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The delicious scent of something sweet filled the air. Drake looked around and saw lumpy couches and overstuffed chairs scattered about, appearing comfortable enough to sink into. On one wall was a large stone fireplace, though there was no fire inside of it.
Drake turned toward the counter but didn’t see anyone behind it. His gaze fell on the strawberry cake. It was so pretty, and so far, it hadn’t been sliced. There were real strawberries on top, and fancy decorations on the side.
His sweet tooth kicked in just looking at all that yumminess. It looked so appealing that Drake forgot about wanting something healthy to eat.
Drake’s stomach grumbled. “Hello?”
“Be right out,” came a smooth and deep voice, which surprised Drake. He expected a place like this to be run by a woman. It was just too cozy and held a woman’s touch and a complete earthmother vibe that made anyone who stepped inside feel instantly at ease.
Drake’s gaze followed the sound of the voice and landed on the most gorgeous man he had ever seen coming from what Drake assumed was the kitchen. His heart skipped a beat, and he couldn’t help but stare openly at the stranger.
The guy was tall with broad shoulders and a lean physique. He wore a black apron over a tight-fitting T-shirt and jeans that hugged his hips so perfectly that it should have been illegal. His dark gray eyes twinkled in the dim light of the café, and his blondish-brown hair was styled perfectly, giving him the kind of bad-boy edge that Drake couldn’t resist.
And didn’t want to resist.
The man-candy could do whatever he wanted to Drake and Drake would only beg for more. He looked away, his lips going tight, telling himself not to make a fool of himself before he glanced back at Mr. Yummy.
The man walked his way, and Drake’s breath hitched. The barista was covered in tattoos, and each one only added to his beauty. One tattoo snaked up his neck, disappearing under his collar, while others adorned both of the guy’s arms, though Drake wasn’t sure what they were because he forced himself to look away so the barista wouldn’t think he was a total creep for ogling him.
“Welcome to Bluebird Café,” the man said, his voice smooth as silk. “My name is Ajax. Is there anything I can get for you?”
Drake felt a jolt of lust shoot through him, and it took him a moment to gather his thoughts. He just loved a guy with a beard, and Ajax had the best one Drake had ever seen. Okay, that was an exaggeration, but it was still nice. “Um, do you have anything healthy?”
Ajax raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Healthy doesn’t exactly come to mind when you think of a café, but I could make you a smoothie with whatever fruits and veggies you want.”
Drake nodded, liking the idea of a smoothie. It was better than a salad. “That sounds good. Could you do a strawberry banana smoothie?”
“Sure thing.” Ajax turned toward the counter to gather the ingredients.
Drake followed him with his eyes, admiring his lean, yet muscular figure and scrumptious backside. What a nice ass the guy had. Drake found himself getting even more turned on.
Ajax turned back around and flashed him another smile. “Anything else?”
Your phone number? Or better yet, you, me, naked and sweaty.
Drake shook his head, forcing his lustful thoughts to calm the hell down before he embarrassed himself. His day was already shitty from dealing with Brody. He didn’t want it to get worse by saying something he would regret, like how fine a man Ajax was. “No, that’s it. Thanks.”
Ajax nodded and went to blend the smoothie. Drake sat down in one of the comfy chairs, taking in the peaceful atmosphere of the café. He felt himself relaxing, forgetting all about the stress of his living situation with his cousin.
Ajax walked over with the smoothie and placed it on the table next to Drake. Good grief. Ajax’s muscles flexed even though all he’d done was set something down. Drake was enthralled with him. It was that heart-stopping feeling of meeting and talking to a gorgeous stranger, the kind of feeling that sent you into the clouds and you never wanted to come back down.
Drake’s heart raced like crazy. His mouth had grown dry. His breathing was shallow as he stared into the depths of Ajax’s dark gray eyes and felt as if he could get lost in them forever. He wanted to get lost in them forever.
“Enjoy,” Ajax said, and then he frowned. Drake had no idea why, but Ajax leaned in and sniffed him.
What the hell? Drake leaned back. “Excuse me?”
“Sorry.” Ajax smiled again, and damn if that smile didn’t wreak havoc with Drake’s body. He was getting hard and prayed Ajax didn’t notice, though he was still trying to figure out why the guy had sniffed him. “I was just admiring your cologne.”
Now it was Drake’s turn to frown. “I’m not wearing any cologne.”
Ajax furrowed his sexy brows. Yes, brows could be sexy. “That’s strange. You smell like—” He paused, taking another deep breath. “Like home.”
What in the hell did that mean? Drake had no idea, and even weirder was the magnetic pull he felt toward Ajax. The kind of magnetism one felt when a hot person smiled at them, only a gazillion times stronger.
Ajax was still leaning in close, and Drake caught his scent—something musky and masculine, like pine trees and leather and spices that made his eyelids flutter out of pure appreciation for that smell.
Drake realized that he was breathing in deeply, taking in Ajax’s smell, and he forced himself to stop. What were they having, a sniffing contest? It was the oddest thing Drake had ever been a part of, and though Ajax smelled wonderful, this was too strange, and now Drake felt a bit weirded out.
