It Started at Christmas...
Page 14
He made her nervous.
Memories of his lips on her hand made her nervous.
Because she’d liked the warm pressure of his mouth.
Had registered the tingly pleasure despite the way her blood had pounded from terror over what George had been up to.
At the time, she’d known Lance had kissed her as a distraction from George more than from real desire. She might have been prickly, might still be prickly, but tonight’s blood draw had been one of the best she could recall, other than the whole passing-out thing. “Thank you for what you did at the emergency room.”
“My pleasure.”
“I didn’t mean that.”
“That?”
“You know.”
“Do I?” He looked innocent, but they both knew he was far, far from it.
“Quit teasing me.”
“But you’re so much fun to tease, McKenzie.” Neither of them made a move to get out of the car. “For the record, I was telling the truth.”
That kissing her hand had been his pleasure?
Her face heated.
His kissing her hand had been her pleasure. She hadn’t been so lost in Terrorville that she’d missed the fact that Lance had kissed her hand and it had felt good.
“I’m sorry tonight didn’t go as planned for your Christmas show.”
“A friend texted to let me know that they finished the show and although several left following the mayor’s incident, tonight’s our biggest fund-raiser yet.”
“That’s great.”
“It is. Keeping kids off the roads on graduation night is important.”
“Celebrate Graduation is a really good cause.” The program was something Lance had helped get started locally after he’d moved to Coopersville four years ago. McKenzie had been away doing her residency, but she’d heard many sing his praises. “Did your school have a similar program? Is that why you’re so involved?”
He shook his head. “No. My school didn’t. I wish they had.”
Something in his voice was off and had McKenzie turning to fully face him. Rather than give her time to ask anything further, he opened his car door and got out.
Which meant it was time for her to get out too.
Which meant she’d be going into her house.
Alone.
It wasn’t a good idea to invite Lance inside her place.
She dug her keys out of her purse and unlocked her front door, then turned to him to issue words that caused an internal tug-of-war of common courtesy and survival instincts.
“Do you want to come inside?”
His gaze searched hers then, to her surprise, he shook his head. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m going to head back to the community theater to help clean up.”
“Oh.”