Page 13 of Lance

“I’m a little shy,” she murmurs, looking up at me, and I can tell it’s taking everything in her to make herself do it, to hold my gaze and not look away. “But I guess you already knewthat.”

“Shy’s okay.” Why does my throat feel sodry?

She laughs, the sound so quiet it’s more like a sigh. “That’s easy for you to say. I bet you’ve never felt shy in yourlife.”

I have to lean down to hear her better, but that’s fine by me because it means bringing my face closer to hers, close enough to see the faint spray of freckles across her nose, to count each one of her lashes if I wanted to. Close enough to take in her scent, something delicate and fresh that reminds me of a rainynight.

Jesus, listen to me. I sound like a chick orsomething.

But how had I not noticed her the second she walked in? Why on earth had I gone to the blonde instead of her when I escaped from the Ransome brothers? She’s obviously the most beautiful woman in theroom.

Somebody jostles her as they lean across the bar and she stumbles toward me. I grab her shoulders, steadying her, and she makes that same little breathy sigh of relief again. Like something about me touching her feelsright.

“Want to move somewhere less crowded?” She nods eagerly and I lead her away from the bar and the heaviest crush of the crowd. It’s still loud in our little corner, but it’s not nearly so crowded. “Better?”

“Much, thankyou.”

“Have you been to this clubbefore?”

She laughs a little. “No. I’m not exactly the going outtype.”

“So what type are you,then?”

She makes a face. “The nose in a booktype.”

I grin at her, shaking my head. “I’ve never been too great withbooks.”

“Really? I love books. They’re socomforting.”

“If by comforting you mean they lull you into a deep sleep, thenyeah.”

She giggles and I decide right away I want to make her laugh like that for the rest of the night. “I think you must not be reading the rightbooks.”

“Maybe you can show me some good ones.” She releases a long breath, looking up at me, and I realize the space between us has somehow closed. She’s near enough to touch now, so close I can see her lips trembling slightly with everybreath.

Before I can even wonder if it’s a good idea, I close that space between us, letting my lips brush across hers. For a moment, so brief I wonder if maybe I imagined it, she stiffens, like she’s scared. But then she’s pressing her lips against mine, eager, and there’s that sigh again—I think I’m maybe getting addicted toit.

I want to pull her into my arms, to feel the length of her against me. To deepen the kiss, see what she tastes like. Hell, I want to get her out of this damn club and somewhere private. That storage closet isn’t sounding so bad right now. Butfirst…

I pull back just far enough to look into her eyes. She’s blinking, looking a little dazed and a lot happy and her expression hits me right in the gut. Who is this girl? And how did I get lucky enough to meether?

“What’s your name?” Iwhisper.

Her eyes, which had been blinking at me dreamily, snap fully open. “Wha…what did yousay?”

I want to laugh. Is she that done in by my kiss that she can’t think straight? “Your name,” I repeat. “What’s yourname?”

She pulls back and I feel an odd sting of disappointment. “My name?” She’s looking at me strangely, like she can’t figure out what I’mafter.

“Well, yeah.” I smile, hoping I’m pulling off charming, because God do I want this girl to be charmed by me. “I want to know who I’mkissing.”

She closes her eyes briefly and I think she might be in pain. Before I can ask what’s wrong she’s looking at me again, but now her eyebrows are down and there’s a frown line between them. She looks…sad.

“I’mWilla.”

I want to ask her what happened, what changed in the last thirty seconds. Why she’s looking around the room as if searching for someone to come and help her. “Willa, I’m Lance. Is everythingokay?”

She laughs, the sound strangled. “I know who youare.”