When his head angles to the side as if his eyes are absorbing my body, I roll my shoulders and stand straighter. Since he didn’t give me much notice, I threw on the first outfit I stumbled upon in my closet. If I’d known he was going to eyeball me like a freak, I would have put in more effort.
Once his perusal is over, he nudges his head to the cafe. “Are you hungry?”
I’m not because I just finished eating breakfast when he messaged me, but with the awkwardness of first dates already lingering, I'll eat again just to force my hands to do something other than fidgeting with my floral skirt like they are now.
“Yep! I’m hungry.” I conceal my apprehension with a friendly tone.
What is it about this guy that makes me act like a blushing idiot?He’s just a guy, Jenni. A player you poured freezing cold beer over just last night.
When images of last night replay in my head, I can’t stop the smile that forms on my mouth. The surprise on his face over my audacity also settles the butterflies fluttering in my stomach.
Noticing my smile, a crass grin etches on the handsome stranger’s face. I’m tempted to ask why he is smiling, but the curl of his hand over mine stops me. Remaining quiet, he guides me through the entrance of the café. Because it's too early for the lunch crowd, we’re promptly seated at one of the window booths that has spectacular views of Bronte’s Peak.
“It’s so beautiful,” I whisper with my eyes arrested on the dazzling blue ocean.
“It sure is.”
When I turn to face him, my pulse quickens. He isn’t looking at the scenery. His beautifully tormented eyes are staring straight at me. They reveal his hunger, making heat rush to my cheeks. He watches me with hooded eyes, throwing down the blinders I erect specifically for men like him. The prospect of him breaking through my walls makes nervous goosebumps spread across my skin. I won’t mention what it does to the lower regions of my body. A gaze shouldn’t be a turn on—his is.
Our intense stare off is interrupted by the waitress handing me a menu. Grateful for a break from the intensity of his stare, I use the menu to hide my flaming cheeks. This guy’s sexiness is off the Richter scale. Just sitting across from him for five minutes already has me wanting to break my rules on not dating players.
The stranger’s deep chuckle vibrates the menu when he notices I'm using it to hide. “Don’t go hiding.” He pulls the menu away from my flaming face. “I’ve been wondering if you blush anywhere other than your neck when you’re flustered.”
My cheeks go from a slight pink hue to flaming-with-embarrassment red. I inwardly sigh when the waitress saves the day for the second time by asking if we’re ready to order. My companion chuckles at my eager nod before placing an order for a burger, fries, and a milkshake. When I request a cup of coffee, his confused gaze strays to me.
“I only had breakfast an hour ago,” I admit.
Shaking his head, he grins a smile that makes my heart flip.
Incapable of waiting a second longer, I blurt out, “What’s your name?”
The waitress’ brows meet. She doesn’t know us, yet even she can feel the sexual attraction bristling between the mysterious stranger and me, making it even more awkward that I don’t know his name.
Chapter Seven
Nick
When the waitress skedaddles away to prepare our order, I stare at Jenni, striving to work out what is it about her that made me lose sleep last night. She's incredibly beautiful, but it feels like there’s more at stake here than my wish to strip her naked and see how flushed I can really make her.
I arrived at the café twenty minutes before the time we agreed to meet.
Twenty. Whole. Goddamn. Motherfucking. Minutes.
I was getting so anxious she wasn’t going to show, when I spotted her little blue car pulling into the parking lot, I sighed like a girl. You’d think her knee-length skirt, dusty pink shirt, and matching cashmere cardigan would have lessened my desire to have her beneath me, but nope. If anything, it made it worse.
At first glance, you’d swear she was on her way to mass. . . until you spotted the killer high white stiletto boots she’s wearing. The chunky heel makes her taller while adding a bit of sexiness to her seemingly innocent ensemble.
My dick twitches when my focus shifts from her body to her face. The strobing lights at the club made me misread the true color of her hair. It’s more a strawberry blonde than platinum; her eyes are a lighter shade of blue than mine, and the pink hue I saw on her neck last night extends to her cheeks when she’s flustered.
It isn’t just her beauty I’m taking note of, though. The attraction bristling between us is so obvious, I'm tempted to pull her pouty lips to mine by the back of her head. I would if the waitress didn’t foil my brilliant idea by returning to fill Jenni’s cup with coffee. I was surprised when she only ordered a cup of coffee, but also grateful. I may have died from malnutrition if she hadn’t agreed to a late breakfast.
When the waitress finishes filling Jenni’s mug, Jenni mumbles a “thanks” before her wide eyes float to mine. Spotting my smirk, she shoots daggers at me, unimpressed.
“I’m gladyou’reenjoying yourself. The waitress thinks I’m a tart.” Her smile weakens her scorn. She’s not angry. She’s more amused than anything.
After adding cream and sugar to her coffee, she lifts her mug to her mouth. Her lips purse when she blows on the scorching hot liquid. The sexy curve of her mouth has my dick stiffening so quickly it’s almost painful.
When she peers at me over the rim of her mug, her brows furrow. “You okay?”
