Luke Read Free

step.”
    â€œI can imagine,” she said in ironic reference to his swinging image. At the same time she remembered hearing that Luke had been serious about some girl from out of town a few years back. When it had come to nothing, she’d figured it had been just a rumor.
    â€œI doubt you have the full picture,” he said.
    â€œThe lady hated country life in general and Turn-Coupe in particular. She expected me to sell Chemin-a-Haut and move to New Orleans.”
    â€œSell a place that’s been in your family for nearly two hundred years? And she really thought you might? What a jewel!”
    His smile was brief. “Shiny bright and about as hard. I’d have let her keep the engagement ring except she threw it at my head.”
    â€œYou got as far as planning a wedding with no idea of what she liked or really wanted?”
    He shoved his hands a few inches into the pockets of his jeans as he looked away to follow the flightof a mockingbird. “I was distracted by other things.”
    â€œWere you really?” The drawled comment was supposed to be in recognition of the driving force behind most of his recent relationships, that of pure sexual attraction. Instead, it sounded sour.
    â€œShe reminded me of you.” He swung back to meet her gaze as he spoke. His face was expressionless, but something dark and disturbing lay in the liquid depths of his eyes.
    â€œI expect you had a lucky escape then.” The fast retreat from that personal comment was instinctive. How had they gotten onto the subject of his love life? It was not something she wanted to hear about in detail—or at all.
    â€œIs that how you think of your divorce, an escape?”
    â€œMy divorce is something I prefer not to talk about.”
    â€œI’ve noticed. That bad, huh?”
    â€œThat far behind me. Luke—”
    â€œYeah, yeah, you want me gone. Fine.” He half turned away before swinging back again. “But if you hear from the nut on the phone again, let me or Roan know, will you? It may be nothing, but it could turn out to be something else again.”
    Agreeing seemed a small concession if it would send him on his way. “I’ll keep it in mind.”
    He moved off the porch and into the morning sunshine. The swing of his long legs was free and natural, with the athletic fluidity provided by excellent muscle conditioning. His shoulders were wide and straight before they tapered into the lean linesof his waist and hips. Like some male animal of the deep woods, he was at ease with his body and sublimely unconscious of its innate power and grace.
    Why was it, April wondered, that some men looked as good walking away as they did face-to-face? It was as disturbing as it was unfair. She was paying attention strictly for research purposes, of course. She needed to make mental notes for the next time she described the way the hero walked in her work in progress.
    Abruptly Luke turned around. He backed up a couple of quick steps as he stared up at the roof of her house. A frown drew his brows together before he called to her, “You lost a few roof slates in the storm the other night. I noticed when I drove up since I’ve been replacing the casualties at Chemin-a-Haut. You have any leaks?”
    She had a small one in the stair hall and a more drastic one in the back bedroom upstairs. They were none of Luke Benedict’s business, however, like the rest of her life. With precision, she said, “Nothing I can’t handle.”
    â€œI could take care of it for you. Roofers charge an arm and a leg for patching these big old houses, you know. They get nervous climbing around on anything higher off the ground than a story and a half.”
    â€œYou don’t, I suppose,” she said dryly.
    â€œI’m used to it after crawling around on top of Chemin-a-Haut all my life.”
    The temptation to take him up on his offer was strong. She’d stayed awake for