Noah
Rachel is on her date with Alex. Kai has followed her to that date. She has been messaging me during that shit show, and honestly, it took a lot of effort not to follow them myself. Sounds like a very fun situation if you’re not Rachel.
Instead of following the band of lunatics to the restaurant, like a psychotic groupie, I have decided to come to my favorite coffee shop and read.
They won’t close for at least five more hours, and it’s the perfect way to end a Sunday night.
Besides, with Rachel’s luck, they might end up in a loving poly group, and I will be forced to kill her because how dare she have a more interesting life than me?
Even if she ends up with just Kai, which is a very high possibility right now, she is still living the dream.
Tell me one dark romance reader who wouldn’t be thrilled to be stalked by a six-foot-something biker who is obsessed with them.
What was that? You can’t think of anyone?
Me neither. I know for sure I would totally roll out the red carpet for the man and be a good boy, ready to satisfy every desire of his.
Despite my thirsty mindset at the moment, my current mental state is quite different.
I am sitting comfortably in one of the armchairs in my favorite coffee shop, with a coffee mug in one hand and my Kindle in the other.
I am reading a fantasy book that was promised to be really spicy, but I am a hundred pages in and there’s no spice yet.
Disappointing. It’s a good book, don’t get me wrong, but I am more of a smut-on-page-one type of guy.
The world-building is cool and all, but they should just fuck already.
And the damn tension between the three main characters...
Is it a why choose? A two-love-interest type of rival?
Who knows? This book is confusing. I am not sure even the author knows what’s happening. It’s a fucking maze of a plot.
The door suddenly opens, and at this time of day the cafe doesn’t get many people, so naturally I turn to look at who entered, like the nosy gossip-thriving gremlin I am. When my eyes meet Leo’s, I am, to say the least, surprised. What the hell is he doing here?
He stands at the door, blocking the entrance as he looks awkwardly in my direction, then all of a sudden he steps out, turns around, and walks away.
At least he tries. He only makes it a few steps before he turns around again, and then once more.
After a few times of changing his mind, he stands in front of the door like a tall, hot type of tree.
If that’s what you’re into. I am obviously not.
Tall men are not my type. Nope. Not at all.
All muscles and tattoos and those eyes staring right into my soul.
Who the hell am I kidding? My mind says, ‘I am not interested,’ but my body is ready to sing a mating call until he comes this way and shows me what all those muscles are about.
I am ready to fall to my knees and beg for him to use me as he pleases.
Fuck me senseless for his pleasure and mine.
The book I am reading might not be spicy, but my brain sure is.
I could write pages and pages of the things I want this man to do to me, and that’s simply not going to work.
I am not getting attached to another man who likes both genders just for him to eventually pick a woman and have a bunch of cute blond babies running around.
This is not happening. Get it together, brain. The man is clearly not interested.
Finally, he seems to have made up his mind whether he is going to enter the coffee shop or run for the hills.
He steps inside fully, the door closes behind him, and he takes a few steps toward my direction.
Then he changes his mind again and heads for the register.
He seems to be looking at the menu, but his whole body language is so stiff you can tell this man is one ‘hello’ before he has a mental breakdown.
I should leave him alone, but life is too boring to do that, and even though I am not going to get attached to him, a little flirting doesn’t hurt anyone.
At least that’s how I lie to myself as I stand from my seat, set my Kindle on the table next to my coffee mug, and walk up to him.
“Hello, Leo. Fancy seeing you here!” I say with a smirk.
He doesn’t react. He simply looks at me with those big brown eyes.
Fuck not getting attached. He can have my heart, my brain, my soul.
He can’t even have my money, whatever is left from my book-buying addiction and my skin care buying addiction, and also my retro video game-buying addiction.
I really need to start saving money, for cases like this one that I need to give them to a man who will most certainly break my heart.
“Ummmm.... Hello.... Noah, right?” He finally speaks, not convincing at all once again. You know my name, buddy. We keep introducing ourselves since Friday.
“Yes, I am Rachel’s friend.” I say with a smile, ignoring the fact that he is pretending not to remember me.
