“That was low.”
“I didn’t mean it the way it came out,” Lux defended herself as she watched Aviva depart.
“Yes you did and you know it! Let me tell you something about that woman; she would believe anyone she loves if they told her the sky was black and white polka dots; and yes, that includes, Josh. Keep pushing and prodding her and you’re going to create a gulf in this family that you’ll regret.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
Pulling her off the dance floor, MacKenzie found a secluded corner, and spun her around so they were facing each other. “Neither Aviva nor I even knew about your existence until a short while ago. If you disappeared right now, you wouldn’t really matter that much to us. The only person who would miss your presence is Josh.”
“Are you trying to say that you and Aviva don’t like me?”
“What I’m saying is that it doesn’t matter if Aviva and I like you. What you should be asking yourself is whether Josh likes you!”
MacKenzie’s words scored a direct hit. Gripped by uncertainty, Lux bit down on her bottom lip. Did Josh like her? She didn’t know the answer to that question. There was no doubt he found her attractive, and at one point had liked and loved her enough to marry her. Whether his feelings remained the same, she honestly didn’t know.
“I can tell you don’t know the answer to that question, but it’s important. Think about it Lux. Think about it and be brutally honest with yourself. You want what Aviva and I have, but our husbands not only love us... they like us.” Finished with what she had to say, MacKenzie left.
MacKenzie’s departure didn’t stop her words from spinning around in Lux’s mind. Looking over to where Josh stood, it hurt more than she could have ever imagined that he never once asked her to dance, and at the same time it pissed her off.
If his lack of interest hadn’t affected her, she might have refused the attention of some of the men who approached her to dance. That he stood off to the side and watched her every move with a bored look infuriated her. Returning to the dance floor, Lux performed a series of dance steps, each more sexy than the last; unwilling to admit that the way she was behaving was for Josh’s benefit.
When he finally approached her, a feeling of elation washed over her. With each of his slow, deliberate steps, her body temperature rose.
When he took her hand, she allowed him to lead her off the dance floor and out of the room. Their final destination was of no concern to her.
He took her to the library. A room she’d become intimately acquainted with during her short stay at the house. Once the door closed behind them, Josh spun her around and pinned her to the door. “You’ve been away for a while, so I’m only going to say this once; do not test my patience because you won’t like the consequences.”
Flicking her hair off her shoulder, Lux strove for an air of indifference. He’d ignored her all night, and as far as she was concerned she wasn’t about to make anything easy for him.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about!”
“Really Lux. Is this how this conversation is going to play out?”
“Boy, if you have something to say, say it in plain English so I can understand what you’re talking about. If you can’t do that, move out of my way so I can get back to the party. As you could see, I was having a good time.”
She was pushing him but she was past caring. Who did he think he was leaving her to her own devices all night, only to now pull her off the dance floor and dole out reprimands?
Lux knew he hated it when she called him boy. In the Caribbean just like every other part of the world, the terminology equated to a jibe if used with the right intonation. Lux knew she should stop using it, but she was finding it difficult after spending so many years in the Caribbean.
“Ahh, it occurs to me in the time we’ve been apart that you’ve grown used to dealing with men that aren’t up to par.” Josh paused only long enough to run the tips of his finger along her jaw line before he spoke again. “Don’t worry Luxandria those days are over. I’m here now and I’m as real a man as it gets.”
Hypnotized by the touch of his finger against her flesh, she forgot to respond. Although a mere brush the soft stroke carried enough heat to ignite her senses. While she enjoyed his caress, she wasn’t about to allow him to see just how much one touch, and the deep rumble of his voice affected her.
“Boy, you better move out of my way,” Lux told him with narrowed eyes.
“You’re going to have to say that with a little more conviction for me to believe you’re not exactly where you want to be.”