Page 34 of Lethal Attraction

I let Thalia choose our table, and she goes with a booth in the corner of the establishment. It has its own personal window, allowing the fading afternoon light to trickle in. As she slides in across from me, the tendrils catch on her hair, causing sunlight to dance off her pale features.

“You’re staring,” she says.

I blink, any mirth dying from my expression. “It’s hard not to.”

Her cheeks turn an adorable shade of pink as she opens her menu. “This is so weird. I drugged you, fucked you, and you invite me to dinner?”

“You forgot you stole my car too,” I supply helpfully.

She giggles. “Yeah! That too! How are you so…okay with that?”

I shrug. “Maybe I’ve been trying to find you for the last two weeks so I could ask you out. Who knows?”

“But why?!” She slaps her hands on the table. “Are you crazy?”

A waiter stops by, and we order our drinks as my date stares at me expectantly.

“I have to be a little certifiable to be doing this,” I say. “I’ve just never met anyone like you before…”

She taps a finger. “You don’t even know me, Reed.”

“But I want to,” I push. “I really want to know you, Thalia.”

She sits back, crossing her arms as her head tilts. “My favorite color is—”

“Black,” I interrupt, motioning to her outfit.

“Obviously,” she rolls her eyes with a small smile.

“Good choice.”

“I have two older brothers, my dad is dead, and my mom is a major cunt.” She snorts.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” I say sincerely.

She waves a hand. “Don’t be. He was an ass, too. My oldest brother, Rowan, basically became my father figure. My second oldest brother, Atlas, is just as insane as I am. They’re both married, and Atlas is expecting a baby girl with his childhood sweetheart.”

I’m eating everything up like fucking candy as she speaks about her home life. She gets this look about her when she’s transported to good memories—her face softens and those pale eyes hold so much warmth and joy that it’s heart-stopping to see.

“I have a best friend named Alana who’s an intel expert and lives with her husband. That covers all the important people in my life.” She shrugs as the waiter returns and takes our order.

Thalia gets a rich gnocchi dish and I settle for Alfredo. After we hand our menus over to the waiter, I probe her further. “Important people aren’t you, Thalia. What do you like to do for fun?”

She chokes on her water, setting it aside as she slaps a hand over her chest. “Sorry…um, next question.”

I give her a patient, stern look that tells her I won’t take any argument on the matter.

“I like guns,” she says, wincing. “I have a lot of guns…”

I’m surprised by her answer. “Oh, do you visit shooting ranges often?”

Her lips pull over her teeth as she gives me a tight smile. “Sure.”

Okay…

“Any other hobbies?” I ask.

She purses her lips as she draws on her cup, using the condensation to make swirling patterns. “Oh, God, please don’t make me tell you this…”