“Look at me,” he demanded, not even out of breath, and I did.
“It’s a mighty fine ass, Professor Richards.”
He winked, and I stopped dead in my tracks.
“Too much?” Aiken stilled next to me, tipping my chin up.
“Too much.”
“Noted. Now let’s go.”
He started running again, and I followed suit.
He was the lighthouse and I was a ship lost at sea.
We didn’t stop until we were in front of the Coffee Hut.
Slowing, shaking out my legs, I took in Aiken. Arms glistening, navy muscle shirt tight over his pecs, mesh shorts loose on his tan legs—he was any woman’s wet dream.
Do we have those?
“I’m not going to acknowledge you staring at me. I need my caffeine, missy.”
He opened the door and hustled me inside before I could deny my perusal.
We ordered and headed back outside, where I thought we’d walk back home.
“Let’s sit.”
Aiken pointed toward a small table under an umbrella. I couldn’t stop myself from staring at it like it was a ghost about to rise from the dead.
“You okay? Need some water? Richards?” He wrapped an arm around my sweaty back, and
I shook my head, trying to drag myself out of my own head.
“Used to come here with Abby on Sundays. We’d get coffee, decaf for her, regular for me, and we’d read.”
“Come on, let’s stroll home.”
If I were to be waterboarded and forced to say what I liked about this guy, I’d admit…he didn’t push. Aiken took cues and rolled with them.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
“Why? A walk is just as good as sitting with you. No need to explain.”
We passed the alley with the farmers’ market and Patsy’s Bar & Grill, where students went to do karaoke and slam poetry, both of us seemingly comfortable with silence. My iced coffee, sweet and refreshing, settled the errant thoughts tumbling in my head and churning in my belly.
Or maybe it was the guy next to me, patient and unfaltering?
On the next block, he said, “Lord, I went to this joint one night. What a meat market.”
“You went to Juicey’s?” I laughed…big, loud, hiccupping laughs.
“Hey, I looked it up on Yelp. It has good reviews.”
“Bet you don’t go back. That place is a cheeseball’s heaven.”
“Pretty much. I didn’t stay long.” His smile, infectious and wide, traveled the entire length of my spine, igniting an emotion I hadn’t felt in forever.
