She slid her arm through Flynns. “Come, well be comfortable in the parlor.”
They crossed the great hall with its mosaic floor, moved through the wide arch to the spacious room glowing from the flames in the massive hearth and the light of dozens of white candles.
Pittestood at the mantel, a glass of amber liquid in his hand. The warrior at the gate, Dana thought. He was tall, dark, dangerously handsome, with a muscular and ready build that his elegant black suit couldnt disguise.
It was easy to imagine him wearing light armor and carrying a sword. Or sitting astride a huge black horse and wearing a cape that billowed at the gallop.
He gave a slight and courtly bow as they entered.
Dana started to speak, then a movement caught the corner of her eye. The friendly smile vanished from her face, her brows beetled, and her eyes flashed pure annoyance.
“Whats he doing here?” “He,” Jordan said dryly as he lifted a glass, “was invited.”
“Of course.” Smoothly, Rowena pressed a flute of champagne into Danas hand. “Pitteand I are delighted to have all of you here tonight. Please, be at home. Malory, you must tell me how plans are progressing on your gallery.”
With another flute of champagne and a gentle nudge, Rowena had Malory moving toward a chair. After one look at his sisters face, Flynn chose the better part of valor and followed them.
Refusing to retreat, Dana sipped her champagne and scowled atJordan over the crystal rim of her glass. “Your part in this is finished.”
“Maybe it is, maybe it isnt. Either way I get an invitation to dinner from a beautiful woman, especially if she happens to be a goddess, I accept. Nice threads,” he commented and fingered the cuff of Danas jacket.
“Hands off.” She jerked her arm out of reach, then plucked a canap? from a tray. “And stay out of my way.”
“Im not in your way.” His voice remained mild, and he took a lazy sip of his drink.
Even though Dana wore heeled boots, he had a couple of inches on her. Which was just one more reason to find him irritating. LikePitte , he could have posed for one of the stone warriors. He was six-three, every inch of it well packed. His dark hair couldve used a trim, but that slightly curly, slightly unkempt, slightly too long style suited the power of his face.
He was, always had been, lustily handsome, with blazing blue eyes under black brows, the long nose, the wide mouth, the strong bones combining in a look that could be charming or intimidating depending on his purpose.
Worse, Dana thought, he had an agile and clever mind inside that rock-hard skull. And an innate talent that had made him a wildly successful novelist before hed hit thirty.
Once, shed believed they would build a life side by side. But to her mind hed chosen his fame and his fortune over her.
And in her heart she had never forgiven him for it.
“There are two more keys,” he reminded her. “If finding them i
s important to you, you should be grateful for help. Whatever the source.”
“I dont need your help. So feel free to head back toNew York anytime.”
“Im going to see this through. Better get used to it.”
She snorted, then popped another canap?. “Whats in it for you?” “You really want to know?”
She shrugged. “I couldnt care less. But Id think even someone with your limited sensitivity would be aware that you bunking at Flynns is putting a crimp in the works for the turtledoves there.”
Jordanfollowed her direction, notedHynn sitting with Malory, and the way his friend absently played with the curling ends of her blond hair.
“I know how to keep out of their way, too. Shes good for him,”Jordan added.
Whatever else she could say aboutJordan —and there was plenty—she couldnt deny that he loved Flynn. So she swallowed some of the bitterness, and washed the taste of it away with champagne.
“Yeah, she is. Theyre good for each other.”
“She wont move in with him.”
Dana blinked. “He asked her to move in? To live with him? And she said no?”