Page 47 of Right With You
Couldn’t keep focusing on that. I wanted to keep him talking. As willing as he was to tell me facts about his life—his family, his wealth, even the lie he’d told that got us here—I wanted to know him. The hints of humor and softness he let sneak through were basically catnip.
“What did you do? I have no idea what a day-to-day job would be like in the Army, let alone whatever fancy place you Saint guys all worked.”
“I was a CMOE which means I’m really good at getting into places even when they’re locked.”
The half-smile he shot me now was no better than the full-out one. This one had a boyish quality that made my stomach flip.Again.
“Wait so you could break into buildings and stuff?” I hadn’t thought about that being an actual job for someone in the Army.
“If there’s intel or an asset somewhere that’s locked down, I was the guy who figured out the plan to get in and then took lead on making that happen.” His gaze dropped to his hands again. “It was really fun.”
I giggled then because it was so completely wistful and surprising, though I couldn’t say why. “You miss breaking into places?”
He shrugged a shoulder. “Is it bad if I say yes?”
“As long as it doesn’t end up leading you into a life of crime, I guess not.”
We shared a smile, and all I could think was how much I liked him. He was funny and subtle and a little surprising. Who liked breaking into buildings? I would almost think it didn’t fit him except he’d talked about being impulsive as a kid and then rebellious in his early adulthood. Then he’d found an outlet—legal burglary. What a weird thing to enjoy, and yet here he was.
And yeah. Just so appealing.
“No plans for a criminal life. I could go for a Robin Hood situation maybe, but I figured Saint is about as close as I’ll get without being active duty and I’ll take it.” He leaned back and stretched his arms wide. “My grandfather would be horrified to know such a thing.”
I laughed at his admission but sobered. We hadn’t fully discussed what’d happened last night beyond planning to move me in. I’d added to his lie, and now we were waist deep in it.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this? I realize it’s a little late to ask, but I feel so bad that I let my temper get the best of me.”
He stood and padded toward me with weirdly attractive bare feet, then held out a hand when he reached me. I took it, pulse climbing when our fingers connected, and he tugged me out of my spot on the couch.
“I have never been happier to be fake-engaged to someone than I was when you said what you did. Thank you for thinking so quickly.”
He was staring at me so intently, those gray-green eyes pinned on me, and his hand holding mine felt so good. So safe and right and yet thrilling.
Everything I learned about him made me like him more. He had such a noble heart and yet a silly side I never would’ve imagined existed. No wonder he liked Kenny so much.
All these little pieces added up to someone I found myself caring about more and more. I enjoyed being around him, and I looked forward to seeing him. Ilikedhim, even though a huge part of me said that was just about the most foolish thing I could do right now.
It was on the tip of my tongue to tell him to kiss me—just to try it while we were living in this fantasy world—when his phone rang and the moment evaporated with the sound.
For the best. This wasn’t a fantasy. This was real life, and kissing Luc wouldn’t help me remember that.
CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE
Luc
As I brushed my teeth with a little more vigor than was healthy, I relived the last twenty minutes like a movie in my mind.
Elise taking my hand and standing, her hair in a ponytail that accentuated the delicate curve of her neck and the handful of freckles I’d had the utter need to press my lips to. I’d resisted.
Something had shifted in her gaze, and I could’ve sworn she was about to tell me to kiss her, when my phone rang. And if it was ringing through, it was someone from work. Anything else would’ve been silenced.
They needed me two hours early as Jenna’s plane was landing at six instead of eight tomorrow morning. I’d need to head in before five to prep. And that meant I had to get to bed since it was already almost eleven.
After finishing up in the bathroom, I slipped into my bedroom—ourbedroom—and my heart nearly stopped seeing her sitting up in my bed.
Our bed.
Shaking off that thought, I went to the opposite side and grabbed my book. The weight of Elise’s gaze drew my attention—she was watching my every move. Thankfully, I sensed no fear coming from her, but there was something. Nervous energy perhaps, which was certainly what I was feeling, too. And I needed to tell her my plan so she could relax.
