I sit on the sidewalk next to his shop and lower my head between my legs.
He doesn’t mean that.
I know he doesn’t.
Chapter 10
Torren
I’m done. Done. Done.Done.
Coming to my house in the middle of the night? Ruining my morning routine by getting a fucking job at my favorite place?
Being perfect and making it agonizing to stay away from him?
WHAT’S NEXT?!
My bike races down the main stretch of the Patch, speeding toMaggie’slike a bat out of hell. I had more dreams about him all night long, and then couldn’t stop thinking about him during my tub-jerk. His image plagues my mind as I barrel through a yellow light and flick off the douchebag in a Honda Civic who honks at me.
His taunting from the night before nearly wrecked me. I wanted more.
He thinks I hate him, but it’s not that. I’m afraid for him.
But I know what to do.
He’s like a petulant child throwing a tantrum because he likes the attention, and I’ve been dumb enough to give it to him.
Not this time, little brat.
The thought of avoidingMaggie’scrossed my mind, but the more I thought about it, the more furious I became.
This is my routine.
I get a terrible cup of coffee and a delicious donut at the same goddamned place every single day.
I need my routines—they help me center myself and create harmony in my day, and I’ve just about had enough of theMayor’s sonturning the life I’ve worked hard to create upside down.
We roll up toMaggie’s, and I’m off the bike, marching to the entrance like a man on a mission. Gabriel grabs my arm and turns me toward him. He whips his arms to the sides, a questioning look on his face. I know I’ve been a bear all morning.
Gabriel points atMaggie’sand dismissively waves his hand. He wants us to forget about this place and go somewhere else.
Well, fuck that noise. “No. I love this place. It feels good coming here, and I won’t let him mess with that. This isourplace,” I explain while motioning between the two of us.
Gabriel, once again, makes the sex signal with his hands. “Fuck him and forget him,” he says in his deep, raspy voice.
“It’s not that simple. It’s—” I don’t know how to explain to Gabe that this is more than just a fuck. I don’t even know what it is, but I’m obsessed and terrified at the same time. I want him so bad, but when I look at him, the fantasies that flood my brain could put a snuff film to shame. I don’t want to be that. Not again.
I don’t want to hurt him.
I’m sick. I can’t even imagine what would happen if we just fucked like Gabriel is suggesting. What if I did something I could never undo?
I have to control it.
I can do this.
I turn to Gabriel and speak with newfound resolve. “We’re walking in there, getting the coffee and motherfucking donuts we always get, and having a nice fucking day. Period.”
Gabriel rolls his eyes, and I wave him off with a groan. My entrance is met with the jingle of the door and the wide-eyed stare of the boy who has wrecked my brain.
