The Danforths: Reid, Kimberly and Jake: The Cinderella Scandal / Man Beneath the Uniform / Sin City Wedding

Tina could only hope that someday she’d find that kind of love, too. That someday there’d be a man who’d look at her the way Jason looked at Rachel.

Remembering Reid’s kiss yesterday and the way he’d looked at her made Tina’s stomach flutter. She knew it was just physical between them, but that didn’t seem to discourage her thinking about the man constantly. If anything, it simply fueled the fire he’d lit inside her. Made her wonder what it would be like if he’d done more than kiss her, more than lightly brush his hands against her breasts. Her breasts ached just thinking about it, her skin felt tight and hot, and—

The room exploded with applause and cheers at the end of the band’s first song. Thank goodness, Tina thought, shaking off the tingling sensation that had been curling through her blood. That kind of thinking was only going to lead to more sleepless nights.

While the applause continued, Rachel grabbed Tina’s hand and squeezed. To say that Controversy had been well received was a bit of an understatement.

‘‘Isn’t he wonderful?’’ Rachel shrieked over the noise. ‘‘Isn’t he?’’

Laughing, Tina and Sophia hugged Rachel, then Sophia said, ‘‘I have to go say hi to someone. I’ll be back in a little while.’’

Jason started his next song, a slower, soulful tale of forbidden love. Couples melted together on the dance floor, swaying gently to the music. Tears in her eyes, Rachel leaned forward in her chair and kept her eyes on Jason. Why he hadn’t received a recording deal already amazed Tina, but she knew it was a tough business, that even the most talented singers and groups were often passed by. She hoped this would be Jason’s chance to make his dream come true.

At the touch of a hand on her shoulder, Tina glanced up. A man flashed dimples and a diamond earring stud. His build was lean, his biceps the size of tree trunks. He nodded toward the dance floor.

She hesitated, though for the life of her, she didn’t know why. She was at a club, for heaven’s sake. A nice-looking man was standing here asking her to dance. Didn’t she tell herself she was going to cut loose and have a good time?

So why was she so…uninterested? ‘‘Uh—’’

‘‘Sorry, pal, she’s with me.’’

At the sound of the deep, familiar voice, Tina snapped her head around.

Reid?

Maybe this wasn’t her lucky night, after all.

She watched the man who’d asked her to dance move away. Frowning, she looked back at Reid.

‘‘I am not with you, and that was very pushy.’’ She sipped from her water glass, wishing it were the wine she’d passed on earlier. ‘‘Maybe I wanted to dance with that man.’’

‘‘Did you?’’

Oh, why pretend? She was a lousy liar, and coy simply wasn’t her style. She shrugged. ‘‘Not really.’’

Grinning, he sat in the chair Sophia had vacated. ‘‘Hi, Rachel.’’

‘‘Hi, Reid,’’ Rachel replied without taking her gaze off Jason. She had a dreamy, faraway look in her eyes.

‘‘The wine you ordered, Mr. Danforth.’’ A cocktail waitress set a bottle of wine and three glasses on the table, then filled the glasses. ‘‘Can I get you anything else?’’

Tina didn’t miss the suggestive tone in the waitress’s voice. Or the lack of response from Reid when he shook his head.

‘‘What are you doing here?’’ she asked him when he handed her a glass of wine.

‘‘Same as you, watching the show.’’

She lifted a dubious brow. ‘‘Why do I have the feeling there’s more?’’

Reid slid a second glass of wine across the tabletop to Rachel, who didn’t notice. ‘‘Sophia invited Ian.’’

‘‘Really.’’ Why did he have to look so handsome in his black leather blazer and sage-green T-shirt? And why did her pulse have to do somersaults every time she saw him? Gathering her wits, forcing her hand to stay steady, she took a sip of the wine. ‘‘And you just happened to come along?’’

‘‘Actually, Sophia told Ian to bring me.’’

Wine nearly sloshed out of her glass when her hand wobbled. My own flesh and blood conspiring against me. Wondering where her dear sister had disappeared to, Tina scanned the crowd, then spotted Sophia standing with Ian at the back of the room. When Sophia waggled her fingers and smiled knowingly, Tina glared back.

The band slipped into another fast number, and with the music so loud, it was easy to avoid any kind of serious conversation for the next few minutes. What she couldn’t avoid or ignore was the proximity of Reid’s body. His aftershave was woodsy, masculine, and she resisted the animal urge to slide closer and draw the intoxicating scent into her lungs.

When the music shifted back to a slow number, he leaned in, making her heart skip when he brought his mouth to her ear.

‘‘With a voice like that,’’ Reid said, nodding at Jason, ‘‘why’s he working in a bakery?’’

‘‘The hours leave his afternoons and evenings free for writing and practicing with his band.’’ His warm breath on her ear made it hard to think. ‘‘Mostly, he stays because of Rachel. They can see each other every day, and manage to sneak in a little private time, too, especially when my mother’s not there.’’

‘‘So your parents really don’t know what’s going on?’’

Tina shook her head. ‘‘My father’s kitchen is his own little world, and my mother—’’ she sipped at her wine, then shrugged ‘‘—well, her vision is skewed by her aspirations.’’

‘‘What aspirations are those?’’

With the wine cooling her nerves and Reid’s voice warming her insides, Tina felt herself relaxing. ‘‘To see Sophia and Rachel married into prominence and wealth, and at least one grandbaby on the way. That’s the real reason she bumped my restaurant and rented the space to your family. She sees the campaign headquarters as a hunting ground for potential husbands.’’

‘‘What about you?’’ Reid asked. ‘‘Doesn’t she want to see you married, too?’’

‘‘Heavens, no.’’ The laugh in her throat quickly faded when she realized that if she moved just a smidgen, Reid’s mouth would be touching her neck. The very thought of it made her shiver and inch away. ‘‘It doesn’t matter that I’m twenty-four. I’m her baby. She doesn’t think of me that way.’’

He shook his head slowly. ‘‘You’re no baby, Tina.’’

Something in Reid’s voice, in his eyes, something dark and smoldering, sent heat pulsing through her veins. Was this a game to him? she wondered. And if it was, did she want to play? It would be dangerous and very foolish and she’d lose. She hadn’t the experience or the skill to take on a man like Reid.

She’d be the one left hurting, she was certain of that. Was that a chance she could take?

Before she could even consider her answer, he’d already tugged her to her feet and was pulling her toward the dance floor. And when he drew her into his arms, she wasn’t thinking at all.

The song was slow, smooth, as sexy as it was soulful. Her body molded to Reid’s, and they moved as one. They were close, a blending of soft against hard. Even if she’d wanted to, she couldn’t have pulled away. She cursed the fact that she didn’t want to. She could have stood like this forever with Reid, her head on his shoulder, his arms tightly around her.

But there was no forever, not with Reid and not with the song. When it ended, she sighed and lifted her head.

‘‘Come home with me.’’

Her breath caught at his words. Her heart drummed. Come home with me. It would be so simple to leave here with him. To fall into his bed. She was certain it would be a night to remember.

But nothing would be simple tomorrow. She was just as certain about that, too.

While the dance floor began to clear and the band left the stage for a break, she imagined what it would be like. No man had ever made her feel like this before. Made her hot and cold at the same time. Made her ache. Made her yearn.

She needed space. Standing here, with Reid still holding her, she couldn’t breathe, let alone think.