“Kadence?” The smoky timber of his voice sends an unexpected shiver down my spine.
Pushing back my chair, I stand and reach for his outstretched hand, which is warm and large, swallowing my own hand in his.
“Hi,” I greet in return, shaking his hand briskly. I drop my head back to look him in the eye. “It’s just Kady. Nice to meet you, Gavin.”
Two things grab my attention at once.First, Gavin’s eyes are like the gooiest milk chocolate I’ve ever seen. Like a melted Hershey bar on a campfire s’more. Or warmed chocolate flowing from a fondue fountain.
The second thing is the mess of tattoos that adorn his neck, arms and hands. He is like a peacock – brightly colored and beautiful – proudly strutting his green and iridescent blue plumage. I have to resist the urge to automatically reach out and run my fingers over the artistic markings on his skin.
I kind of have a thing for tattooed guys. Like, the more they have, the more I want to get in their pants. It’s an addiction. Some women love wine. Some love Pinterest. I love hard-bodied men with tats.
As long as I can avoid commitments or falling for their B.S., it’s my recipe for a happy life.
My plan is to stay single and have lots of dirty, wild sex through my twenties.
There’s a few moments pause as we take each other in, our eyes roaming over the other as if in a stand-off. He’s deliciously handsome and smells phenomenal. Like warmed spice and musk.
I motion to the table and he takes a seat next to me, but not before turning it around and straddling it backward. Gavin removes his cap and throws it on the empty chair next to him, running a tatted hand through his ruffled hair. He gives me a sideways grin when he notices me watching him intently.
But I don’t look away. I’m unapologetic and unashamed of my observation of his male beauty. Some girls might blush coyly after being caught staring. Not me. Why hide what I think should be a compliment to them?
“So,” he begins, wrapping his arms around the chair back and leaning forward, pushing the rim of his hat so it sits slightly askew. “I hear you got yourself into a little predicament and need a place to crash.”
My eyes land on his thick, powerful biceps, and the colorful landscape there. When my eyes wander further down to his thighs, I sigh inwardly, drinking in the large muscular legs that look like tree logs washed upon the ocean shore. I might blush a little from the vision I have of straddling those impressive legs, but I don’t miss a beat.
“I wouldn’t call it a predicament, exactly. I’d say it’s more of a minor setback in an already epic and beautiful journey.”
His laugh is deep and fills me with a heat so intense it feels like I’ve just dumped all that hot coffee from my cup all over my body.
He tips his head, assessing me with a quirk of his brow. “I like that. An optimist. I can appreciate that perspective. Tell me then, Kady Griffin, what’s the plan for the continuation of this beautifully epic journey of yours? How long do you think you’ll stay in Florence?”
Gavin’s movement surprises me, as he suddenly stands and swings the chair back around, and then sinks back down into the chair, his long legs stretched out in front of him. He crosses his legs at the ankles and his hands land in his lap. I watch with astonishment at the fluidity of his movements, considering he’s such a lumbering dude. I can’t help that my eyes immediately follow the line of hands, which are folded loosely in the V between his legs, accentuating his package.
Holy shit. I don’t know if he’s semi-hard right now or what, but that is one monster snake he has in his pants. I swallow and shift my gaze back to his eyes, which gleam with amusement. Now all I can think about is what he’s packing.
Shit, that could be dangerous.
I lift my eyebrows. “I don’t know, yet,” I confirm with a shrug, taking another quick sip of my espresso. “I’m waiting to hear back from my friend, Izzy. She went on a little road trip with some guys we met from a band. Once she returns, we’re supposed to head off to Spain. It may just be a few days. Until then, I think I’ll use the time to enjoy the history and culture of Florence. It’s been my favorite city, so far. The people, the culture, the food, the scene.”
Gavin nods his head in understanding. “Yeah, it’s great.”
We agree on something. That’s a good place to start.
“Gavin, I really appreciate the offer to let me stay with you -” I’m unable to finish that statement when he interrupts.
“Oh, I haven’t offered up anything yet.”
My mouth drops wide open and the cup wobbles in my hand.
Wait, didn’t Cade tell me this was a done deal? Maybe something got lost in translation. Now I’m thoroughly confused.
“But…Cade said…”
“I only told your brother I’d meet you to see if you’d make a compatible roommate. I didn’t commit to anything yet.” He makes a point of letting his gaze roam up and down, hovering over my chest and torso before returning to meet my eyes.
Gavin shakes his head with a shrug. “I don’t think it’ll work out. But you seem like a resourceful girl. I’m sure you’ll find another suitable option without too much trouble.”
He stands to leave, reaching down to grab his hat as I stare at him speechless. The initial shock morphs quickly into anger. What kind of fuckery is this? He doesn’t know a thing about me yet. How can he possibly decide that I’m not a suitable roommate after only five minutes?
