"So, lemme see. You come over looking like that—"
"Hey. You don't get to be picky. You ain't the prettiest girl in town no more."
"Call me a girl again and I'll go back to LA," said Lance.
"Okay, okay. Prettiest guy. Geez."
Lance gave him one of those looks that Chris mostly associated with his mother. Lance probably learned it from Diane.
"You show up on my doorstep," Lance said, "right out of the blue—"
"And I didn't bring a gift." Chris stepped a little closer. "No chocolates, no bottle of wine, no bling…"
"If you ever show up with a diamond ring I will kick your ass," Lance said. He was going to break any second now, Chris knew. There was that hint of a twitch at the edge of his mouth, and his jaw was set in an effort not to give in to it.
"Check," Chris said. "No jewelry. So. You wanna?"
"Oh, man, you are every bit as suave as you were when I was seventeen."
"Yeah, when you were overwhelmed by my ultimate coolness."
"Uh huh. I think it was because I'd never seen anyone get away with what you did. My mom would have killed me. I'm amazed the bodyguards didn't."
Chris grinned. "Natural charm, baby." He moved right in to Lance's personal space. Lance did not back away. "Hey, kid. I'll buy you a beer."
"If you think you'll get me drunk on one beer," Lance said, "you are in for one very disappointing night."
"Damn. You know, you were way easier when you were just a kid."
"I don't know," Lance said. His hands slid onto Chris's hips, and thumbs insinuated themselves under his T-shirt. "The way I remember it, every time it looked like you might be getting somewhere, you ran away. Very suave, Kirkpatrick."
"You were a kid!" Chris protested.
"Not a kid any more."
"Okay, wait. I'm supposed to be seducing you, here."
"You're kinda slow about it."
"You're not holding out for the roses and champagne, I'm guessing."
"More of a vodka cocktails kind of a guy, in case you hadn't noticed."
"So," said Chris. "Wanna go crash a party somewhere? Dance on the tables, kick over the punchbowl?"
"We could do that." Lance's mouth was at Chris's ear. "Or we could stay home."