tugged at her full lips, and she continued to eye him, looking thoughtful, mischievous. And then, never once breaking their gaze, she ran her hands down Enrique’s chest and proceeded to dance her way down his hips, until her face was inches from his crotch.
Luke shot to his feet.
Too far. Ellie knew she’d crossed the line the second Luke jumped from his chair and marched toward her and Miguel. Fire flashed in his gray eyes, filling the room—and her body—with a rush of heat.
She fought against the heavy thudding of her heart, gathering up confidence she didn’t have and wishing she’d never decided to take this course of action.
“I need to talk to you.” Luke’s voice was rough, tinged with danger. He didn’t once glance in the direction of Miguel. Didn’t ask permission, just grabbed her arm and began leading her across the dance floor.
Her pulse quickened at the feel of his warm hand against her bare arm, but the brief desire-filled reaction dissolved into anger as he dragged her through the bar.
With a helpless glance over her shoulder, she silently pleaded with Miguel to step in, but her date looked too stunned by Luke’s macho display to move.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she hissed as Luke led her out the door of the club and into the humid night air.
He didn’t speak, just tugged on her arm again and directed her to the alley next to the Dancehall. Darkness enveloped them, but the inferno still raging in Luke’s eyes was enough to light up an entire city street.
“You’re playing with fire,” he hissed back.
Playing with fire. There it was, that phrase again.
She took a step back, her back against the brick wall, hoping to put some distance between them. Hoping her heartbeat would slow. But Luke only moved closer, until his denim-clad thighs pressed against hers.
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing.” His hard gaze made her legs shake.
“I’m not doing anything.” Her squeaky reply sounded unconvincing and they both knew it.
“Don’t test me, Elenore. There’s only so much a man can take.”
Heat spilled through her cheeks. What was he saying, that he wanted her? No, that couldn’t be true. He didn’t want her, never had. Teasing him was supposed to make him head for the hills at top speed, not turn him on.
So why did he look turned on right now?
His silver-gray eyes continued to glimmer, with anger, heat. Lust. Dear God, lust. And as he stepped closer, pressed himself against her, Ellie felt the unmistakable hardness of his body.
“I’m on a date,” she whispered.
“Bullshit. You’re putting on a show.” He chuckled, low and menacing. “For me.”
The hard ridge of his erection brushed over her pelvis, and shockwaves singed each and every nerve ending in her body. A dull ache settled between her thighs. Her breasts grew heavy, her nipples hard. The dark alley seemed to grow even darker, until shadows danced over Luke’s head, making him appear dangerous and seductive at the same time.
How had this happened? How had she gone from the seductress to the seduced?
“Luke…” Her voiced trailed off, the sound of his name coming out in a breathy whisper.
“Don’t Luke me.” His eyes narrowed into two dark slits. “You came here tonight to get to me, Ellie.”
“No.” Liar.
He dug his fingers into her arm, eliciting a swarm of shivers in her skin. “You wanted to make me jealous. That’s why you were rubbing yourself all over that guy. Isn’t that right?”
She swallowed hard before finding her voice. “Is there a reason you’d be jealous?”
Uncertainty flashed in his eyes, and the brief show of weakness gave her the confidence to continue.
“I’m Josh’s little sister, remember? Nothing more. So why would you be jealous? Why would the sight of me rubbing against another man make you this crazy?”
His body tensed. “You’re playing games with me, Ellie.”
She held his gaze. His face hovered over