Finding Forever (Living Again #4) (7 page)

She had seen what the spotlight had done to her best friend and her husband. While Sam was living her dream, it came with a huge price, including almost taking her life. Lacey couldn’t take the chance of any more loss, anything else to destroy her faith in humanity. So she would have this lunch with Brant, finish taking care of his dog, and he would forget all about her and this silly crush he had on her.

“What happened, Lacey?” Brant set down his tray across from her and slid into his seat, his blue eyes searching hers. Damn, she couldn’t get anything past him. How could someone she had only known since yesterday read her so well?

She picked up her sandwich and took a bite, buying herself a few more seconds. She didn’t want to seem like a jerk and say that she wouldn’t date him because of what he did for a living. Really, she was proud of him for following his dreams. Just like Sam, she only wished the best for him. She just knew that it wasn’t something she was prepared to live through, no matter how much she liked being around him.

“What do you mean?” She decided that hurting him wasn’t the way to end this. She would just let things naturally fade away, and he’d easily find another pretty girl who would want all the same things as him.

He studied her a moment, and she felt the heat creeping up her face. The way he looked at her, it was like he was infiltrating her very thoughts and feelings. Why did she have the feeling that he knew exactly what she was doing?

“Something just happened. It’s like I watched a wall come down around you. What is it? I’m used to being judged over being a model, so go ahead. Spit it out.”

She blinked. He sounded almost
angry
at her. “Brant, I’m not judging you at all. I’m very proud of your accomplishments, and following your dreams. I’m sorry if you think that I was closing down. I was just thinking about… everything. I haven’t been on a date, or lunch, or whatever, in a really long time. Then yesterday, you show up and kind of create a whirlwind around me. It’s just a lot to take in.”

Brant chewed, watching her. “I get it. I’m sorry, I just get a little testy about my career. Many people, including my own family, don’t think what I do
is
a career. They see what I do as frivolous, meaningless.”

“That’s silly,” Lacey said, and meant it. It would be like saying what Sam did was frivolous and meaningless, and she looked up to her best friend so much for realizing her dreams.

Brant shrugged. “But true. So wait just a minute. You haven’t been on a date in a long time? Why is that? I can’t imagine you not having a line of guys a mile long to date you.”

Lacey inhaled, a piece of her bread going down her throat and making her cough. Brant looked at her, alarmed, and she waved her hand, taking a sip of water and clearing her throat. “I’m fine,” she choked out. She thought back to the card that Brant had given her this morning for her “Birthday Re-do.” She thought it just might have been the nicest card anyone had ever given her.

It had been a simple card, it wasn’t that. It was what he wrote in it. She didn’t even need the card to remember what he said, and she knew she would probably remember it forever.

Lacey, it was my pleasure to meet you yesterday on your birthday. I really do think that this should be your birthday re-do day. Your smile is too beautiful to spend your birthday every year crying. Your mom would want that for you. It would make me a very happy man to keep getting to know you, because I know that beauty is only skin deep, and that anyone can be beautiful on the outside. You, however, are both. Thank you for the chance to know you. –Brant

“Lacey? You sure you’re okay?” Brant broke through her thoughts. She blinked, turning her attention back to him. He had asked her something before she started choking. Oh yes, why she didn’t date.

“I’m good,” she smiled, clearing her throat one more time. “Why don’t I date? Well, as you know since you were in school quite a while, school took a lot of my energy and extra time. I was determined to graduate at the top of my class, and I did. I had plenty of fun in college, and did have some fleeting relationships, but I just have never quite been a serious relationship kind of person.”

Brant studied her, and she found herself squirming in her seat at the intensity in his gaze. “So you’ve never had a serious relationship?”

Lacey looked down at her plate. She didn’t want to get into the whole thing with him. She had already told him too much information yesterday when she saw him at the river. He was probably thinking she was some innocent virgin girl he could show the ropes. Or he was thinking he needed to run now because there was something seriously wrong with her.

“Lacey,” Brant said softly. “Look at me.”

She lifted her head, fighting the rising emotion that was threatening to overtake her. Why was he getting to her so easily? For so many years, she had been good at keeping men like him at arm’s length, and here he was, twenty-four hours after meeting her, trying to pry open her iron-clad walls.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it the way your mind is probably spinning it. I’m just curious, that’s all. There’s nothing wrong with it if you have or haven’t had a serious relationship. I admire your tenacity in reaching your goals. It’s obviously worked well for you, since at your age you have landed a great job at the best vet practice in Nashville.”

Lacey smiled, the knots in her stomach relaxing slightly. “I’ve had a few boyfriends over the years, but I can honestly say that I’ve never met anyone that shook my entire foundation, made me believe in love.”

“I’m going to be completely frank, because that’s the way I do things,” Brant started, making those knots curl back tighter than ever. “I’ve learned that it’s best to be honest and not beat around the bush.” He paused, lifting his tea to his lips. She watched the motion, her own mouth drying out watching him flick his tongue out onto his lips. She curled her fingers into a fist under the table, hating the way her body was reacting right now.

“That scares you, doesn’t it?” Brant chuckled, and she found herself nodding in agreement before she could stop herself. He reached over and put his hand over hers, the one that had been holding her sandwich, now forgotten. “I want to get to know you. I like you a lot. I know we don’t know much about each other, but that’s why I’m being honest. I’d like to see where this could go. Can I have your phone number? Can we see each other again, as something other than vet and dog owner? I promise to make Max behave and not take you away from me.”

Lacey forced herself to take a deep breath, registering the words she had a feeling were coming. Her very soul was screaming to make her mouth open and say the word ‘YES’, but her brain, the part of her that wouldn’t stop thinking this would only end badly for both of them, kept a firm grip on her lips. Before she could stop the war going on inside her, Brant scooted his chair next to her.

