Chapter 2
Oh, no. She froze, checking out the quickest routes to the exits. Still… I don’t sense any danger.
“I’m hoping I sat down at a table in your section,” he said, winking at her.
Oh, that smile is so sexy. This has to be a coincidence.
But the smarter part of her instincts told her what she already knew: there aren’t enough tiger-shifters in the world for any kind of coincidence.
“Yes, sir, you have,” she answered, working to keep her waitress voice on. And she couldn’t help but smile back. She was close enough to him that she didn’t even have to walk up to the table to be heard. “Would you like some water?”
“Yes, please. And two frozen margaritas. With salt.”
“Sure.” For an instant, she actually had to fight a tinge of disappointment in her voice.
What the hell is wrong with me? I should be running as fast as I can—not flirting.
“After all,” the handsome man continued, “you can’t expect me to drink alone, can you?” He paused, his dark brown eyes sparkling up at her. “Will you have a drink with me?”
“Oh.” She blinked, more flustered than she had any right to be—it wasn’t like he was the first man who’d asked her to have a drink with him. “Actually, I can’t drink with customers while I’m on the job, as much as I would love to. But I’ll get yours right away.”
“Well, then, how about when you’re not on the job?” She couldn’t decide if that counted as adorably persistent or if her knowledge that he was a tiger-shifter was skewing her perceptions.
Instead of answering, she half-smiled and headed over to the bar to get his drinks. The bartender, Carla, gave her a look. “Why do you always get all the hotties? Why couldn’t he have come to the bar, if he’s eating alone?”
Lana glanced back over her shoulder. “He is gorgeous, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, a little bit. Best-looking man so far tonight. And he’s staring right at you.”
“And he told me he wanted two margaritas so I could share one with him.”
“Wow, he doesn’t waste any time, does he?”
“So, what do I do? Bring both, or just the one?”
Carla laughed aloud. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this interested in anyone who’s come in here.” She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at Lana. “Play along, I think. Take two. See what he says. Sounds like he might a sense of humor.”
“Okay, do it. Frozen. With salt. And a glass of ice water.”
“Coming right up.”
When Lana returned to the table with the tray of beverages, she realized that the left sleeve of the man’s golf shirt dangled empty—his left arm was missing entirely. Yet he carried himself with such confidence that she hadn’t noticed until she stood right in front of him.
“Oh, so you are joining me.” One corner of his mouth quirked up in a grin as she served him.
“As much as I would love to, I kind of need my job. Here are your drinks, though, sir.”
“Roman.”
“Roman? That’s your name?”
“It is.”
“I bet other men would kill to have that name.”
“Or just to kill,” he threw in, dryly, but still smiling cheerfully.
“Um... okay.” Lana wasn’t really sure how to respond to that comment. Better take it as a hint to get back to my actual job. “Have you had a chance to look at the menu yet, Roman?” Lana gave him an ever-so-slightly flirtatious look when she repeated his name.
Okay. Maybe not entirely back to my job.
“What I want is definitely not on the menu.”
“Oh, god,” she rolled her eyes in half- feigned disappointment. “You can do better than that, can’t you?”
“Tell me how good I need to be for you.” He leaned in. “And I’ll do it.”
“Maybe I prefer bad over good.” She flashed him a devilish look, even as she knew she was taking a huge risk even flirting with him.
There is no way he can work for Trevor, right? Trevor associates with the scum of the Earth. This guy is way out of Trevor’s league. Roman probably wouldn’t even have Trevor as a janitor.
Or was that wishful thinking? Did it really matter? It wasn’t like flirting would give away her true identity. She wasn’t even sure Trevor was still looking for her.
“I can do that,” he said in a low tone. “I’m pretty good at being bad.”
“And I’ve never heard that one before.” She cocked her head at him.
She was not in any hurry to get his order and move on, but she knew it was only a matter of time before more customers made it back to her section—or worse, before Phil walked by.
“Well, then, I’ll keep trying until I find one you haven’t heard.”
“I don’t know, Roman.” She liked the way his name felt in her mouth. “Working on the River Walk, I sure do hear and see a lot.”
“Well, then, how about some chips and queso while I work on something original. I mean, while I look at the menu?” He winked at her.
“Gotcha,” she confirmed and turns toward the kitchen.
“Thank you, Lana,” he called out to her.
Thank you, Lana, she heard it repeat in her head. How sexy her name sounded coming from his throat. And as much as she hated to admit it, the fact that he was a tiger shifter made him even more attractive to her.
When she returned from the kitchen with his chips and queso, she slowed, taking the opportunity to study him. He sensed her approaching, though, and looked up before she reached the table.
“I got you a fresh batch.” She unloaded the tray. “Made it myself, just in case someone special came to my section tonight.”
And not the usual special ingredient she still kept with her at all times in case one of Trevor’s men showed up. Though that’s never out of the question if my instincts about this Roman guy turn out to be wrong.
