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After a final once-over, we reconvened in the bar area, nursing the last of our coffee. The work would commence in about a week—sooner than I'd hoped.
"Let me pop upstairs again," Patrick said. “I want to check the way the joists run."
And then it was just me and Cole. Alone. The silence stretched between us until Cole finally broke it.
"Job's not as big as I thought. That's good."
"I really appreciate you helping out like this," I said, keeping my tone even.
I couldn't help but let my thoughts wander back to what Lily had said about Cole looking at me—and what she'd implied about his feelings toward me. Trouble was, his eyes were always intense. His gaze was always penetrating.
Don't fixate on the word "penetrating."
"Elara?" Cole's voice snapped me back to reality.
"Mmhmm."
"I hope you're feeling okay after . . . yesterday."
"Yep. Just fine." I shifted nervously, and as I did so, my coffee cup slipped from my grasp, its remaining contents splattering across my tank top. The liquid soaked through the fabric, making it cling to my skin. I gasped in shock and embarrassment, feeling my cheeks heat up as I frantically searched for napkins that were nowhere to be found.
"Here," Cole said, pulling out a rag from his back pocket. "Always have one of these. I tend to get into a lot of dirty situations."
For a heart-stopping moment, I thought he might dab at my chest himself. I swallowed hard, imagining his hands tracing the contours of my body.
Instead, he handed me the cloth.
"Thank you." As I cleaned myself up, I chanced a glance at Cole. He seemed to be struggling to maintain his composure, eyes fixated on the now-transparent fabric clinging to my skin. The lust in his gaze sent a shiver down my spine, my stomach somersaulting.
Cole cleared his throat, wrenching his focus away from my chest with visible effort. "So, uh, I think I'll actually have Dad handle this job solo. I've got a lot of other projects piling up, and it doesn't seem like there's much heavy demolition work here—mostly just stripping and plastering. Maybe I'll swing by to help with the bar removal when the time comes."
"Ah, okay," I replied, trying to hide my disappointment. "That's good. Don't want to waste your time." Clearly, Cole really didn't want to spend any time with me. Understandable. Not only was I a silly little girl, I was clumsy, too.
Patrick bounded back downstairs, clapping his hands together. "All set here, folks?"
"Yep," Cole said. "Good to go."
"You spilled your drink?" Patrick asked me. "Cole, take her to the café, get her a fresh one."
"No!" Cole and I blurted in unison.
"I don't have time," Cole added hastily. "Sorry, Elara. And good luck with the refurb."
Patrick's brow furrowed. "Good luck?"
"Come on, Dad. We need to pick up Susie from the community center. I'll explain on the way."
After they left, I spent some time in the bar, trying desperately to think about anything other than the way Cole had looked at me when I'd spilled the coffee on my top. Those eyes. That lust.
Lily was right. I did have an extensive list of reasons he and I shouldn’t get together. And I was very, very attracted to him. And that was why I had to avoid him as much as possible.
CHAPTER SIX
Cole
Elara.
El.
