“Are you reading a smut book?” I ask, recognizing the writing style well. It’s one of my favorite authors. I recognize the book, even. Rachel and I read it last week. It’s her new book that just came out this month.
“It’s a romance book.” His face turns almost as red as his t-shirt, and I chuckle at the sight of this man blushing about a book.
“I read it last week. I love the author’s work.” I can’t keep my excitement while I speak. It’s not often I run into a man who reads. Especially one that looks like Leo. That was an interesting surprise.
“This is my first book by this author.” He doesn’t look up from his phone. He’s clearly into what he’s reading, which makes this sight of him even hotter.
“You should invest in a Kindle.” I point out, because reading on this small screen on his phone can’t be comfortable.
“I have one, but my phone has reading mode, too, see?” He turns his screen toward me, and it has a paper-white effect. “It’s actually my second phone. I only use it for reading.”
“There is a phone with a paper-white mode?” How the hell did I not know this?
“Yes, and it was crazy cheap. I’ll send you the link for it if it’s still available. I bought it two years ago, but it works like I got it yesterday.” He’s excited. Almost as excited as I would be talking about reading devices, and that alone puts a smile on my lips.
“Thank you. I would love that.” I sink back into my seat and start reading again, peeking his way from time to time.
“It’s almost like we’re on a date, sitting here, reading, and enjoying our drinks.” He jokes, and honestly, I would totally love a date like this. He is speaking my language.
“The only thing missing is a bookstore trip after coffee to get more books.” I joke back.
He smirks. “We should do that on our second date.”
Sir, stop being so cute. I will fall for you, and then I will have no other choice but to date you.
Chapter 8
Noah
“Iam telling you it was a disaster.” Rachel’s voice is way too loud for gossiping in the salon’s break room. It’s one of those times during our work hours when we both have an excuse to be here long enough to gossip and catch up before we attend to our next client. I am eating my lunch while Rachel files her nails next to me. I motion with my hand for her to turn the volume down unless we want Danielle in here giving one of her ‘gossip is poor taste and truly not flattering’ lectures.
“At least you got an orgasm out of it.” I say with a grin, and she tosses her nail file at me. She has this nasty habit of always filing her nails, even though they are perfect. It’s like she uses the damn thing as a stress ball.
“Anyway.” She kneels on the floor and takes the file in her hand again. “How was your Sunday night without me?”The question I was dreading follows.
“I went to that coffee shop we like.” I take a bite from my salad trying to look totally innocent. I just drank coffee and read a book...with a hot blond who apparently secretly likes smut and has a smile that Zeus would be jealous of.
“The one with the comfy armchairs?” Rachel is smart, and if she had been paying attention, she would have noticed the change in my body language and in my voice tone. Her questions would have been different and more spot-on, because that’s the friendship we have. We know each other so well that we can’tsuccessfully lie to one another. Instead of doing that, my friend is too busy staring at her phone. Her quiet phone, for a change.
“Yes, that one.” She turns to look at me, finally catching up.
“Noah, you look guilty.” She eyes me from head to toe with that ‘you are hiding something’ look.
“I might have run into Leo while I was there.” I take another bite of my salad, then another. I keep stuffing my face in hopes that I can get out of the interrogation that I know is coming, if I am too busy choking on lettuce to answer.
“What was Leo doing there?” She asks instead, which I don’t blame her for. I was surprised as well.
“Apparently he likes coffee.” I could stop here. She wouldn’t even notice there’s more to it, but I can’t stop myself. “He also likes books, and I am pretty sure he likes me too.” I add with a grin, decorating my face, and wiggle my eyebrows. I am hopeless. I can’t keep anything a secret.
“Of course he likes you. I could have told you that already.” She sounds annoyed, as if the information were clear to everyone but me.
“Well, I think we kind of had our first date.” I stuff more salad into my mouth.
Rachel looks at me, blinks a couple of times, parts her lips to talk, but I stuff a forkful of salad into it before she can say anything.
She chuckles while chewing, and once she swallows, she parts her lips again, but this time she puts her hand up, stopping me before I can do anything. “That’s a good salad, but not good enough to distract me from the point, Noah.” She smiles. “Spill!”
I sigh. “Fine.” I stand from the couch and approach the bin, throwing the almost empty container with my salad and the plastic fork. When I return to the couch, Rachel offers me a sealed bottle of water, and I nod a ‘thank you’. “He came tomy table without asking, sat down, and started reading his own book on his Kindle app.”
