I swear I almost hear her soft groan but then she gives me the tiniest of nods and smiles and stalks over to the line that’s waiting for the magic brew.
And like an idiot who can’t help himself, I drop out of my place as next in line to go stand behind her. She stiffens and studies the menu board like she can’t quite figure out the strange language of coffee.
“Hi, Aspen. How are you today?”
“I’m good, Jaxon. How are you?”
“Oh, I’m good. It’s an amazing day, isn’t it? Hard to believe they’re calling for a storm tomorrow, huh?”
She nods her head but those amazing eyes never look away from that board.
“So, wanna go out? Or hey, maybe we can have that coffee date now since we’re both here?”
Her head whips around and the rusty-red curls lit with gold in the weak sunlight dance around her pale cheeks when her hood falls down. Those same cheeks immediately flush with crimson when she notices that my eyes are locked on her. “I never said I’d go out with you anywhere so I’m not sure why you seem to think that we’re going to have coffee together. Or anything at all, really.”
“I’m trying to be nice. I hear that you’re new in town.”
She smirks at me and for just a moment, her pale green eyes dance. “Are you the official or unofficial welcoming committee?”
Choking on a laugh, I smile at her. “Good one. Actually, you might say that I’m the unofficial greeter for Pine Valley. I like to keep up with who’s new and who’s just here for vacation. The skiing up here is amazing, you know. Brings in a lot of out-of-towners.”
She nods her head at me, a thoughtful look in her eyes. “Yes, there are a lot of vacationers. No, I’m not one of them. I moved here awhile ago.”
“I know. Mick told me. Or I heard it around town. I can’t remember actually.”
Her pretty eyes roll and there’s a subtle curve to her pink lips that makes me want to dance.She almost laughed!
I’m as giddy as a schoolboy with his first crush around her and I don’t know why exactly. But there’s something special about her.
“Gossip. It’s rampant around here.” Then those pretty lips turn down again. “I’ve heard about you too.”
She turns to face forward and I don’t think I’m going to get her attention again.
I’m sure I know exactly what she’s heard. I’m a playboy. The guy that’s never serious around here. The guy that loves them and leaves them.
And I shouldn’t feel bad about that. I’ve never led any woman on to believe that we were anything but temporary.
But in the soft, pale green of Aspen’s eyes? The disappointment cuts like ice.
My heart aches as I watch her move forward, lost as to what exactly to say to get her to smile again.
She’s so close that I can smell the peppermint, taste the warmth of her soft skin. See the spring green of her eyes like a jewel glowing in amongst the masses.
I’m drawn to her like a compass to its true north, but there’s no way that she’s going to give a guy like me the time of day when she knows exactly what I am.
She’s a loyal, beautiful woman who has so much to give a man. A man who’s looking for more than just a good time.
Unlike me. I have no illusions about what or who I am.
Apparently, neither does she.
I step up to the counter as she walks out the door and it feels like she’s taking a piece of me with her. A small, vital piece that I might never get back. My chest aches as the bright halo of her hair disappears around the corner.
God, I miss the heat of that light. Miss those eyes and that stunning smile that you have to fight to win.
This woman is worth more than any woman I’ve ever met. Somehow, some way I need to find out more about her. Need to get her to notice me as something more than the local horndog.
I wish she saw all of me. I’ve never wished for that ever before. But for her? I’d like her to know why I’m the way I am.
