Page 86 of Finding Storm

“Absolutely.” He nods.

“Black?” I say, remembering his order at Starbucks yesterday.

He smiles at me again. “Yep.”

“Cool.” I take a step back toward the kitchen door. “Well, sit yourself down, and I’ll bring it through—when it’s ready, of course. Which will be in about five minutes. Ten at the most.”

Christ, Stevie, stop jabbering on.

I turn on my heel and hightail it out of there, my heart beating out of my chest.

God, the effect he has on me is nuts.

No man has ever affected me in this way before.

I’m practically panting by the time I reach the kitchen.

“What does Nick want for breakfast?” Gran asks me.

“Waffles with strawberries. And coffee.”

“You make the coffee. I’ll do the waffles.”

I walk over to the cupboard and get a fresh filter. Take the old one out of the machine, throw it in the trash. Put the new one in and fill it with coffee. I’ve just filled the machine with water when Pen comes walking in through the back door.

“Hey,” I say to her.

“Don’t you hey me. I’ve been calling you since last night.” She points an accusing finger at me.

“I know.” I smile.

“Morning, Penny,” Gran says.

“Sorry. Morning, Gran.” Her eyes briefly go to Gran before coming back to me. Her gaze narrows. Her hands go to her hips. “What do you mean, you know? Why didn’t you answer?”

I stick a cup under the coffee machine and get it going. “Because I knew how much it would annoy you.”

Her mouth pops into an O.

I laugh. “You were just calling to grill me about Nick, but honestly, there’s nothing to tell.” Except I want to kiss his face off of him. And do other things. To his hot body. Possibly lick his abs.

“Well, see, if you’d bothered to answer your phone, you’d know that I wasn’t going to grill you about him. Actually, I have oodles to tell you about Nick.” There she goes, saying his name in that way again.

Although I am distracted by her word choice. I cock my head to the side, grinning. “Oodles?”

“Yes, oodles,” she says primly, flipping me the bird, making me laugh.

“Oh, I’m here for the gossip,” Gran says, leaving the waffle mixing in the KitchenAid and coming over to us.

Pen takes a deep breath, like she’s about to deliver a speech in front of the entire nation. The hairs on the back of my neck start to prickle. I don’t have a good feeling about this.

“Nick-is-Storm-Slater,” she blurts out.

I glance at Gran, who shrugs.

“Pen, I got none of that. Nick is what?”

“Nick, the Hottie McTottie you brought into Starbucks yesterday, is the one and only Storm Slater. Lead guitarist in Slater Raze. Only child of Jonny Creed. I friggin’ knew I recognized him yesterday, but I just couldn’t put my finger on where from. Then, it came to me when I was making Mrs. MacIntosh’s hot chocolate. Bam! Hit me like lightning. I was like, That dude is Storm Slater!” She slams her hand on the kitchen counter.