CHAPTER 6
Leila
I couldn’t believe what happened at the bar and afterward. I locked my door and walked to the couch, dropping down on the couch as I touched my tingling lips. I’d never been kissed like that in my life. I closed my eyes and leaned back, feeling the drinks as my head swam for a few minutes. Lance was more than gorgeous. He was addictive and I wanted more. My body screamed for more.
I went and washed my face before pulling on my brother’s college t-shirt that I always wore to bed. He’d gone to Stanford and was now playing hockey for the Bruins, so we didn’t see each other a lot. I crawled into my bed and dropped against the pillows as I reached for my Kindle. I always liked to read a little before going to sleep and I had tomorrow off now that Nan was off my hands.
I started a new book as I thought back to Cameron. He really freaked me out at the house but showing up at the bar caught me completely off guard. I didn’t know that he hung out in Santa Monica at all. I wondered what would have happened if Lance hadn’t been sitting with me. Cameron didn’t want to take no for an answer at the house and he wasn’t even with Nan tonight. I felt like he wouldn’t give up.
I put the Kindle down and sighed. I hoped that it was over with Nan and Cameron and that I could move on. I thought about Lance as I shut off the light and closed my eyes, wondering if I’d see him again. He didn’t ask for my number, but I was certain that he felt the heat between us. Lance probably felt that heat with a lot of women, but it was a first for me. I wanted more.
I woke up early in the morning and sighed. I had the worst time sleeping in and I rolled over to face the window and looked out, thinking about my day and what I should do. I didn’t have a lot of free time and I rose and walked to my kitchen to make some coffee and read my emails. I had a few hits on some properties that I signed and I responded and thanked them for their interest. I hoped that by responding that I’d gain some more clients and I sipped my second cup of coffee as I turned on a movie on TV. I didn’t work until my open house tomorrow and I considered sitting here all day. I turned my head to look out of my sliding glass door, thinking of the beach just a few miles away. I should go and get my ocean fill while I had a day off and I smiled and turned back to the TV.
I decided to call Viv and tell her all about yesterday. She listened, expressing anger at Cameron and appreciation for what Lance had done. She asked further about Nan and was relieved to hear that she was not my client any longer. Viv agreed that she was a pain in the ass to begin with and not worth the commission, though she agreed that it was good that I’d see some of the sale. I knew that she was going to ask about Lance and she did as I considered what to tell her.
I told her about the deli and how he hit on me and then how I saw him at the bar after the incident at the house. She heard me out when I told her that he remained by my side and walked me home and asked when I was going to be seeing him again.
“He didn’t ask for my number,” I explained as she sighed on the other end.
“I hope that he calls you somehow, or comes back over. Lance sounds hot.” I laughed, agreeing that he was. I told her that there were so many gorgeous women here that he probably dated, and I was so naive compared to everyone else that lived here. I had two boyfriends in my life and while I wasn’t a virgin, I also wasn’t experienced. That combined with my fear of getting involved with another man was a terrible thing to shoulder anybody with.
“I don’t know. I’m not ready for anything like that. Maybe it was just a walk home. Maybe that’s it.” I shrugged even though she couldn’t see me.
Once I was done on the phone, I put on some clothes to wear to the beach. I walked over today and got an ice cream cone before I strolled the sand, taking in the peace that only the ocean gave me. I went a lot in Carlsbad as well, but Bryce ruined that memory for me. I vowed to this as my beach and mine alone.
I ended up walking into town and doing a little window shopping as I finally started to relax from last night. It had been exciting on every spectrum for me and I just wanted my boring life back I saw a little fish and chips place up to the right and felt my stomach growl, since I didn’t eat earlier with my coffee. I smiled as I pushed the door open, peering inside to see that it was nearly empty before I walked inside. I ordered a platter and a tea from the cashier and walked over to a corner table as I let my mind wander back to last night. As certain as I was that Lance was a player, he knew how to make a woman feel special. He knew how to make me feel safe and like I was the only person in the room. Looking back, I could see that Bryce didn’t do that as much as I thought before.
A girl brought my food over to me and I felt someone move beside me and slide into the booth across from me as I jumped. I glanced up to see Lance and tilted my head as I fought the urge to smile.
“Hi. What are you doing here?” I asked as he grinned and glanced at the counter.
“I saw you walk in and had a yearning for fish and chips, just like that. How are you this morning?” Lance asked as he sipped a drink that I finally noticed he was holding.
“I’m good. I haven’t had a day off in quite a while. I almost don’t know what to do with myself.” I picked up a fry and ate it slowly as I looked at him. “You don’t have any work today?”
“Not until later.” Lance replied as he leaned back and stretched his arms out. He was toned and muscular and I watched as I swallowed the food that got lodged in my throat. He smiled, and I knew that he caught me as I blushed and looked down at my food. “Want to go to the pier with me after lunch?”
“The pier?” I loved it there but had such little time to go and he nodded easily.
