“No big deal.” Shivering at the cold wind whipping around the corner, I duck my chin inside my coat and recall the evening at Rockefeller Center.
I’ve gone over the party a million times in my head. I said nothing to piss him off so the kiss must be the problem. Apparently, along with my self-esteem, my ex broke my mojo.
The reality hits me hard, making it necessary to face my heated cheeks forward. At the first busy intersection, I stop, struggle with my cup’s plastic lid, and take a much-needed gulp of caffeine.
“Shit!” Turning to avoid the lady in front, I spit the scalding coffee all over Mr. Not-a-Date.
“Hot?” He steps back, staring down at the dark stain on his parka.
“Yep. Sorry.” My formerly warm cheeks catch on fire.
Could this morning get more awkward? My legs jiggle as I wait for the light to change. Minutes later, the walking stick man brightens, I dash across, and wish I could disappear into a black hole or an alternate universe or both.
No such luck. Instead, it starts to rain.
Almost immediately, an umbrella snaps open, close to my ear. “What the f-”
The same man with the coffee-stained jacket smiles and holds black silk over my head. His thick eyelashes catch droplets which make him sexier still. I should write the city council and ask them to make a law. The street signs would read like this:No gorgeous men allowed on sidewalks before 9:00 AM.
His arm wraps around my shoulder, protectively, to keep me dry. It does nothing to help the dampness pooling between my legs.
When we get close, I sigh, and point at the decades old painted sign,Marion’s Hair Stylings.
“Okay. Here we are. Listen, I’ll forgive you for ditching me if you never mention how I spit on your jacket. Buh-bye, now.”Phew.I congratulate myself on my brilliant escape until he appears in front of me.
“We need to stop meeting like this.” At my lame laugh, he pinches my chin with a calloused index finger and forces me to meet his gaze which drops to my lips. His thick, highly kissable mouth moves but someone in my brain turned down the volume.
“Suds asked me to keep you safe and I owe him. He and Gabe are my brothers. I’m not going anywhere. Get used to it.”
Does that make me his sister? Holy shit, nothing on my side, vaguely resembles a familial relationship.
“Suit yourself.” The weather, in sync with my mood, decides sleet is a better way to start the day and flings pellets of ice-poo in my face.
Fucking awesome.Arriving at my workplace door, I stand in the narrow recess, fumble for my keys, and enter. Once inside, I consider insisting he stay out, but unlike him, I am not a jerk.
With our coats in the closet, I grind coffee which, thank God, masks his manly scent. Now, all I need to do, is ignore his chiseled chin, penetrating brown eyes, and how his jeans hug his fine ass.
My morning chores done, I walk to the waiting area where he dwarfs a vinyl covered chair. I need to convince him to leave. A good part of my day consists of gripping sharp objects. A distraction like him could turn into a bloody disaster. Literally.
“You can go now. In case you haven’t heard, my uncle is insanely protective. No one would dare bother this establishment.”
“Vincent Vitale, of underworld fame, right?” He glances up from a fashion magazine and leaves it open on his lap. The article’s title reads, ‘How to make your man come.’
“Research?” I point down and if I expected him to be embarrassed, he’s not.
Instead, he winks. “Men are nowhere near as complicated as women make us out to be.”
“I wouldn’t know, I haven’t read the issue.” My tone dry, I raise one eyebrow, a move I keep for occasions such as these.
“No?” He inspects the cover, dated last summer, and my cheeks warm.
Clearing my throat, I cross my arms, and grit my teeth. “As I was saying, I really don’t need a bodyguard.”
“I disagree. You gave some bad actors your email address. They can find your location, where you work… Basically, everything about you.”
“Including my family ties.”Take that, Mr. Kiss-and-Ditch.
He stretches long and his feet slide between my open stance. “Let me get this straight. You’re expecting me to believe no one related to your Uncle Vinny has ever died from suspicious causes.”
