“I’m gonna go,” I say. “I have work soon.”
“Okay.” He nods but doesn’t say anything else, but as I put my keys away and start off down the stairs, he falls into step with me. When I turn toward the direction of the café, he continues walking with me, as if nothing is amiss. “What are you doing?” I ask.
“I’m walking you to work.”
“Don’t you normally ask people if they want to be walked to work?”
“Well, normally I would, but I thought you’d say no.”
“So why are you?”
“Because I want you to give me a chance. For some reason, you seem pretty against that, so I’m starting slow.”
“Why are you so desperate for a chance?”
“I don’t think you’re ready for that answer. Although, I would love to see that cute little blush again.” As if he’s summoned it, I feel my neck and chest heat, and his eyes zero in on the skin there, no doubt turning pink. The top I’m wearing isn’t immodest by any stretch, but suddenly, I feel half-naked. His eyes move back up to mine and his face splits into a grin. Okay, so he’s back to sexy charmer today. Noted. I turn my gaze back in front of us, and we walk quietly for the rest of the way as I drown in my thoughts.
So the gorgeous guy from the café is my new neighbor. Does that change anything? Maybe. But my mind is so mixed up about him. If I’d seen him at the bar, I would’ve made a move for sure, but I don’t like to see people I meet at work because they know where I’ll be most days. Now, surely the fact that he lives next door is another sign not to go there. And that’s without adding in the weird interaction yesterday.
“I can hear your brain working from here,” he says when we’re nearing the coffee shop. I shrug.
“I’ve got a lot to think about.”
“Such as?”
“Why I shouldn’t share my inner thoughts with strangers.” He doesn’t get offended by this, throwing me one of his panty-melting grins that he really shouldn’t be allowed to use so casually. They can be pretty devastating to one’s self-discipline.
“We’re not strangers, we’re neighbors,” he says.
“I dunno, you’re pretty strange.”
“Yeah?” He chuckles. “Never been described like that before.” I find that hard to believe.
He opens and holds the door for me, and I pass him as quickly as possible, giving Fleur a pointed look when she spots us both. Her eyes widen, but I subtly shake my head so she doesn’t worry.
Heading into the back of the café, I nearly bump straight into Nico. He holds me by the shoulders so I don’t trample him, and my skin warms under his touch, not having expected him to touch me and being off-kilter from suddenly finding my new neighbor attractive again. I need to deal with these feelings—I’m getting more scattered and flustered by the day. My crushes are getting out of control.
“Sorry, in a world of my own,” I mutter to him, not looking him in the eye.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m good. You can get off if you want.” I cringe when I realize what I’ve said and still can’t meet his gaze. I’m a little bit early, and the bell dings on the counter to signal Fleur needs a hand, but I’m not ready yet.
“It’s okay, I’ll get that.” He finally lets go of my shoulders, but I’m still not brave enough to look at him as he leaves. Using the silence to center myself, I take a few deep breaths.Get a bloody grip, Harlow. Since when have guys had this pull over you? Are you fifteen?The dishwasher starts beeping, so I make myself useful after putting my apron on and empty it, refilling it with what’s on the side in here before taking a crate of clean mugs out. Nico takes it from me the second he notices, as usual, and I smile my thanks at him. The queue has appeared from nowhere, which is unusual for this time of day, and I join Nico by the coffee machine.
“You should run now, we’ve got this,” I say. He looks guiltily at the door as more people come through it, but he’s done his bit. “Go on, I know you have a class. We’ll survive, I promise.” He smiles as he looks down at me.
“Make sure you do. I’d be gutted to not get to see you again.” With that comment, he swaps his apron for his coat out the back and shuffles out past the queue. I, of course, spend the next hour rerunning the scene through my mind, flipping fromdefinitely flirtytoa friendly jokeand back again. I give three customers the wrong drink before Fleur makes me swap with her and just take the orders. When it finally calms down, we both know it’s only a matter of time before people drop in for their commuting drinks, so we take the chance to grab ourselves something.
“Are we talking about tall-dark-and-handsome over in the corner, or no?” I choke a little on my drink when I realize she means my new neighbor, who is sitting inside with a tablet on the table in front of him and one of those digital pens. I assumed he’d grabbed his drink and gone when I was out the back with Nico, and honestly, I’m glad I didn’t know he was here. I’ve been enough of a clusterfuck today as it is.
“He’s my new neighbor,” I tell her when I’ve ridded my lungs of coffee.
“Did we decide on creepy or not?”
“Not. Not today, at least.”
“Result—booty call without leaving the building!”