As a hand snaked around her waist to rest on her and squeeze hard, she jumped, then her gaze shot back to Lance—still glowering, but he was also all puffed up like something was seriously pissing him off.
She shook off his grip. A carny unlocked the gate, opening the way to the passenger car. Once again, Rick gestured for her to go ahead of him. She stepped onto the platform then slid onto the bench. As Rick was getting ready to climb in after her, Lance laid a beefy hand on his shoulder and shook his head slowly. The man simply stepped aside, and Lance took his place, a satisfied grin curving his mouth.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” she demanded as the carnival worker closed the front and locked it.
“You didn’t think I was actually going to let you get on this ride with another man, did you?” He rested his arm along the back of the bucket.
She scooted as far away from him as the bucket would allow. “You’ve made it damn clear that you don’t want me, so you need to get over yourself. If I want to chat up some other guy, I can.”
“Wrong,” he said, sliding up beside her. “I’ve made it pretty fucking obvious that I want you. I just didn’t think it was a great idea. Seeing you chat up another guy, helped change my mind.”
His woodsy cologne was wrecking havoc on her senses, making it hard to think. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed the smell of him until this very second. “So you’re just going to dump your date?”
“Date?” A shocked laugh came from him. “You mean Gayle? She’s Mac’s girlfriend. She’s also my neighbor, but I haven’t seen her in a while, since she took a new job. She had a lot to fill me in on.”
He wasn’t here with another woman. “Then why were you going out of your way to ignore me? No. Forget that.” She twisted her body toward his, and all the hurt, confusion, and embarrassment she’d kept bottled up for almost a week spewed out. “Where the hell have you been the last five days?”
“Avoiding you,” he answered, his gaze not wavering from hers.
She’d known that, but damn, hearing it hurt. “Ouch.”
He pressed his thigh into hers and ran his finger over a lock of her hair. “It’s not because I don’t want to see you. Trust me. I had my reasons, but I have to admit when I’m fighting a losing battle, and I’m losing this one.”
Some of her anger abated. She could understand that in a weird way. She’d had her own reasons for wanting to stay away from Lance, but none of those reasons had been stronger than her attraction to him.
He kept his gaze locked on the strand of hair he was fiddling with. “Why did you move here?” he finally asked.
She pulled back. “Where did that come from?”
A slight shrug lifted his shoulder. “I just realized I don’t know anything about you, other than you have kickass knowledge of MMA and you are one fine kisser.” He dropped the lock of hair and met her gaze. “So, why did you move here?”
She struggled to find words, an explanation. All she had was the truth. She didn’t want to lie to Lance—not blatantly at least. She wanted this man. He apparently wanted her, too.
Instinctively, she pressed her hand to her side. If he eventually saw her scar, he’d ask more questions. There was no way she could add lie after lie with him looking her in the eyes. She just wasn’t built that way. Sighing, she said, “All right.”
Surprise flickered across his face. She was shocked she was telling him, too, but if things headed in the direction she wanted, he needed to know everything. “The answers have always been there, Lance. You’ve pinpointed each and every one. You just haven’t put them together.”
“You’re talking in riddles, Kelsey.”
“Ella.” She sent him a strained smile. “My name is Ella.”
Tensed, she remained silent as she let him absorb that information. The confusion contorting his face twisted her heart. When he pulled away from her, putting distance between them, cool air replacing his warmth, she felt utterly alone. Wrapping her arms around herself, she turned her attention to the skyline as they crested the top of wheel. Tears threatened the back of her eyes.
Never show weakness. Never allow intimidation. Always exude confidence.
Desperate to get her emotions in check, she repeated her mantra. The burning only intensified as the view before her blurred. Damn it. She wouldn’t cry.
“Why the hell are you going by a fake name?”
The anger shaking his voice made her flinch. A tear escaped and slid down her check. She quickly dashed it away, refusing to let Lance see the weakness. “Because I’m hiding.”
“From who?”