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“Other than you?” She gave me a pointed look, and I shook my head. In the past, the police and I hadn’t seen eye to eye, and I was never too quick to trust them, regardless of the situation. The disappearance of my clothing, bit by bit, hadn’t seemed like something they needed to be called in on.
But this wasn’t just an item or two anymore. This was something going missing each time I hung my clothes out to dry.
I let out another sigh, feeling like Junie did about the sidewalk. “Bud’s supposed to come over to fix some things around the house. I’ll talk to him about it.”
“You do that.” The woman released my arm, and I hoisted my tray onto my shoulder, giving them a tight smile before I rushed off to deliver the food. Thankfully, the diner got busy, and the rush kept them from grilling me more. Though no amount of work kept Callie from grinning my way every time I looked at her.
“What are you smiling about?” I asked her as I squeezed between her and the counter a couple hours later. “You look like that damn Cheshire cat sitting back here.”
“Did you have a good time last night?”
I ducked my chin and busied myself by putting drinks on my tray. “It was a lot of fun.”
“And he took you home afterward?” she asked, that smile in her voice.
Peeking up at her, I couldn’t help but smile back. “Yeah.”
“And?”
“And he kissed me!”
Callie squealed quietly, jumping up and down in her spot. “I’m so happy for you! Is he a good kisser?”
Flames lit my skin as my mind drifted back to that moment at my door. I wanted nothing more than for it to last forever. As good as it was, as right as it felt, I would have let him come in if he would have asked. “He’s amazing, Callie. I’ve never been so happy in my entire life.”
She grinned at me, chewing on her bottom lip. “I think he wants to do it again.”
“Hush.” I swatted at her arm before moving to pick up my tray.
Callie stopped me, shifting the tray from my grip and lifting it to her shoulder. “I got this. You’ve got company.”
I spun in my place, my gaze dragging over the crowd before landing on the man standing near the front door. My breath hitched when I saw him, his sun-lightened curls drifting around his shoulders, his tanned skin bared beneath his opened button-up shirt. I’d felt ridges under his t-shirt last night while we danced, but I wasn’t prepared for them to look quite like that.
Like his body was etched from stone, only for ink to be imprinted on his skin. His tattoos weren’t overwhelming, nothing but a handful of them across his stomach and chest. But with the delicate lines of black stamped into his flesh, he looked like something out of a dream.
“Hey,” he said, hands shoved in the pockets of his pants. He shifted forward on his toes so he was looking down on me, towering over me as I got close.
“Hey yourself. What are you doing here?”
“I had to come see you, love. I couldn’t stay away.” His gaze drifted over me and his head tilted to the side as he caught sight of the trail of juice on my shirt. “How’s your day?”
“Better, now that you’re here.”
“Yeah?” His smile was dazzling, his green eyes lit up.
“Definitely.” I itched to touch him. Ached to feel his skin against mine, his lips on my lips. Before I could convince myself to reach for him, the door swung open, and the moment was broken. “Um. Will this be dine-in?”
He tucked his lip between his teeth and his flesh turned white as he bit down. He shook his head. “Not right now.” Disappointment wound through me, and I took a step backward. “But maybe later?”
“What do you mean?”
He moved forward, eating up that space I’d put between us until he was even closer than before. I could smell the salt water on his skin and in his curly hair. I could see the tight muscles rippling across his stomach and chest. “Can I come over tonight?” He pulled his hand from his pocket, and his fingers chased the chills he left on my arm. “I want to do something.”
I cocked my head at him, and quirked my brow. “Like what?”
Oh, how I loved the cocky smile that played on his lips. “It’s a surprise. But I promise, you’re going to love it. What time do you get off?”
“We close at three.”
“Great.” He brushed his fingers over the side of my head, as if tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “I’ll be there at six. But don’t eat anything, okay? I want you hungry.”
Laughter bubbled through me. “Should I be concerned?”
He inched forward, and his breath brushed across my face. “Very.” One more inch, and his lips touched mine. “See you soon.”
With one last quick kiss, the man spun and was gone.
My knees shook and I had to grab the chair behind me to keep holding myself up. When I found the strength within me to turn, I found Callie, Junie, Calvin, and Corabelle watching me with wide smiles on their faces.
“What?” I tucked a loose hair behind my ear and tried to ignore the burn across my cheeks as I got back to work.
