Jack laughed as he held Sam's chair out for her. When he sat, he lifted his water glass to the man. "To having beautiful women at our side."

"I'll drink to that," the man said.

They began to eat. Sam found herself watching Jack. When he caught her at it, he smiled. "What?"

He had such a graceful, smooth way of moving when he danced, ate… everything. It made looking at him very easy on the eyes. "What else do you like besides a woman who eats more than a carrot stick?" she asked softly

When he simply looked at her, she let out a little laugh. "I was… just wondering."

He set down his fork. Reached for her hand. "I like a woman who can come out of the waves and get ready for a date in two minutes."

"Saw that, did you?"

"Yeah." He stroked a thumb over her palm. "I like a woman who can go with the flow, risking the wet grass to help me out without worrying about her shoes. I like a woman who doesn't take down a guy's sister even when she's interfering and deserves it. And I really like a woman willing to try new things, like dancing in front of several hundred people when she hates dancing."

"Well, I didn't risk the grass, you carried me." And she'd loved it, his easy strength, the feel of his hands on her. She took a bite of mashed potatoes that melted in her mouth. "And as for the dancing, you did all the work. I've never felt comfortable dancing."

"You felt comfortable to me."

Yeah, in hindsight, being in his arms had been pretty damn comfortable. Hot, too.

And exciting, very exciting.

He scooped up some fancy-looking noodle salad onto his fork and held it up to her lips.

"Something else new to try this evening?" she murmured, and took the bite into her mouth.

"Nah." His voice was low and husky, his gaze glued to her mouth. "I just love watching you eat."


* * *

After dinner came the auction.

Jack eyed the long roster of prizes at his place setting, knowing that he was coming up on the list. He and Sam had watched the proceedings so far, eating their self-made ice-cream sundaes from the dessert bar. Someone had just won on a two-day trip to Santa Barbara, and then a ski package to Big Bear. Each time the bidding ended, Sam turned to him, her eyes bright with excitement, her hand on his arm, grinning.

"So much money for Heather's charity!" she'd said after one huge round. "Unbelievable."

What was unbelievable was tonight. He'd expected to be bored, but that had been the last thing on his mind… "Sam."

She was watching Heather run the auction. "I like her. I mean, she's pushy but I've been known to be pushy, too, so-"

"Sam."

Laughing, she put down her spoon, licked her lips and turned to him. "Hmm?"

Her eyes were shining, her hair still in that sexy, messy bun that made him want to pull it out and run the strands through his fingers. Unable to help himself, he reached out and ran a finger over her full lower lip, where she'd missed a spot of ice cream.

He brought his finger up to his mouth and sucked on it.

Her eyes darkened and her mouth fell open just a little, as if she was suddenly having trouble breathing.

He certainly was. "I'm up next."

She stared at his mouth. "What?"

"The auction. I donated something, and it's about to come up on the list."

"How sweet. What did you donate?"

"Myself."

Just as he said this, Heather's voice came over the loud speaker. "And now for the finale… a series of private two-hour basketball lessons from one of the greatest players of our time-Jack Knight. We'll start the bidding at two hundred dollars."

Still turned toward him, Sam raised her eyebrows slightly, the only sign she'd heard and digested Heather's words.

"Two fifty," Heather said, acknowledging the man at one of the front tables who had gestured.

Sam grabbed her bidder's paddle. She hadn't bid all evening, and Jack had already given a healthy check, so he hadn't, either.

But now, with her eyes still locked on his, Sam lifted the paddle.

"Two seventy-five," she said.

From her platform, Heather grinned. "I've got two seventy-five, do I hear three hundred?"

"Three hundred," called a man in the back.

Sam's wrist flexed as she tried to lift her paddle again, but Jack laughed and held it down. "Stop," he said.

She stuck out her tongue at him, and he had the insane urge to suck it into his mouth.

"Three fifty," she called out.

The bidding got crazy after that, and Jack gave up holding Sam back, but he worried as he watched her go at it with such glee. "Sam-"

"We're at seven fifty," Heather said excitedly. "Going once-"

"Eight hundred," Sam called out.

"Eight hundred," Heather called, looking impressed. "Going once, twice…" She slammed down her gavel. "Sold, to the lady in black with the big smile on her face."

Jack laughed, he couldn't help it. Sam was grinning. "You're crazy."

"Probably."

"You didn't have to do that."

"Don't worry, Jack," she said softly. "I never do anything I don't want to do."

"Is that right?" He stroked a wayward tendril of hair from her eye, ran his finger down her jaw. "What would you like to do now?"

"Are we finished here?"

"I don't know about you, but I am."

"Then let's hit it." She stood up, then reached for his hand.

They found Heather, harried but happy with the money she'd collected so far. Sam settled up for her purchase and got her coupon for the lessons.

Heather hugged Jack hard. "Thanks for doing this. I know I owe you."

He looked at Sam, thinking about what he'd gotten out of the evening. "Consider us even."

"It wasn't so bad, right?" Heather asked. "No scandals."

"Were you expecting one?" Sam asked.

"No, but with Jack, the press will make one up if they have to. They love to hang him." Heather kissed his cheek, and then Sam's. "'Night, guys."

"'Night." Jack opened the back door and put a hand low on Sam's spine to guide her out.

"Oh. Uh, I just remembered…" Heather's voice trailed off.

