It Started At Christmas...

Which meant it was time for her to get out too.

Which meant she’d be going into her house.

Alone.

It wasn’t a good idea to invite Lance inside her place.

She dug her keys out of her purse and unlocked her front door, then turned to him to issue words that caused an internal tug-of-war of common courtesy and survival instincts.

“Do you want to come inside?”

His gaze searched hers then, to her surprise, he shook his head. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m going to head back to the community theater to help clean up.”

“Oh.”

“If I didn’t know better I’d think you were disappointed by my answer.”

Was she?

That wasn’t disappointment moving through her chest. Probably just indigestion from the stress of having to get blood drawn. Or something like that.

She lifted her chin and looked him square in the eyes. “I’m sorry I kept you from things you needed to be doing.”

“I’m sure the crew has things under control, but I usually help straighten things up. Afterward, we celebrate another successful show, which I’m calling tonight despite everything that happened, because you were there and I got to spend time with you.”

She glanced at her watch. “You’re going out?”

“To an after-show party at Lanette and Roger Anderson’s place. Lanette is one of the female singers and who I asked to take over emceeing for me.” He mentioned a couple of the songs she’d done that night and a pretty brunette with an amazing set of pipes came to mind.

“She will have their place all decked out with Christmas decorations and will have made lots of food,” he continued. “You want to come with me?”

She immediately shook her head. “No, thanks. I ate at the dinner show.”

He laughed. “I thought you’d say no.”

“You should have said you had somewhere you needed to be.”

“And keep you from sweating over whether or not you were going to invite me in? Why would I do that?”

“Because you’re a decent human being?”

“I am a decent human being. I have references, remember?”

“Mothers don’t count.”

“Mothers count the most,” he corrected.

When had he moved so close? Why wasn’t she backing away from him? Any moment now she expected him to close the distance between their mouths. He was that close. So close that if she stretched up on her tippy-toes her lips would collide with his.

She didn’t stretch.

Neither did he close the distance between their mouths. Instead, he cupped her jaw and traced over her chin with his thumb. “You could easily convince me to change my plans.”

His breath was warm against her face.

“Why would I want to do that?” But her gaze was on his mouth, so maybe her question was a rhetorical one.

He laughed and again she felt the pull of his body.

“You should give me a chance to make this up to you by taking you to the hospital Christmas party next weekend.”

“I can take myself.”

“You can, but you shouldn’t have to.”

“To think I need a man to do things for me would be a mistake. I started wearing my big-girl panties a long time ago.”

His eyes twinkled. “Prove it.”

“You wish.”

“Without a doubt.”

Yet he hadn’t attempted to kiss her, hadn’t taken up her offer to come inside her place where he could have attempted to persuade her into something physical. Instead, he’d said she could convince him to change his plans. He’d given her control, left the power in her hands about what happened next.

“I’ll see you bright and early Monday morning, McKenzie.”

“Have fun at your party.”

“You could go with me and have fun, too.”

She shook her head. “I wouldn’t want to cramp your style.”

His brows made a V. “My style?”

“What if you met someone you wanted to take home with you?”

“I already have met someone I want to take home with me. She keeps telling me no.”

“I’m not talking about me.”

“I am talking about you.”

Exasperation filled her. She wasn’t sure if it was from his insistence that he wanted her or the fact that he hadn’t kissed her. Maybe both. “Would you please be serious?”

His thumb slid across her cheek in a slow caress. “Make no mistake, McKenzie. I am serious when I say that I’d like to explore the chemistry between us.”

Shivers that had nothing to do with the December weather goose-pimpled her body.