“I am definitely not a stalker.” I say louder, as if I am trying to convince myself of it. Clearly, I am failing. I open the app and find where Noah is. He is at a cafe on the other side of town, one known for its reader-friendly atmosphere and good-quality coffee. I love that coffee shop. I used to take my ex-girlfriend there for reading dates until she broke my heart. From that day, I never stepped foot in that place again.
“It’s not stalking if I happen to pass by.” I say as I grab my car keys and head for the door. “Yes. It’s not stalking. I just happened to pass by.” I say again with confidence, and this time I almost believe it. I am just going to get some coffee. That’s all. Everyone likes coffee on Sunday evenings. It’s not suspicious.
The coffee shop isn’t that far from where we live. It’s not unusual to travel for good coffee. Anyone would have driven ten minutes for a coffee. Their coffee is cheap, too. If you think about it, I am saving money by going there.
“What? A man can’t get coffee on the other side of the town on a Sunday?” I argue with myself as I enter my car.
“It’s not stalking; I just want coffee.” I’m starting to sound more confident, if you don’t count the fact that I am talking tomyself like a lunatic. I start the car and head for where Noah’s dot is blinking. Because most importantly, I am not a stalker.
“I am not stalking him if I don’t say hi.” I whisper to myself as I speed the car, leaving tire marks on my passing, until I am in front of the coffee shop.
“A coffee would be totally nice right now.” I convince myself as I exit my car and walk to the coffee shop door, even though I haven’t had coffee after six p.m. for years. It messes with my nerves. Even my doctor had advised me against it.Yet here I am,getting coffee at eight p.m. on a Sunday just because the guy I like is in there. No, that’s a lie. I don’t like Noah. He is not even my type. I don’t do attachments. That’s not my style. That’s Kai.Not me.I am not a stalker. The moment I enter, Noah’s eyes find mine.Not a stalker, my ass. I definitely am stalking this man.Fuck.
Noah
Rachel is on her date with Alex. Kai has followed her to that date. She has been messaging me during that shit show, and honestly, it took a lot of effort not to follow them myself. Sounds like a very fun situation if you’re not Rachel.
Instead of following the band of lunatics to the restaurant, like a psychotic groupie, I have decided to come to my favorite coffee shop and read. They won’t close for at least five more hours, and it’s the perfect way to end a Sunday night. Besides, with Rachel’s luck, they might end up in a loving poly group, and I will be forced to kill her because how dare she have a more interesting life than me? Even if she ends up with just Kai, which is a very high possibility right now, she is still living the dream. Tell me one dark romance reader who wouldn’t be thrilled to be stalked by a six-foot-something biker who is obsessed with them. What was that? You can’t think of anyone? Me neither. I know for sure I would totally roll out the red carpet for the man and be a good boy, ready to satisfy every desire of his.
Despite my thirsty mindset at the moment, my current mental state is quite different. I am sitting comfortably in one of the armchairs in my favorite coffee shop, with a coffee mug in one hand and my Kindle in the other. I am reading a fantasy book that was promised to be really spicy, but I am a hundred pages in and there’s no spice yet.Disappointing.It’s a good book, don’t get me wrong, but I am more of a smut-on-page-one type of guy. The world-building is cool and all, but they should just fuck already. And the damn tension between the three maincharacters... Is it a why choose? A two-love-interest type of rival? Who knows? This book is confusing. I am not sure even the author knows what’s happening. It’s a fucking maze of a plot.
The door suddenly opens, and at this time of day the cafe doesn’t get many people, so naturally I turn to look at who entered, like the nosy gossip-thriving gremlin I am. When my eyes meet Leo’s, I am, to say the least, surprised. What the hell is he doing here?
He stands at the door, blocking the entrance as he looks awkwardly in my direction, then all of a sudden he steps out, turns around, and walks away. At least he tries. He only makes it a few steps before he turns around again, and then once more. After a few times of changing his mind, he stands in front of the door like a tall, hot type of tree. If that’s what you’re into.I am obviously not. Tall men are not my type. Nope. Not at all.
All muscles and tattoos and those eyes staring right into my soul. Who the hell am I kidding? My mind says, ‘I am not interested,’ but my body is ready to sing a mating call until he comes this way and shows me what all those muscles are about. I am ready to fall to my knees and beg for him to use me as he pleases. Fuck me senseless for his pleasureand mine.