“We can go on some rides and eat some junk food once this settles. It’ll be a good time.” Lance smiled crookedly, and my heart jumped as I realized that I’d agreed to spend some time with him. Was this a date or just hanging out?
We ate our lunch and talked lightly about the town before he took our trash to the bin in the corner. Lance led me out to a shiny brand-new Jeep and opened the door for me as I slipped in, wondering what he did for work. These were expensive, and I noticed that he dressed in good clothes as well. This car looked like it was just bought and when he started the engine, I noted that it was under five thousand miles.
Lance rolled down his window as he drove, telling me to turn on anything that I wanted on the stereo. I looked at it, confused by what to do since my car was a few years old now. Lance chuckled and showed me how to switch stations and I found the alternative one, clicking up the volume a bit as he nodded with approval. I leaned back and listened to the music as my body responded to just sitting near Lance, acknowledging that I wanted him.
I wanted him badly and I memorized the feeling for a moment as the breeze blew through my hair. I didn’t take a lot of time with my appearance today since it was just a day off, but I didn’t care. Lance seemed to be happy just to be with me. He pulled into a parking lot near to the pier and jumped out to let me out of the car, making me smile.
Lance caught me off guard when he pressed his lips to my mouth for a second for a chaste kiss. He pulled back and winked at me as I stared silently at him before taking my hand and leading me towards the rides. I tried to remember how to breathe as we moved, feeling eyes on us as Lance walked over to buy a wristband for the rides. There were a lot of people looking and he tugged his ball cap down over his face before turning to secure the paper around my wrist.
“Are you well-known? I feel like we’re getting looked at a lot,” I told him as he smiled at me.
“They’re looking at you, Leila. You don’t realize how beautiful you are, do you?” Lance asked me as I blushed and shook my head.
“We live in LA. There are so many beautiful people here, male and female. You fit right in,” I told him as he surveyed the rides with a wide smile.
“Is that a compliment, Leila?” Lance asked as he glanced at me for a moment. “I think I’m making progress with you.”
“It is but you know that you’re gorgeous. You obviously work at that,” I teased him as he started to walk towards the roller coaster. “Is it part of your job?”
“I just want to stay in shape. I started that when I was a lot younger to keep myself healthy. I’m almost thirty now, so I want to go into the right. How old are you?” Lance asked me as he got in line.
“Twenty-five. Somewhere around the age where you have to decide what you want to do with your life.” I was looking at him and saw something flash across his face for a moment as he frowned.
“Yeah, I know what you mean.” He seemed to be thinking about something for a moment before he turned to me. “How busy are you with clients right now?”
“I have some stuff this week. Why?” I asked as he shook his head with a small smile.
“I have been thinking of looking for a beach house for a while. Once I met you and found out that you were an agent, it got me thinking. I was initially planning to call you about it, but we just keep seeing one another.” He looked at me with confidence in his eyes. “How would you like to help me out?”
“I’d love that.” It would make up for the loss of Nan, but a beach house? How could he afford one of those freelancing from home?
“Good. We’ll go to lunch tomorrow and talk about what I’m looking for. Tonight, we are just going to have fun.” Lance assured me as I frowned.
“I thought you worked tonight.” I said as he grinned.
“I found out that I am off the hook. Want to spend the evening with me?” I couldn’t resist his smile and nodded as he stepped closer to the ride.
We hit all the rides and took a break by walking to the end of the pier. The breeze was strong, and I leaned over to look into the dark water below with a smile. I was having fun and I worried about where this was headed, now that he wanted to buy a house. I was worried about where it was headed because I was me.
“Having fun?” Lance asked from beside me as I glanced over at him.
“Yeah. Tonight was great.” I met his gaze and held it with my own eyes as he leaned closer to me for another kiss. I tilted my head to meet his mouth and he took that chance to deepen the kiss as he pulled me against him. This was happening so fast yet not fast enough for me, and I wrapped my arms around his neck to pull him closer to me.
The kiss was long and intense before he pulled away for some air and I blinked at him.
“What’s happening between us?” I murmured as I looked back at the bright lights of the rides.
“I want to go out with you. I thought I explained that,” Lance told me as I smiled softly at him.
“Are you sure you want to mix business with pleasure?” I pressed as he smirked at me.
“You’re showing me houses to buy. That isn’t going to change anything.” Lance lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed it as I watched every move, feeling my willpower slowly fading. I allowed him to take me back towards the lights where we ordered a funnel cake and sat on the beach together to eat it. He asked me if I’d come to his place tonight and I stared at the moon shining down on the waves as I considered my answer. This would change everything, and I licked my lips as I tuned in to what my body wanted.
Viv was known to have a fling here and there and seemed to enjoy it. I wasn’t sure if I was capable of keeping things casual the same way the she was, but I wanted him. I wanted everything that he had to offer, and I smiled as I opened my eyes.
“Yes,” I told him as he swallowed the last of the cake and wrapped an arm around me and kissed me again. We made plans to get some clothes at my apartment for the following day. I could look up some houses that were for sale from his place. It could be perfect or it could break my heart.