“And to get a quote.” Linc gestured back at Molly.
She didn’t deny his accusation. “But I couldn’t find you. Where’d you go?”
“Had a drink with a friend across town.”
“What friend?” Molly narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms.
Cleo fought the smile tugging at her lips. Molly’s interrogations were CIA level effective. People generally crumbled like a house of cards under her glower and probing questions. Linc, on the other hand, smirked, his lips and eyebrow twitching.
“No one you know, Molly. And in case you’re accusing me of infidelity, he had way too much dick for my tastes.”
Cleo barked out a laugh. Unhooking her arm from his waist she walked back to the counter. “Want a drink while I finish cleaning up?”
Molly pretended to write on an invisible notepad. “Sorry guys, Lincoln Scott confirms he’s just not into you.” She winked. “Anything else you’d like to go on the record about?”
Linc pulled a chair out from a neighboring table. He slipped onto it, chest against the back of the seat. “So, Miss Bennet, busy night? Or ignoring me?”
Was her face on fire? Did the air evaporate from the coffee shop? Out of the corner of her eye, Molly smirked and mouthed “told you so.”
He chuckled, blue eyes piercing hers. “I see.”
“B-but I didn’t answer.”
“Your eyes did all the talking.”
“And that’s my cue to leave.” Molly smacked the table. “Actually, my cue to leave was when he arrived, but we all know I’m a nosy bitch and have a tendency to outstay my welcome. For the record though, this place got pretty Central Perk in here. Not your typical Wednesday night lull.”
“It’s adorable and only mildly terrifying when you defend your best friend.”
“Only mildly? I’ll have to try harder next time. Later, bitches!” Molly grabbed her bag, flipped them off with a grin, and left.
“You wanna tell me why you’re ignoring my messages?” He stood, closed the distance between them, and slid a warm finger under her chin as he tipped her head.
Hurt. His eyes swam with hurt. Pain so visible and raw it squeezed her heart like a vise. She took his hand from her face and kissed along each of his swollen knuckles. “You wanna tell me why you’re breaking your hands on people’s faces?”
They were at the edge of a precipice. Both swirling in white water rapids of emotions, hurtling toward the waterfall’s edge, to plummet into the jagged rocks below.
She didn’t want to fight. She didn’t want to add to his pain, and she didn’t want to confess her darkest, most deep-seated fears.
She wanted to kiss him, to forget everything going on around them and just exist in his arms.
“Linc…” Dragging her palm along the stubble dotted on his jaw, she giggled at the tickling sensation. Wrapping her fingers in his hair, she pulled him closer for a kiss.
“Wait.” His strained rasp between kisses made heat rush to her core. He crossed the coffee shop. Flicking the lock on the back of the door, he flipped the sign to ‘closed.’ Intensity and desire burned in his eyes when he turned to her.
She’d always wondered what the woman was staring at in the gif where she dumps a bottle of water over her head and now she understood. Cleo was seconds from pulling a bottle of water from the fridge and doing just that.
Linc smoldered as he approached. Dragging his thumb across his bottom lip, he eyed her like a starving person eyed a triple decker club with extra meat.
Her pulse quickened as he made his way behind the counter. She untied her apron, slipping it over her head and throwing it on the counter in a ball.
“I’m not usually one to avoid my problems by…” He licked his lips. “Avoiding my problems.”
“But?” Her voice was airy and breathless. Her core throbbed in time to her racing pulse. Need. Pure, unadulterated need clutched at her insides.
“But I’m making an exception right now, Lizzy.” He dropped to his knees, picked up her foot, and popped off her flat. He dragged one leg of her yoga pants down and off before draping her leg over his shoulder and pressing her body back against the counter with splayed palms on her stomach.
“W-what i-if someone sees?”
