Page 64 of Help Wanted

She wanted to say no and run back to Zane, but instead she shut off her computer and nodded.

“All set.”

* * *

They were nearly out the door before Zane realized what was going on. She was going on a date. With Scott.

While Zane knew the officer wasn’t a player, he’d heard more than enough tales of carnage and mischief when they went for drinks on the rare occasion they were both not working.

One thing was for sure, Scott Porter knew how to seduce women. And he had just walked out the door with Zane’s girl.

Zane didn’t know what to do as he stood at the glass door watching them. Scott opened the passenger door to his cruiser and closed it behind her. He gave Zane a smile and a wave as he passed in front of the car to get in the driver’s side. This was really happening.

Should he run out there to stop them? Maybe some cool move like sliding across the hood and pulling her out of the car in one big swoop? Would she even want him after what he’d done?

Probably not. Truth be told, he didn’t want to be with himself much at the moment. Fear had kept him from getting too close to Kenley. Fear that he would turn back into that pathetic puppy he’d been in high school. Fear that he wouldn’t be enough to keep someone as amazing as her. Fear of the pain that would destroy him when she left him for one of the cool kids.

Apparently Scott Porter was one of the cool kids.

“Christ,” he muttered as he stomped back down the hall to his office, and slammed the door.

* * *

As Scott had promised, they spent the evening eating and getting to know each other.

He had a lot of funny stories about his job, and he seemed captivated when she talked about herself. He even asked follow-up questions, proving he’d been paying attention.

“So let me get this straight, someone left you in a library when you were little, and the town named you after the book you were holding?”

“Yes. I was known as the library girl. I don’t remember it. My only memories are with my adopted parents. I think my life turned out better than it might have if my real parents had kept me.” She believed that to be true, though she did occasionally wonder why they hadn’t kept her.

“Maybe I could run your DNA through the system and see if anything pops up.”

She tilted her head to the side, thinking it over for no more than a few seconds before shaking her head.

“No, thank you. I have no interest in finding them. No reason to go looking for trouble.”

“Smart girl.”

By the time Scott dropped her off at her house, she knew a lot about him. Including the most important thing.

While he seemed interested in her, and he was both charming and adorable, he just wasn’t Zane Jackson.

“Thank you for a great time,” she said when they arrived at her door. There was no way she’d invite him inside. While she wasn’t a virgin anymore, she wasn’t ready to sleep with men on the first date. Especially not when she was still hung up on the first guy.

There might have been a warning, but she was distracted with thoughts of Zane when Scott bent close and kissed her on the mouth.

Her body instantly turned into a plank and she couldn’t breathe until he stepped back. He was frowning down at her.

“Okay. Don’t panic. Take a deep breath and relax. When you’re ready I’m going to try it again.”

She couldn’t help but laugh at his reaction. Playing it up a little, she rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck as she shook her arms out like she did before a run.

“Okay. Go.”

Even as he was taking a step in her direction she felt her body go rigid.

“Power through,” he said as he leaned down and kissed her again.

Expecting it this time, she was able to kiss him back, but it was nothing more than lips moving against lips. It wasn’t a kiss so much as a handshake with tongues.

“Hmm. That wasn’t any better,” he said honestly.

“Yeah. I noticed.”

“Did I do something?” he asked.

“Oh no!” she nearly shouted. “It’s not you. It’s… I guess I’m still getting over someone. I’d hoped I already was, since we hadn’t been together very long at all, but it seems I’m not.”

He nodded as if this made more sense than the possibility that the problem could be his kissing skills.

“Well.” He looked up at the dark sky for a second and then back to her. “I had a good time. You didn’t get on my nerves, so maybe we could try it again. And at some point you might be over the other guy. What do you say?”

“I would like that,” she said, though her heart was already generating a surplus of excuses. “Thanks again.”

With a wave, she watched as he walked to the car and drove off.

She stepped into her lonely home wondering if she’d ever get better at this.