“Oh, I’m flattered,” she says, dramatically placing her palm against heramplechest. “What are you doing today?”
“Heading back to my apartment to work.”
“Only ventured out for a caffeine fix, hmm?”
She snatches my cup off the table and reads the label before taking a sip and sighing dreamily as she sets it back in front of me.
“I’m not sure I’m comfortable with how fast our relationship is progressing today,” I deadpan and frown at my cup. “Also, why are you always so nice to me?” She’s not surprised by my question. Her answering smile is soft and sincere.
“I got the wrong coffee,” she says, defeated. “I was feeling adventurous and it was a fail. You know how it goes.”
“No, can’t say that I do.”
She smirks but otherwise ignores me. It’s honestly fascinating that I have no problem talking to Kinsley Dane.
“To answer your other question, I have no reason not to be,”—she lifts one shoulder and lets it drop—“and I learned a long time ago that kindness goes a long way.”
It’s not the answer I expected, but I appreciate it more than she could possibly know. Kindness isn’t something that I’ve encountered much in Nashville. When I originally relocated here, I thought it would be a fresh start.
But besides being holed up in my apartment, I haven’t seen much of the city, and the parts that I have, I haven’t been impressed with. What’s worse is I have no desire to move again, so this is it for the foreseeable future.
“Despite your aversion to practice, I think that’s exactly what you need, Roy.”
“What do you mean?”
“I think that we could help each other.”
“I could help you?” I ask in disbelief.
“We all need help with something, Roy.” I narrow my eyes.
“It’s not illegal, is it?” She grins and I want to be caught in this moment forever, her smile doing something to me that I can’t quite explain. “Say I believe that you need help. What are we looking at?”
“Well, I’d rather not talk about it here.” My heart ratchets up a notch. I’ve never had a woman in my apartment. Not in this one, at least.
My dorm room, yes.
Apartment? No.
“So…” I hedge as I switch my coffee cup with hers and take a sip. Her eyes sparkle as I process the flavor—almond, maybe? It’s not what I wanted but also not terrible.
“I’m free now,” she says, taking a sip of my drink and grinning at me over the lid. “We can walk back to our building, and I’ll order some Chinese food and we can talk about it.”
“You want to get Chinese food and talk in your apartment?”
“We’re going to have a really long day, Roy, if you’re going to just repeat everything I say.” Her underlying sass is there, but it’s more companionable than it is snarky. It’s teasing and real, unlike the voice she used when she dealt with the girls near the mailbox when we’d first met.
“Now?”
She smiles. “Already anxious, are you?”
“I’m always anxious. It’s part of my charm.”
She snorts, pushing her chair back and grabbingmycoffee. “Well then, Roy, let’s go.”
I stand and follow her, my messenger bag banging into some of the empty seats as we pass. I’m startled by the fact that she’s even walking with me because I’veseenthe guys she dates.
She’s much more likely to be seen with some football star or wide receiver or rock star or something else. Hell, even her bodyguard is more her type than I am. But here she is, acting casual.
