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No hissy-fit; she just gives me the cold shoulder.
She is bait to my soul.
I swagger on up behind her, fighting not to laugh out loud.
The woman has spunk.
She bested me and did it without lifting a finger: brains and beauty.
Touché.
I lean into the back of her neck because the curiosity to know is an itch I need to scratch. “Would you have really—?”
“—Just for the record,” she speaks loudly over me, “I’m a lady, and I wouldn’t have followed through with my threat, but I got you to put me on my feet, so I win,” she finishes, without turning around to face me. “Sometimes the pen is mightier than the sword,” she adds quietly, but I can hear the victory in her words.
“I will make you a hot, fresh brew if you can give me a minute”—Keanu holds one finger up—“the last coffee was cooling down while you were enjoying your music, and Tucker did all that meet-cute stuff with you, so we got invested in that,” he says unashamedly. “And then you were hanging upside down.”
“Um… thanks.” She swishes her ponytail as she runs her hands over her shirt to make sure everything gets tucked in. “I do recall all that but thank you for reminding me, Keanu.”
“Once Levi gets finished with the coffee station, I’ll get onto your hot brew, but here’s your picnic to-go bag.” He slides it in front of her on the counter and moves away.
I bow forward at the waist so the spitfire can hear me. “You may have wielded a pen in the end, but my sword will always be stronger.”
Hamlet’s back bristles.
I wait for the inevitable.
Three…two—
She takes a sudden step backward, prompting me to stand straight and move a step to the side. All the better to hear what she is going to spew at me.
“Just to be clear. I could have laid you out on the ground if I hadn’t been at a disadvantage, and if you thought for one second that I was going to start kicking and hollering for you to put me down, well, that behavior washes right off me,” Hamlet whisper-growls out the corner of her mouth at me. “I don’t play into those silly feminine ways.”
“Why didn’t you say earlier you wanted to lay me out on the ground, although I do think you would prefer some privacy. I know you like to sing for attention, but I didn’t take you for an exhibitionist,” I whisper against her neck. Unable to stop inhaling the sweet scent of her raven hair mixed with a pleasing perfume.
“Do you think you are funny?”
I cock my head to the side. “Mostly.”
“From your ringless finger and your flirting style, I will make the giant leap you are a player.” Then the pocket rocket steps forward, effectively cutting our conversation off.
She’s got me pegged—not.
I don’t let a lot of peopleseethe real me. It’s just easier acting the cocky guy than the one who holds a lot of guilt under his belt.
Cocky, I can handle any day of the week.
I was born cocky.
Levi attempts to usher me forward with a come-hither wave of his hand. “Bro… I didn’t think we would be seeing you until tonight. How’s life treating you?”
Leaning a hand on the counter, I deliberately brush shoulders with the little spitfire and shake hands with Levi. “I just stopped in for an order to-go before retiring back to the hotel suite for some R&R before tonight’s charity event. I didn’t know you two would be behind the counter. I thought you would be practicing your songs and getting ready.”
“Just helping our good friend with the café, and we are all polished and ready to play tonight and get guests throwing money at the foundation.”
“I hear via the grapevine that Joy is doing well.” She almost got kidnapped a couple of weeks ago, but her quick thinking saved her. There are too many dangerous people in this world.
“Yeah, she’s freakin’ amazing. I count my lucky stars every day that we crossed paths. I’m going to marry her one day,” Levi replies with the utmost sincerity of a man in love.
