“You can’t be back here. It’s staff only.”
“Azzy said it was fine.” He flashes me a dazzling smile that almost blinds me, showcasing a set of cute dimples.
I take a step back, trying not to get snared by the amber-hued twinkle in his eye. It creeps me out a little how eerily similar his eyes are to Zayn’s. “Last I checked, Azzy wasn’t in charge.”
He shrugs, leaning casually against the shelving unit. “She’s the owners’ daughter. As good as.”
“Why are you here, Joaquin?”
“Fuck, I love the way you say my name. Say it again.” He drags a hand through his messy hair before tucking both sides behind his ears and shooting me another grin.
“You’re odd.”
He throws back his head and laughs, and I take a quick second to check him out. Ripped black jeans hug toned thighs, and his U2 T-shirt clings to abs I know are rock hard and well defined and stretches across broad shoulders and muscular biceps.
“Liking what you see, Emmie?” he asks, closing the gap between us, wrapping his finger around a loose curl, and tugging on it.
“You wish.” I remove his finger from my hair and take another step back.
“Go out with me. Just one dinner. That’s all I’m asking.” A hint of vulnerability glides across his face.
Joaquin is hot, and having seen him naked, I know he’s the full package. Literally. He’s a great kisser and a phenomenal lover, with charisma oozing from every pore. He has hidden layers, and he’s smart as well as creatively talented. The fact he’s a bona fide bad boy only adds to the appeal even if I hate that I’m drawn to his type. Iamattracted to him, but something is holding me back. I’m not sure why, but I’m just not tempted to take things any further.
“Joaquin,” I say, and he groans. My eyes pop wide. What is with that? Forging on, I say, “I like you. We’ve had fun, but I’m not interested in dating anyone. This is definitely one of those ‘it’s not you; it’s me’ scenarios.”
“Great.” Sarcasm drips from his tone and his expression. “Every guy knows that’s the ultimate brush-off.”
“I don’t mean it like that, I swear.” I peer into his eyes, and something tugs at my chest. “You’re a great catch, but I’m justnot in that space right now, and I’m not going to lie to you. Going to dinner will give you false hope, and that’d be wrong, so my answer is still no.”
“I have never felt like this about anyone before. I can’t stop thinking about you. It’s like you’ve hijacked my head and my heart and other parts of my anatomy.” He waggles his brows and adjusts himself behind his jeans.
“You are certifiable, and this is like some weird role reversal.” Not that I’m saying it can’t happen because it totally does, but it’s generally the girl who wants more commitment and the guy who is only interested in one-night stands.
“You’re breaking my heart, babe. Seriously, this is killing me. I just want to be with you,” he says, and from the crestfallen look on his face, I think he might be telling me the truth.
My heart aches, and for a few seconds, I consider it, but it just doesn’t feel right, and I won’t lead him on. I would hate myself if I did that. “I’m sorry, J. I really am. I don’t know what more you want me to say.”
“Tell me we aren’t good together, and I’ll walk away. I’ll leave you alone for good. Tell me it wasn’t incredible. That you didn’t feel the things I felt. Sex can only be that good when two people truly connect. And we had fun both nights. We were laughing and dancing, and we had some deep conversations too. We connect on a spiritual level, Emmie. Tell me you didn’t feel all that, and I will walk out that door, and you’ll never see or hear from me again.”
He isn’t holding anything back, and a part of me wants to say fuck it and give it a try, to see if he’s right, if our connection could be intense. But there’s another part of me that says I need to trust my gut, and my gut is saying no. Only a fool ignores their inner instincts.
I clasp my hands together and wet my dry lips as I consider how to respond. I don’t want to give him false hope, but I won’tbe untruthful either. “I just said I wouldn’t lie, but you can’t read into this. We are good together, but?—”
“Great.” His confidence is back, and he pins me with a sexy, dark, determined look as he backs up. “That’s all I need to hear. I’ll give you space to get used to the idea, baby, but I’m going nowhere.”
My mouth hangs open, and I think I just made this a challenge. I should have lied.
He blows me a kiss. “See you around, beautiful, and when you’re ready, let me know.”
“Fuck. My. Life,” I mumble, repeatedly pressing my head back against the wall. What the hell have I done?
Chapter Twenty-Four
Zayn
Ilean against my bike in the parking lot behind Foley’s as I wait for Emery to emerge after her shift. Nerves fire at me from all angles as I clutch the simple bouquet in my hand. The lady in the flower shop suggested pink and white roses for an apology gift, and though she could have sold me a massive bouquet, she kept it small, saying it conveyed the meaning better. I half expect Emery to beat me over the head with it, but I don’t think she’s the kind of girl who would take her vengeance out on innocent flowers. She’s more likely to set the flowers aside and let rip on me with her fists.
But I’ll take it as long as I get her to speak to me.
