His hand shot out to snatch a roll, nearly knocking over his iced tea in the process. Acting on pure reflex, he saved the liquid from spilling too much, then placed the roll to the left side of his salad bowl. Hands shaking, he lifted his fork, laid his napkin in his lap, and found the edge of the bowl with his left hand as a guide. Finally, he speared some salad and popped the leafy greens and savory chicken into his mouth.

“You’re doing well,” Lily observed. “I don’t know why you’re so afraid.”

He swallowed his bite. “I’m dealing.”

“Bullshit, you’re hiding.”

“Fuck you.”

“Only if you’re lucky.”

“I don’t need luck, sweetheart.”

“I’m not your sweetheart any more than I’m your honey.”

“You think? We’ll see about that, won’t we?”

Silence descended. One heartbeat, two, three.

Lily burst out laughing. Real, honest laughter. So infectious that Jude’s mouth started to quirk. Dammit, he couldn’t hold on to his foul temper if he wanted. He gave up and joined in, shaking his head.

“I must have looked like a jerk, huh?”

“Nah, you’re cute when you’re in a snit,” she said.

“Good God, I haven’t been called cute since I was ten.”

“Really? Because you’re pretty good at acting ten.”

“Lily dear, the only thing about me that comes close to ten is in inches.”

She choked on something, recovering quickly. “You wish!”

“Dirty-minded woman, I was talking about my bicep.”

“Uh-huh.”

They ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes, until Jude realized something. “How did you do that?”

“What?”

“Manage to put me at ease, make me forget about how much I’d been dreading sharing a meal with someone other than Liam?”

“No trick. There’s really only two ways to distract a man that a girl needs to know-tick him off or make him horny.”

“Or feed him. That’s three.”

“True. But under the circumstances, that one didn’t count.” Laughing softly, he resumed his meal. “Tell me about yourself,” he said between bites. “Are you close to your family?”

“I have none,” she said shortly. And didn’t volunteer more.

If anyone could understand the reticence to discuss the folks, he could. Since he’d opened the subject, he offered a bit of himself. “Me, either. At least none who care to claim me. I’m the son of a whore and her john, and the red-light district was my playground. The one bright spot was my pop, Mother’s dad. He lived with us because he had nowhere else to go and wouldn’t have left me anyway, and I was glad. As I grew older and Pop died, my mother’s hovel-no, the entire city-became a prison I couldn’t wait to escape.”

Gentle fingers stroked his arm. “And you succeeded.”

“One would think so.” A sudden surge of emotion almost blocked his windpipe. “But you know what I’ve learned? All prisons look the same in the dark.”

“Jude,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

God, what had made him admit the one depressing truth he hadn’t even been able to share with Liam in his blackest moments?

Her hand traveled down his arm to his denim- clad thigh and rested there. Her sweet scent, her nearness, drove the wayward spurt of self-pity back into its lonely corner. Her palm burned him right through his jeans as she slid it to the inside of his thigh, very near the telling bulge.

Was she being bold? Or coy? Secretly smirking at his predicament? Lily was a blank page, and his hands itched to find out.

“May I look at you?” Putting his fork aside, he skimmed the back of her hand resting on his leg, up her arm, gratified to feel her tremble slightly at his touch.

“Yes, by all means.”

Encouraged, he moved his chair to face her direction. Reaching for her legs, he was surprised to encounter dainty bare knees. “Spread your legs and scoot closer.” As she complied, the insides of her thighs resting on the outsides of his, he was tantalized with the unmistakable musk of her arousal. It chipped at his control as he began his exploration.

He ran his palms up her thighs slowly, pleased by the feel of toned skin over solid muscle. This woman, however petite, was no weakling. She pushed her body and he found that sort of discipline damned attractive.

Above midthigh, his fingers reached the edge of a skirt and he was tempted to stray underneath. But not yet. He continued his journey to her middle instead, finding a lightweight blouse untucked and riding high, and he couldn’t resist spanning her tiny waist with his hands. Moving upward to her ribs.

“Your skin,” he prompted softly, so as not to dispel the sensuality developing between them. “Are you pale, or tan?”

“A healthy golden tone. I tan easily, though I prefer not to. When I lay out, I wear sunscreen.”

“I’m glad. You will be as well, years from now.”

Her breathing quickened as he brushed his thumbs just underneath the curve of her breasts. He longed to touch them, but held back again. He wanted her straining for his hands, her body begging even if she wouldn’t.

Next, he found her slim shoulders and explored the column of her neck, the curve of her jaw. Carefully, he probed her cheekbones and forehead, discovering the sharp structure of her small face. Stronger and bolder than he’d expected.

Her brows were thin and smooth, her lashes long and feathery. “What color are your eyes?”

“Brown and large. My father always said I had doe eyes.” Affection and a smidge of sadness bled into her voice.

He chose to pursue the past-tense reference to her father later. Much later.

She remained perfectly still while he brushed her full lips. Her mouth was a little wide, generous, and he wondered what those lips would feel like wrapped around his cock. With any luck, he’d find out soon enough.

He found the shell of her ears, so delicate. Then he forked his fingers through her hair, delighted to find the tresses long and silky.

“My hair is jet- black,” she offered, anticipating his question. “Do you like what you see?”

“Oh, yes. Very much. But there’s still a couple of pieces missing from the picture,” he said, fingers trailing to her collarbone. Dipping to the vee of her blouse.

“Then why don’t you complete it?”

Taking the husky command at face value, he freed the buttons of her blouse one by one. Parting the material, he slid it off her shoulders and gently cupped her breasts. They just fit his palms, small, the pert nipples stabbing him insistently. With a half smile, he plucked them, loving her throaty groan. The way she scooted forward, arching into him.

“Do you always go braless, pretty Lily?”

“Most of the time,” she said, breathless. “I have little to put in one.”

“Mmm. I think you’re just right, and I like the idea of you bare underneath your clothing.”

“Then you’ll love the fact that I despise underwear.”

“Fuck, yes.”

“Please…”

He knew what she craved. Had known since he heard her cry out in her room, driven to self-pleasure. His fully revived cock throbbed in his jeans, begging to be loosed from its confines and buried deep in her pussy. Preferably from behind, with her long hair wrapped around his wrist, clutched in his hands.

Soon. For now, he wanted to satisfy her just enough to leave her writhing for more.

“Sit on the edge of your chair, sweetheart.” She did, and this time voiced no protest at the endearment. He figured it prudent not to point that out.

One hand continued to tease a tight nipple while the other sought the mound at the apex of her thighs. As she claimed, he found her absent of panties, and her sex…

“Christ, yeah,” he murmured, rubbing the tender folds, already slick and hot for him. “I’m a fan of naked skin, especially here. Triples the sensations.”

“Jude.”

Lily clung to his shoulder, moaning, her body vibrating under his attentions. So responsive. He swirled her clit, picturing her spread for him, pink pussy glistening, black hair cascading all around her. It was nearly enough to make him come without touching himself.