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She snorted. “Yeah, right. You expect me to believe that after three years, you’ve suddenly discovered that you want me? Give me a break. I’m not that stupid. Get out.”

“Laryn—” he started.

She shook her head. “ No . I want you out, Tate. Now.”

Casper slowly stood. This wasn’t how he’d wanted things to go. He wasn’t entirely sure what he’d wanted to happen, but it wasn’t for her to get pissed off and kick him out. But if she thought things between them were going to go back to the way they were…she was very wrong.

“I’ll go. I honestly didn’t come here to get you into bed.

I wouldn’t disrespect you that way. Believe it or not, I came because…

well…I was worried about you. You work really hard, and you’ve done an amazing job getting the new MH-60 ready for the flight trials.

I have no doubt that everything is going to go perfectly, and we’ll all be on our way to the Middle East next week.

“And yes, I’ve apparently had blinders on for the last three years, but they’re gone now.

I see you, Laryn Hardy—and I like what I see.

I want a chance to get to know you better.

To be friends. And maybe something more.

Either way, things are going to be different from here on out. I’m going to be around a lot.”

“And what if I don’t want you around?” Laryn asked. “If I say no?”

Casper was frustrated, but it was a good question.

“If you truly don’t want to be my friend, I’ll back off.

I’m not the kind of man who can’t take no for an answer.

If you aren’t interested, we can go back to being pilot and mechanic, only talking about the choppers and how they’re operating.

But I think if you give me a chance to show you that I’m serious about wanting to get to know you better, you’ll find that I’m a pretty decent guy.

My dad raised Nate and I to respect women. To treat them right.”

Laryn didn’t respond, simply stared at him.

Casper was taking that as a win…for now .

“I’m sorry I freaked you out, that wasn’t my intention. But please…don’t take any of those jobs you mentioned. Not yet. I’m happy to look into the offers for you. I know people who know people, and they can find out the working conditions and the reason why some of those countries might want you.”

“They can’t want me because I’m damn good at what I do?” she asked.

“Of course that’s one of the reasons why they want you. But, Laryn, you also work on top-secret MH-60s that you’ve retrofitted for the United States. You think they don’t want that intel?”

“I’ve told them that I’ve signed NDAs and can’t talk about any of that or give them any secrets of the US military.”

Casper blew out a harsh breath. “And the fact that you think they’ll simply shrug and say okay is both na?ve and exasperating at the same time. The men who run those programs can be ruthless. They’ll do whatever it takes to get the information they want. Trust me, they aren’t above torture.”

Some of the color left Laryn’s face, and Casper wanted to kick himself for scaring her.

But then again, maybe she needed to be scared a little.

“Some of them have been a little…insistent,” she admitted softly.

Casper’s protective instincts rose hard and fast within him. But he forced himself to stay calm. To not demand to know what was said and by whom. “Again, I have friends who can research the job offers you’ve received.”

She nodded but didn’t speak.

“I’m going now. You’re still taking the morning off tomorrow, right?”

Laryn nodded again.

“Good. I’ll see you in the afternoon then. I want to go over the final details for the test flight…not that I’m worried, I just want to check everything off. Okay? ”

“Yeah.”

“Sleep well, Laryn. Oh, and I’m hoping that after the trials, you’ll come out with me and the guys. It’s tradition for us to go out for pizza and beers after killing it in any kind of flight trial.”

“I know.”

Of course she did. And that made Casper feel even more guilty that she hadn’t ever been invited, especially considering the huge role she’d always played in making sure the choppers they tested were in tip-top shape.

There was so much more Casper wanted to say.

He regretted ruining the easy night they’d been having.

But Laryn was tired, he’d interrupted her sleep.

He felt better that he’d gotten some food into her, and she’d been able to shower.

Which, again, was a change for him. He hadn’t ever really wanted to take care of a woman; it was enough some days just to take care of himself.

But it had felt good, knowing he might’ve made Laryn’s night a little better… before he screwed things up.

He turned and headed for the door to her apartment, his steps heavy.

He paused after he’d opened the dead bolt and cracked the door open.

Turning back to look at her, Casper saw she’d followed him and was standing about five feet behind.

Her hair was drying in waves around her shoulders, and her sweats and T-shirt clung to her healthy curves.

“Lock this behind me,” he ordered.

Laryn rolled her eyes. “No, I’m going to leave it open for just anyone to walk in anytime they want.”

Casper wrinkled his nose. “Sorry. Stupid comment on my part.” He was stalling. He knew it, and he had a feeling she did too.

“I always bolt it and put the chain on. And I’ve got my dad’s heavy-duty cast iron pipe wrench for self-defense,” she told him.

Which made Casper smile, as he recalled his and Chuck’s conversation about how she’d bash someone over the head with a wrench she kept by the door. Looks like they weren’t too far off. “Good. See you tomorrow.”

“Bye.”

The door shut behind him, and Casper waited until he heard the bolt slide into place.

Then he forced himself to walk away. There was so much he hadn’t said, so much more he wanted to find out about the woman he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about for the last few weeks.

He was becoming obsessed, and the more he was around her, the more he realized the interest wasn’t one way.

Laryn was prickly and defensive, but he understood that.

He’d need to go slow, gain her trust, show her that he wasn’t going to screw her over.

That he truly wanted to get to know her.

He was an idiot for not opening his eyes to what was right in front of his face before now. He had a feeling Laryn could be very important to him in the near future. He couldn’t wait to see how things played out.