Our eyes lock.
“Liv! Hello?”
Eyes wide, I jerk my gaze to the window, as if that had been my destination all along. I curse myself for letting a handsome face break my focus. “No, no, no. I’d probably scare the client away with questions and come on way too strong. But as soon as it’s over, I want to know everything.”
Viv and I end our call—I’ll see her in a few minutes anyway—and I drop my phone back into my bag. I’m nearly at the counter now and can hear Claire, the barista, chatting away with the person in front of me. Her hair is a new, brighter shade of blue, with a bright yellow clip pulling her bangs out of her face.
Hoisting my bag back up to a comfortable position on my shoulder, I lift my eyes and instantly findhis.
Still looking at me.
He lifts his to-go cup to his mouth, bringing my awareness to his full lips as they wrap around the edge, his throat working as he swallows.
My cheeks flame under the weight of his stare. I should find it uncomfortable that this man is watching me, but I’m just as guilty.
I can’t pry my eyes away this time. He’s like the other half of a magnet, pulling me in. Everything in my brain is screaming,look away!But it’s useless. I’m staring, and it’s embarrassing.
He dips his head slightly, acknowledging me. The corner of his mouth twitches upward.
Holy shit, I’m on fire. Am I sweating? I think I’m sweating. I need to talk to Claire about the temperature situation here. They must have the heat on full blast even though it's nearly seventy degrees outside.
“Liv? You’re up. What can I getcha?” Claire calls, saving me from the magnetic pull of the stranger in the corner. There’s an enormous gap in the line where it moved on without me.
“Sorry for holding up the line!” I quickly cross the space. “Americano, add milk, and a caramel latte for Viv, please.” Claire nods and gets to work while I move to the opposite side of the counter, as far from the corner and my view of the man as I can manage. Hopefully, the people in line will block me from gawking at him like a zoo animal.
No such luck.
He stands up, tosses his empty paper coffee cup into the garbage bin, and saunters in my direction. His walk is not at all like the walk of most New Yorkers—quick and purposeful. No, this walk is more relaxed and confident. I don’t know where to look, so I take in everything at once, keeping him in my periphery while willing myself to stay composed even as my heart pounds erratically.
Oh, shit. Is he coming toward me?
He stops, and I can feel my composure cracking. He’s even more handsome up close.
“Morning,” he says. A grin pulls at the corners of his mouth, and then he reaches his arm out.
Whoa. What’s he doing?I lean back, unsure why he’s reaching toward me.
“Excuse me.” He points past me, but I’m lost in the sound of his voice. It’s deep and coarse, like he hasn’t used it much today. His eyebrows scrunch, eyes squinting with obvious confusion. “May I, uh… get by?” His bemused smile has rendered me useless.
Not only have I not acknowledged anything he’s said, but I continue to stare at him as if my brain has short-circuited, and I’ve lost any capacity to communicate.
Another moment passes before everything clicks back on, like a lightbulb flickering to life. I leap into action, shooting a look over my shoulder to find I’m directly blocking the path to the little hallway where the bathroom is.
Love that for me.
I clear my throat and straighten my spine, stepping aside so he can pass.
“Thanks.” His voice caresses me. Goodness, the deep, raspy timbre is so…sensual.
Scents of oak and butterscotch tickle my nose as he passes, evoking an uninhibited sigh. I can’t help myself; I watch him walk by. May God bless whoever made those jeans.
Claire clears her throat, trying not to smile as she hands me my order.
“What?”
“Nothing,” she says. “Have a great day!”
It’s a little after lunch when Viv breezes into my office and plops into a rattan armchair, interrupting my musings about whether the guy from the coffee shop will be there again tomorrow.Not that I care.
