Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
I nodded a few times before slinking off to make the drinks, clandestinely sneaking peeks at the four men chatting across the counter. JC had one hand on Riley’s hip, Bryson chuckled at something Court said and…it was all very amicable.
Yes, my main focus was Court. I couldn’t help it. I took in his snug blue plaid shirt, the matching beanie, worn jeans, and swallowed hard. Yeah, the sexy lumberjack look definitely did something for me.
However, it also occurred to me that there were five openly gay or bisexual men in my coffee shop in my hometown and you know…that was something I would never have dreamed possible growing up in Elmwood. And this was why I wasn’t interested in selling. This was a bigger deal to me than I could verbalize. This was me finding my place. This was me fitting in on my terms in the one place I’d never been sure I belonged.
If Stacy really wanted out, I’d figure out a way to buy her share, but I wouldn’t quit. No way.
JC picked up his order, inspecting my art with a raised brow and a playful wink, adding in a low tone, “You like the new guy, yes?”
“We went to school together and…” I chewed on my bottom lip as I slipped a sleeve onto Court’s latte. “Is it obvious? I’m not drooling or anything, am I?”
“No, and I wouldn’t worry about it. He can’t take his eyes off you either. Bon.”
JC was gone before I could reply. Riley and Bryson followed him, calling out good-byes as they headed for the door, leaving me with Court.
He examined his latte art thoughtfully. “That’s a leaf.”
“Bravo.” I glanced at the line in front of the register, noting it had dwindled to a manageable level. “Um…do you have a second?”
“Sure.”
I let Mazie know I was taking a ten-minute break, then motioned for Court to follow me through the storage room and out the back door to a shaded area between a lone elm tree and a trash bin. It was a very unglamorous spot to have a conversation, but this one was necessary for my sanity.
I wrung my hands together nervously and paced the narrow space. “So, last night…”
“Was pretty fuckin’ epic,” Court finished, a Cheshire grin locked in place as he sat on the stoop.
“True. Thing is…I haven’t done that with anyone in Elmwood in…well, ever. I don’t know the protocol. Should we discuss it, let it go, pretend it didn’t happen? I’m open to ideas. I just want to be sure we’re on the same page. I’m a business owner here at what suddenly feels like a tumultuous time, and I don’t want to project a ho vibe…if you know what I mean. Because I’m not. I’m actually very reserved in the sex department and until yesterday, severely undersexed.”
He widened his eyes midsip. “Undersexed?”
“Yeah, I haven’t done”—I circled my wrist wildly—“sex things in months.”
“Not even…” Court made a lewd jerk-off gesture.
“No, I definitely do that. Solo sex, check. Sex with a partner requires extra effort in Elmwood.”
He gave me a look I couldn’t quite decipher. “Are you saying that you’ve never hooked up with a guy while you’ve lived here?”
“Not someone from here,” I clarified. “An old friend from NYU came through a few years ago and we…fooled around, but that was a one-off, never to be repeated again situation.”
“And other than that one friend, you’ve—”
“Been a fucking monk,” I intercepted. I glanced away briefly, hating how pathetic I sounded. Ugh. In some ways, I was the same geek I’d always been, but I owned it now. “What I’m trying to say is…I live and work here, and you’re passing through. I’m too old to moon over you like I did in high school. I don’t want to waste time making goo-goo eyes and wondering whether you’ll text me. So let’s get this out in the open. Was that a fluke, or are we going to do it again?”
Court didn’t respond, but his lips twitched and his eyes lit up as a slow smile took over his handsome face. “Are you always so…direct?”
“Yes, I am. Especially when time isn’t on my side. It’s almost Thanksgiving, Santa is coming soon, and my partner is on medical leave. I’m going to be working nonstop till the end of the year and you won’t be here for long, which means our window is short and tight. So, if you’re interested, let’s talk this out. If not, that’s okay. We can be friends and pretend last night didn’t hap—”
Court jumped to his feet, curled his fingers at my nape and slammed his mouth over mine. My hands flailed for a beat before I cautiously rested them on his broad shoulders and surrendered to the kiss.
Damn, he was good at that. My vision blurred, and my heart tripped over itself when he released me.