Instant Bliss: The Moore Family Book 3

taunting her from some fear-based part of her brain. But other times, there was a flame of curiosity about leading a normal life. A flame she took care to extinguish the moment it flared into existence.
To be the best at what she did, she couldn’t afford to have doubts.
Only dance.
Harry put his fork down and captured her with his eyes again. “What about your family? Do they support you?”
What the hell was happening? Not one time, not once, not ever in her whole life had anyone been interested in her career longer than a few obligatory questions.
“Both my parents are dancers, so they’re utterly thrilled I’m working for ACB.”
Harry shook his head, not understanding. “ACB?”
With a growing surge of dread, Willow became aware she had the focus of the entire Moore family trained on her. Sure, she could be onstage in front of thousands and not bat an eye but to have everyone’s complete attention in the middle of a dinner party? That was a fate worse than death.
She took another sip of wine to buy herself a chance to calm down. “American City Ballet. It’s the company I work for in New York City, and it was my parents’ dream company.”
Juliet scoffed and held up a hand. “Don’t let her humility fool you. ACB is every dancer’s dream company. People will actually move to the States for the chance to dance there—even if they don’t speak a word of English. And Willie is a soloist. On her way to becoming a principal.” She turned to Ian. “It’s kind of like rank in the military. Principal is the top rank, and soloist is just under that.”
Ian raised an eyebrow, staring at Willow with a new level of appreciation. “On your way to becoming a four-star general, are you?”
“I don’t think I’m nearly bossy enough to be a general.” She caught Harry’s eyes and smiled. Then bit her lip and dropped her gaze to the table when he smiled back.
What was it about the guy that had her so completely undone?
James and Ellie returned and took their seats, James pulling her chair out and helping her to scoot back in toward the table. Ellie gave the family a sheepish grin. “Sorry, about that.”
“My sweet girl has really been suffering.” James shook his head and patted her tummy. “I guess this little guy’s already taking after his dad. Giving his mom a hard time before we even make it to day one.” James shot a look at Diane who took a long breath in through her nose.
“If that’s really what’s happening,” she said to Ellie, reaching across the table and taking her hand, “then just remember, I’m only a phone call away. I may not have all the answers, but at least I can commiserate.”
The family laughed and lost themselves to conversations about people Willow didn’t know and events she hadn’t been around for. Under normal circumstances, she would remember to laugh when it was appropriate and smile when someone made eye contact, but these people were so enthusiastic, she found herself laughing because the story was funny and smiling because she was happy.
She didn’t need to put on a show for the Moores.
She could just be herself and enjoy them being themselves. It was so nice it felt surreal.
And then there was Harry.
He didn’t say much else during dinner, though his laughter filled the room and his gaze fell warmly on whomever was speaking—when it wasn’t falling on Willow. Because mostly, it fell on Willow. Every time she looked his way—which was often—she caught him watching her.
As dinner finished and the family carried their dishes into the kitchen, she caught his eye and offered a sweet smile, and was stopped in her tracks.
It was nothing and everything wrapped into one heartbeat.
His eyes lit with a bright warmth as he shuffled his plate into one hand so he could touch her arm.
That was it. One touch. That was all it took to change the course of her life.
All things considered, it was the briefest of contact, just a shiver of his fingertips grazing her elbow, but she felt it through her entire body.
Like nothing more important had ever happened to her.
And to make it all the more intense, the look in his eyes said he felt it, too.
That somehow, in that simple gesture, he knew his path had been forever changed in the same way she knew hers had.
And then Ian bumped into him and quipped about blocking the doorway, prompting Harry to move into the kitchen, leaving Willow to wonder what the hell had just happened.
Maybe love at first sight isn’t so preposterous, she thought, then laughed at herself for being ridiculous.

Chapter Six
Harry
Willow Tamran felt like an epiphany, but Harry wasn’t even sure what that meant. His brain kept offering him that statement like it explained everything and he kept right on being confused.
How could she be an epiphany when nothing about his reaction to her made sense?
From the moment he entered his brother’s kitchen and found her leaning on the counter, her hands delicately framing her face, her blonde hair streaming across her shoulders and glittering in the long light of the afternoon sun, he’d been unable to get her off his mind…
…or his eyes off her.
Her beauty astounded him. Everything about Willow was simple, yet stunning. She wore little makeup, but her face took his breath away. Her eyes were a sparkling blue, filled with a happy intelligence that made him feel like he could look into her and find himself.
Then there was her body. Trim and muscular, she was somehow fragile and strong at the same time. So thin and angular, yet softened by grace, and the femininity of her movement.
Willow was entrancing, a dichotomy of everything, and all Harry could do was watch and wonder what it would be like to know her. To let his hands explore her body and his mind dissect her thoughts. To drag his tongue across her luscious lower lip, then