“Azi.” A deep voice growled from behind him.
Azi’s eyes widened, and he spun around quickly.
“Never mind. Gotta get back to it.” Azi left so fast that there was practically a cloud in the shape of him. I fought not to fling myself over the counter and into Owen’s arms.
“I thought you didn’t want people to be scared of you?” I teased, even as my heart leaped, and I held the counter with a white-knuckled grip.
“He should be scared,” Owen said. Here, in the light of day and standing in Grizabella’s, I saw a flash of the man he projected around town, a brief glimpse of his intimidation tactics.
He was as cute as a button.
“Green doesn’t suit you,” I said and grinned.
Owen looked into my eyes, and the whole rest of the world faded away. I leaned forward. He leaned forward. Our lips hovered inches away over the counter that separated us. Owen’s eyes went soft as the smile spread over his lips. I missed him so much. The relief of having him here relaxed muscles throughout my whole body.
Even after just one night, it was such a relief to see him. It didn’t make any sense, but I wasn’t going to question it.
“Hi, I’m Deckard.” Deckard stepped in front of me, blocking my view of Owen.
I was about to throw a croissant at my best friend’s head.
“Owen.” The two men shook hands. Standing next to Deckard, who was pretty tall in his own right, Owen’s massive build was all the more pronounced.
Deckard smiled between the two of us. I hinted for him to leave with a subtle tilt of my head and lifting of my eyebrows, but he wouldn’t look at me.
He was looking down on Owen in what might be an attempt at intimidation.
It quickly melted away, and Deckard stuck to the easy affability that trademarked his personality. “Well, anyway, I just wanted to meet the man who saved my friend.”
“First, he kidnapped me,” I said.
“Wait, what?” Deckard asked.
At the same time, Owen said, “No, I didn’t. She attacked me.”
Deckard’s head tilted from side to side. “No offense, Bee, but that does seem pretty in line with your MO.”
I clicked my tongue but didn’t argue.
“I’m sorry it took so long to get to you,” Owen said, and I gave Deckard a pointed look that conveyedsee I was right about the long passage of time.“I had to get some ducks in a row,” Owen finished.
Deckard returned a similar,and I was right tooface. Freaking bird metaphors.
“Well.” Deckard cleared his throat. “I better get back to my work business. You two carry on.”
Owen’s eyes briefly left my face, where they’d been since he arrived, I would like to point out, to glance around the café. As if just the awareness of his surroundings brought on symptoms, his eyes started to water.
His head tilted when he spotted François the pug. “That is a dog.”
“Shh. Don’t you dare. He’s a cat,” I whispered.
He brought his focus back to me, eyes narrowing seductively, sending little tingles up my legs. That or he was about to sneeze.
“Bless you,” I said.
“Thank you. Do you have a minute? I’d like to show you something.”
Mel had come in for the closing shift, and things had slowed way down. “You two kids go for it. I’ll woman the shop,” she said with a wink.
