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Our first plate of food came then, and Lance described it to me. It was tournedos of beef on top of a leek and parmesan cake with bordelaise sauce, and it was beyond delicious.
After we’d both sampled it, Lance said, “I’m sure you have some interests outside the library. Talk to me. Tell me about who Julian is.”
“You’ll just think it’s all as ridiculous as me caring so much about the archives.”
Lance shook his head. “I want to know what you’re passionate about.”
You. Thank God I didn’t say that out loud. “I like history and art and learning the origins of things, not just fancy things, small things like letters written from a farmer’s wife to her friend who had moved to the city or letters from a telephone operator who was only sixteen to her sisters back home. Things like that are glimpses into people’s lives. It’s fascinating.”
Lance nodded. “I’d enjoy those things too.”
“Really?”
He reached for my hand and squeezed it. “Yes.”
“I’m sure it’s not a surprise that I like watching documentaries and…”
“And what?”
“I like cars, okay? I know you wouldn’t know it seeing mine, but that’s because libraries don’t pay enough for their staff members to drive fancy cars.”
“So you really did like riding with me?”
“I did.”
“Have you ever had a fun car?”
I took another bite before answering. “My father had a 1968 Corvette. He rarely let me drive it, but I got to ride in it with him.”
“What happened to it?”
“We sold it to pay his medical bills. He refused to allow me to dip into the savings I would inherit. He wanted to know I’d be okay without him. Along with my salary from the library, it’s enough to keep me comfortable.”
Lance reached for my hand. “I’m so sorry.”
“Thanks. I’m in a much better place about losing him now.”
After a drink of wine, he had another question. “What kind of cars are your favorite?”
“Other than the Corvette, I love the Porsche 911, the Lamborghini Huracan, and 1960s Mustangs. I’ve built models of all those.” I paused and shook my head. “I’m just making this worse. You’re trying to find something about me that’s not nerdy, and I’m telling you I build model cars.”
“Julian, I want to know about you. I don’t want to make you into something you’re not.”
“You…”
“I’m interested in you.”
I nearly choked on my wine. “But… I thought…”
“Do you think I have a problem with the fact that you’re a nerdy librarian? That was obvious from the get-go, and honestly, it totally turns me on. I didn’t even know I had a thing for nerds, but I have a thing for you.”
I shook my head. “See? You confuse me.”
“Babe, I confuse everyone.”
After our next dish arrived, I told Lance it was his turn. I wanted to know more about him. “How long have you had Tony, and what made you want a pet monkey?”
“I’ve had him for fourteen months, and the story of how I acquired him… that’s classified.”
“That’s not fair.”
“The only people who know are Remington and my father.”
“Seriously? Not even Corbin?”
He shook his head. “I might tell you eventually. It depends on how intimate our friendship becomes.”
“After last night, I would think…”
“There’s so much more I want to do to you.”
Heat filled my cheeks. I needed to change the course of the conversation. “Tell me more about you.”
“I like hiking. I’m a hell of a tracker. I like anything that involves danger, including nice cars. I’m no good at sitting still unless I have something—or someone—to amuse me.”
“You also have no filter and expect to get exactly what you want.”
He grinned. “That too.”
“And you like monkeys.”
“I like Tony. He’s special.”
Everything Lance ordered for us, including the bananas foster we finished at the end of the meal, was incredible.
Lance looked at his phone as he pulled out his wallet to pay the check. “We’ve been here longer than I thought. Tony is going to be furious.”
I was wondering what the little creature did to express his anger when the rest of his words hit me. “How long have we been here?” I glanced at the time and realized I was half an hour late already. “I need to get back to the library.”
“Gwen said they’d be fine without you.”
“I know she did, but that’s not—”
21
Lancelot
I held up a finger as my phone rang. “Sorry. I’ve got to take this.”
“What’s up, Dax?”
“I got what we need, and our now humbled whiny asshole is being transferred to our holding facility in case we want to use him for bargaining. His name is Davide, and he’s the boss’s fucking cousin.”
“Damn. I’m sure Valentino won’t be happy with him, but he’ll want to deal with the bitch himself. Did you learn anything else?”
“Nothing very surprising.”
I finished my final bite of ice cream. “I still want to hear everything.”
