She rolled her eyes.
Arms folded and foot tapping, she stared at the floor indicator.
“I was just trying to point out how dangerous your mission is,” I said.
“This could be my shot, Lincoln. I sit in a tiny cubicle every day writing shitty entertainment articles. That’s not what I got a journalism degree for. I finally got a break to come to LA. I saw an opportunity for something more. I mean to take it. Sue me!”
The elevator stopped, and she was off again.
Looking skyward, I stayed on her tail. “You don’t know what these people are capable of. Money and fame make the worst kinds of monsters. A scandalous byline won’t make you untouchable.”
She stopped at her door and wheeled around to glare daggers at me. “This isn't about my interest in juicy Hollywood gossip, Lincoln. If there’s something sinister happening, I aim to put a stop to it. I mean to get thetruthout. I’m not scared of them.”
“I know you’re not!” I shouted.
Ava startled and got quiet.
I didn’t mean to yell, but damn it, I couldn’t help it. I needed her tolisten.
“I know you’re not afraid, Ava.” My voice dropped, but the intensity remained. “That’s the problem—you’re fearless. You always have been. But I’m not. Not when it comes to you.” I shoved my fingers through my hair in agitation. “This world can get pretty dark. I couldn’t stand to see you hurt in any way.”
My confession hung between us. My moment of vulnerability and honesty seemed to have thrown her off balance. It threw me off, too. I didn’t like putting all my emotions out there like that. I blew out a breath and just stared at her. The woman who still held my heart. Yet I was afraid to tell her because she wanted nothing to do with me.
Her eyes were wide, full of so many things—confusion, shock… maybe something deeper. “Oh… Lincoln, I’ll be fine.”
“You can’t promise that.”
“I can promise I’ll be careful.”
“Well, then I guess I have to take comfort in that.”
An uneasy hush fell over us again.
My eyes dropped to her mouth as she began to nibble on her lip. She was nervous.
“Uh… Lincoln… about the other night…”
I took a deep breath. The other night. What a disaster.
“I’m sorry I accepted your dinner invitation with an ulterior motive. It was nice… the beginning of it where we talked.”
“It was.”
She cleared her throat lightly. “Maybe I can make it up to you with a do-over dinner before I leave.”
I nodded, afraid to speak for fear of saying something stupid. I settled on a simple, “I’d like that.”
“What I said before I left. The way I behaved… I’m sorry about that, too. It’s been years. I shouldn’t…” Patches of pink bloomed on her cheeks. “I shouldn’t have sounded so bitter. I feel awful, especially after you came through for me tonight. Truce?”
I let out an amused grunt when I glanced at the hand she held out.
“Sure.” Once my hand engulfed hers, the air shifted between us.
It was like we were being pulled close by some invisible thread because I found myself leaning closer, and so was she. Her eyes flickered to my mouth… I’d been staring at hers the entire time.
The air practically burned between us, so hot my heart sped up. Just before our lips met, Ava jerked back, blinking rapidly. “I… should go in.” She hiked a thumb toward her door. “It’s been a long night.”
My jaw was clenched too tightly, so I couldn’t speak. I just nodded.
