All around the room, younger men clamored around the older ones. There was laughter, chatter, and eager expressions in every group.
“Very true.” I smiled as I dipped my head to the side. “I think there’s a balcony just through there.”
He placed a gigantic hand at the small of my back, nudging me toward the door. “I happen to know there is.”
“You do? How?” I turned my head to look back at him half a step behind me, the heat of his hand resting comfortably right near the top of my behind.
An amused but smug semi-smile tipped his lips upward. “I’ve been here before.”
“Of course, you have. I’m assuming I’m not the first girl you’re taking out to this balcony.”
“Nope,” he said cheerfully before sipping his beer and clinking it against a few others held by folks who raised their bottles as we passed them by. “But you’re the first girl I’m taking out there to talk.”
A soft groan escaped me, but I doubted he’d heard it over the lively chatter in the room. “You’re one of those, huh?”
“One of the what’s?” He frowned, but there was unrestrained laughter in the way his eyes shimmered in the low light.
“The charming players who pretend to be getting deployed the morning after,” I said.
He reached past me to get the door. His forearm brushed against my side in what was no doubt a practiced move, but it also brought his front much closer to my back.
I felt his breath ghosting across the side of my neck, and predictably, I shivered at his close proximity. When he spoke, strands of my hair moved along with his lips.
“I’m not getting deployed tomorrow if that’s what you’re asking.”
Heat spread from my chest to my cheeks, my heart suddenly racing. My physical reactions to this guy were insane, but I refused to let any man turn me to mush.
“I wasn’t asking, but that’s good to know,” I murmured, squeezing my eyes shut and trying to coax moisture into my dry mouth.
Thankfully, he swung the door open and the cool night air helped clear my mind. I took a step forward, losing his hand on my back but desperately needing not to be touched by him in any way while I regained my composure.
Lincoln, on the other hand, looked entirely unaffected by the exchange. He walked out onto the balcony in purposeful strides, resting his elbow on the railing and turning to look at me as I approached him.
“So, what’s a girl like you doing at a party like this?”
An unexpected laugh tore out of me, but he’d effectively diffused the tension between us. “What can I say? I like to crash retirement parties.”
His eyebrows rose in surprise, and he bit back a laugh of his own. “Fair enough. The booze is free, so it’s not a bad strategy.”
“Exactly. The food was pretty good, too. There’s also always someone like you who’s willing to escape with me.” This was better. The fresh air was doing wonders for my brain. “It’s not a bad way to spend an evening.”
Lincoln’s lips curved into a genuine grin, and my knees nearly gave out. “That’s just because we haven’t spoken much yet. You might regret your choice in escapee once we have.”
“Why?” I cocked my head and faked an inquisitive frown, lowering my voice to a stage whisper. “Are you an escaped fugitive? A serial killer? Boring?”
My eyes went wide on the last word, and this time, he didn’t bother trying to suppress his laughter. His head dropped back as it had before, but now I was close enough to see the way his Adam’s apple moved in the strong column of his throat.
When his eyes came back to mine, they were positively alive with humor. Clearly, this was a guy who knew how not to take himself too seriously.
It placed him squarely in the category of the most dangerous type of bad boy for me, but it had been too long since I’d had a bit of fun.
“I’ve never been accused of being boring before, but there’s a first time for everything.”
“Really?” I arched a brow. “That’s the accusation you’re defending yourself against first?”
“Yep. I’d have to be the dumbest escaped fugitive ever to come here. Even the oldest man in that room would be able to take down a serial killer using only one hand.”
“You could be dumb. I wouldn’t know.”
Those gorgeous eyes shone, but he shrugged his agreement. “Want to find out? How about coming for a real drink