AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s been a hard two years, but I’m starting to feel like I know what I’m doing,” he says after telling me about his chain of boutique cafés, which he is now opening in ten new international locations.
“Wow, how does it feel to be able to say that?” I say, genuinely wanting to know what it must feel like to have your shit together.
An easy laugh escapes his lips. “Pretty damn good, Luna. You should come to one of my cafés some time. I can show you around. If you like coffee, that is.”
“Perry, you don’t have to ask me twice. It’s a date—”
Suddenly, my chair is yanked to the side, my body slamming hard against Kingsley’s. “Ooof! What in the—”
Kingsley casually glances over, as if he hadn’t just winded me by pulling me against him. “Oh, sorry. It looked like you were cramping poor Perry over there, so I was making some room for him.”
“Oh, huh, no, I’m good,” Perry replies benignly. “Luna, you can move back if you want.”
Kingsley reaches around my shoulders and leisurely grabs the back of my chair. “She’s fine where she is,” he says quietly, but the smile still quickly fades from Perry’s face.
I give Kingsley a confused but discreet glare and, ignoring his hand on my chair, I shift it back an inch so that I’m not practically sitting in his lap.
“Anyway, as you were saying,” I resume the conversation with Perry, “I would love to see your café. I will tell you, though, that I just spent pretty much a whole year living in France and Italy. I’m fussy about my espresso.”
Perry grins. “I will make sure we’re top of our game before you come visit, and I’ll make sure to take all your suggestions.” He leans in conspiratorially. “The coffee’s on me if you tell which you prefer: Italian or French.”
I laugh and lean in as if joining him in the secret. “As long as you keep it a secret between us.”
This time it’s Kingsley’s chair that shifts, and he slams up against me so hard I almost fall off my chair, except that his arm comes around to catch me and pull me against his side.
“Sorry, I was making room on my side for Mrs. Shelton. We must have a few extra people here tonight. It’s not usually this cramped,” he says, as if as an explanation to both Perry and me, except that his mouth is only dangerously close to me. His voice is low and hot, feeling like he’s whispering words of an entirely different meaning into my ear.
“Are you quite alright?” I turn to Kingsley, wriggling against the hand at my side, keeping me pinned to him.
He shrugs and lets go, as if reluctantly, and then moves his entire place setting an inch closer to mine. “Fine. You? Can I get you a drink?”
Perry immediately jumps to his feet. “You’re having a gin and tonic, Luna? Let me get a refill for you!”
“No, it’s okay, Pe—” I start, but he’s already halfway to the bar. I take the opportunity to confront Kingsley about his weirdness. “What was that about?” I whisper.
He ignores my question, sitting back and draping his arm against the back of my seat again. “Wasn’t that nice of young Perry, getting you a refill? Although I’m the one who noticed that your glass was empty.”
He’s taking on the mantle of crazy nutter. That must be what’s happening. “How many drinks have you had?”
He thinks for a moment and then answers, “Three.”
“You might want to stop at three.”
His eyes twinkle and he shakes his glass, watching the ice dance. “It’s just club soda, Luna. Perfectly harmless.”
“Then I have no idea why you’re acting weird, but stop.”
“I’m not acting weird. But speaking of which, I’m going to get another refill for myself before the food comes.”
He gets up to get his drink just as the food arrives, and it temporarily distracts me from his weirdness. Perry returns with my drink a minute later, and he sets it down on the table next to me without a word and turns to his plate of food.
“So, would later this week be a good time?” I ask him, picking up my fork.
“Erm, sure, I’ll have a look at my calendar,” he answers nervously.
“Well, let me give you my number, and you can text me.”
“Uh, of course.” His hand shakes as he takes out his phone and hands it to me.
