With a warm smile, June headed off to thekitchen.
“Come here alot?”
Shaking sugar from the big clear cylinder into his coffee, he nodded. “My mom used to work here when I was a kid, so I’ve spent a lot of time right here in thisbooth.”
I grabbed the sugar from him and cleared my throat. “So, you were about to tell me aboutyourself.”
“Hmm.” He nodded with coffee in his mouth. He swallowed quickly then dove in. “I’m from here. I’m an only child. My favorite color is green. I love mint, and that’s why they have a chocolate mint shake here. Yourturn.”
I took a deep breath, wondering how deep into my situation I should get. “Well, let’s see. My favorite color is blue, all kinds of blue. I don’t know what my natural hair color is because I have been dying it since I was twelve. I love chocolate and mint together so I am pretty stoked to be trying this amazingmilkshake.”
June came back with two huge glasses of chocolaty goodness. “The omelets will be upsoon.”
“Thank you.” I smiled while eyeing the large shake in front of me. It was a meal in and of itself; I should have refused the omelet forsure.
Abel was just sitting there, staring. “Are you going to drink yours?” I laughed a little while putting a straw into mymilkshake.
“I’m waiting to see what youthink.”
His deep ocean eyes were breathtaking. I loved sitting there; it made it completely acceptable to stare atthem.
“Well, here goesnothing.”
I took a sip and it was like an orgasm in my mouth. I even moaned. Out.Loud.
My cheeks burned as I looked up toAbel.
“I toldyou.”
I smiled, wiping my mouth. “That might be better thansex.”
“Darlin’, if you think this is better than sex, you’ve been fucking the wrongguys.”
“I probably have been and there have been so few, I’m probably not a very good judge.” I laughed. “I can’t believe I just told youthat.”
He shrugged. “We’re not strangersanymore.”
“No, I guess we’renot.”
“So where are you from,Crickett?”
I swallowed hard again. Talking about my past was awful but I knew I needed to get over it. I was in a small town where people asked questions and genuinely wanted to know the answers. Abel’s gorgeous eyes were fixated on mine as his lips curled around the end of his shake’s straw. We were having a light conversation, he just wanted to get to know me; I hated how scared I was to even mention the shithole that I was only days from climbing outof.
Deepbreaths.
Smile.
Pretend like you’re not scared shitless to let words fall into theair.
“Arkansas.”
His eyes got a little wide as the distance of my trek sunk in. “What brought you all the way outhere?”
“I needed a change of scenery, I guess. Ain’t nothing good was coming out of that place for me, so I was either going to rot with the rest of them or I was going to get the heck out ofdodge.”
He licked his lips slowly, getting a spot of chocolate that was next to his piercing. “Well, I’m sure happy that you stumbled into our little town to make your freshstart.”
“Yeah?Why?”
