Her gasp of shock registers behind me as he crumples to the ground. Instead of yelling, he’s now cupping his jaw and moaning. Reaching down, I grab his damp shirt at the collar and yank him up.
“It’s time to go.” Shoving the door open, I toss him out into the street. As I let go of his shirt, he knocks over a garbage can, spilling its contents. “Make sure you clean that up. It’s rude to litter.”
“I’ll sue you for this!” he shouts, cradling his jaw as he struggles to get up.
“Good luck with that.” I laugh and head back inside.
There’s a small crowd chatting in the lobby, while some patrons choose to stare from their seats. Avoiding their watchful eyes, I make my way back to the booth without saying anything. Pausing, I realize it’s now occupied with a body. Damn it.
Reclaiming my seat, I wince when I see a spot of blood on my hand. Biting back a curse, I quickly wipe it on my dark jeans. Glancing up, I prepare to get rid of my new guest but freeze. It feels like I’ve been kicked in the chest, and I briefly wonder if I’m actually dead and somehow made it to heaven, because there’s no way the girl sitting in front of me is real.
I didn’t get a good look at her earlier, but holy shit, she’s beautiful. Dark wavy hair, light blue eyes, and a small nose hold my attention hostage. Her dark locks skim past her shoulders, kissing the top of her chest, and her eyes? God, they’re so blue, they remind me of ice, even though she looks anything but cold. I stare at her for a moment, cataloging the rest of her features. There’s something different in the way she’s looking at me.
Women staring isn’t new to me. Kash says I’m toomysterious andprettywith my dark hair or whatever, but this is different. It’s like she’s trying to figure me out.Tell me what you see, pretty girl, I silently beg.
I probably shouldn’t have hit that guy in front of everyone. She probably thinks I’m a lunatic, but something in me just snapped when he started shouting at her.
“Well, that was entertaining. Can I buy you a fresh drink? Yours looks a bit watered down now.” She gestures toward my cup. I sigh, noticing the watery layer that’s now at the top. She’s not wrong.
“No,” I grit out.
“Why not?” she asks, seeming genuinely confused.
“Because I don’t want you to buy me one.” I’d never want her to spend her money on someone like me. I’m the last person who deserves it. I don’t know her yet, but I know that.
“Are you serious? I can’t tell if you’re being serious or not.”
She looks so cute and confused. Her forehead wrinkles, and for some reason, I find the expression incredibly adorable. Part of me wants to stay and talk to her, get to know her, but I realize we’re still getting some looks. I wonder if she’d be willing to go somewhere else.
“You don’t have to be rude. I’m Cora.” She acts nonchalant as she offers her hand, but I just stare at it. As much as I want to feel if her skin is as soft as I hope it is, I refuse to touch her with these hands. Not when I know I just hit someone with them. She doesn’t deserve to be touched by violence.
“Well, Cora, you really shouldn’t let people talk to you like that,” I blurt before I have chance to think about my words.
“You mean like a jackass? Kinda like you are right now?” She gives me a pointed look, lowering her hand.
Enjoying her sassy response, a genuine smile spreads across my face. “Exactly like that.” I point and nod.
She huffs out a sound that seems like annoyance. I don’t want to cause her any grief, but people can be really shitty. “Okay, so I’m going to go. Thanks for handling that guy. I appreciate it.”
“Wait.” My hand shoots out, grabbing her arm lightly. A jolt of awareness courses through my body, and my eyes fly to hers. I catch the way she flinches and quickly drop my hand.What the hell?“I’m sorry. Why don’t you stay?”
Her eyes avoid mine. “It’s fine. I have to go. Thanks again.” She turns to walk away from our booth, leaving me confused. I didn’t mean to spook her or cause any harm. I just don’t want her to leave yet.
I watch as she stops to talk with the barista. A warm feeling settles in my chest when she laughs, and the sound hits my ears. She’s so fucking pretty when she smiles like that.
My phone chirps, stealing my attention. I quickly grab it to silence it, but when I turn back, she’s no longer at the counter. She left.Shit.Quickly shoving my laptop into my bag, I toss my garbage in the trash and hurry toward the exit.
“Wait!” a voice shouts from behind me. Turning, I find the barista standing there with a drink in her hand.
Walking back toward the counter, I take in the curious look the girl gives me. She looks me up and down, then points to the bag. “She left this for you, and against my better judgment, I’m letting you have it. Consider it a thank you.” She gestures toward the items.
Grabbing the cold cup and bag, I nod and then rush outside. My shoulders slump when I realize she’s nowhere in sight. I don’t do relationships. In fact, I make it a point to avoid them, but there’s something about her that commands my attention. My very soul demands I find her.
Sitting in my car, I open the bag to see another muffin along with a small napkin. A smile splits my face when I see she’s left me a note.
To the jackass with advice,
Have another muffin and don’t be so angry.
