A Very Daring Christmas (The Tavonesi Series Book 8) by Pamela Aares

he?
    “People should think through important moves in their lives, not react to impulse.” As she spoke, an impish grin lifted the corners of his mouth. She didn’t need his smile to tell her that she sounded like a schoolteacher.
    “In that case, start thinking through coming with me to El Segundo club tomorrow night.” He leaned a shoulder against the pole supporting the side of the judges stand. “I like dancing with you.”
    The loudspeaker blared out Dev Merchado’s name. She snapped her eyes to the ocean and watched Dev paddle through crashing waves. She felt Jake’s eyes on her. And felt the wave of want nearly swamp her good sense.
    Cameron raised the binoculars and trained them on Dev. He caught a well-formed wave, riding the power of the water and disappearing in a tube of blue. The crowd went wild when he popped out, spun his board and cut a path up the face of the wave. The judges scribbled madly on their score sheets.
    Jake nudged her playfully with his elbow. “There’s a salsa lesson just before the main band comes on. Think about it.”
    And she decided that there couldn’t be anything wrong with a night of dancing with Jake. Dancing was exercise, after all. And goodness knows she needed more. And it wasn’t like she was planning to hop into bed with him.
     
     

Chapter Seven
     
    Jake drove into a scrabble-filled lot and headed down the lane his GPS indicated, toward a rather dilapidated-looking warehouse. If it hadn’t been for the lines of cars already parked there, he’d have thought his phone had steered him wrong.
    He cursed under his breath. Aderro had told him to check out the club, that it was a hot LA scene. But he should’ve checked it out better before inviting Cameron there. This wasn’t a part of town for her to be navigating alone. But she’d been as bullheaded about bringing her own car and meeting him at the club as he’d been about insisting she let him give her a ride.
    He parked close to the lot entrance so he’d see her right off when she arrived. The lively rhythm of a Latin beat sounded as he stepped out of his rental car. He scanned the lot. Several couples dressed to kill were making their way to the door. Maybe the place wasn’t as dicey as his first impression had signaled. But even so, he leaned against his car and crossed his arms. He’d wait until she arrived. See her inside. Southern manners and growing up with a beautiful—and way too trusting sister—had run deep tracks in him.
    Not even five minutes passed before her nondescript white SUV nosed into the lot and headed straight for him. Instinct had him jumping to alert. And Cameron’s smile as she lowered the tinted window had his pulse firing to match his adrenaline level.
    “You the greeting committee?”
    “Making sure no riffraff get inside,” he said.
    She smiled. “Then I’d better head back home.”
    He opened her door and offered his hand to help her from the car.
    She looked up at him from under her dark lashes. “Well, aren’t you the consummate gentleman?”
    If she knew what he really wanted to consummate, she wouldn’t think him a gentleman. But wasn’t that what they called restraint? When you wanted something so bad but listened to your higher self and did the right thing instead?
    Dancing. They were going dancing. When he’d called that morning, she’d made it quite clear that dancing was all she was interested in doing. Sure, she’d done it subtly. But her message had come across loud and clear.
    Dancing was as good an activity as any to kick off a date. And where would it lead? Well, he was a gambler, even though he’d sworn he would give up the games in the new year.
    But as Cameron slid her legs around to exit the SUV, he got a very good look at the short knit dress that hugged her every curve. He wasn’t so sure he was interested in what his higher self had to say anymore.
    He took her by the elbow. “Watch the ruts,” he cautioned.
    “Flats, Jake. No