“Yes—no, well, yes I do—I think.” She really didn’t sound too sure of herself, but she was not comfortable with the question.
“I see.”
“Is something wrong? I know it sounds old fashioned.”
“No, again, I find it fascinating. I findyoufascinating. I would have never thought that you had such principles about sex. You are so outgoing. Most virgins have a reputation of being shy, vulnerable, and introverted. You are a true enigma Tammy.”
Another blush hit her cheeks.
In all the years she knew Lance, not once did he feign interest in her. That admission sent her heart soaring. Love? Yes, she believed in love before being intimate with someone. She loved him. “I’ve come to believe that sex isn’t the end all be all of my existence.”
“Says the woman who’s never had the experience.” His handsome mouth graced her with another heart throbbing smile.
“It can’t be all that—“
“—Oh, butitis.” his smile altered ever so slightly. It went from charming to challenging showing his even straight white teeth.
It was a cat-that-got-the-canary smile and Tammy instantly felt a ball of heat well up deep in her pelvis. It was a smile that told her she was oh-so-wrong and that he was willing to prove otherwise. Leave it to her to lay a stimulating provocation at the feet of a highly intelligent accomplished alpha male. She should have known better to give him so much information.
“I think we’ve learned enough today.” There was a gleam in his eyes when he spoke. “You should find something to wear to your parents tonight.” He stood and stared down at her. “Black, yet elegant—ankle length and strapless, with a sweetheart neckline to show off your figure.”
She tilted her head in confusion trying to avoid the embarrassment at his assessment of her body, “I don’t have anything like that.” why on earth was he asking for that style?
He glanced at the time on his Rolex. “I’ll send for Vern. You have time to shop before dinner. He reached down and took her elbow to help her stand. “We should really make an impression, don’t you think?” The corner of his mouth pulled up in a devious quirk
“Oh yes!” Again she could have kissed him for his consideration.
“Do you need money?”
She was speechless and stared at him eyes wide and mouth open.
He waited patiently until she composed herself, staring down at her with a glimmer of humor in his eyes.
“Lance, I’m drawing the line at that. I have savings. You’ve already done enough for me.”
“I’m not trying to insult you. I know that you work hard, but nursing doesn’t pay a hell of a lot. You need something glamorous for tonight. I can afford that.”
“It doesn’t feel right to accept that.”
He shrugged like it was no big deal. “It’s my responsibility to make sure you come home in one piece. I promised Colt and my family. Also, its men like Cavanaugh that give my profession a bad name. It’s been a while since I enjoyed putting a man like him in his place.”
Oh, and she’d love a front row seat to that. Richard thought he’d had her figured out. He fully expected her to conform to his wishes. He started buying her clothes without her consent, planning which social clubs she was going to belong to and worst of all, who she could be friends with. Seeing him again, and the way he looked at her, made her realize that he thought nothing had changed no matter that he was engaged. He wasn’t going to give up. It made horrible memories flood back to her and she shuddered. Yet, when she looked at it in Lance’s way, it actually removed some of the angst she had in meeting her family again. She was pretending to be engaged to a man richer than her family who didn’t mind what she did for a living. Yes, this could be something she needed to get her mother off her back about Richard. She was also surprised to hear that Colton had talked to him. She began to wonder if this whole trip Lance had planned was because of her? She thought it was sweet that the Hartleys wanted to protect her, but she really wished that he was doing it without his brother’s coaxing.
He reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out his wallet retrieving his credit card despite her refusal. “I have a feeling that the type of dress I want for you is not in your budget. Let’s say we take this over the top. You chose, but keep my ideas in mind.”
She looked down at the black card credit card he held out to her. She’d never seen one before, but she knew the card and the color. The balance was limitless.
He was right, though. She didn’t have the money for what he expected. Yet, she couldn’t take his money either.
“You can pay me back later,” he added not meaning a word of it.
“You are lying.”
The corner of his mouth pulled up. His eyes remained steady on hers. “I really don’t indulge much, Tammy, in women and myself. I don’t mind. I won’t miss it. You are pretty much a part of our family. We don’t pay you half of what you’re worth.”
He doesn’t indulge? This penthouse must’ve been worth at least thirty million. She pinched her eyes shut resisting the offer. Suddenly she felt his hand on hers pressing the card into the palm. She opened her eyes and stared at him then the card.
“Please. I insist,” he said softly—deeply.
