The music stopped. She made a move. He didn’t. His hold was unbreakable. She swept a quick look around to see if anyone was watching them. There were three other couples on the floor: his parents, Mitch and Maggie, and Ben and Karla. The three couples were too absorbed in one another to pay any attention to her and Justin. Still, Hannah had just opened her mouth to protest, when the music started again. He moved, taking her with him, and they continued dancing.

Hannah sighed, heavily so he couldn’t possibly miss it, but she had to ask, “Why on earth would you need to defend yourself from your brothers?”

“Because they’d jump me for sure,” Justin responded patiently, as if the answer should be obvious.

Hannah didn’t know whether to hit him or scream at him. She did neither. She sighed again and narrowed her eyes. “Okay, if you want to play games. Why would they jump you?”

“Because I want to play games,” he explained, the gleam in the depth of his so cool eyes literally dancing.

“Justin…” Her voice held a gravelly, distinct note of warning.

“Okay. But don’t say you didn’t ask.” He shrugged. “I figured if I acted on impulse, pulling you tightly against me and ravishing your mouth with mine, Mitch and Adam might think it was their duty to rescue you from the clutches of their womanizing brother.” Laughter skirted on the edges of his serious tone. “And in that case, of course, I’d have little recourse but to sweep out this barn with them.”

Sweep out this barn? Barn? Hannah sent a quick glance around the well-appointed dining room. But she didn’t question his remark. Her attention had focused on one word. “Womanizing?”

Justin nodded solemnly, immediately ruining the effect of his somber expression with another one of those breath-stealing smiles.

She stopped moving so suddenly his big body crashed hard into hers, knocking the breath out of her. Reflexively he tightened his arms around her, steadying her while keeping them both upright, her body crushed to his.