Jack sighed and turned back to see Heather standing there, hands clasped. "I know better than to stop and ask what you just remembered."

"One last little favor…"

"What?"

"A carnival for the kids," Heather said. "Next weekend. We're short of volunteers. It'd only be for a few hours, the two of you could do it together. It'll be fun, I promise."

Jack sighed.

"Free food…"

Sam looked up at him expectantly. "I like free food."

He had to let out a laugh. "You did hear the 'two of you' part, right?" he asked. "Which means, you're involved now whether you like it or not."

"I wouldn't mind."

"For the children," Heather said sweetly. "It's all about the kids, Jack."

"Which booth?" he asked. "Because you're not telling me something, I can tell."

"Well, it's a simple one, really. Very easy to run. You'll have no problem with it at all. And the children just love it-"

"Which booth, Heather?"

His sister rolled her eyes. "The dunking booth."

Jack raised his eyebrows at Sam. "See?"

"I don't have a problem with a dunking booth," Sam said. "I like water."

Both women grinned and turned to face Jack, but it was Sam's promising smile that grabbed him, and he groaned because he knew.

He was a goner.

5

They made a late-night stop at McDonald's for sodas-both aware they were just trying to make the evening last-and Sam couldn't get over how much she laughed as they sat at that little table in the empty fast-food place. In fact, she couldn't believe the entire evening-everything about it and her date had made her smile.

But the smile faded as they walked back to the SUV. The night was quickly coming to an end, and now she needed an answer to the eternal question.

To kiss or not to kiss.

Actually, the question was moot now, wasn't it? She'd already gone that far, with an ease that shocked her. Tonight had been so much more than she'd bargained for, and she felt the need to retreat and think.

So as they got into his car and drove toward the café, she made the decision not to tell Jack she lived above it, mostly because she wouldn't be able to resist him if he asked to come in.

On the highway, Jack reached out and took her hand. His expression sent little shivers of pleasure down her spine. She knew he wanted more than a kiss.

And so did she.

But wanting more and getting it were two separate things. Nope, she needed to sleep on this one, which meant neither of them were going to get what they wanted, not tonight.


* * *

The moon hung above the waves, making the frothing white water glow as they pulled into the café's parking lot.

Jack had felt Sam's retreat, and he turned to her. "You okay?"

She smiled at him, though it didn't quite make it to her eyes. "Sure."

"Sam."

"I'm just thinking." She put her hand on his arm, making him feel better. "I get quiet when I think. Thanks for tonight. It was nice."

"Yeah, it was." He turned off the engine and walked around to her side of the SUV.

"'Night," she said, poised for flight.

"At least let me walk you to your car."

"That's okay, I'm going to go inside for a minute. I've got stuff to do."

Nodding, he studied her face by moonlight, or what he could see of it since she wouldn't look directly at him, and wondered what had happened to scare her off. "You work late out here a lot?"

"Sometimes." Again she looked a little distant, as if in her mind she were already inside the café working. "I'll be safe, don't worry." With another flash of a half smile, she turned away.

He snagged her wrist in a light hold, ran his thumb over her pulse. "Sam-"

"I've got to go, Jack." But in a surprising move, considering she'd already dismissed him, she leaned into him and gave him a quick kiss.

The press of her soft mouth on his was welcome, but all too quickly she pulled away and walked off into the night.

Despite her sudden silence, and how quickly she appeared to want to get rid of him, he stood there for a moment watching her.

She didn't go into the café.

She didn't get into her car.

But she did disappear over the bluff beside the café.

Curious, he followed her, and stopped dead at the top of the rise. Her high-heeled sandals lay discarded at his feet. Lifting his head, his eyes searched the night. There she was, silhouetted at the water's edge. Before he could so much as move, she raised her hands behind her and unzipped her dress.

Then let it fall.

Oh, man.

The moonlight bathed her body as she kicked free of the dress pooled at her ankles. Wearing only what looked like black panties, she straightened. The thin moonlight streamed over her body, lighting up her shoulders and her slim back.

Still not turning to face him, she stepped into the water a few feet, and when a wave came in, she dived into it and vanished.

Unable to believe his eyes, he stood there in frozen shock for a beat, and then when she didn't surface, started running down the dune toward the beach. He scanned the waves but couldn't see her. "Sam!"

He had kicked off his shoes, shucked his jacket, and had his fingers on the zipper of his pants when her wet blond head resurfaced, way out there now, past the next set of waves.

She dived again.

She was bodysurfing.

That had him relaxing, but only marginally. Now that he was no longer afraid for her, something else had taken him by the throat.

The way she looked, more than half-naked and wet by moonlight.

His fingers started working again, and he pushed his pants down and peeled off his socks. He tossed his shirt the way of his tux jacket.

And plunged in.

The shock of the cold water took his breath for a moment, but it was exhilarating, too, and he began swimming. When the first set of waves came upon him, he took a deep breath and dived beneath them, feeling them crash over him with thunderous pressure.

He surfaced, grabbed another breath and ducked under the next wave, letting the momentum take him through.

With the black sky above him and the blacker sea swirling beneath him, it was almost a surreal experience, with no clear definition of what was up and what was down.

Feeling awe-inspired for no obvious reason, he dived through the final set of waves and surfaced next to Sam.

With a gasp she turned her head and blinked at him, her body covered up to her shoulders with the dark, fathomless, turbulent water. "Jack. You scared me to death."