AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Do you want to grab a cup of coffee?” he asked.
Her dark brown eyes focused on him, her eyebrows lifting ever so slightly. She was damn beautiful, more beautiful than any other woman he’d ever known. And somehow, he’d been lucky enough to talk to her for a couple hours.
A couple of hours wasn’t enough.
He had nothing to lose, so he hit her with honesty. “I couldn’t walk away from here without asking. I know I would wonder for the rest of my life what would’ve happened if I just asked. So what do you say? Coffee?”
Her teeth slid over her plump bottom lip. She nibbled at it for a moment, then met his gaze. “I wish I could, but I can’t.”
“I understand,” he said, and he did, but it didn’t take away the disappointment that was currently engulfing him in a sad pathetic cloud of rejection. He swallowed down the defeat and nodded.
“No, it’s not like that,” she said. “If I don’t get back soon my family will worry.”
“You’re not married, are you?” In the entire time on the bus, he hadn’t thought to ask, but she wasn’t wearing a ring; he’d checked.
Ella laughed. “Not married. Just have three overprotective brothers and a grandfather who worry too much.”
“That’s a lot of people looking out for you.” He had no idea what that was like, but imagined it had its perks. “That must be really nice.”
Her eyes softened. “It is, sometimes. Other times they make me want to rip my hair out.”
“Can I get your number then?” Now that he knew for sure she wasn’t married, he wasn’t going to walk away knowing he’d never see her again. Not when he’d felt alive for the first time in a long time just sitting on a bus talking.
She smiled. “You’re persistent.”
“I know a good thing when I see it.”
“Quite the sweet talker, too.”
“Is it working?” he asked.
She tapped her chin then held out her hand. His eyebrow arched in curiosity.
“Give me your phone,” she said.
He didn’t hesitate, though maybe he should have since he honestly didn’t know her from a hole in the wall, but he felt he knew enough that she wouldn’t take off with it. She didn’t. She clicked a few buttons then the sound of a vaguely familiar pop song echoed through the air.
She reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. “Now I have your number. And mine is in your call history.” She tapped a few more buttons on his phone then handed it back with a stifled laugh.
He took the phone and looked down at the screen a smile curving the edges of his mouth. “Awesome bus girl?”
“I think it has a nice ring.”
She typed into her phone and laughed.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“Nothing.”
He made a move for her phone, and she held it above their heads, and though she was tall, she wasn’t taller than him. A blush spread across her cheeks, her lips pursed. . He moved quickly and snatched the phone from her hand. He couldn’t hold back the laugh when he glanced at the screen.
“Cute bus guy?” he asked with a dumb smile forcing its way across his face. “You think I’m cute?”
“You weren’t supposed to see that.”
“I’m happy I did.”
“I really should go.” She backed away from him slowly and waved. He stood there, watching until she got into a black Mustang then texted her.