The book I am reading might not be spicy, but my brain sure is. I could write pages and pages of the things I want this man to do to me, and that’s simply not going to work. I am not getting attached to another man who likes both genders just for him to eventually pick a woman and have a bunch of cute blond babies running around. This is not happening.Get it together, brain. The man is clearly not interested.
Finally, he seems to have made up his mind whether he is going to enter the coffee shop or run for the hills. He steps inside fully, the door closes behind him, and he takes a few steps toward my direction. Then he changes his mind again and heads for the register. He seems to be looking at the menu, but hiswhole body language is so stiff you can tell this man is one ‘hello’ before he has a mental breakdown. I should leave him alone, but life is too boring to do that, and even though I am not going to get attached to him, a little flirting doesn’t hurt anyone. At least that’s how I lie to myself as I stand from my seat, set my Kindle on the table next to my coffee mug, and walk up to him.
“Hello, Leo. Fancy seeing you here!” I say with a smirk. He doesn’t react. He simply looks at me with those big brown eyes.Fuck not getting attached.He can have my heart, my brain, my soul. He can’t even have my money, whatever is left from my book-buying addiction and my skin care buying addiction, and also my retro video game-buying addiction. I really need to start saving money, for cases like this one that I need to give them to a man who will most certainly break my heart.
“Ummmm.... Hello.... Noah, right?” He finally speaks, not convincing at all once again.You know my name, buddy.We keep introducing ourselves since Friday.
“Yes, I am Rachel’s friend.” I say with a smile, ignoring the fact that he is pretending not to remember me.
“How’s Rachel?” He asks in a pretend tone that screams bullshit, because if I am getting regular updates about what is happening with Kai and Rachel right now, I am sure he does, too. As if the universe wanted to confirm my thought, a notification sound echoes from his phone, and he quickly checks the text before he shoves it into his back pocket.
“Do you need to answer that?” I throw oil into the fire. I told you the book was boring; a guy needs to entertain himself somehow.
“No, it’s... Kai.” He says with hesitation.
“How’s Kai? We haven’t seen him for a while.” And by a while, I mean two hours ago, when he stormed into Rachel’s house, fucked her, plugged her with a sex toy, and sent her to her date full of his cum. Rachel texted me all the juicy details. That’sthe type of friendship we have. Are you really best friends if you don’t text your friend about the man who filled you up and sent you on a date with another man?I think not.
“What are you doing here Leo? You don’t seem like the type to be a regular in this coffee shop.” I say with a raised eyebrow and he completely pretends he didn’t hear the question.
“I...ummm....” He attempts to say something that makes no sense and I perk up taking advantage of how awkward this man feels around me to poke him a little more.
“I don’t suppose you are stalking me Leo, right? You wouldn’t do that.” I know for sure he would do that since he clearly was watching us with Kai yesterday, before Rachel figured out the cameras and took most of them down. I am pretty sure she missed some, but I am not going to say anything. I want to see how this is going to play out.
Leo coughs, choking on his own saliva, and I pat his back. “Are you okay, buddy?”Do you need some water? Mouth to mouth? I am available.
“I am fine. Of course I am not stalking you.” His voice goes up a tone, making his answer not at all convincing.
I smile back at him. “I’m messing with you. Don’t worry. I hope you enjoy your coffee.” I say and walk back to my seat. I get comfortable, take my Kindle in hand, and my coffee mug in the other. I pretend that I am fully back into reading mode, hiding myself behind the small screen while I observe him from afar. The barista approaches him and takes his order. He stands there fidgeting with the hem of his t-shirt until she returns with his coffee. He takes the mug in hand, and to my surprise, it’s not a paper cup but an actual mug, the ones they only offer if you’re going to sit here and enjoy your beverage. I’m curious where he’s going to sit, because the very few seating options are already taken by other people who are reading their books and drinkingtheir coffee. It’s a known spot for readers. To my surprise, Leo walks my way and takes the seat on the other side of my table.
He takes out his phone and opens an app as he settles back into his seat and starts reading whatever he opened on it. I peek over because obviously I can’t keep myself from being nosy.
