AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You’re welcome.” I peek over my shoulder a smidge. “I’ll be back in a moment. Just need to handle one more thing.”
Mandi smiles as if the nasty woman was never here. “Sure thing.”
And then I walk around the counter, ready to go talk to a man I haven’t seen in six months. A man I never intended to see again. Ever. My one-night stand. The best sex of my life. A guy I can’t get out of my head.
Awkward party of two? Check.
CHAPTER3
BRAYDON
The likelihood of me running into her again was inevitable. She does live here, after all. I just didn’t think it would be on my first day back.
Off to the side, I stare after her as she talks to the young woman behind the counter. Secured in a ponytail, her dark-blonde tresses trail down her spine and stop near the base of her shoulder blades. Memories of how my fingers curled in and tugged those strands send a wave of heat through my veins.
Taking a deep breath, I force the memory down. Shove it as deep as it will go.
She is not why I am here.
She steps around the counter and ambles in my direction. My eyes lock on hers as she enters my personal space, stopping within arm’s reach. The heat from moments ago resurfaces. My fingers twitch at my sides as I fight every instinct to touch her.
“Let’s find a table and talk,” she suggests.
Snapping out of my lust haze, I nod. “Sure thing.”
As she guides us through the dining area, I use every ounce of effort to keep my line of sight above her waist. I fail miserably. Her hips shift as she sidesteps around a chair. Without a second thought, my gaze drops to her denim-clad curves. Curves my hands and lips memorized in a single evening. For three breaths, I don’t look up. Hypnotized by the sway of her hips, I gawk like a pervert. Until she comes to a stop and I all but slam into her back.
Thank goodness for quality sneaker traction. Although, the squeak of rubber against the floor probably gave away my proximity.
My cheeks sting as I smile and take a seat across from her. Scooting in the chair, my eyes lift to meet hers. My smile falls away at her expression. A chill replaces the heat on my skin as I sink deeper into the chairback.
She leans forward, arms stiffly crossed under her breasts, inadvertently pushing them up. Her mouth opens to speak but then snaps shut. In the periphery, I spot the rise and fall of her chest. And without thinking, I inch closer.
Don’t look down. Whatever you do, don’t look down.
A gentleman, I keep my eyes trained on hers. Brilliant and bold and blue. A spellbinding blue. The hue reminds me of a photo I took years back in Olympic National Park. Only once had the sky and water beenthatblue. I’d stayed in that spot for hours, soaking in the sights. And just like then, my eyes refuse to look away.
But the hypnotic spell she has me under vanishes the second she opens her mouth.
“What are you doing here?” she whisper-hisses.
I study her for a beat. Try to read the emotion in her expression. Decipher what sheisn’tsaying aloud.
Her brows scrunch together and create a puffyVin the middle. The action is more adorable than it should be. Her eyes widen more with each breath, occasionally darting to other tables as if she worries what people will say if we are seen together. With a subtle shake of her head, she tells me I cannot be here. Not Lake Lavender, butherewith her.
It’s obvious my being here makes her nervous. She wasn’t this fidgety when we met. Thinking back, the memory of her exudes confidence. Boldness. Fire. What changed?
Does she have a boyfriend? Wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest. Any guy would be lucky to have her on his arm. She is stunning, addictive, a force to be reckoned with.
A voice niggles in the background. Tells me a boyfriend isn’t what has her in panic mode. No, it is something else. Something just out of reach. I may notknowher, but I learned enough in the hours we spent together.
Like her addiction to food—calories, fat and sugar be damned. Where she lives and how easy it was for her to invite me into her home. The cute whimper that spills from her lips when she comes unraveled. And the feel of her fingers and nails as they bruised and clawed my flesh.
God, I don’t even know her name. We remained tight lipped when it came to identities, knowing it would be one night. And damnit, missing the single detail lights a fuse in my chest.
I shake my head and refocus on her fierce eyes. “Actually, I came in for coffee and a bite. The town guide said this place is the best.” I shrug, not adding anything further.
She huffs and a loose strand of her golden hair floats up before landing in the same place. I bite the inside of my cheek to hide my smile. No need to goad her further. After dealing with the crazy lady, she doesn’t need anyone else ruffling her feathers.
