It would be all too easy to fall for Gia’s quick wit and outgoing personality. She seems like the kind of person who would get me out of my comfort zone—in the best ways. How could anyone not fall for a woman like her?
No, this is better. Distance and boundaries are the right move, and I’m glad she’s being smart about this.
I won’t cross that line, no matter how much I might want to.
CHAPTER 6
Gia
Holt slams me up against the door of his house. His mouth crashes into mine with the pent-up lust we’ve both been holding back. Our kisses are messy and raw now that we’ve given ourselves permission to cross every line we’ve drawn.
I moan against his mouth, grinding my hips against his in an effort to move this along. I want his hard body sliding against my bare skin.
“Can I get you anything else?”
The question startles me, causing my coffee to spill over the side of the cup. “Oh, shit. Sorry. What?”
Looking around, I realize I’m still at the Daily Grind, with its walls of open shelves displaying vintage coffee paraphernalia and the near-constant hiss of the espresso machine. Holt is not kissing the hell out of me, and it takes a few blinks for me to get my body to calm down. Damn, that was one hell of a daydream.
The cute waitress grins at me. “Must’ve been some good thoughts to have you that out of it. I was just asking if you needed anything else.”
I huff out a laugh. “Very good. And very dangerous. Um.” I glance at my still-full coffee and my open laptop, and decide a snack would probably be a good idea if I don’t want to get the shakes later. “Can I get some of the pumpkin bread, please?”
“Absolutely. I’m Gwen, by the way.” Her dark brown ponytail falls over her shoulder as she reaches out to shake my hand.
“Gia. It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too. The whole town has been buzzing about you.”
My eyebrows wing up my forehead. “Me?”
“Oh yeah.” Gwen chuckles.
With only kind humor in her hazel eyes, I relax a little. She’s not hunting for a story—at least not maliciously—like most people try to do when they recognize me. They get this glint in their eyes that says the only thing they’re seeing is the money they’ll make off whatever gossip they can glean from me.
“You’re the mysterious blonde who was here over the summer. We all knew you were visiting with your friends, researching our quirky little town, but when you stuck around, everyone wanted to get your story. Then you disappeared, and the town was buzzing for days.”
I seriously made that big of a stir? I didn’t even do anything out of the ordinary after my friends left. Except for have a one-night stand with a hot cowboy, and there’s no way they know about that. Right?
Did I just accidentally involve myself in a “Hotel California” situation? Oh fuck, are they going to kidnap me and never let me leave? What the hell have I gotten myself into?
My face must be broadcasting my thoughts because Gwen laughs.
“It sounds crazy, I get it. Entertainment around here gets a little dull, so we glom onto anything we can. We’re a littlenutty but well-intentioned. You won’t find a group of people more welcoming than us.”
Just then, someone comes walking over in a gorgeous pleated pink tulle skirt and crop top. Their hair is cut short, and they have the coolest piercing in their ear. It’s a dragon that hangs from the top of their ear and curls around to the lobe. I want one.
They place a plate of pumpkin bread on the table in front of me, and I raise an eyebrow. Gwen hasn’t left my table since I asked for that. They sign at Gwen, who grins and turns to me to translate. “Charlie read your lips and brought it over. This is my sibling. They own the Daily Grind, and thank god for nepotism because I’d never get a job without them.”
Charlie elbows their sister as I laugh.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I say as Gwen signs.
Charlie signs, “It’s good to meet you too.” They head back to the counter with a wave.
Gwen turns back to me. “Charlie’s been deaf since they were a kid. Reading lips was the only option for most of our childhood because our parents were assholes. When our great-aunt took us in, she immediately got us help to learn ASL. And then proceeded to teach everyone else we interacted with. A good portion of the town knows the basics now. At the very least, they know how to sign their coffee order.”
“Wow. That’s incredible, although I’m sorry you two had a crappy childhood to start.”
