I mean, tracking down my brother?
That was freaking epic.
I definitely owe him. It’s funny how he made the sex more like his favor to me, and the date is my favor to him. I mean, that’s the opposite of how it’s supposed to be for a player, right?
What am I not understanding about Lance Lightfoot?
I push my hair out of my face. “Yeah. Okay.”
He hands me his phone and I enter my digits, fingers trembling slightly.
He takes it back and pockets it. “I’m leaving town tomorrow, but when I get back, we’re going on that date.” His dimples wink at me. He’s so damn charming.
Oh. I shouldn’t be so disappointed to find out it won’t be soon. I shouldn’t be disappointed at all.
“Where are you going?”
“Mm, that’s classified, angel.”
My brow furrows. “You’re going on a mission?”
He gives a single nod.
I don’t know why something drops to the pit of my stomach. I wasn’t even counting Lance as a candidate for The Big Plan, but I hate that he’s presumably in as much danger as my brother. Guys like him are adrenaline junkies. Here one day, gone the next, like my parents were when I was growing up.
“So you’re still in the thick of it, aren’t you?” I eye him, that quiver of anxiety I was feeling for Chad starting up now for him. “Your missions are as dangerous as when you were in the service?” When he hesitates, I see the truth. “Even more dangerous?”
He shrugs. “Let’s just say when my brother decided our unit needed out, the government jumped at the opportunity to use us in ways they couldn’t when we were in the armed forces.”
Anxiety grinds harder.
Lance seems to see it, because he touches the place between my brows where I must be frowning. “You don’t need to worry about us. We are specially equipped for this sort of work.”
I swallow, not liking the taste of this. “I think that just means desensitized to danger.”
Lance opens his mouth, then seems to think better of whatever he was going to say. He shrugs. “Something like that.” He leans in, giving me a kiss on the temple. “You good? Did I satisfy you, or do you need another round?”
My laugh comes out husky. “You definitely satisfied me.”
“There’s more where that came from, angel.” He winks, but when I wince, his cocky smile dips. “I’m good for more than sex, too, though,” he says.
Huh. It doesn’t quite compute. Why does it seem like Lance is looking for a girlfriend? He definitely doesn’t strike me as the settling down type.
“One date,” he says. “Promise me you’ll stop judging me for one date. Then you can go back to all your assumptions about me if you want.”
My lips part, a puff of breath coming out with my surprise. My face grows warm. “I’m sorry. I’m just confused about what this is.”
Lance perches his hip against the arm of the sofa, looking sexier than a man has any right to. “Okay, can I be totally honest?”
I fold my arms across my chest, defending against the charm and whatever it is he’s going to lay on me. “Please do.”
“The truth is, I feel like I screwed up with you.”
The shock of his statement makes something fluffy explode in my chest. Like if a dandelion suddenly turned to puff. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I went into it for the hookup, you’re right. But then I realized… “ He chews the inside of his cheek, looking sideways. “I don’t know, I felt like we had a real connection, and I wanted something more than a one-off. I wished I’d started this thing the right way.”
“Wow. I don’t know what to say.” I nibble my lip. It’s true we have a surprisingly easy—and uberhot—connection, but I was chalking that up to the fact that he wasn’t a real relationship candidate for me. I’m just not sure I could switch him into that category. I mean, he’s the opposite of what I’m looking for. The opposite of my man-plan. He’s everything I made The Big Plan to avoid. He’s probably an adrenaline junkie—addicted to speed, danger, and women. He’s daring death with every dangerous mission he goes on.
“How do you feel about doing taxes?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know. Never done them. Why?”
“No reason.” This is not my guy.
But I don’t have the heart to tell him that. I owe it to him to give him a chance.
Show up for our date with an open mind.
“Just say you’ll give me a chance?” Lance shoves both his hands into his pockets, suddenly appearing far less cocky than usual.
I lean in and give him a peck on the lips. “Absolutely. I’m looking forward to our date.”
It’s not a lie.
Spending time with Lance is no hardship. I just don’t want to lead him on…