Shit. She was like one giant hormone. Okay, breathe girl. She should ask him some questions. Especially if she was already thinking about getting naked with him. Honestly, that was about all she’d been thinking about since landing eyes on him.
“So, what do you do for a living?” she cleared her throat, attempting a conversation.
Lance quirked his head and grinned. She could see he was surprised by the question. Well, good. She’d just have to keep on surprising him.
“I work for Maverick Development, on a construction crew, but I also do a lot of work with computers.”
“Really? Like what?”
“Uh, programming. Firewall installation. I used Draco Fortis products for most of our security needs. And, I have some investments,” he ducked his head.
It was as if he was embarrassed. A ruddy color spread across his face, and she gasped. He was blushing! Laughter bubbled up inside of her, and she poked him in the ribs playfully.
“What are you? Some rich boy playing at construction or something?” she teased.
He did drive a nice vehicle. The suit he wore was obviously tailored to his magnificent build. But he was so down to earth, it was difficult to reconcile.
“I’m not rich, rich, but I have invested wisely. Is money important to you?” he asked.
“Not really,” she shrugged and looked straight. The couple in front of them was taking forever to get situated, “my sister and her husband are loaded. They raised me, but I never felt like their money made them happy. I mean, I’m not stupid. It is good to have money, but I work hard, and I make a decent living.”
“I see. What does your brother-in-law do?”
“He’s always really vague. Glenn had investments, like you I guess,” she shrugged, “Sandra doesn’t do anything. After my nephew was born, she just stays in her room when she’s not entertaining.”
“That’s not how I picture you at all,” he grunted.
“Oh, I’m nothing like her,” Anna frowned, “not that she is bad. We just like different things.”
“I can understand that. So, what do you do?”
“Graphic design. I work on video game avatars and, um, fantasy-scapes.”
“Wow, really? That’s awesome,” he grinned, “I love video games.”
“Really? Well, I am working on a new one, Ice Battles? Have you heard of it?”
“No way! I have everything Graves Enterprises puts out. In fact, another of their designers lives one town over in Barvale. He’s a friend, name of Nate Cordoza.”
“OMG! He’s a legend at GE! His avatars are so lifelike,” she was stunned.
“Yeah, they are. He does portraits for friends and family too. I can introduce you. Uh, maybe? Sometime, if you want that is. He lives with his wife and kids,” he added quickly, “Uh, anyway, I’d love to see some of your work.”
Anna smiled and nodded. She’d never had anyone be so excited about what she did for a living. His genuine interest combined with that crazy deep voice of his was doing things to her she hardly recognized.
The sound of someone clearing their throat didn’t break the look they were still sharing. The entire world seemed to fall away, and it was just the two of them.
“Ahem.”
But neither moved. She couldn’t. It was impossible. Lance was staring into her soul. At least that was what it felt like. Casually flirtatious one moment, and serious the next. Her heart was pounding. He inched closer to her trembling form, but he wasn’t alone.
Apparently, the pussy-blocking throat-clearer thought it was an invitation. Dang it! But Lance did not seem the least bit disturbed. He reached out and brushed a lock of hair behind her shoulder. The touch left her shivering and oh-so-needy.
More throat clearing, followed by finger-tapping, until finally, it was accompanied by an annoyed, and somewhat intrusive, nasal voice.
“Excuse me.”
Anna exhaled and turned her face. She felt like growling, but she held her composure. For now. Wow, that was intense. She wished she had a fan or something. A cold shower maybe?
Whoa. She was going to have to work to not throw herself at him. And she wasn’t the only one. She noticed the woman working the coat check, eyeing him up and down like he was a snack she couldn’t wait to feast on.
Hell no. Anna frowned, then bit her lip. Truth was, it made her nervous to think this woman, and women like her, were her competition. Tall, thin, beautiful too.
Shit. She stole a look at Lance, but he hardly acknowledged the woman.
Amazing, she thought. He was polite, of course. Took the ticket in his hand and stuffed it in his pants pocket with a smiled thanks. But that was it.
All that crystalline blue heat flaring to life in his eyes was for Annalia alone. She smiled, calm on the outside, but Anna was firmly aware of the butterflies currently doing a salsa in her belly.
Her cheeks heated and her breath caught. If she wasn’t careful, she’d wind up having an asthma attack from her own nerves.
“Come on, beautiful,” he said.
But Anna stopped and turned to him. She needed to make things clear from the beginning, so there were no false expectations.
“You don’t have to do that, you know,” she said, “call me things like baby or beautiful.”
“Why not? Do you not like that? I would never want to offend-”
“Oh, not,” she shook her head, “I am not offended. I just mean I am a realist. Men don’t do that with me.”
“I don’t know what kind of idiots you’ve dated in the past, Annalia, but when you’re with me I want you to know how gorgeous you are,” the hand on her waist squeezed and she trembled in response, “I mean it. You are absolutely breathtaking.”
She was gonna die. Right there. That, or she was going to come with nothing more than his words. Her breathing was growing heavier. The perfume and cologne in the air made it even more difficult.
But that was not why her pulse was racing. It was in the way this blue-eyed man was practically purring and running a single finger across her cheek. Like she was something precious.
“You are precious,” he murmured, “and beautiful. That’s just the truth, Anna.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, painfully aware she’d spoken aloud again.
Sigh. Annalia stepped back, taking a moment to collect herself. The room was gorgeous, done all in blues and silvers. The event planner had done an outstanding job with the decorations.
“It really looks like a winter wonderland in here,” she mused.
“Right? I like the ice sculptures over there,” Lance nodded to the far wall where a huge forest scene was carved from ice depicting a wide array of wild animals.
“They hired an orchestra too,” she pointed out.
“Would you like to dance?” he asked.
Annalia did not know how much she could take of him touching her before she jumped on him, but yes, she wanted to dance. Nodding, she allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor.
The gleaming wood was packed with beautifully dressed couples moving close together. The ladies dressed in their finest, and men in their suits looked dashing. But no one held a candle to Lance.
Not in her eyes, anyway. The band began to play a beautiful arrangement of a modern dance song with their dozens of wind, string, and wood instruments.