Scott shifted uncomfortably in his seat. While I talked a fair bit and tended to ask questions that most wouldn’t, I could also read discomfort well.
“A conversation for another time maybe?” I offered. When relief flitted through his brown eyes, an honest to God pang jolted in my chest.
“Yeah. Maybe.”
I smiled at that. There was no way I’d push him for more. Not today, anyway.
“How about you?” He nodded in my direction. “A busy few days?”
I leaned back in my seat a little and stretched my legs out, ankles crossing. “Always,” I admitted. “Between baking, running this place, and Libby, it doesn’t give much time for anything else. Not that I’m complaining,” I quickly added.
Scott’s gaze met mine, and he gave a slight shake of his head. “I didn’t think you were.”
Fuck me, he was sexy when his voice softened like that. I swallowed, shaking off the desire to stare at his mouth and ask for a replay of the other night. It was a miracle I’d held out for so long. I kept surprising the hell outta myself that the words hadn’t sprung out of my mouth already.
“Do you run?”
His question startled me. After I cleared my throat, I shrugged. “Not really. I went through a stage a few years back, but it was never really my thing.”
Wide-eyed, I froze when Scott’s eyes openly roamed my chest. My breathing shallowed, reacting to his scrutiny. I liked it. Liked being his focus. Liked he felt confident enough to check me out. Regulating my breathing, I raised a brow. Yeah, I could have let it slide, but to hell with that. I was more than happy to let it be known I saw him.
When Scott’s eyes returned to my face and our gazes connected, surprise flittered through me. While there was a hint of pink, he didn’t look embarrassed at being caught. Apparently, he didn’t give a shit. I grinned widely at the thought.
“So what’s your thing?”
Laughter burst free at the loaded question, the tension dissipating. Scott joined me, then continued, “I mean, clearly you keep fit. You bake, so I’m sure you do lots of sampling and don’t make a habit of inviting guys ’round to sample your creations.” I saw the doubt immediately, just as I heard his voice lower and fade a little, and was quick to address it.
“No.” I shook my head. “No regular taste testers. You’re the first unsuspecting taste tester I dragged back here.” I offered a reassuring smile. “And I do try to exercise.” I rubbed my hand over my not-so-hard stomach. “But this guy here,” I indicated my stomach, “isn’t so much fit, more like thankfully compact-ish.” While I wasn’t in bad shape, I was also a guy in his thirties with little time to indulge in exercise. It really did seem indulgent to take time for myself. Hell, I barely had the energy to do anything beyond tidying my toy store-cum-home.
“You’re doing a good job at keeping compact then.” His eyes lit up with humor.
I snorted a laugh. “Thanks.” I brushed a hand through my hair before returning it to my thigh, pleasantly surprised when Scott’s gaze followed my movements. “I have some basic gym equipment in my garage, and a jump rope to at least give my heart a workout, but just enough to get me by.”
“So that’s your thing? A skipping rope?” he teased.
“It’s a training rope,” I challenged, my lips quirking.
“Right.” He dragged the word out. “Do you have songs, like melodies or rhymes and stuff you use—”
I picked up a packet of sugar and hurled it at his head with a laugh. “Maybe, smartass.” My shit-eating grin was a dead giveaway to just how much I was enjoying spending time with this guy. He was not the man I thought he was at all. Hell, Tanner’d never believe me if I told him about Scott teasing the crap outta me.
“It’ll help when your Libby gets older though, right?”
Fuck me dead. Not only was the dude making me laugh, but he had to go there and give me a hard-on. He wasn’t shying away from Libby. Wasn’t ignoring her existence. I had very few flirt-worthy, potential hookup moments these days, and usually I couldn’t go through with them. Mainly because they’d recoiled once they’d discovered I had a child. Funnily though, guys tended to hightail it in the opposite direction, while women seemed to swoon at the sweetness, only to choke at the thought of taking on someone else’s kid.
It was hardly a surprise my dry spell had lasted so long with so many idiots in the world.
Then there was Scott.
He was unexpected.
