Free Always a Lady by Sharon Sala

receiving.
    "Sorry, sis," he said. "I guess you need to come back home more often and give us a refresher course on manners. There's too many men living in that big old house alone."
    "That's not my fault, brother dear," Lily teased. "I still can't fathom why four perfectly healthy men haven't been able to find just one woman between you. You're either all awfully selfish and set in your ways, or there's something you guys haven't told me about your choice of life-styles."
    Case burst out laughing at the look of indignant shock that flew around the table. Lord, it must be nice to have such a family! And he wished with all his heart that he was a part of it.
    "I don't think any of us have anything to apologize for," Cole muttered. "We just haven't found the right woman yet, just like you hadn't found the right man, Lily Kate. You know we all hated Todd 'The Bod' from day one. We weren't far off the mark on him, so there's still hope for us . . . and for you, too." Then he grinned and looked pointedly at the big man sitting to her left.
    Lily flushed and looked down at her plate. She knew they were right. She'd never guessed so wrong about a man in her life. And that was one reason she didn't trust her budding emotions about her boss, either.
    She glanced nervously around the crowded restaurant, smoothed at the bodice of the pink silk sheath she was wearing, and imagined that everyone was staring at her disfigured face. She breathed a tiny sigh of relief when she could see no one looking in their direction. She started to slide her hand up to her cheek when she remembered Case's warning and turned wide, green, shell-shocked eyes toward him instead.
    Sure enough, hot blue was watching her every movement as intently as a spider watches a daredevil fly. Glaring at his temerity, she tilted her head back in defiance, unaware of the seductiveness of the movement as the curls clouding around her neck fell down her back and over the top of the chair in which she was sitting.
    Case caught his breath as he watched her hair slide like hot honey over and down the furniture and wished they were somewhere alone. He'd take off every stitch of clothing she was wearing and clothe her in nothing but that abundant, glorious gold.
    Lost in thought, he almost missed it as Lily's father chided Cole for mentioning Todd Collins at all.
    "You didn't have to bring that up," Morgan said angrily.
    "No, Dad," Lily said. "It's all right. And he's right. What can I say? As J.D. always says, I was suckered."
    Case watched the hurt come and go in her eyes and wished he had the right to take her in his arms and heal the pain. But he didn't and had to satisfy himself with less.
    Lily caught her breath and let her mouth fall open in slight surprise as Case slipped his hand beneath the tablecloth, pulled the napkin from her hand, and threaded his fingers through hers.
    He'd known, even with all her laughter and teasing, that she was still hurting. He'd heard the bitterness in her words just as he now felt the anger.
    Lily looked up and saw the expressions on his face flash and flare as his work-roughened palm slid across her smaller, softer one, engulfing it in a strong, sensuous stroke of comfort.
    Morgan caught the look that passed between them and wondered if Lily was just getting out of one problem and into another. They knew little about Case Longren other than the fact that he was successful and hard-working and seemed to worship the ground Lily walked on. But Todd Collins had those traits and look what he'd done! However, there was one thing in Case's favor. He didn't seem to be aware of the long red scar down Lily's face. In fact, he didn't act like he even knew it was there.
    Morgan sighed. He knew that it did no good to worry. His daughter was grown and could and would make her own decisions. He just prayed that it wouldn't get her hurt again.
    "So," Buddy continued as if nothing else had ever been said, "what's with the barbecue?"
Case grinned as he