Page 13 of Crocodile Tears (Romance Expected Dating Service #2)
“I’ve been questioning my own perceptions for months.
My therapist says hypervigilance is a common issue for people transitioning from high-risk careers to civilian life.
” I pause, choosing my words carefully. “Still, my enhanced senses don’t have psychological biases.
I can hear radio chatter from surveillance equipment, smell the particular combination of chemicals that comes from professional-grade electronics, and detect movement patterns that indicate coordinated activity. ”
“Your enhanced senses?”
“Gila monster biology includes significantly improved hearing and olfactory capabilities.” I tap my nose. “What seems like paranoia to human perception is often just enhanced sensory information that triggers pattern recognition.”
Rebecca nods slowly. “You literally smell surveillance equipment?”
“Among other things. Electronics give off distinctive chemical signatures, especially when they’re running multiple systems simultaneously.” I shrug. “Most people can’t detect those scents, but shifter biology is more sensitive to environmental changes.”
We reach the lot where she parked her car, which has decent security cameras. They’re better than nothing but not sufficient if someone with serious resources decides they want her or what she’s working on.
“I should check on my experiment.” Rebecca pulls out her car keys. “Assuming you’re right about the surveillance, what should I do?”
“Pay attention to your surroundings, vary your routes home, and don’t follow predictable patterns.” I pause, trying to balance honesty with reassurance. “And maybe consider that your research is more valuable than you realized.”
Rebecca stares at me like I’ve suggested she start wearing body armor to faculty meetings. “Do you realize how that sounds?”
“I realize exactly how it sounds, but awareness of potential problems is better than being caught unprepared.”
She shakes her head, but I see something thoughtful in her expression. “This is definitely not how I expected our first date to end.”
“Rebecca…” I take a breath, trying to find the right words. “Would you be interested in a second date later this week? Somewhere public and well-lit, with excellent security?”
Despite everything, she laughs. “Are you asking me out or conducting threat assessment?”
“Both.”
She counts off on her fingers with scientific precision.
“Let me make sure I understand the situation. You think I’m under surveillance because of my research, you’ve just given me security advice that sounds like it’s from a spy movie, you randomly lectured me about goose migration patterns, and now you’re asking for a second date while bleeding from my accidental bite wound. ”
“That’s… an accurate summary.”
She tilts her head, studying me with the same focus she probably applies to particularly interesting cellular samples. “Do you think this is normal dating behavior?”
I touch my lip gingerly, noting the bleeding has stopped. “I think this is dating behavior for people with complex professional lives and occasionally problematic biology.” I meet her gaze directly. “I can promise dating me will never be boring.”
“That’s either the best selling point or the most terrifying warning I’ve ever received.”
“Probably both.”
She stands with her hand on her car door, looking like someone trying to decide whether she’s had the best first date of her life or the most surreal. “Yes.”
“Yes?”
“Yes to the second date but somewhere with normal levels of paranoia, please.”
I smile at her phrasing. “I can’t promise normal, but I can promise proportionate to the actual situation.”
She tilts her head, studying me with scientific curiosity. “Calvin?”
“Yeah?”
“As a reptile shifter, you’re not supposed to be able to grow a second head, right?”
The question stuns me. “What?”
“Just checking.” She grins slightly. “Because after tonight’s performance, I wouldn’t be surprised if you had hidden capabilities I don’t know about.”
Despite the stress of the evening, I grin too. “No additional heads. Just enhanced senses, occasional shedding, and apparently, a talent for turning romantic conversations into security briefings.”
“And expertise in Canadian goose migration patterns.”
I wince slightly. “That was improvisation under pressure. Not my best work.”
She opens the door. “I’ll call you tomorrow after I’ve had time to process… whatever this was.”
“Rebecca?”
She pauses. “Yes?”
“For what it’s worth, tonight was the best first date I’ve had in years. Even with the surveillance, the accidental bloodshed, and my temporary insanity about waterfowl.”
Rebecca’s expression softens slightly. “If you’re right about the surveillance, and my research really is attracting the wrong kind of attention—” She hesitates, clearly choosing her words carefully. “I’m glad I was with someone who noticed.”
The simple acknowledgment brings a lump to my throat.
For months, I’ve wondered if my hypervigilance was an asset or a liability in civilian life.
Her response suggests that maybe, under the right circumstances, it’s exactly what’s needed.
I clear my throat with a cough. “Get some sleep and remember what I said about varying your routine.”
“I will.” She smiles slightly. “By the way…”
“Yeah?”
“Next time you want to kiss me, maybe wait until I’m not talking about enzyme kinetics?”
She disappears with a smile that suggests tonight’s weirdness hasn’t completely ruined my chances. I stand on the sidewalk for a moment, touching my lip where her teeth left their mark, and wonder if this is what normal looks like for people like us.