Page 13 of Daring Lance

“I’m betting he would agree with you.” He removed his keys from the front pocket of his jeans and opened the outer door of their condo building.

They walked side by side through the lobby and into the elevator. Once at the third floor, Lance stepped out of the elevator behind Willow, halting when she stopped and turned toward him. “You don’t need to walk me to my door, Lance. I’ll be fine.”

“I know you will, but I want to.” He was relieved when Willow didn’t argue with him but instead continued to walk toward her apartment.

Lance told himself that he was simply walking Willow to her condo and leaving her at her front door with no more than a chance to make plans to see her again. He wouldn’t follow her inside her apartment, even if she asked, which he doubted she would given the time of night, but he liked to think that she might because she was reconsidering her friends-only stance with him. He had a six a.m. start tomorrow, and it was already near ten. Five minutes within close proximity of Willow would undoubtedly not end in small talk if she gave any indication that she was interested in anything otherwise, and he had an early morning meeting with clients that he still needed to prepare for this evening.

Willow opened the front door, and Lance’s eyes were immediately drawn to a piece of paper on her tile floor, lying directly over the threshold. He bent down and picked it up. Three words, written in thick black marker, were scribbled across the page in large letters. He read it twice and then repeated it out loud. “Stop your meddling.”

Willow looked at the paper and then up at him. “Sounds like something from the ending of aScooby Doocartoon.”

“What?”

She took the paper from his hands and turned it over and then over again. “You remember, at the end of each episode the villain would say something like, ’If it wasn’t for those meddling kids.’”

Lance did remember, but what he didn’t know was why someone would leave such a note for Willow. “Right, I forgot you’re Ms. television. Buy why the note? What does it mean?”

Willow shrugged. “I don’t know. Probably something to do with the money laundering thing.”

Lance cupped each of Willow’s shoulders under his palms. He was surprised to find her eyes alight with amusement rather than worry. “Willow? I thought you weren’t going to do any digging into that without me? This could be serious.”

Willow placed her hands against his chest, causing him only a moment’s distraction because his concern for her safety set off his internal alarms. “Bernadette sent me an email with the details, and I’ll admit that I read it, but that’s it. I’ve been busy trying to finish up some translations that are due this week.”

Lance blew out an exaggerated breath. “Forward me the email, please. I’d like to read it.”

Willow shrugged again. “Sure, but basically, as far as Bernadette and friends know, there are five Regency Palm residents who have received monthly deposits into their accounts. No attempts have been made to withdraw the money.”

He released his grasp on Willow’s shoulders and brought one of his hands up to massage the back of his neck. “Somebody in this building wants the residents to have the money, but why? And they must live here or know someone who does to have been able to slide this note under your door.”

“I agree. Maybe it’s a Good Samaritan.”

Lance continued to rub his nape with one hand, the other one planted on the side of his hip. “I hope it is, but I’m not so sure given their choice of words on the note. Until we know for sure, it’s going to drive me crazy because they know who you are.” He paused, his frustration with himself mounting for involving her with any of the residents. “I’m sorry I got you involved with Bernadette and the other ladies. I had no idea about this money laundering thing. They never mentioned it to me.”

Willow gently wrapped her hand around his upper arm, causing Lance to raise both brows. “Lance, I hardly think I have to be worried about someone giving money away, particularly because it’s likely to be another resident who only wants to do a good deed.”

Deciding to take a risk and knowing it would be worth it if she didn’t object, he anchored his hands on her hips and eased her closer to him, their bodies separated by only a thin wisp of air. “I don’t like that they are threatening you.”

“Velma and Daphne were never deterred by similar threats, and neither am I.”

“Who?”

Willow brushed a strand of hair away from his forehead, and it warmed him that she was comfortable enough to do so. He wondered if she realized what she had done. “FromScooby-Doo? The girl detectives.”

Lance chuckled although he still felt uneasy about the threatening note. “Right. Daphne was the hot redhead. Now I remember.”

“Does that mean you’re into red heads?”

Lance lowered his head, his lips hovering above hers. “No. I happen to like a beautiful, brilliant woman with gorgeous black hair and a body that is driving me wild right now with thoughts of it pressed against me, playing havoc with each of my nerve endings.” He paused and sighed dramatically. “If only she would realize it and do something about it.”

“Poor, frustrated Sir Lancelot. The courageous knight is not used to women who don’t fall at his feet.”

Lance didn’t want women to fall at his feet. He simply wanted Willow in his bed, and it was becoming harder and harder not to keep his desire from driving him to total distraction. “That’s one more thing on a growing list that I need to speak to Bernadette about. That woman cannot keep her mouth shut. How she knew my real name is something I need to figure out, though she probably heard it from my Aunt Lorraine. Sly old ladies.”

“They’re harmless.”

“Yeah, and so are great white sharks.” Willow giggled softly, and Lance found himself caught up in the emerald depths of her eyes. When she realized this, she stilled, her eyes searching his.

Lance dropped his hands from her hips to let them fall at his sides. She was literally driving him insane. “I, ah, have an early morning tomorrow, and I have some work that needs to get done. And I still need to take Harold and Cooper for a walk.”

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