The sandwiches forgotten, Lacey looked into the blue of his eyes, so different from hers. The scent of him tickled her nostrils, and she knew that her heart rate was through the roof. What was he doing? It was a good thing she was sitting, because she wasn’t sure her legs would support her right now. It was like the noise of the sandwich shop, busy at lunchtime, fell away, and all she could see was Brant’s chiseled cheekbones, tan skin, and luscious lips right in front of her. His eyes seemed to look right through her, and Lacey thought it was possible that she wasn’t even breathing.

She flinched involuntarily as he lifted his hand to touch her face, but that didn’t stop him. The second his hand, slightly rough, touched her cheek, her eyes fluttered closed on their own volition. She felt him lean closer to her, his lips against her ear.

“Lacey,” his voice rumbled, the warmth of his breath tickling the inside of her ear and making her tremble. She could feel his cheek against hers, his slight stubble scratching her smooth face. She couldn’t move. Her mind and heart were screaming equally now, both so loud she couldn’t hear anything. He backed up so that his face was mere centimeters from hers, and used his other hand to touch the other side of her face. She couldn’t move, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to.

His eyes scanned her face, starting at her lips and moving up to her nose, then back to her eyes, where he stopped, just looking at her. What was he going to do? What did she want him to do? His gaze flicked back to her lips, and she licked them without thinking. He rubbed his thumbs along her cheeks, then took one and traced her lips with it. She gasped, the feeling of him touching her sending shooting shocks throughout her body. Her body was a traitor. She didn’t want to feel anything for him. She refused to.

A small smile made one side of his lips quirk up, and just like that, he withdrew, scooting his chair back to where it was before. It was almost like that didn’t even happen. Which was probably for the best, she admitted. Apparently he made her stupid and lose all rational thought. She would never want him to kiss her in the middle of a deli. Would she? No, she wouldn’t. He was a player; he knew exactly how to get to girls. She needed to remember that.

“Will you come over tonight, after I get Max home? You know, to check on him?” He grinned, and she saw right through him. He was using Max to get her to come over.

“I don’t know.”

“Just dinner, Lacey. I promise, I won’t bite. I’ll even cook.”

“You’ll cook?”

“Yes,” he laughed. “You think guys can’t cook? I cook for myself daily. I make a mean grilled chicken breast and brown rice.”

Lacey held out her hand, and he looked at her quizzically. “Give me your phone.”

Brant fished the phone out of his pocket and put it in her hand. She picked it up and added her number to his contacts, trying to ignore the panic that was threatening to overtake her. Her heart was winning right now, and her head didn’t like it. Not one bit.

“Now text me, and I’ll have yours. You know, just in case
Max
needs something.” He pressed a few keys, then she felt her phone vibrating in her purse. Taking it out, she smiled as she saw his text, then that feeling settled in her chest again, the one that made her want to run away.

Max says thank you for taking such good care of him
.

“I need to get back to work,” Lacey said, pushing back her chair. She had hardly touched her food, but knew she wouldn’t be eating. Her legs wobbled as she took a step away from the table, and she shook her head at her foolishness.

“You hardly ate,” Brant observed. “Want to wrap it up and take it?”

“Sure.” Brant got a to-go container for her, then led her out of the busy deli to her car. They sat in comfortable silence on the way back to the office. Her mind was racing a thousand miles an hour, wondering why in the world she not only gave him her phone number, but agreed to go to his
house
for dinner!
Just to make sure Max is okay
, she reminded herself. But she knew that wasn’t the reason she agreed, and she hated herself for it.

“Coming in to see Max again?”

Brant leaned back against her car, his sunglasses hiding those expressive eyes. Did she sound too hopeful when she asked that? He reached out for her and she stepped closer. Maybe she didn’t need him to come in; maybe she needed to spend the next five hours knocking some sense into herself. Yes, that’s exactly what she needed to do.

“If you really think he can come home tonight, then I’m going to leave for now. I need to do a few things before he gets home, including grocery shopping for a hot date I have tonight.” He lowered his glasses and winked at her, making her stomach flutter.

“I’ll call you if Dr. Jenkins doesn’t think that’s still the plan, but I’ll tell him that I can check on Max tonight as well.”

“You’re going to tell your boss you’re coming over?”

Lacey hesitated. “Well, I can tell him I’ll check on him. You know, as a doctor/patient.”

Brant smirked, pulling her closer than she had allowed herself to go. “You know, I kinda like that idea.”

Lacey furrowed her brow, not understanding. He leaned over so he was whispering in her ear again. “Doctor, patient. I kinda like that, Doc.” She shivered, despite the hot midday sun. He was really laying it on thick, now.
He’s a master at this
, she reminded herself.
Don’t fall for it
.

“Max is the patient,” she teased, and he pouted. “I do really have to go, though. Be here to pick him up at six unless I tell you otherwise. I’d bring him, but he wouldn’t be comfortable in my car.”

“You got it, Doc,” Brant said. “Thanks for lunch.”

“Thank you, too,” she answered, turning to walk away.

“Lacey.” She turned back to look at him, trying to ignore how sexy he looked standing there.

“I can’t wait to see you tonight.”

She smiled and nodded, turning to walk back to work. As she walked in the door, she saw that Brant hadn’t moved a muscle. He was still there watching her, even after the office door shut after her.

Lacey rushed into the office, heading for her desk so she could drop her purse off and get to her next patients. She was sure she was late. Her mind was reeling from everything that had happened in the last twenty minutes. Somehow, she had agreed to go to dinner at Brant’s house tonight. So he was hot. And nice. She could do this, right? He was just a guy. A guy that she knew she couldn’t get involved with, no matter what.