slightly and her hands rubbed against her jeans along the front of her thighs. Even though his brain said to let the evening come to its natural end, the rest of him didn’t want her to walk out the door.

He stood, leaning nonchalantly on his cane as he faced her. “Walk with me.”

“Oh, I should probably get going.” Avery avoided his gaze, but also didn’t look at Christina or Aiden. Obviously she hadn’t registered that his statement wasn’t a question.

Since he wasn’t the type to go all caveman, he forced himself to play the hated invalid card… “I kinda figured my physical therapist would encourage me to walk, keep from stiffening up and all—”

Her delightfully creamy skin flushed from collar to cheekbones. “Oh, right.”

Those funny nerves that hit her from time to time made an appearance, leaving Luke afraid she might trip again. But he could see the professional mask cover her expression as she consciously slipped behind it. She could think she was in control all she wanted—until he was ready for her to know otherwise. Would he ever get her to relax with him? For him alone?