“Ms.Bodice?”Logan’s prying voice jarred her back to reality.“Do you have a question for Contestant Number Three?”
“Oh, yes!”The show.She was in the middle of a show!
Her heart was kicking against her chest as she fought to get back on script.Her eyes kept going to the back of the theater.Every line, every joke, her gaze was searching for Hawk’s reaction.The man was impossible to read.
In the end, she picked David as her one true love.As the audience applauded and the cast performed their bows, she gave one last sweep over the audience.Hawk was gone.
They crammed through the small room backstage.Clapping each other on the backs and congratulating each other for another performance well done, before moving down the stairs to the exit.
The adrenaline from the show was still thrumming through her when she saw the reason for her distraction waiting at the bottom.
“I’d say that was a success,” Hawk said, taking a sip of coffee.
“You watched?”she asked, playing as if she hadn’t met his gaze at least half a dozen times.
He shrugged.“I had to see what all the fuss was about.”
“And?”
Her heart gave a nervous jitter with the question.She braced herself for his usual blunt feedback.But Hawk merely tipped his cup at her.“You did great.I told you not to worry.”
“Holy shit.”Lilian couldn’t stop herself from grinning.“Was that a compliment?”
“It was indeed.”
“And is that coffee for me, maybe?”She could smell the dark roast from where she stood.The savory, lush aroma made her mouth water.It could be a hundred degrees outside, and she would still down a hot cup of morning coffee without hesitation.This morning, though, was their first taste of cooler weather.Fall was at their doorstep, which made her craving even more intense.
“This,” Hawk said, pointing to the coffee, “is only for people not in costume.You’ll have to go pick beans and grind them by hand for your coffee.”
“Don’t joke.”Lilian pouted.“It’s not fair.We can drink bottled water, but coffee is where the line is drawn?”
“Has to be drawn somewhere.”
“Just a sip!”she pleaded, coming closer.“No one will know.”
He gave her the infamous Hawk stare down, but she’d been on the receiving end of it enough times now not to be intimidated.She met those chocolate brown eyes with wide, pleading ones.His face remained stone, unbreakable.Lilian thought he might actually pull the coffee cup away, but at the last minute, he wordlessly held the cup out.
Grinning, Lilian pressed her lips to the cup and took a sip.It wasn’t piping hot, but warm enough that the heavy brew slid down her throat deliciously.She moaned as it settled into her stomach.Hawk didn’t immediately pull the cup away, so she indulged herself with one last sip.
“Don’t tell anyone I did this.”
“I am a woman of my word.”She pulled back to cross her finger over her chest.Hawk’s eyes followed the movement like a predator.A different kind of heat scorched through her at the sight.Was he checking out her bosom?
“Thanks for the coffee.”
“No problem.You heading back to the shop?”
Lilian couldn’t hide the giddy smile that tugged at her lips.“Where else would I go?”
“Mind if I walk back with you?I'm curious to see what it looks like with people actually in it.”
“Oh?”Lilian knew she should feel insulted by the jab, but all that came out was a scoff of dismissal.She playfully jabbed his arm but didn't argue as he fell in step beside her.“Prepare to be amazed!”
Margo looked relieved the moment she stepped inside.“Oh, thank god, it’s been a madhouse.”
Lilian barely managed to get out her first word before a throng of women turned toward her.The movement was so simultaneous, it reminded her of the velociraptors inJurassic Park, and she was their next snack.
“Excuse me,” one woman said, and Lilian quickly recognized her as one of the patrons who had visited the other day.She held up her phone screen inches from Lilian’s face, showing the displayed picture.“You said something about a discount if I found Sir Debauchery?”
