“Luc scored forty and slapped the darts in her palm. “The light sucks in here.”“No.” She smiles and took great pleasure in announcing, “You suck.”His gaze narrowed.Weeks of anger and hurt poured out of her and she said, louder than she’d intended, “And worse – you’re a whiner.”A collective intake of breath caught their attention and she and Luc turned and looked at the guys watching a few feet away.“Lucky’s gonna kill Sharky,” Sutter predicted from the sidelines.By taut agreement they both went to their respective corners. Jane shot and scored sixty-five. Luc scored thirty-four.“Now remind me. Why do they call you Lucky?” she asked as she reached for the darts.He pulled them back out of her reach as a slow, purely licentious smile curved his mouth. A smile that told her he was remembering her on her knees kissing his tattoo. “I’m sure if you think long and hard, you’ll remember the answer to that.”“No.” She shook her head. “Some things just aren’t that memorable.”

“You make me want to suck a bruise on you just to kiss it better.--Luc to Jane--”

“Mom," Nathan called to her.Daisy pulled her gaze from the tent and the fleeting glimpse of Jack's bare back, the smooth planes and indent of his spine, the sliver of the white elastic just above the blue waistband of his jeans..."Hmm?""What's a faaar ant?" he asked just above a whisper."Fire." She chuckled and shook her head. "Fire ant. They have a nasty bite that burns."Nathan smiled. "Well, why didn't he just say fire?""He thinks he did.”

“Forget it." She turned to the closed door of the bathroom. "Forget I said anything. I take it back." Just as she pulled the door open, he was behind her, slamming it shut. With one hand planted in front of her face, Max said next to her ear, "You can't take it back now." "Yes, I can." "No." He leaned his big body into her and shoved her against the door. "I heard you." His hot breath brushed her temple. "You love me Lola. I won't let you take it back. You can't ever take it back.”

“As he walked out into the North Carolina sunshine, Lola's hand in his, a smile curved one corner of his lips. Not so long ago, he'd stood on the burned-out bridge of the Dora Mae, thinking himself cursed with a beautiful underwear model and her sissy little dog. He'd always believed Lola Carlyle would be the death of him."We never did get around to watching Pride and Prejudice," she said, a teasing glint in her beautiful eyes.Yeah, she would most definitely be the death of him, but what a way to go.”

“His lids lowered and he brushed her cheek with the tips of his fingers. "What if I fall in love with you?" She turned her face into his palm. "You won't.”

“Stay away from me, Nick." She held out a hand to hold him off. He grabbed her arm and pulled her against his chest. "I can't," he said softly.”