Page 4 of Just One Spark

He led me onto the dance floor, gripping my hand tightly as if he was stopping me from running.But where would I go?My hot-cocoa table was a few feet away, and my livelihood, my truck, was parked in the lot.

It didn't escape my notice that people turned to look at us as we walked.Any woman on Rowan's arm would have gotten a second look, but me?I wasn't anyone special.But people had whispered enough about my father over the years.

The crowd parted for him because he was a Hart.His family owned the property.The festival was set up in front of the inn and restaurant, the signs declaring them to be the Harts' prominently displayed and outlined with lights.As usual, I felt less than when I was too close to the Harts.

When we reached the center of the dance floor, he turned, resting one hand one my hip and the other held my free one.

He dipped his head."Our first dance as an engaged couple."

I shook my head and looked away."If that's what you want to call it."

He raised a brow."Careful.You don't want people thinking we're having our first fight."

"As of a few minutes ago, no one even knew we were a thing."And I desperately wanted to travel back in time to when I was blissfully unaware of what awaited me.

He pulled me closer, and I didn't resist.He smelled faintly of hops and pine, the perfect combination.There was a line of scruff on his chin that I wanted to trace with my finger and then my tongue.

I was hot standing this close to him.

"We have to show everyone that we're a real couple."His voice was deeper than I remembered, and it shifted something in my chest.

This is why it was dangerous to be this close to him.He saw me.I had to stay away from him if I wanted to keep everything locked down."I don't even have a ring."I wasn't sure why I said that.The last thing I wanted was to delve deeper into his crazy plan to be an engaged couple.

Instead of telling me I was crazy, he said, "I'll have to see if there's a family ring I can use.But I have a feeling Gran's ring would go to Clara since she's living in her house and running her business."

"Oh, we don't need to ask anyone for a ring."A family ring would make everything more real.

"It would explain why we don't have a ring yet.We can tell everyone we wanted to wait and ask my parents if there's a ring I can put on your finger."

I felt a chill, and I swayed slightly in his arms."This is too much."

He held me more tightly."This is my fault.I'll get us through it."

I couldn't believe I was dancing with Rowan Hart at the Hart Holiday Illuminary after his announcement that we were engaged.I was in so much trouble.

Rowan's sister, Clara, was dating Malcolm's college friend, Beck.Otherwise, none of the Hart brothers had settled down with anyone.The fact that Rowan was the first to get engaged was a big deal.There would be a lot of disgruntled single women who lost out on their chance at the brother who was opening the brewery.There was something sexy about someone who could brew their own beers.Or maybe I thought that because my chosen career was making hot chocolate.

When we were kids, I was close to Rowan until I pushed him away.It was for a good reason.I couldn't be close to Rowan.Not with everything going on in my family.He didn't need to be in my world, and I couldn't taint his.

My life had taken a dramatic turn after I turned thirteen, and I couldn't drag Rowan into it.For years, I was in a dark place, and then circumstances had only gotten worse.

I'd created a business with my hot chocolate truck, and even if I never got the storefront I wanted, I'd be okay.I kept to myself and worked hard.But Rowan had thrust me into the public eye, and I didn't like it.

I didn't want to be scrutinized by everyone.I didn't want the questions and rumors that came with it.Rowan had no idea what he'd unleashed when he named me as his fiancée.

"You always overanalyzed everything."

His face was way too close to mine.Didn't he understand the need for personal space?My heart was beating an irregular rhythm, my skin was tingling with awareness, and my nose was filled with his scent.This arrangement was already wreaking havoc on my nervous system, and we'd only shared one dance."That's what you remember about me?"

He chuckled, and the sound reverberated through my chest."It's not the only thing.Just one of them."

"So I overanalyze everything.What else?"

"I'm not going to tell you in one dance.We have weeks to share our lives with each other.I intend to take my time to get to know this Hattie Collins."

He was getting into dangerous territory."Why do you care?"

He tipped his head to the side, his voice light."I'm surprised you had to ask.We're engaged now.It's only appropriate that I know things about my future wife."