“Well, I feel honored,” he said, and it took her a second to catch up as he played along. “It looks like I chose the right section, then.”
“So, what on the menu interests you this evening?”
“I have a confession to make.”
“Oh, do tell.” She smiled back at him, enjoying the banter for the first time in as long as she could remember.
“I wasn’t really looking at the menu. I was thinking how glad I am that I chose to come back here, and that this restaurant is still open.”
“Why wouldn’t it be open?”
“You know how it is. Places on the River Walk change over time.” His answer was too evasive, and suddenly Lana was back on full alert.
“You haven’t been down to the River Walk in a while?” She worked to keep her tone casual.
“I haven’t really been around much in general.”
Crap. This could be bad. Maybe he was one of Trevor’s guys after all? “Are you in the service? Were you deployed?”
“No. Not at all.”
“With all the military bases around, we get a lot of veterans in here. When you said you hadn’t been around, I thought maybe you meant you had been stationed somewhere else.” And it wasn’t an irrational assumption—though she realized that she’d also been assuming his injury was a result of military service. But what else could damage a tiger-shifter so badly that he wouldn’t be able to regenerate his arm when he shifted?
“I’ve just been away. And…” He paused for a second, then took a deep breath and forged on. “And a bit lonely. If you’re feeling like doing a good deed, you could cheer a lonely guy up on his first visit back down to the River Walk in a while.”
Yeah, better to switch the topic back to something lighter. “Well, my parole officer has been on my ass about getting some community service done.”
“Parole officer? Got caught stealing too many men’s hearts?” Roman rolled his eyes and bumped up the cheese-factor of the line.
“Bumping off liquor stores. I had a good run there for a while, but between debit cards and security cameras, it got to be too risky for too small a take.”
“I’ve heard that. Occupational hazard, I guess.”
“Yes. Now, I abduct men against their will and take them for everything they’ve got. You ordered two drinks and an appetizer, so that means you’re rich, right? Carry a lot of cash? That would make my week, if you did. The last two men I tried to roll ended up being dirt poor.”
“Well, I guess it’s your lucky night.” He continued to play along. “I’ve got a ton of cash burning a hole in my pocket, and I’m an easy target. Gullible as all get-out.”
“Promise?” She eyed him.
“I swear on these margaritas’ lives.”
“Speaking of which, you’d better get busy. This humidity is already going to work on them.”
“You first.”
“Nice try.” She gave him a wry grin. “Time to work another angle.”
“I’ll make you a deal. If I finish these two, then go have some drinks with me after your shift.”
“Oh, there’s an accomplishment,” she chuckled lightly. “A big man finishing two drinks. What a goal.”
“I’m a lightweight,” he corrected. “A couple of these, and it’ll be easy for you to abduct me and rob me. Maybe even take advantage of me.”
“A lightweight?” she countered, making a show of examining the breadth of his chest and shoulders. “I highly doubt that.”
“Well, there’s only one way to find out.”
“Keep trying,” she baited him. A party of four arriving at a table in her section snagged her attention. “I’ll be back to check on you in a minute, sugar.” Oh, why did I say that? She beat a hasty retreat so she didn’t have to catch his reaction to her endearment.
Her new customers were all middle-aged, wearing Nebraska shirts, and carrying bags from stores at the River Center, the upscale mall on the River Walk. They also took an eternity to decide what to drink.
As she waited, a fixed smile on her face, Lana found herself glancing at Roman out of the corner of her eye and wanting to get back to his table. Even though he didn’t exactly have the best pick-up lines, she loved how playful he was.
It’s been too long since I’ve spent time around other tigers. I miss how they could play. The thought left her unexpectedly sad.
To her surprise, Lana realized she was relaxed and comfortable chatting with him, which was rare for her. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s absolutely gorgeous, with his dark eyes and hair and slight Hispanic accent.
Once she got the drink orders, she deliberately passed by Roman’s table to ask how the margaritas are.
“They’d be better if you were having them with me.”
“Of course they would.” She grinned at him as she headed over to the bar.
Carla was a little swamped but made it over to Lana quickly. “Nebraskan party crashers, huh? Looked like you and your guy were hitting it off for a while.”
“Yeah, he’s nice. Loves to flirt.”
“They all do. Is he local or from out of town?”
“Still trying to figure that one out.” Lana wrinkled her brow. “It sounds like maybe he used to live here and moved back. Or maybe he’s visiting.” Or maybe he’s a tiger-shifter on the hunt for a former pack-alpha’s daughter.
“Girl, find out. If he’s only here for a few days, you have to make your move.”
“My move? That’s his job, remember?”
“Not when they look like that, hon. You gotta close the deal, mija.”
Lana laughed aloud. “You’re such a dude.” Talking to Carla always put her in a cheery mood. “Anyway, The State of Nebraska would like four ice waters, three iced teas, and a swirl margarita.”
“Coming right up. Go back and check on your Jefe, before someone else gets him.”