Page 82 of The Grand Ruin: Lance & Scarlet-Part One

“You cried over a cheese toasty?”

“I cried over the woman behind me ordering the last one and then not eating the whole thing. I resorted to pasta and then made Mason stop off on the way home so we could get all the cheese I could get my hands on.”

He shakes his head and leans his hands on the counter on either side of me, inching closer. “Do you have a favourite?”

I lick my lips and smile. “Raclette.”

He simply nods, and I can tell he’s stored the information away.

I think about the text he’d sent me earlier that day. “What’s your favourite food?”

He doesn’t hesitate. “Steak.”

“Movie?”

“Shawshank Redemption.” He smiles. “Yours?”

“Pretty Woman.” I smile back as he lingers close to me. “Colour?”

“Lavender.” Our noses brush as he adds, “And sunshine.”

“That’s not a colour,” I whisper, grinning against his lips.

“It isn’t? I could have sworn—” His lips curve against my still swollen mouth, and I arch my back, pulling him in closer when his tongue lashes against my own, demanding and untamed. “You’re unravelling me,” he moans between kisses. “Ruining.” I pull on his bottom lip. “Me.”

Whatever game I’m playing with Lance feels dangerous with an inevitable end. He’s got me right where he wants me, and I’ve let him do it with ease. There’s no doubt that I wanted this. The penthouse, the dock tonight, him showing up at the pharmacy. I’ve had more fun in the last two days than I’ve had in over a year. But there’s still a rational part of my mind screaming at me to shut him down.

Dad’s sick, and he needs me more than ever.

I don’t have time for more of anything.

“Thank you, Scarlet.”

I frown as I pull back, but he leans in and takes my lips in another quick kiss before answering, “For showing me.”

The idea of more of this man terrifies me because he’s saying all the right things.

He’s proving me wrong.

“You’re welcome.”

But there’s not a single person on earth I’ve ever loved that hasn’t let me down.

And that’s terrifying.

Terrifying enough that I pull back slightly.

“What’s got your head in a spin?” he asks, tightening his eyes on me. He reaches out with his hand and lifts my chin up to his face when I don’t reply. “You can talk to me.”

I look at him and frown before I tell him honestly, “I’m not sure I trust you.”

His face transforms in an instant, a hint of amusement flaring in his eyes as he picks up my hand and settles it over his bare chest, right above his racing heart. “I know. I’m not sure I trust you either.”

He readjusts himself, resting his arms on either side of me again. I leave my hand resting over his inked skin. “I know it’s only our first date,” he says with a smirk, leaning in to gently kiss my cheek. “But I’ve never in my life wanted to prove myself to anyone as much as I do you, Scarlet Lowell.”

I sigh, reaching up and running my hand through his damp hair. “Well, I guess that seems like a pretty good place to start.”

Maybe I need to take my own advice and stop fretting about what could be tomorrow.

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