A closeted jerk-cum-outed sweetheart.
Sweetheart? Hell. I didn’t see him coming at all, but now he was well in my sights, I really had to figure out how to handle that—and him.
“Yeah.” I finally found my voice. “I’ll even learn all the rhymes she needs to kick ass when she has rope offs in the playground.”
Scott tilted his head, both brows raised. “Rope offs? Is that even a thing?”
I shrugged. “Hell if I know,” I answered with a wicked grin. “But she’ll still kick ass and take names.”
A smirk played on his lips. “I have no doubt about that.”
We continued chatting about everything and nothing, only stopping for breath when one of us drank or laughed too hard to form words. It wasn’t until I felt a presence over my shoulder that I reluctantly dragged my focus away from Scott.
“Sorry.” Katie flicked her gaze to Scott and offered him an apologetic smile. “I didn’t want to interrupt, but we could really use some help.”
With a quick nod, I told her I’d be there in a minute, my gaze registering that the café had filled up a lot while we’d been talking. Movement from Scott immediately caught my attention.
“Sorry for dragging you away. I knew you were busy.”
Shaking my head, I offered him a smile. “I’m pleased you stopped by.” I really was. The past thirty minutes or so had flown by, offering me a welcome break from the norm. “I do have to head back, though,” I begrudgingly admitted. “Life will get a bit easier when I’ve finally hired someone.”
The man before me quirked his lips and stood. “Easy would be good, right?”
“Right,” I said with a small laugh.
“So….”
Scott looked as awkward as hell, and once again I took notice. He may have class, a shitload of education, and a history of being a prize asshole, but his discomfort and uncertainty were disarming and endearing. While I knew what I wanted to do about that, to him because of that, I knew better. I offered him an out. “We’ll catch up soon, yeah?” I reached out, and his strong palm connected with mine. The touch was just like the previous time, one that sent awareness through me.
“Yeah. That would be good.” He released my palm and tucked his hand in his pocket. I made sure not to let my gaze linger, but his hand was temptingly close to his zipper.
Before I could respond, he stepped fully away, gave me a head lift, and made his way out of my place. I remained rooted as I watched him leave, only getting my ass into gear when Katie’s less-than-subtle clearing of her throat cut into my lingering gaze and heated thoughts. I cut the latter off immediately. One day, maybe, I said to myself, knowing full well I was full of shit.
Shaking my head, I faced the counter and shifted my eyes away from a grinning Katie. Just as I was about to take a step, my name had me turning and my eyes widening. “Hey.” I tilted my head. While happy Scott once more stood in front of me, confusion made my brain swirl. Not only because of his return, but because he looked nervous as hell. “What’s up?” I cast my gaze to where we’d sat, wondering if maybe he’d left something behind. Coming up with nothing, I returned my focus to him.
“I was just wondering—” He lifted his hand to his head and rubbed his palm over the top. My eyes were immediately drawn to his corded bicep as he made the movement. The gesture appeared unnatural, too nervous for a guy like Scott.
“Yeah?” I asked. I took a step toward him and gestured to the side of the shop so we’d be out of the doorway and away from prying customers.
/> He swiftly stepped with me, positioning himself directly in front of me. It was nice being evenly matched in height. Nice being able to look someone in the eye without being towered over or getting a crick in my neck by staring down.
“I was—” He cleared his throat, his eyes shifting around the shop before returning to make contact with mine. “I was wondering if you’d consider letting me work for you.”
My eyes sprung open so widely I had no doubt I’d give a cartoon character a run for its money.
“Just until you find someone permanently. You know, as an interim job,” Scott rushed out.
Aware I, or rather my dumbfounded expression, was no doubt the cause of the heat creeping across his cheeks, I quickly smiled at him.
“I know you’re looking and are struggling. I have this free time on my hands and could do with a bit of extra cash to tide me over, but more, I need to busy myself, you know? Until I work out what I’m going to do. I just thought maybe it would be doing us both a favor.” He shrugged.
