Page 13 of Keeping Laryn
“I’m sorry I freaked you out, that wasn’t my intention. But please…don’t take any of those jobs you mentioned. Not yet. I’m happy to look into the offers for you. I know people who know people, and they can find out the working conditions and the reason why some of those countries might want you.”
“They can’t want me because I’m damn good at what I do?” she asked.
“Of course that’soneof the reasons why they want you. But, Laryn, you also work on top-secret MH-60s that you’ve retrofitted for the United States. You think they don’t want that intel?”
“I’ve told them that I’ve signed NDAs and can’t talk about any of that or give them any secrets of the US military.”
Casper blew out a harsh breath. “And the fact that you think they’ll simply shrug and say okay is both naïve and exasperating at the same time. The men who run those programs can be ruthless. They’ll do whatever it takes to get the information they want. Trust me, they aren’t above torture.”
Some of the color left Laryn’s face, and Casper wanted to kick himself for scaring her.
But then again, maybe she needed to be scared a little.
“Some of themhavebeen a little…insistent,” she admitted softly.
Casper’s protective instincts rose hard and fast within him. But he forced himself to stay calm. To not demand to know what was said and by whom. “Again, I have friends who can research the job offers you’ve received.”
She nodded but didn’t speak.
“I’m going now. You’re still taking the morning off tomorrow, right?”
Laryn nodded again.
“Good. I’ll see you in the afternoon then. I want to go over the final details for the test flight…not that I’m worried, I just want to check everything off. Okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Sleep well, Laryn. Oh, and I’m hoping that after the trials, you’ll come out with me and the guys. It’s tradition for us to go out for pizza and beers after killing it in any kind of flight trial.”
“I know.”
Of course she did. And that made Casper feel even more guilty that she hadn’t ever been invited, especially considering the huge role she’d always played in making sure the choppers they tested were in tip-top shape.
There was so much more Casper wanted to say. He regretted ruining the easy night they’d been having. But Laryn was tired, he’d interrupted her sleep. He felt better that he’d gotten some food into her, and she’d been able to shower. Which, again, was a change for him. He hadn’t ever really wanted to take care of a woman; it was enough some days just to take care of himself. But it had felt good, knowing he might’ve made Laryn’s night a little better…before he screwed things up.
He turned and headed for the door to her apartment, his steps heavy. He paused after he’d opened the dead bolt and cracked the door open. Turning back to look at her, Casper saw she’d followed him and was standing about five feet behind. Her hair was drying in waves around her shoulders, and her sweats and T-shirt clung to her healthy curves.
“Lock this behind me,” he ordered.
Laryn rolled her eyes. “No, I’m going to leave it open for just anyone to walk in anytime they want.”
Casper wrinkled his nose. “Sorry. Stupid comment on my part.” He was stalling. He knew it, and he had a feeling she did too.
“I always bolt it and put the chain on. And I’ve got my dad’s heavy-duty cast iron pipe wrench for self-defense,” she told him.
Which made Casper smile, as he recalled his and Chuck’s conversation about how she’d bash someone over the head witha wrench she kept by the door. Looks like they weren’t too far off. “Good. See you tomorrow.”
“Bye.”
The door shut behind him, and Casper waited until he heard the bolt slide into place. Then he forced himself to walk away. There was so much he hadn’t said, so much more he wanted to find out about the woman he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about for the last few weeks. He was becoming obsessed, and the more he was around her, the more he realized the interest wasn’t one way. Laryn was prickly and defensive, but he understood that. He’d need to go slow, gain her trust, show her that he wasn’t going to screw her over. That he truly wanted to get to know her.
He was an idiot for not opening his eyes to what was right in front of his face before now. He had a feeling Laryn could be very important to him in the near future. He couldn’t wait to see how things played out.
CHAPTER FOUR
The next afternoon, Laryn wasn’t any closer to figuring out what she was going to do about Tate than she’d been last night, after he’d left. It had taken every ounce of willpower she had to get off that couch when he’d practically been nuzzling her neck, and she’d totally lied when she said she’d never sleep with him. Hell, it was everything she’d ever dreamed about…which made what he’d done even more confusing.
Why now? Why had he randomly taken an interest in her? Nothing had changed. She was still just the mechanic who worked on his choppers. And out of the blue, he’d suddenly had some epiphany that he wanted her? She didn’t trust that, not for a second.