“How’s Rachel?” He asks in a pretend tone that screams bullshit, because if I am getting regular updates about what is happening with Kai and Rachel right now, I am sure he does, too.
As if the universe wanted to confirm my thought, a notification sound echoes from his phone, and he quickly checks the text before he shoves it into his back pocket.
“Do you need to answer that?” I throw oil into the fire. I told you the book was boring; a guy needs to entertain himself somehow.
“No, it’s... Kai.” He says with hesitation.
“How’s Kai? We haven’t seen him for a while.
” And by a while, I mean two hours ago, when he stormed into Rachel’s house, fucked her, plugged her with a sex toy, and sent her to her date full of his cum.
Rachel texted me all the juicy details. That’s the type of friendship we have.
Are you really best friends if you don’t text your friend about the man who filled you up and sent you on a date with another man? I think not.
“What are you doing here Leo? You don’t seem like the type to be a regular in this coffee shop.” I say with a raised eyebrow and he completely pretends he didn’t hear the question.
“I...ummm....” He attempts to say something that makes no sense and I perk up taking advantage of how awkward this man feels around me to poke him a little more.
“I don’t suppose you are stalking me Leo, right?
You wouldn’t do that.” I know for sure he would do that since he clearly was watching us with Kai yesterday, before Rachel figured out the cameras and took most of them down.
I am pretty sure she missed some, but I am not going to say anything.
I want to see how this is going to play out.
Leo coughs, choking on his own saliva, and I pat his back. “Are you okay, buddy?” Do you need some water? Mouth to mouth? I am available.
“I am fine. Of course I am not stalking you.” His voice goes up a tone, making his answer not at all convincing.
I smile back at him. “I’m messing with you.
Don’t worry. I hope you enjoy your coffee.
” I say and walk back to my seat. I get comfortable, take my Kindle in hand, and my coffee mug in the other.
I pretend that I am fully back into reading mode, hiding myself behind the small screen while I observe him from afar.
The barista approaches him and takes his order.
He stands there fidgeting with the hem of his t-shirt until she returns with his coffee.
He takes the mug in hand, and to my surprise, it’s not a paper cup but an actual mug, the ones they only offer if you’re going to sit here and enjoy your beverage.
I’m curious where he’s going to sit, because the very few seating options are already taken by other people who are reading their books and drinking their coffee.
It’s a known spot for readers. To my surprise, Leo walks my way and takes the seat on the other side of my table.
He takes out his phone and opens an app as he settles back into his seat and starts reading whatever he opened on it. I peek over because obviously I can’t keep myself from being nosy.
“Are you reading a smut book?” I ask, recognizing the writing style well. It’s one of my favorite authors. I recognize the book, even. Rachel and I read it last week. It’s her new book that just came out this month.
“It’s a romance book.” His face turns almost as red as his t-shirt, and I chuckle at the sight of this man blushing about a book.
“I read it last week. I love the author’s work.” I can’t keep my excitement while I speak. It’s not often I run into a man who reads. Especially one that looks like Leo. That was an interesting surprise.
“This is my first book by this author.” He doesn’t look up from his phone. He’s clearly into what he’s reading, which makes this sight of him even hotter.
“You should invest in a Kindle.” I point out, because reading on this small screen on his phone can’t be comfortable.
“I have one, but my phone has reading mode, too, see?” He turns his screen toward me, and it has a paper-white effect. “It’s actually my second phone. I only use it for reading.”
“There is a phone with a paper-white mode?” How the hell did I not know this?
“Yes, and it was crazy cheap. I’ll send you the link for it if it’s still available. I bought it two years ago, but it works like I got it yesterday.” He’s excited. Almost as excited as I would be talking about reading devices, and that alone puts a smile on my lips.
“Thank you. I would love that.” I sink back into my seat and start reading again, peeking his way from time to time.
“It’s almost like we’re on a date, sitting here, reading, and enjoying our drinks.” He jokes, and honestly, I would totally love a date like this. He is speaking my language.
“The only thing missing is a bookstore trip after coffee to get more books.” I joke back.
He smirks. “We should do that on our second date.”
Sir, stop being so cute. I will fall for you, and then I will have no other choice but to date you.