Letters from Home (Love Beyond Reason #1)(9)

But Lena guffawed over that answer. “Please. Surprises are for birthdays or vacations. And this…this is exactly why I’ve decided to completely forget about the whole thing—”

What? Disappointment slammed into him. “You’re not going to meet him on Christmas morning?”

“Oh, my God. You know, too?” Lena rolled her eyes. “Mike told you, didn’t he?”

Oops. “Uh, yeah, Mike told me.” Shit. If only Mike had said something. Then he wouldn’t be lying his ass off. He hated to lie to her, but she had to go to the gazebo. If she didn’t go…

“I like surprises,” he said. “The good kind, anyway.”

“I’m just not sure anymore. This could end up being a very bad surprise, you know?”

“What?” He grabbed her hand. Surprise flitted across her pretty features. He didn’t know what else to say. He wanted to surprise her, and for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why. Maybe it was because she’d always been so—like she’d said—practical, even predictable. So smart, most of the romance in life seemed to go right over her head.

“I’m starting to think I’ve created some kind of Don Juan in my head. No matter what, how can anyone live up to that? I’m—I’m just afraid that whoever is there, I’m going to be disappointed.”

“But he could be the love of your life.”

“We are not going to talk about my desperate attempt to find someone to love me.” But the relaxed Lena was gone, and her frown returned.

The bitter edge to her words struck him, actually pushed him back into his seat. He stared at this beautiful woman with the scowl on her face. “Everyone loves you.”

Jeez. He knew her parents would never admit to a favorite, but he’d been around the Rodriguez family his whole life. Carlos adored her, always going the extra mile to get her exactly what she wanted. Anabel could talk an ear off about the wonderful things her daughter had accomplished, being the first family member to finish college, go to medical school. Even her younger sister, Catalina, had stars in her eyes when it came to Lena.

She had the likes of Phillip, and any number of other men, sniffing at her heels.

“That’s not what I mean, and you know it,” she argued.

He shook his head. “I don’t know anything. You’ve had people—men—lined up, wanting your attention since forever. It’s damned annoying is what it is.”

Anger sparked in her eyes. She opened her mouth.

“Just because you don’t notice it, doesn’t mean it isn’t happening,” he continued. “And I don’t care how capable you are, you better be more than careful. You could meet this guy and he could turn out to be a serial killer.”

Her mouth snapped shut.

Great way to encourage her to meet you, dumbass.

“You think I’m capable?” she questioned him, and looking at her, he noticed she didn’t have the raging fire in her eyes anymore. Now, she just looked hopeful.

“Of course,” he answered, leaning forward again and gripping her wrist. Her gaze fell to where his hand touched her arm. He ran his thumb over her pulse point, felt it jump just before she pulled back her arm. She would never see him as more than a brother at this rate. It was obvious she’d never thought of him that way. But if he didn’t cross that boundary, he’d for sure never make it to boyfriend or anything else.

“You’ve always been capable. Oldest girl, bossy as hell, responsible,” he continued with a shrug as he lost the steam of his argument and met her gaze. Eyes, as dark as his were light, that could warm like chocolate or freeze like black ice. More than anything, he wanted to lose himself in those eyes. “A doctor and a soldier—”

“Well, when you put it that way…” She smiled brightly, almost too brightly, and wiped the table in front of her with a napkin. “I’ll just take this uptight, responsible girl on her way.”

Crap. He’d offended her. “Lena, wait.” He stood and stopped her again, afraid she would leave annoyed. “I have a meeting this afternoon with a business contact, but we really should hit up Quinn’s tonight. Get a drink. No talk about letters or deployment. It’ll be fun. Like old times.”

“Are you asking me out on a date?” A hint of exasperation—and was that horror?—in her voice.

“No.” His reaction was pure panic and self-preservation. “Or yes. Maybe. As friends. I don’t know. Would that be so bad?”

The idea obviously threw her for a loop. Not a good sign, buddy.

“A night out sounds great. Just what I need to take my mind off…everything.”

…

If Lena had a dime for every time someone called her bossy, she never would have had to join the Army. She could have paid for school in full before ever stepping inside a classroom.

Ugh. She kicked at the porch swing as she made another pass, pacing back and forth, trying to cool down. Cool seemed unobtainable at the moment. She wasn’t bossy, anyway. Could she help it if people were always asking her to do things, to solve problems? She might meet her letter writer and scare him away with her capableness.

She frowned and took a seat on the swing. As much as the description pleased her, being capable wasn’t a romantic quality. Zack had certainly never found her more than a friend. But a person could change. She needed to figure out how to attract a man, even if it meant glossing over some of her more assertive qualities.