Free December Heat by Joanie MacNeil Page A

she danced like this in front of Mark? With other men? Did she dance with this man? How often?
    A strange mixture of anxiety, lust, envy and something else he couldn’t define, whipped through him.
    The guy stood to the side, just behind Nic, so that their bodies touched. She leaned back slightly, raised her arm and bent it back so her hand touched the back of his head, her body open, unguarded. Vulnerable. Her lips, slightly parted, grazed his cheek. Horrified, Jake watched as male fingertips stroked the length of Nic’s body, skimming the side of her breast.
    Jake sucked in a breath, but it did little to cool or calm him.
    Nic’s palm caressed her partner’s cheek. Jake knew first-hand what it was like to have her caress his, to feel her soft skin, warm and inviting. Hell, this was driving him crazy.
    Nic seemed unaware of his presence and Jake watched, getting hotter and hotter as she continued to dance. He wished she’d dance like that for him. But why would she? She wasn’t interested in him. She was still getting over Mark. Or was she?
    Watching her was pure torture, but he couldn’t drag himself away.
    He noticed now that her eyes drank in this man, burned for him. He sensed a bond between them, was it just the dance, the music, or was there something more? And he wished he could swap places with this man who could take liberties with her. Who the hell was he anyway? Her secret friend? Lover? Was there more to the relationship? Did they have a relationship when Mark was alive? Hell, Jake didn’t want to entertain that possibility.
    His heart sank. Torture though it was, he had to continue to watch. To protect. If this guy touched her like that when they stopped dancing, Jake knew he’d rush into the room and deck the creep. Time for questions later.
    Finally, the music ended. Relief swamped him. He watched as Nic breathed hard. While she danced she hadn’t appeared to breathe at all. She made dancing look so easy. Jake had to agree her partner had done the same. But enough was enough. Now as Nic and the creep hugged and smiled at each other, Jake strode into the room. If this guy didn’t take his hands off her now, Jake knew he’d deck him so hard the guy would end up half way across the Hawkesbury.
    Yes, he liked that idea. Liked it a lot.
    “I didn’t know you could dance like that, Nic,” he said, his eyes only for her. He handed her a towel which he’d picked up from the chair by the door. Looking surprised to see him, she moved away from the guy in black, breathing more easily than moments ago.
    “You didn’t ask,” she said lightly, a hint of devilment in her eyes.
    He moved beside her and slid his arm possessively around her shoulders.
    “G’day,” Jake said, holding out his hand to the other man. “I’m Jake. I suppose Nic has told you all about me? We share this place.” Indeed, it was the closest thing to home Jake had experienced in a long while.
    At his bald statement, Nic’s shoulders tensed, and he knew that later, she would make him suffer for his outspokenness. But it would be worth it, just to keep this guy from getting any ideas away from the dance floor. Just so he didn’t get too big for his average-sized boots.
    “Jake,” she said, and he flinched, knowing full well he hadn’t imagined the subtle warning in her voice. Nor did he imagine her arm slipping around his waist, and the sharp pinch she delivered. Little minx. He’d make her pay for that.
    “No,” the guy said. “As a matter of fact she didn’t.” His glance roamed over Jake and their gazes met, and held.
    After a moment or two of mutual silent assessment he reached out and grasped Jake’s hand. “Danny’s the name. No doubt Nic has told you about me?”
    “No, as a matter of fact she hasn’t,” Jake replied, noting the guy’s hands weren’t as soft as he’d expected. When he thought where those hands had just been, his jaw tightened. He wanted to beat the guy senseless. Instead, he did the more