Faith and Lies (Vera Reid, Reid Family Book #2)

Part 15

"He looks scarier than he actually is." Vera said with a grin as she danced with Tom. He met her gaze questioningly. "Either that or you're cold... why are you shaking?"

Tom smiled. 

"I guess maybe I am a little cold." He replied as he pulled her a little closer, "so keep me warm."

Vera laughed, shaking her head. His hands both rested at her waist as they moved slowly, while she kept her own against his chest, her fingers only slightly curving above the shoulders. 

"If you don't mind the way my family continues to stare, I'm happy too." She teased, making him frown as he gazed about. It was true, wherever he looked there was family members staring, watching him as he danced with Vera. Instinctively, he pulled her closer as if for protection but just the same he relaxed his grip, taking a perfunctory step away to make the distance respectable. He almost laughed at himself, acting like a teenage boy meeting his girlfriend's family for the first time. She must have realized what he was thinking because her laughter peeled like a bell, drawing his gaze back to her. 

"You think this is funny." He said accusingly and she nodded. 

"Absolutely." She said, bringing a hand up to his face and gently running a finger along his jaw line.  He raised his hand with a frown, aware that between her father, her brother, her George and her new brother in law, there was a generous amount of men who would be so glad to pounce on him if necessary. She had to bite her lip from laughing as he lowered her hand and placed it back on his shoulder. 

"Behave, I don't want to die tonight." He said sternly but he was smiling now. 

"Oh lighten up, besides, they aren't as interested in  us as they are in Luke." She said, turning toward the opposite end of the dance floor where Luke now held Echo so much closer than was polite. 

"He's an interesting man." Tom said, watching him for a second. 

"I told you- he's not that scary." She said and Tom frowned at her. 

"I'm not scared of him." He lied. 

"Whatever you say." She said, sighing as she leaned a bit closer. What was it about this man? Her hands glided along the broad width of his shoulders. He was such an elegant looking man, even though his shoulders were so massive. His suit managed to hide them well, no- his suit managed to hug every part of his expansive chest to perfection. She wondered if it would seem so large without the suit, then she glanced away with a pretty blush creeping onto her cheeks as she chided her own thoughts. Pervert- she whispered to herself over and over again. 

"You okay?" He asked, noticing how she'd suddenly grown quiet. Vera nodded. 

"Yeah, It's a little crowded." She said, unable to stop herself from trying to get a moment alone with him. "Would you mind if we took a walk?"

Tom nodded, releasing her only long enough to take her hand and guide her away from the dance floor. As they neared the end of the tent, he removed his coat, dropping it gently over her shoulders before continuing their way down the well lit pathway that circled the large garden. This house was impressive, huge and beautiful, but he hadn't missed the men that seemed to be circling the party discreetly. He supposed that anyone who didn't know about Luke might never even notice the men. He did. He had counted the security over and over in his mind, particularly one man who seemed to be watching him from the moment he'd walked into that tent. 

"Something wrong?" Vera asked after they'd walked on in silence for several minutes. Tom stopped, looking around and realized they'd circled a good part of the garden. 

"No, I was just impressed by the size of this place." He said, looking at Vera who nodded as they walked on. 

"Yeah, even my parent's gardens aren't quite this big." She said, hoping her fingers weren't fluttering in his hand just like her heart was. Why was she suddenly so nervous? She'd been alone with him before...