Free His Sister's Wedding by Carol Rose Page A

common protective gesture warmed her heart considering how depressed
     their conversation had left her.
    No matter how tempted she was by him, how he seduced her senses, she knew she couldn't
     let Luke pull her into a loveless, passion-filled arrangement. And yet, regret clung
     to her as stubbornly as the shadows around the bungalow.
    "Goodnight, Luke," she offered again, bracing to withstand the seduction of his touch.
    "Goodnight." He made no attempt to kiss her, but didn't turn to go.
    Feeling awkward, Lillie inserted her key and wrestled with the door lock. For some
     reason, it seemed more resistant than usual. She frowned as the key stayed stuck but
     the door pushed open at her touch.
    Lillie groped automatically for the light switch as the door swung open. Her hand
     brushed the switch, flooding the room with light.
    The debacle that met Lillie's shocked eyes surprised a scream from her throat.
    Her living room was completely trashed. The drawers of her grandmother's antique desk
     had been torn out and thrown on the floor. The television sat at an awkward angle,
     cords dangling like a cardiac patient ripped loose from its monitors. The couch had
     been shoved out of position in the crook's haste and a table lamp lay shattered on
     the floor.
    Fear blossomed in Lillie's stomach, an instant rush of acid through her veins.
    From behind her, she heard Luke's muttered oath, then felt his hands firm on her shoulders
     as he set her aside and strode into the house.
    Moving quickly, he scanned the room before going into the kitchen. Within moments,
     he walked back through the living room and checked the bedroom and bath.
    "Call the police," he directed as he crossed the door to her adjoining office.
    "All right," Lillie murmured, shaking all over as she went to the phone and dialed
     the emergency number. She couldn't believe it. Someone had come into her home and
     gone through all her things. A stranger ripped out the drawers of her desk and rifled
     anything that took his fancy. Impossible images kept playing in her head. What if
     she'd been here when the thief or thieves had broken in?
    Her breath clogged in her chest, a tight bubble she couldn't release.
    Her DVD was missing and it looked as if the thieves had found her father's small stash
     of gold coins. Thank heavens she'd been wearing her mother's pearls.
    "Emergency services," a calm female voice answered when Lillie's shaking fingers pressed
     911.
    "My house has been broken into," Lillie blurted out. She drew in a breath to keep
     from sobbing.
    "Is the intruder still there? Is he armed?" the operator asked.
    "No, I don't think anyone's here. I just came home and found it like this," Lillie
     said, trying to calm herself.
    "Okay. Let me verify your address and we'll send a squad car out," the woman said.
    Lillie stammered the required information, barely aware of Luke opening closet doors
     as he methodically searched the house.
    Hanging up the phone, Lillie felt reaction setting in. She wasn't so naive that she
     didn't know terrible things happened in the world. But they'd never happened to her.
     And reality bit a lot deeper than seeing the evening news.
    She gazed around her, feeling as if she'd stumbled into a nightmare.
    Hand shaking, she bent to pick up a pillow from the floor intending to replace it
     back on the couch. Her hand stopped in midair. The sense of violation kept her from
     touching anything.
    "Are you okay?" Luke asked.
    "I'm fine and the police are on the way," she said.
    "What's missing?" he asked, scanning the room.
    "My DVD, some gold coins. I don't know what else." She looked around the demolished
     living room. "I haven't really checked."
    "Why don't we go wait in the kitchen," Luke suggested, glancing down at her trembling
     hands. "I'll make you some coffee or something."
    Feeling tears gathering in her eyes as reaction set it, she let him lead her through
     the open doorway to the relative sanctuary of the kitchen. In here,