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My mouth turned up at the corner. “Okay, show me what you got.”
She turned, reaching high on the shelf behind the counter for two glasses before filling them with ice. Stifling a groan, I watched her shirt rise up to bare a sliver of skin. I guess I was staying here for my coffee, and I didn’t mind one bit.
Shoving my lust-fueled thoughts to the back of my mind, I forced myself to stop watching her gorgeous ass as she worked and raised my gaze. But it was useless when the sight was not only burned onto my retinas but also into my senses. I slammed my eyes shut as I forced the memory of having my hands on that ass out of my head. We had kissed a few weeks back and it had been driving me to distraction ever since.
Violet threw a Valentine’s Day party in the shop every year and for the latest one she’d come up with the bright idea to use balloons as a Valentine’s version of Christmas mistletoe. Holly and I had found ourselves beneath a dozen or so and had made the most of it in the back room. It had happened in a rush of sensation and surprise and the feeling that I finally had somewhere to belong again, but it hadn’t lasted.
“I’m not ready to jump into anything,” she had said after. So I agreed to be her friend and held off asking her on a real date. We hadn’t talked about it since. Deep down I knew I wasn’t ready for anything serious either; I was still recovering from my time in the Army, among other things. The trouble was my heart didn’t seem to agree with my head and logic went out the window whenever I got near her. The way my body jolted with electricity every time we got close made it glaringly obvious that I had feelings for her. But unlike Jared, the deluded dickhead who just left, I knew how to listen.
Just friends...
I let out a sigh, watching as she pulled a shot of espresso, then forced my myself to stop remembering our kiss as she prepared my drink. I had to distract myself; the direction my thoughts were going in was treacherous.
“Taste this.” She dropped a straw into the glass then slid it across the counter with a sexy wink. I almost groaned out loud. Friends didn’t wink at each other, did they? Or at least they shouldn’t. But maybe it was my lingering thoughts about our kiss that made the wink sexy, and she hadn’t intended it to be. Damn, I was a mess over her.
I raised the glass to my lips, my eyebrows popping up as the flavor hit my tongue. “What is this?”
“It’s sugar-free, so no worries.” She waved a hand up and down in front of me. “I know how you like to keep things healthy.” It was true, I was somewhat of a health nut. “But I’ve noticed your weekly cinnamon muffin indulgence, hence the drink. You like?”
“It tastes like when I dunk the muffin in my coffee, except it’s iced. Delicious.” I took another sip, nodding in appreciation.
“Exactly.” One shoulder shrugged up as her pretty eyes sparkled with satisfaction. “For some reason, it’s not as good hot. It’s my favorite despite its healthy qualities. Normally I have the eating habits of a stoned raccoon at a full dumpster, but Vi was experimenting with healthier drink options last week and now I’m hooked.” She placed a straw in her glass and took a sip for emphasis.
I chuckled. “Well, this might turn out to be my new favorite too. Sit with me?” I invited without thinking. “The rush is gone; you could take a break.”
Her cute nose wrinkled up in uncertainty. “Do you really think we should?”
“What happened on Valentine’s Day, stays on Valentine’s Day. Right?” I cajoled with a grin.
“Right,” she confirmed with a laugh. “Holiday hall pass.”
“Yup.” I gestured to the sofa in the corner then headed that way. Heat surged through my veins when I heard her footsteps clicking over the wood floor behind me. “Besides, I think it’s World Compliment Day. I heard it on the radio on the way to work this morning.” I turned and gave her a wink of my own. “We should be okay to have coffee together. Holiday hall pass and all that...”
“Really? What a cute idea for a holiday.” She sat on the brown leather armchair perpendicular to the couch. “Well, you look very handsome today, Liam. In honor of the holiday, of course.”
I sat and held up my glass in her direction. “And you’re as gorgeous as ever.”
Obviously, it hadn’t escaped my attention that she’d made two drinks when I asked her to sit with me.Was taking a break with me her plan all along?
I studied her face but, as usual, it was inscrutable. I decided not to question my good fortune and just enjoy her company. She was a fascinating mix of wide open, heart on her sleeve, friendliness, and hot-as-fuck innocent flirtation, and I was the fool dangling on her hook like a hapless fish with a semi-hopeless crush.
“Why, thank you, kind sir. Cheers to holidays and good friends.” She tapped her glass to mine. “I should have grabbed some muffins or a cookie. Or would that have been overkill, Mr. Healthy?” she teased.
“No, not overkill. But it would’ve definitely spoiled my dinner.” A blond curl escaped her loose ponytail when she laughed, and I wanted to tuck it behind her ear. I wanted to take that rubber band out and get my hands in her hair again. God, it was soft. It had felt like silk in my palms when we kissed.
I knew I should stop looking at her as though we stood a chance. As if I could ever be good for her with all my baggage, but I couldn’t stop myself. She was like sunshine, and I was starved for more of her light.
“What’s for dinner tonight? Do you cook? We never covered that topic on Valentine’s Day.”
“I can. I used to cook dinner with my mom every night until she, um...”Died. Why did everything in my past have to be such a downer?
“Liam...” Her voice was gentle as if she knew my history, and maybe she did. Her brother-in-law, Luke, was my best friend. I’d followed him to Sweetbriar after leaving the Army and he was the reason I was still here.
I shrugged, not wanting to bring her down. “Yeah, I’m not opposed to sweets, and I can cook pretty much everything. I’m just not quite at stoned-raccoon level.”
Her knowing eyes held mine with that warmth and that light that I needed so badly in my life. “Well, I don’t cook, as you know.” Her mouth quirked up at the corner and she leaned in as if to confess something terrible. “You should see Levi and Jude and me at dinner time. If we’re not running home to mooch off our parents, we’re nuking crap food in the microwave or ordering pizza like a bunch of frat boys.” She blew out a sigh and that loose curl went flying. “I need to get my own place. I need to learn a few more life skills, too. God, I need to just grow up. How sad is it that I have to crash with my younger brothers? I’m almost thirty and I sleep on their couch, Liam.Ugh.”
“It’s not sad at all. Look, you just got back to town. As you said before, you need time to settle in, to find your footing here again. Don’t forget your accomplishments—your travel blog, your photography. You touched a lot of people with your stories, Holly. Including me.”