I tilted my head at the poor guy who was looking more and more perplexed with every word he spoke. Fuck, he was all levels of hot when he was nervous. A lick of flame sparked to life in my gut. Did I really want to be putting myself in such close proximity to this guy?
Ignoring the flashing warning signs building at the back of such a thought, I nodded, probably a little too quickly to be casual or suave. “Yeah, sure. Great. Yeah. That would be great.” I slammed my mouth shut. What the heck? It was that bastard flame. Apparently, it had grown a head and a mouth, or grown fucking something, enough to put stupid-ass words in my mouth and get me behaving like a stumbling idiot.
I needed to douse that shit out real quick.
“Yes,” I said around an amused smile. I mentally high-fived myself for keeping my voice controlled and normal. “That could actually work out really well.” Katie prevented me from continuing, calling out my name once more. “Shit. I have to go and deal with whatever Katie needs me for. I’m off in a couple of hours, how about—” I cut myself short. I had Libby to collect and wanted to head to the park after.
Scott’s brows lifted, no doubt wondering why I’d stopped.
“Sorry, I was going to suggest we hash out the details, but I’m going to the park with Libby as soon as I’ve picked her up.”
He nodded. “Perhaps I can just call you tonight when she’s in bed or something?”
My lips kicked up. “Yeah, that would be great.” I was far too tempted to invite him along, but was sure that would be all levels of weird, so I held back, which was so unlike me. Scott was tying me up in knots, and I wasn’t yet sure how to handle that.
“Davis!” Katie’s voice carried over.
“Listen, how about I grab your number from Carter, and I’ll call you once she’s settled. Will that work?” I edged away from him, backing up toward the counter and Katie.
With a grin, he nodded. “Sounds good. Thanks.”
“Talk to you later.” I waved him off and spun to a harassed-looking Katie. “Sorry.”
She narrowed her gaze at me, but the twitch of her lips told me she wasn’t that pissed off.
I rushed past her and almost stumbled over my feet when she called after me, “With an ass like that, I can totally get why you wanna take a bite.”
I snorted my way into the kitchen.
Chapter Ten
SCOTT
Christ almighty, what was I thinking? I swept my hand over my face as I stepped out of the shower and reached for a towel. I patted myself dry while considering if I needed my head checked out. Nothing I was doing, nothing about the way I was behaving was the norm.
Wrapping the towel around my waist, I cast a wary glance at the steamy mirror, relieved I couldn’t see myself fully. I couldn’t recognize myself anymore. And that wasn’t because of the messy scruff I’d taken to wearing over the last few weeks.
For the first time in my sorry-ass life, not only was I reaching out and genuinely trying to do someone a kindness, but I was also lusting over a guy. The significance of the latter was not that it was the first time, but rather, for the first time ever, I was actually in a position to do something about my attraction. Openly. With no darkened cubicle in a dodgy club in sight. No looking over my shoulder in fear of discovery. And the most significant, it was with a man who was kind and cocky and intelligent and as hot as sin.
Shit, being with the guy at work…. Ha! I scoffed and shook my head at my reflection. I didn’t know the first thing about working in a café, serving people, or making coffee. I used pods, for Christ’s sake, but still, I wanted to do this for him. And admittedly, a little for me too. But still, I was fully aware I was playing with fire when it came to Davis.
He was not a guy to fuck with.
To fuck… maybe.
Goddamn flutters ran riot in my stomach, and my cock twitched at the thought.
But still, he had a kid.
I looked at myself hard. “He. Has. A. Kid.” And I couldn’t wait to meet her. Pursing my lips, I tensed and gripped the sink, waiting for it. The panic, the need to smack some sense into myself. Nothing. It didn’t happen. I was left white-knuckled, hard, and still wondering why, for such an intelligent guy, I could be such a fool. Burn. That was what was going to happen. It was inevitable when I played with fire, especially with a damn flame so out of my league.
Shit, it was no good.
