Lara's heart speeded up at the mere thought of seeing him again. How would he explain things to her? And how would she react? What if he actually confessed to being an alien? She snorted. LaToya's silliness was getting to her. There had to be a reasonable explanation for Jack's bizarre abilities. Please let it be reasonable.
She wanted him to be human. And available. And interested in her. Oh what the hell, she wanted him to worship the ground she walked on.
"Dammit, would you look at that?" LaToya growled.
"What?" Lara strained to see out the window. "Have you spotted him?"
"No. I'm looking in the window at Mrs. Yee's bakery. She swears everything is fresh every day, but this cream puff with the chocolate icing has the same little black spot on it that the one yesterday had. I'm telling you it's the same one."
"LaToya, you've been lusting after those cream puffs for a week. Just buy one and eat the damned thing."
"Are you kidding? You know how many calories that is?"
Lights flashed across the dark, wet pavement as a new car turned onto the street.
From Lara's vantage point, she couldn't spot the car yet. "Can you see it?"
"Affirmative. Black four-door sedan. Windshield wipers on. Driving slow, like he's looking for a place to park."
Lara tensed as it drove by. "I think it's a Lexus. Could be Jack."
"Windows were tinted," LaToya continued. "I couldn't see the driver. Wait. He's parking at the corner by the magazine stand. I'll head that way."
Lara watched as LaToya strolled past the shops.
"Oh my God," LaToya whispered.
"What? Are you all right?" Lara asked. Her friend had stopped in her tracks.
"Oh my God." LaToya turned to look into a shop window that was, unfortunately, empty. "He's across the street at the end of the block. And he is so hot!"
"It must be Jack." Lara's heart pounded faster. Good God, this was ridiculous. She was acting like a teenager with a crush on the best-looking boy in school. She needed to get a grip. There'd been plenty of good-looking boys who had wanted to date her after she'd won Miss Teen Louisiana. It hadn't taken her long to realize that they'd merely wanted to boost their own ego and reputation. Any beauty queen sufficed. She'd been an object, not a person, and after the car accident, they'd all quickly disappeared.
"Status report: totally hot subject is halfway to our apartment," LaToya whispered. "Too hot to be a coldblooded lizard. I repeat, subject is not a lizard."
Lara pressed against the window, trying to catch a glimpse of him.
"Oh no!" LaToya hissed. "He just looked at me."
Lara gasped when a tall, dark-haired man jogged across the street, headed straight for LaToya. Jack.
"I told you, Bob," LaToya yelled into the phone. "It's over between us. Pack up your crap and move out!"
Lara held her breath to see if her friend's playacting would fool Jack.
"Miss." His voice could be heard over LaToya's phone. "You are Lara Boucher's roommate, no?"
"I-who?" LaToya huffed. "I don't know who you're talking about."
"I recognize your voice," Jack said.
He'd managed to hear LaToya's hushed voice from across the street? Lara wondered if super hearing was another one of Jack's unearthly abilities.
"I'm sure I haven't met you before," LaToya insisted. "And I'm busy talking to my ex, if you don't mind."
"Tell Lara I'll be there soon."
"Humph." LaToya strode away. "No, Bob, you're not taking the Courvoisier. It's mine!"
Lara spotted Jack crossing the street again, then disappearing into her building.
"Did you hear that?" LaToya whispered. "He knows who I am!"
"I don't know how he heard you whispering," Lara said. "He must have excellent hearing."
"Supersonic hearing. I bet you he's a Bionic man. You should get his clothes off so you can see which parts are real. He might be a man of steel." LaToya snickered.
"Very funny." Though a Bionic man would definitely have good stamina. A knock sounded on the door, and Lara jumped. "He's here! How did he get up three flights of stairs so fast?"
"He's freaking Superman, that's what. You be careful, girl, or he'll pull some super mojo on you. Okay, I'm next to his car now, so I'll get his plates. Call me if you need me." LaToya hung up.
Lara snapped her phone shut and set it on the coffee table on the way to the door. Super mojo? She had to admit, there was something very sexy about Jack. Maybe it was his incredible powers. Or incredible good looks. Or the mystery surrounding him. Or the whole package.
She opened the door, and her heart lurched in her chest. Oh yeah, the whole package was good. She'd always loved to unwrap pretty packages.
"Buonasera, Butch." His smile revealed white teeth and friendly laugh lines. He brushed a tendril of damp hair off his smooth brow.
She liked the way his smile reached his twinkling golden brown eyes. And the way the light rain had glued his black T-shirt to his broad chest and firm stomach. He was dressed more casually than usual, with worn faded jeans that hugged his hips and legs. His black boots looked worn but comfortable. He was a man who appeared comfortable with himself. Genuine and sincere. Gorgeous without pretense or vanity. She only hoped he could be honest with her.
His smile widened. "May I come in?"
"Oh. Yes. Of course." Lara stepped back. How long had she stood there gawking at him? She motioned to the living room. "Please have a seat. Can I get you something to drink? I made a Mississippi mud pie for dessert. Would you like a piece?"
He turned to her with a confused look. "You eat... mud?"
"It's chocolate. Nice and gooey." Lara grinned. "You've never had any before? You're in for a real treat."
"I-no, thank you."
Her smile faded. So she couldn't impress him with her cooking. "Something to drink then? We have a nice Chardonnay." If she couldn't sweeten him up for the interrogation, maybe some wine would loosen his lips.
"No, thank you." He touched his stomach, frowning. "I've been a little under the weather."
"Oh, sorry. You should drink lots of fluids."
His mouth twisted with a wry look. "I do. But please, go ahead and drink if you like."
"Okay." Another glass of wine might bolster her courage. She headed into the kitchen. "I wanted to thank you for helping me last night."
"You're welcome." Jack pivoted in the middle of her living room as he looked around. "How is your partner?"
"Harvey's going to be all right, but he'll be out of commission for a few months." Lara set her wineglass on the coffee table, then settled on the love seat. Her heart did a little flip when Jack sat beside her.
His gaze wandered over her, lingering here and there with apparent appreciation. "And how are you, Lara?"
"I-I'm fine." It was hard to talk with him so close. Hard to think when he spoke her name like it was an endearment. "The captain gave me some time off. And I guess I'm going to get some sort of commendation. It's really embarrassing that everyone thinks I'm a hero."
Jack extended an arm across the back of the loveseat. "Cara mia, you are heroic."
Cara mia? Lara had grown up hearing ma cher in Louisiana, but the Italian version sounded new and exotic. Even so, she shouldn't let it go to her head. Jack could use those words all the time without meaning them. "I'm not a hero. You're the one who saved the day. Then you programmed the Trents to make me sound like RoboCop."
"It was the best way to explain what happened. The important thing is that you're safe and unharmed."
"Yes, I am. Thank you. I don't mean to sound ungrateful. I-I'm just uncomfortable with taking credit for something you did." She was also uncomfortably aware of his hand resting just inches from the back of her neck. She felt a very slight tug. Was he touching her hair?
He smiled. "You're an honest person. I like that."
"What about you? Can you be honest with me?"
His smile faded. "I would like to be, but I-I'm in a bit of a bind, actually."
Her heart sank. "I don't get it. Why can't you just tell me the truth?"
"I'm truly sorry. I'm under orders from my boss not to talk about certain sensitive matters."