Again, she was handling the whole situation surprisingly well. “Maybe you’re in the wrong business.” He wanted to see her smile. “Forget costume design. You could have a career in the spy world.”
No smile flashed. “I don’t think so. I hate lies.”
Fuck.
“How did you know I have a career in costume design?”
Nash swallowed. “You always loved design. Figured you stayed with it.”
Her stare was breaking his heart. No, breaking him. She’d just said she hated lies. So, screw it. He’d give her the truth. “I found you,” Nash admitted.
“I don’t follow.”
“I would check on you. Seek you out. Make sure you were safe.”
“You…stalked me?”
“Stalk is such a negative word. Can’t we say I looked out for you?”
Her mouth was wide open. Gently, he slid his finger beneath her chin and pressed up. “I wanted you to be safe. I didn’t interfere.”
Her hand rose to curl around his wrist. “You know I’m a costume designer because you’ve been watching me.”
Yes.
“Why didn’t you ever approach me?”
“Because I thought you hated me.” Partial truth. “Because it wasn’t safe for me to be in your life.”
Her thick lashes fluttered. “Why wasn’t it safe?”
He didn’t speak. Voices drifted around them.
“I looked for you, too,” Delaney confessed.
His fingers lingered beneath her chin.
“But you weren’t there. You were never there.”
Yes, I was. I was watching you. So many times. He leaned forward, and his lips brushed against hers. They needed to look like the besotted couple. Considering that he was besotted, it was an easy enough role for him to play. He eased back. Cleared his throat. “Let’s go play.”
“We are going to finish this conversation later. You will explain why it wasn’t safe.”
He’d spent years hoping to make her life safe. Only to find out that her freaking fiancé wanted to kill her. Maybe she is only gonna be safe with me. Or maybe Nash was just telling himself shit he wanted to believe.
Delaney inched toward the massive slot machine. “This is going to sound crazy but, um, I’ve never gambled before.” Another little inch toward the machine as it chimed loudly. “And I think I’d really like to start with this guy.”
With the biggest slot machine in the whole casino? One that was so huge just because it was a tourist trap? “Delaney, you aren’t going to win there.” He hated to disillusion her. Hell, wasn’t that the whole reason he clung so tightly to his secrets?
“I never really thought life was about winning. Thought it was about being happy.” Her eyes were on the machine. “Yanking down that ginormous handle and watching the numbers spin will thrill my little heart.” A determined nod. “Seriously.”
He swiped his card over the machine. You had me at “thrill my little heart.” When he had it in his power, he would do anything to make her happy. “Go for it.”
“Nash, you just put one hundred dollars on this machine.”
“Yeah, well, I wanted your heart to be thrilled.”
She laughed.
