"And Dad didn't say anything about it?"
"No, he caught me in the parking lot and said you were helping a friend, but you wanted to invite me to this party. He said you had something you wanted to discuss with me." He studied her face. "I thought you wanted to tell me to get lost."
"Justin," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his mouth down to hers. Their kiss was like an Arkansas storm - wild, warm and full of electricity. She released his neck and snuggled in the protection of his arms.
"I shouldn't have left without talking to you, but I'm a number one chicken and I wanted to get out ahead of that storm."
"I wouldn't have left you there alone. You're so afraid of the storms."
She squeezed his fingers. "You always were such a tutelarius love."
His brows furrowed. "Tuta...what?"
"Tutelarius. A guardian, someone influential who teaches you..."
He shook his head, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Where do you come up with these words?"
"In the dictionary. I ran across it one time and thought it described Dad. You're a lot alike, you know - you and Dad."
He regarded her with growing amusement.
"Well, they say women look for men like their fathers." The humor died suddenly and he groaned. "Only you came up a little short. You should have stuck with Denton."
"Why?" She gasped.
He shrugged. "Your father is a successful business man, and according to Sylvia, Denton is destined for the same. I'm only a poor man with a dream."
She touched his cheek. "My father started out with nothing but a brilliant mind, like yours. Anyway, money isn't everything. Believe me, I know. I've been miserable without you."
He watched the dancers on the verandah. "Only now, can I fully appreciate how rustic that old cabin must have been to you. You've got a lot of guts, you know that? It must have been tough for you, having grown up with all of this." He glanced down at her. "Why did you do it?"
She shrugged. "I thought I had to prove something to myself. I was in a rut here, living my life according to the wishes of Denton and Dad. I almost married a man I didn't love, and that scared me."
Why was he watching her so intently? He tucked his hands in the pockets of his gray suit. He might think of himself as a poor man, but he fit into the surroundings with ease. He finally broke the awkward silence.
"I guess that explains why you're so reluctant to get into a serious relationship."