Free Amazing Love by Mae Nunn Page A

the stands.”
    The crew headed for their cars in the parking lot and Claire stood alone for a moment, praying for the right way to address Luke’s behavior. She’d only known him a few days, but she’d witnessed a dozen flashes of kindness and generosity slip though his gruff exterior. She was clearly being drawn to him but hadn’t the slightest idea why she should respond to those emotions. His lifestyle certainly precluded any relationship potential and he wasn’t the easiest guy to deal with.
    Still, she sensed a painful need within Luke. A pain she understood and possibly a need she could help fill.
    But the fact remained that ten minutes ago he’d been coarsely out of line, behavior she’d long refused to tolerate from any man.
    Young voices drifted down the hall as the preteens returned to their planned activities. The council was meeting in the church study, leaving only the Harvest Sons and Luke in the sanctuary. Ignoring the good sense of letting a little more time dull her anger, she made a beeline for the spot where he rested in a folding chair, his head down over the spiral notebook in his hands.
    Luke recognized the busy cadence that always accompanied her approach, so there was no need to look up to know who was bearing down on him.
    â€œJust answer one question for me,” Claire demanded.
    His gaze shifted from the list of potential song titles to the pointy-toed shoes she wore. The right shoe tap-tap-tapped her impatience. Tonight she was a vision in pink, from the rose-colored heels to her identically matching and sharply creased slacks, topped by a blouse the exact hue of her flushed cheeks.
    A couple of times now he’d seen her in a dither, her fists positioned on her hips. He witnessed that stance before him now. But instead of bracing for what was coming, he allowed himself to enjoy theimage of perfection whose attention was his alone. An odd tingling of pleasure that he hadn’t experienced in many years swamped his senses.
    â€œAre you a one-man show because you’re too proud to share the spotlight or because you’re so rude that nobody will stand in it next to you?” Her caramel eyes were narrowed, telegraphing the fact that he was the singular focus of her annoyance.
    He had a reprimand coming but didn’t intend to accept it just yet. “Is there any chance there’s a third choice that’s a little less incriminating?”
    A woman on a power trip would have continued to tower over him. Claire dropped to the chair beside him and puffed out a breath to move the bangs off the tips of her long lashes.
    â€œWhat was that all about, Luke?” Her voice lost its demanding tone, but the storm in her eyes said she expected an answer.
    â€œI might ask you the same thing. You knew what was at stake tonight. Did you think about that before you decided to show up at the last minute with your entourage?”
    She slumped a bit in her chair. “Art was at the dealership all afternoon because Today’s Times is doing a feature on Savage Cycles. I invited them to come along, thinking you’d appreciate some potential publicity for Praise Productions and the Sons.”
    â€œDid it occur to you to ask first?”
    â€œI did,” she insisted. “I phoned Pastor Ken before I said anything to Art.”
    Luke recalled Ken’s mention of the film crew and knew she spoke the truth. But instead of apologizing for jumping to conclusions, he locked onto another subject.
    â€œNo-oo-o, we wouldn’t want to offend Aa-aa-art,” he singsonged. “Isn’t he about a decade too old for you?”
    She cocked an eyebrow at the wisecrack that made him sound like a jealous boyfriend.
    â€œNot that it’s any of your business, but he seems like a nice guy. And it’s worth the risk of letting the press into my life if his column helps me launch the Savage.”
    â€œWorth the risk?” he repeated, more