Page 60 of My Vigilante Valentine

I’d protected this city countless times and regularlysaved lives.

Surely, I could handle one dinner date.

My spiraling thoughts were interrupted by another buzz from my phone. I glanced at the screen, my eyebrows shooting up as I read Luna’s latest message.

Luna: You better not be brooding in front of a mirror right now.

I snorted.

Me: I don’t brood.

Luna: Sure, Jan.

Before I could figure out who Jan was or why she was bringing her into this, another text came through.

Luna: Seriously though, are you on your way? Because I’m already ready and you know how I get when I’m left alone with my thoughts for too long.

Yeah, I did know.

She’d probably reorganize her entire apartment or start a new business venture just to keep her hands busy.

Before I could reply, another text came through.

Luna: Oh, and don’t panic, but I’m also pretty hangry.

I grabbed my keys and headed for the door, but not before sending her one last text.

Me: Be there in 5.

Luna: You’re the best. One last word of warning—I look amazing.

I paused with my hand on the doorknob, exhaling slowly.

She didn’t need to warn me about that. She always looked amazing, and that was part of the problem.

Because tonight? Tonight wasn’t real.

It couldn’t be. Not for someone like me. Not with someone like her.

Ever.

And the sooner I got that through my thick skull, the better off we’d both be.

Luna wasn’t kidding. She did look amazing.

When she opened the door to her apartment above the coffee shop, I’d nearly gone down. The little black dress she wore hugged every curve, and her dark hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders instead of being pulled up in her usual messy bun.

But it was her smile that really did me in—bright and genuine, lighting up her whole face like she was more than a little excited to see me—and it wasn’t just because she was in a rush to eat.

“You clean up nice,” she said, giving me an appreciative once-over that had heat crawling up my neck.

I cleared my throat. “You too.”

“Wow, the enthusiasm.”

“Luna.”

“I know, I know. This is just for show.” She stepped into the hall, closing and locking her door. “But if we want this to work, you’re gonna have to do better than ‘you too’ when other people are around. He won’t try to kill us unless he buys our ruse.”

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