Page 23 of Distracted

Granted, I knew he was a nice guy, but something about his interaction with her was different than him just being kind. The way they communicated, even if I couldn’t make out any of what they were saying from the distance, was familiar. There was something about it that indicated they had a relationship that went beyond him possibly being a regular at the coffee shop.

Jealousy moved through me, a feeling I’d become all too familiar with in so many aspects of my life. I didn’t need to be feeling that for the man that was helping me learn how to keep myself safe.

But it was difficult not to when there was a lot about him to like. It wasn’t just the looks, either. It was so much more about the kind of guy he was. His kindness and compassion were unlike anything I’d ever encountered.

Of course, staring at the back of him now, I couldn’t ignore the looks, either. The man was absolutely stunning. His body was gorgeous, and my eyes couldn’t look away from him. While I wouldn’t deny that I loved how broad his back was and the way the muscles on his body would flex with his movements, it was the way his ass held up his pants that I couldn’t seem to tear my eyes away from.

That only happened when he finished at the counter and happened to turn around to leave. But that meant that even though I was no longer looking at his ass, my gaze was entirely focused on his crotch.

I should have looked away.

I didn’t.

In fact, I was so distracted by the way he moved that it wasn’t until I noticed the part of him that I was looking at coming closer to me.

“Ellery?”

Hearing him say my name snapped me out of it. I shook my head, lifted my chin, and allowed my eyes to connect with his. “Hi, Kane,” I said, my voice coming out sounding a bit breathless.

He quietly assessed me for a moment before he asked, “What are you doing here?”

Lifting my coffee in my hand, I answered, “Just wanted to grab a cup of coffee.”

“Do you mind if I join you?” he pressed, putting his hand to the back of the chair.

I couldn’t very well turn him down. He was doing all that he was doing for me, and he already had his hand on the chair. That would have just been rude of me to do.

Besides, I didn’t see the harm in sharing a cup of coffee with him like this. It wasn’t as though we’d planned it.

“Sure.”

Kane pulled out the chair, set a box of doughnuts and his coffee on the table, and sat down.

Gesturing toward the doughnuts, I asked, “Big breakfast eater?”

He let out a laugh. “No. I mean, I eat breakfast normally, but this isn’t all for me. I just thought I’d come in to see Tarryn and grab myself a coffee.”

None of what he said explained why he had all the doughnuts, and I might have pointed that out to him if I hadn’t decided to embarrass myself instead. “Tarryn?” I repeated.

He looked at me like I was a little crazy before he jerked his thumb over his shoulder and pointed toward the counter. “Tarryn. The owner. Haven’t you met her yet?”

I shook my head. “No.”

I didn’t understand why he would have thought I’d know her, and at this point, it was painfully obvious to me how badly I didn’t want to meet her, either. He might have indicated she was the owner, but there was no denying that his familiarity with her went beyond that.

“I’ll have to introduce you later, then,” he said.

Later.

As in, never, if I had my way.

I dipped my chin and decided to change the subject. “So, if you came in for a coffee, how is it that you’re leaving with that and a whole box of doughnuts?”

“Tarryn.”

Jeez. Why wouldn’t he stop talking about her?

“I don’t understand.”

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