Chapter 8

I stepped in line to buy my ticket inside the theater when I heard a voice that shouldn’t be so familiar. “Dr. Reynolds! What a surprise to see you here!”

Oh, shit! Why did I have to run into Lance Steel? “Mr. Steel, what are you doing here?” I asked, donning my best poker face.

“It’s nice to see you, too.” He looked me up and down, his eyes lingering over my light blue blouse and heels a bit too long. “You look nice today.”

“Thanks.” I chose a movie and stepped up in line, trying to ignore him.

“What movie are you seeing?” he asked, stepping up behind me.

“Why? Are you going to the movies, too?” I asked, suddenly surprised. He was dressed in blue jeans with a sexy button down black shirt, open slightly at the neck and black leather boots. His usually coifed, sexy dark brown hair was falling lazily across his face, accentuating his bright green eyes.

“Does that surprise you?” he asked, a bit amused.

I laughed. “In a way, it does.” I stepped up.

He stepped up behind me and shrugged. “I like to go on occasion.”

“How’s your cheek?” I asked, chagrined as a corner of my lips curled into a smile.

“Better now,” he said, amused.

I didn’t believe that the slap had hurt him at all.

“What movie do you want to see?” he asked, changing the subject.

“Why are you asking?” I took a step forward in line and he stepped up behind me again, causing my heart to stutter. Shit! Why did I have to run into him here? My thoughts went to Steven, but my resolve was waning.

“Let me buy your ticket …”

“Here we go,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“… as a peace offering,” he finished. He stopped and forced me to look into his eyes. “Look, I didn’t mean to offend you. Please, let me buy your ticket to make amends.” Then, his lips curled into a smile. “Believe me, I’m getting off cheap.”

For a moment, my mind drifted to Steven, but what could watching a movie with Lance hurt? Maybe that was why I worked so much. Maybe I knew that something between Steven and me was changing, that we were growing apart, but I was too wrapped up in my own life to notice. I pretended to study the movies as I turned my attention back to Lance. “I should go …”

“It’s just a movie.” He reached out his arm to stop me, but quickly lowered it when he saw the glare in my eyes.

I took a deep breath. “Can I trust you?”

“Absolutely,” he said, crossing his heart. “Look, we’ll be in a very public movie theater …”

“A dark movie theater …”

“Oooo,” he teased. “Well, if anyone tries to hurt you, I’ll protect your virtue.”

“My virtue?” I asked, laughing aloud. “I think the only person who my virtue needs protection from is you.”

“Me?” he asked, feigning innocence. “My dear lady, I’ll have you know that I would never violate your virtue … at least, not without your consent.”

“You’re incredulous.” I laughed, stepping up. I was next in line.

“Next?” the ticket girl asked.

Lance lifted his eyebrows and I motioned for him to step up, too. “Two tickets for …” he looked at me.

“Love is Forever,” I said.

He smirked as he raised an eyebrow.

I shrugged. “You asked.”

“Yes, I did,” he agreed then turned his attention back to the ticket girl. “You heard the lady.”

“Enjoy the show,” she said seductively, smiling a bit too broadly as she gave him two tickets and he paid her, but he was oblivious to her flirtations.

He placed a hand on the small of my back as we walked and he held the door open for me, quite the gentleman as we entered the theater. “Popcorn?” he asked. I nodded and we walked over to the counter and ordered a large bucket of popcorn and two cokes. He handed me one of the sodas and carried the other and the popcorn. “Lead the way,” he said, amused, as he pointed in the direction of the movie theater.

I walked in front of him, smiling, knowing that he was watching my ass as we walked. “Is this okay?” I asked, stopping by two seats at the end of a row close to the front. A lady with two kids was just a few seats away.

He motioned discreetly with his head for me to follow him. Before I could object, he walked toward the back of the theater to a row of empty seats, but I shook my head no and stopped midway at an empty row of seats, then sat down. He was amused, but came to sit beside me.

“Popcorn?” he asked, handing the bucket to me as he popped a bite into his mouth.

I laughed at the innocent expression on his face, trying not to notice as I took a piece of popcorn and popped it into my mouth. The bucket was propped on his knee closest to me. I laughed at his goofy expression as he ate another bite and I took a handful. Without looking at him, I threw a piece at him. Then, he threw one back. A popcorn war ensued as we threw pieces of popcorn at each other, and then whole handfuls. Suddenly, he lifted the popcorn bucket over my head, acting as if he was going to dump the rest on me.

“You wouldn’t dare,” I said, laughing as I raised my hands in protection.

“You asked for it,” he said, teasing me. Down the aisle in back of us, another couple caught sight of our antics and laughed. Suddenly, the lights went down and the movie trailers and advertisements began to roll. He leaned in close to my ear and whispered, “Saved by the movie.”

I laughed aloud and another couple in front of us turned around and shushed us. Lance glared at them and they quickly turned around.

“That’s all we need, to get kicked out of the movies,” I said, giggling, feeling like a teenager as Lance smiled, then turned his attention to the big screen. I hadn’t felt this good in years, just having innocent fun with a guy. I turned my attention to the screen, but kept stealing glimpses at him in the dark theater when I thought he wasn’t watching, and he did the same. After I caught him looking at me once, he turned back to the movie and absently threw another piece of popcorn at me as I giggled.