“No line,” I mumble cheerfully.
My mind becomes one-track—no thoughts, only donuts. I’m digging for my wallet while scanning the display window before I’ve reached the truck. Spotting my favorite kind, I grin.
Right as I come to a stop in front of the pink counter and open my mouth, someone cuts me off.
“I’ll take the sour cream with cinnamon vanilla glaze, please,” she says.
I jolt, snapping my head to the side. It’s her. Donnelly’s sister. Who is also Donnelly in my head because I never got her name.
Damn, I thought she was gorgeous under the dim bar lights with her soft curves and addictive confident smile, but in the light of day she steals my breath.
She’s bundled in an oversized cream sherpa jacket and leggings. It’s not a seductive outfit, yet she has all of my focus. I haven’t run into her for four days, and just like Friday night the mere sight of her has my pulse speeding up.
The bright morning sun catches her chestnut hair, highlighting fairer strands. In the heels of those knee-high boots, she came to my chin, but without the couple of extra inches I’m at the perfect height to kiss the top of her head.
She puts her coffee from Clocktower Brew House on the counter—a mocha latte going by the scrawled handwriting on the cup. There’s a peppermint stick poking out of the lid that has me picturing her plush lips wrapped around it, sending my mind down a path I need to cut off before I’m standing in the middle of campus with a boner.
Donnelly isn’t paying me any attention, more occupied with rummaging in her crossbody saddle bag.
More importantly, she ordered my favorite donut. It’s a sign.
“Last one,” the perky donut dealer announces.
“Wait,” I stammer.
“Great,” Donnelly says.
“Hang on.” I step in front of her to create a barrier between her and the donut, offering a crooked smile. “We meet again.”
Her lips part in surprise now that I’ve earned her full attention. “Captain.”
The lopsided curve of my mouth stretches into a grin. “I like it when you call me that.”
Her brows lift and the corner of her mouth twitches with a suppressed smile. “Don’t get used to it. From now on, you’ll be captain full-of-yourself.”
“I can live with that.” I swipe a hand over my mouth in an effort to hide the amused noise trying to escape me. “I’ve gotta say, I much prefer your company to your brother’s. You’re my favorite Donnelly now.”
“An honor.” She grants me a sardonic little bow. “Are you going to move so I can pay for my donut? I’ll be late for class.”
“The thing is, I want that donut. Been craving it all through my morning weight training.”
She scoffs in amusement, eyeing me up and down. “Is this you defending the donut from me?”
She’s got me there. Basically, yeah, I am defending the donut I’ve been craving. Plus, the longer I keep her here, the more time I get to spend with her. An unquestionable win-win.
“We both can get what we want. We’ll split it. Pick out another kind and we’ll share them.”
I dip my chin to seal the deal with something that always works: smoldering puppy dog eyes. It makes all the girls I’ve been with fold like a house of cards. Noah says it’s my blue eyes, girls can’t resist them.
Usually.
Donnelly is immune to my tactics. Instead of agreeing to what I want, she mocks me with a head tilt and puppy eyes of her own. My pulse skips. She looks cute like that.
“Split it?” She sidesteps me to get to the counter. “A gentleman would let me have the donut. I was here first.”
“Actually, we arrived at the same time. So fair is fair.”
Before she can pay, I move in beside her and slide a twenty to the girl running the food truck. I give Donnelly a sidelong glance to check if she's still going to fight me. Her stare lingers on my hand resting on the counter, veins prominent from my workout.
