Page 22 of Harvest Heat

Rhys sucked in his breath. Abby arrived with their drinks, which gave him a moment to compose himself before he glanced back at Caleb. He felt the heat in his cheeks. They had to be bright red.

“My secrets?”

“About the drinks you’re working on.”

“Oh, right. The drinks. For the festival.” What else could he have meant? He didn’t know about…

“What did you think I was asking about?”

“I… um…” Imagining you sucking me off the other night. “I wasn’t sure. It’s hard to hear in here.” Rhys knew how ridiculous he sounded. He’d repeated Caleb’s words back to him, so obviously, he’d heard him. But all he could think about now was what he had imagined Caleb doing to him. It had been so fucking hot, and now he was getting hot thinking about it. The last thing he needed was to have a full-on meltdown or pass out right there at the bar.

“Are you all right?” Caleb asked.

“Yes. I’m just hot, and I don’t do well in crowds. That’s why I don’t usually come in here on Fridays.”

“It is warm in here. And crowded. And loud.”

“Yes!” Why the hell had he shouted that?

“Why don’t you take a sip of your drink. That’ll help cool you off.”

His drink. Yes. That was a good idea. He hadn’t thought of the cold drink sitting right in front of him. He picked it up, wishing he could press it against his cheek, but how much more of a weirdo was he willing to be?

He took a few sips and then a slow, deep breath. He only dared to look at Caleb again after he set the drink back on the bar. “I tried making a maple latte, but it just wasn’t right. I couldn’t get the sweetness level I wanted. Next, I tried going with a basic latte with a little nutmeg and clove on top. It wasn’t special enough. So then I went darker, and it was too bitter. I know that’s not what the judges will go for. I don’t know what to do next. What about you?”

Caleb smiled at him. “Kind of the same as you, but with different flavors except for maple. Nothing’s working. I mean, all the drinks were good, but they weren’t prize-winning good.”

Was it bad that Caleb’s struggles made Rhys feel better? He’d really been wondering if he should just give up. What if he’d made the wrong choice and they could make the perfect drink together?

He looked up and once again met Caleb’s gaze. His pulse sped up, and he started to get warm again.

No. Working together was not the answer. He didn’t need to spend time alone with Caleb, especially after letting himself fantasize about him. In fact, Rhys really hoped Abby got back with their orders very soon, or he might just have to leave without his food.

If Caleb had any idea what Rhys’d imagined last night or the way he thought about him every time they were together, he wouldn’t want to work with him anymore. There was no way he was feeling those things too. Sure, Tessa claimed he’d been flirting with Rhys, but Rhys didn’t see it. Of course, he never did notice when men were into him.

But Caleb was like that with everyone. He’d just been flirting with Abby, hadn’t he? He was fun and relaxed, and he knew how to get along with people naturally. He and Rhys were too different.

Fortunately, Abby brought their sandwiches over a few minutes later. She offered Rhys a cup of soda to go, and he accepted it. Caleb drained the last of his beer and stood up. “I guess I’ll see you later.”

“I’m sure we’ll run into each other soon,” Had that sounded stupid? Rhys had no idea. They took their to-go bags and headed out of the bar.

“Good night, Rhys.” Caleb’s smile made him weak-kneed. Damn, the man was hot.

“Good night, Caleb.” He hurried across the street so he wouldn’t have to walk down the block side by side with Caleb. He was too full of nervous energy and too likely to say something insane. Or follow him all the way to the bakery like a lost puppy. When he reached the door, Rhys hurried into Frost + Foam and sat down at his desk to eat and plan out some more drink ideas.

All he managed to do while eating was think about how nice it had been sitting next to Caleb. Once he’d gotten over his initial nerves at seeing him, he’d felt more comfortable than he expected. He couldn’t believe he’d talked to Caleb as much as he had. He rarely gave more information than the bare minimum when people asked questions. He didn’t usually talk about himself unless he was explaining his love of coffee and the way he’d developed Frost + Foam. He could have just said he met Tessa in elementary school, but for once, he didn’t want to stop there.

He was starting to feel more comfortable around Caleb. Didn’t that mean he was the perfect crush material?

A knock on the door startled Rhys. He glanced cautiously out of this office as if he expected to see a polite burglar attempting to get in. There was basically no crime in Frostwick Harbor, but his pulse was racing anyway.

He exhaled when he saw Tessa standing outside. Though he did consider ducking back into the office and hoping she hadn’t seen him. She had a key, and she’d come in to turn the lights off if she thought he’d left them on.

Still, he dreaded opening the door. She was going to interrogate him about Caleb, and he did not need that. He needed to work on his Harvest Festival drink.

As soon as she stepped in, she said, “So how did it go with Caleb?”

He shrugged, trying to keep his face neutral. “We talked for a few minutes while we were waiting on our food.”