His words make me feel uncomfortable, like my stomach is trying to fly away to the drizzling sky. I don’t like it because it could lead to other dangerous feelings, likelikinghim. And I can’t go there, no matter how pretty his eyes are or how he’s looking at me like he one hundred percent genuinely means his words.
Honestly, this is the first nice thing anyone has ever said to me without strings attached.
“I’ve also been arrested,” I remind him as I switch legs.
“Yeah, but nothing’s on your record, right?”
“Not yet. But depending on how things go with the charges filed against me from last week, that could change.”
“Maybe they’ll be dropped.”
“Maybe.” It’s hard to say for sure.
“Regardless, let me look into a few things, okay?” He wipes rain from his face, chest, and arms with his hand, and it takes all of my energy not to gawk as his fingers trail across his body.
“If you want to, I won’t stop you. But it’s probably a waste of time.” I push away from the wall and bend over to stretch when the drizzle morphs into a full-blown storm.
“Shit,” River curses as the downpour cascades over us and starts flooding the ground.
The thunder and lightning picks up, the sky lighting up with streaks of electric blue and silver.
“Holy crap, that got bad quickly!” I shout over the rain and wind.
River snatches a hold of my hand and yanks me around the building. The feel of his hand in mine causes my heart to match the beat of the thunder as it slams against my ribcage with so much force I become more breathless than when we were running.
I should pull away, but instead, I latch on and run with him as he steers us out of the rain and into the entrance of the café. Our wet sneakers squeak against the polished floor, and patrons sitting at tables glance up as we barrel in, dripping wet and still holding hands.
The place has an old-school vibe with a checkerboard floor, pink walls, and a chalkboard menu, but I can tell everything is high-end quality.
“Come on; let’s go see if they’ll let us use their phone,” River says as he tows me with him around the tables and toward the counter.
Still holding my hand.
“Um … you have to have a shirt on to be in here,” the cashier tells River as he approaches the ordering section of the café. She’s in her mid-twenties, with dark hair, and her eyes are roving all over River’s body, despite her words.
“Yeah, I’m so sorry about that,” River replies in a charming tone I haven’t heard him use before. “But my friend and I were out running when the storm came in, and we’re kind of stuck here unless I can use your phone to call someone to come pick us up. Would that be okay? I promise I’ll make it quick, and then we’ll go stand outside and wait under the canopy.” He dazzles her with a smile, and I’m surprised she doesn’t melt into a puddle on the floor.
Because it’s so pretty it’s alarming.
He’s still holding my hand as he flirts with her, so I discreetly wiggle it from his grip.
Reluctance masks the cashier’s expression. “I don’t know …”
“Please.” River rests both arms on the counter and actually bats his eyelashes at her. “I would really appreciate it.”
Her cheeks flush as she grows flustered. “Okay, yeah, just make it quick, okay?” She backs toward the back area and picks up a cordless phone. “My name’s Eve, by the way.” She handsRiver the phone while flitting a glance in my direction and subtly measuring me up. She’s trying to figure out what River and I are.
Not wanting her to think we’re dating, especially since he’s flirting with her so he can use the phone, I ask her, “Is it okay if I use your restroom?”
She nods, her eyes traveling over me. A pucker forms at her brows. “Sure. It’s right over there.” She points at a hallway to my right.
“Thanks.” I start to walk away.
“Wait—do I know you?” she asks after I’ve taken a couple of steps.
I twist back around. “No. I’m not even from around here.”
She continues to stare at me but doesn’t say a word, so I walk away and go into the bathroom. I don’t have to go, but I need a breather from the fancy café, the staring, and the lingering thoughts of how much I liked River holding my hand.
