Page 25 of Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

Merritt was stirring up old feelings I thought were long put to rest. I didn’t want to feel anything. I had spent the last few years doing everything I could to never feel again.

She glanced up from her laptop. Her eyes met mine, a hint of surprise in them. I nodded and moved to get in line to order food. She waved at me with one hand, making sure whoever she was video chatting with wasn’t able to see it.

I returned my attention to the menu posted on the wall. I wouldn’t have come in here if I had known this was where she had chosen to hide from me.

12

MERRITT

The usual background noise was easily drowned out by the incessant ramblings of my boss on our video call. I nodded along, making sounds of agreement every now and then as he rambled about the latest business reports. Half my attention was now on Kannon, who had just walked in. Somehow, he managed to look even more ruggedly handsome covered in sweat and dust.

“Merritt? Merritt, are you listening?”

I snapped my attention back to the screen, realizing I had been caught daydreaming. “Of course, sir,” I said quickly, praying he believed me. “I agree.”

Getting to see Kannon in this raw, natural state was exciting. It struck a primal need within me. He was a masterpiece, a statue chiseled by the gods and brought to life. Despite the chilly air, I could tell he’d been sweating. My eyes drank in the sight of his muscular torso. I should have felt guilty for staring so blatantly but the sight was too captivating.

“Great. Now make sure you go through all the details and send me an updated report,” my boss’s words broke through my musings, taking me back to my sad reality. “Can I count on you?”

I dragged my gaze away from Kannon, forcing myself to focus on the call. “Yes. Of course.”

The call ended with a polite thank you and a professional smile that no one on the other side of the screen would guess was fake. The moment I closed my laptop, the smile slid off my face. I reached for my coffee and tried my best not to look at him.

What was he doing here? I had been sitting here all morning, trying to keep my head above water with work, and then he just appeared. It felt like the universe was playing some kind of cruel joke. First, he shows up at my house before sunrise, looking way too good for anyone at that hour. I thought I had escaped him. Now here he was, ordering a stack of sandwiches and coffees, looking all hot and distracting. The jerk.

I couldn’t shake him. Of all the cafes in Dallas, he had to walk into mine.

I looked over to the counter where he was leaning casually, hands in his jacket pockets. He looked like trouble, like he always had—dark hair that was a little too long, jaw shadowed by stubble, broad shoulders that stretched out his shirt. But it wasn’t just how he looked. It was the way he carried himself, like the rules didn’t apply to him. He had an air about him that was dangerous, like he was giving off a silent challenge. Like he wanted someone to fuck with him just so he would have an excuse to fuck them up.

He was bad news. He didn’t try to hide the fact. No, he made sure everyone knew he was trouble. It was a dare to the world. Come at me, motherfucker. Only the dumbest or bravest people would try.

And the worst part? I knew better, but some part of me still responded to him like I was seventeen again. I was the moth to his proverbial flame. In my case, it was more like I was the moth being beckoned to a giant bug zapper that would fry me. He had that capability. Been there, done that.

I had to look away or it was going to lure me in.

I tried to refocus on my emails, but the sound of his voice carried across the café. It tugged at something deep inside me, a thread of memories I wasn’t ready to unravel. When he finally turned away from the counter, I looked down quickly, pretending to be busy.

“Got room for one more?” His voice was closer than I expected.

I glanced up to find him standing at my table, a faint smirk on his lips. Before I could answer, he slid into the chair across from me.

“Guess so,” I said dryly, closing my laptop. “Can’t say I expected company. In fact, I know I left your company and came here to get away from you.”

He leaned back in the chair, stretching out his legs like he owned the space. “Didn’t think I’d see you here either. Guess it’s your lucky day.”

I rolled my eyes, but there was no heat behind it. “What do you want, Kannon?”

“Just waiting on my order,” he said, shrugging. “Figured I’d keep you company in the meantime.”

“Yay,” I said flatly.

He sat forward and looked into my eyes like he was staring into my soul. “I wanted to check in. Wasn’t sure if you planned on hiding all day or not.”

“I’m not hiding,” I shot back. “I’m working. I don’t know the first thing about what you guys are doing to that house. I would be in the way.”

He nodded as if he couldn’t care less what I had to say. “The house isn’t in as bad a state as it could’ve been. No mold, no infestations, no faulty wiring. We’ll be able to keep things moving.”

“That’s good,” I said, my tone neutral. “What about the leak?”