Just like the past few weeks, I switched into a version of autopilot. When I thought too hard about being gay, it scared the shit out of me. Dressed and with keys in hand, I pulled my front door closed and locked it. A few steps later, I was knocking on a bright red door that still looked freshly painted. Footsteps made me shake out my hands to loosen up, while a deep bark reverberated around the space. I was too tense. Too everything these days.
Tanner. The guy still struggled with me, I knew, and I was pretty sure he hated sharing his space with me, but desperate times and all that. Carter had become something more than just a former colleague over the past few weeks. Shit, I was sure he was the first true friend I’d had ever. He knew one of the most real versions of me, one no one else really knew, one I’d held back all these years. As such, Carter made no qualms with the fact that he’d taken me under his wing. Tanner had begrudgingly accepted that.
Didn’t mean he’d forgiven me or stopped being a dick though.
“Come in,” Tanner said with a sigh. He turned and was heading toward the kitchen before I could even respond.
I stepped inside and closed the door behind me.
“Dr. Dickwad’s here.” I heard the voice coming from the kitchen. “What?” Tanner continued. A moment later, I heard a loud oomph. “What was—”
“Stop being an asshole, or you can cook your own food tonight….” The voice quieted a little so I couldn’t quite hear, especially as Rex took that moment to barrel through the open doorway, almost taking my legs out.
“Jesus, Rex.” I reached down and stroked behind his ears. “I bet Tanner’s trained you to do that, huh?”
Carter’s snort drew my attention up and to him. “I wouldn’t put it past him.” He rolled his eyes. “How’re things?” He reached out for my hand. I extended my arm and shook his hand, offering a genuine smile.
I was right to have stopped by. There was no way I’d survive the night or get any sleep if I was left with my own thoughts and didn’t have the chance to talk this stuff through.
“I’m not interrupting dinner, am I?”
“Not quite, and even so, you’re more than welcome. I’ll set you a plate.”
There was no point in feigning politeness and arguing. Early on in our friendship, Carter had made it clear that BS of any kind in his home wasn’t allowed. Just like refusing a meal was a cardinal sin, apparently. I didn’t mind the latter, as Carter was an excellent cook.
“Thanks.” I followed Carter into the kitchen and relaxed in the warmth of the room. Food was on the stove, soft music was playing, and something smelled so
good my stomach rumbled.
“Come on. You can prep the salad.” Carter headed to the refrigerator and pulled out the ingredients for me while I went to the sink to wash my hands. “Drink?” he asked.
“No. I’m good for now, thanks.” While I could definitely do with a drink, I’d found myself all but wading in booze over the past few weeks and had made a conscious decision to cut back. Drinking my woes away wasn’t a habit I wanted to fall into, and with me starting at the café tomorrow, the last thing I wanted was to be cloudy. I imagined I’d be tired as hell, based on how wound up I was, and alcohol wouldn’t help that any.
“I’m just heading out to the shed for a few.” Tanner approached Carter and pressed a kiss to his temple before his eyes momentarily passed over me.
Carter grinned at him, and I didn’t miss the wink he sent Tanner’s way. As soon as it was just the two of us and I was washing the lettuce, Carter moved around the center island and perched on one of the high stools facing me. “So?” He dragged the word out and his brows lifted when I looked at him. “Care to share?”
I rolled my eyes. “By that, I’m assuming you already know everything, so what’s the point?”
His lips twitched. “Well, I don’t know your version or reasons….”
With a sigh, I focused on slicing the tomatoes. “Two birds and all that.” I cast a quick glance at Carter, who didn’t look impressed. Instead, both brows were still raised, and his lips were pressed together. “He needed some help and was struggling. He’s a good guy. I need something to do, even if for a few days or weeks while I get my shit straight.”
Silence greeted me and the same pressed lips, but this time his brows had dipped and his eyes seemed almost sad. I did not want anyone’s sympathy for this clusterfuck of a mess I’d got myself in, especially not his. I didn’t deserve it.
“What?” I placed the knife on the chopping board, pressing both palms on the countertop, preparing myself.
Carter released a deep breath and slowly blinked. “Okay.”
I've Got You Page 8