Chapter 10
Was that someone knocking on the door downstairs? What time was it? Caleb picked up his phone and looked at the screen. Midnight. Who the hell would be here now, and why hadn’t they called first? He didn’t see any missed calls or texts.
Swearing under his breath, he pulled on some sweatpants over his boxers and hurried downstairs. When he got to the door, he saw Rhys standing there, rain dripping down his face. His eyes were huge, and he was staring at Caleb’s bare chest.
Caleb couldn’t suppress a smile. He liked Rhys noticing him, but what was he doing here now? No way had he come to fulfill Caleb’s fantasies. Probably something was wrong. He turned the lock and pulled the door open. “Are you okay?”
“We should work together.”
Caleb sucked in his breath. That was not what he was expecting Rhys to say. He took a step back. “Come in. You’ve got to be freezing.”
“I’m okay.” He shivered, letting Caleb know he was lying, but Caleb stayed silent while Rhys looked him up and down. Suddenly, he seemed to realize how obvious he was being and turned away. “Were you… um… had you gone to bed?”
Caleb suppressed the urge to laugh. “Yes, but it’s okay.”
“I thought you were in the shop because the lights were on.”
Caleb nodded. “I guess I forgot to turn them off.”
“I’m sorry. I should go. I—”
“No.” Caleb grabbed his arm as he stepped away. “Stay.”
Rhys’s mouth dropped open. “I… um…”
He looked ready to bolt, but Caleb was determined to keep him from running away. “You should stay and warm up, and we should talk. Do you like tea or only coffee?”
“I… um… I like tea.”
He would make Rhys tea, and then he would find out what had upset Rhys so much that he’d come through the rain to see Caleb at midnight. “Go sit down. I’ll make us some tea and then join you. I can also run upstairs and get you something dry to wear.”
Rhys took another step backward. “Really. I should go. I was having a hard time coming up with a drink for the festival, and I… This was crazy. Forgive me.”
“Rhys, there’s nothing to forgive. You’re having a bad night. I’m glad you came to see me. Sit down. Please. I want to talk to you.”
“I don’t think I’m going to be able to talk if you don’t put a shirt on.” Rhys clamped a hand over his mouth as soon as the words were out.
He hadn’t expected Rhys to say that either, but he liked it. “I’ll get myself a shirt while I’m upstairs if you promise to be here when I get back.”
Rhys’s eyes were filled with panic, and he was practically vibrating. “I shouldn’t have said that. I…”
“I like that you said it. I like honesty, and I don’t mind being appreciated.”
“Oh. Um… You don’t?”
“Why would I mind that a hot guy finds me distracting?”
Rhys’s mouth dropped open, and it was all Caleb could do not to cross the room and kiss him. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”
“O-okay.”
Caleb ran upstairs. He paused to take a few calming breaths before he pulled a flannel shirt from his closet. He needed a moment if he wasn’t going to come on too strong when he went back downstairs. He hadn’t been imagining it. Rhys was into him.
He glanced in the mirror, ran a hand over his hair, and then grabbed a sweatshirt and joggers for Rhys before hurrying back downstairs, buttoning his shirt as he went.
“Better?” he asked when he stepped back into the shop.
Rhys sank his teeth into his lower lip and nodded.
“I brought you a dry sweatshirt. I brought some pants too, but…”
Rhys shook his head. “They aren’t going to fit. You’re at least four inches taller than me.”
True, but Caleb wanted him to be comfortable. “You could roll them up.”
“My pants really aren’t that wet, but I will take the sweatshirt. Thanks. I am actually a little cold.”
“I thought so. I can get you a blanket.”
“No. This is fine.”
Caleb held out the sweatshirt, and Rhys laid it on the counter, then gripped the waist of his hoodie and pulled it up over his head.
It was Caleb’s turn to stare. Rhys was definitely spending some time in the gym.
His arms were perfectly sculpted, and Caleb wanted to lick his hard pecs and kiss a trail over his abs, right down to…
He quickly looked up as Rhys’s head came through his sweatshirt and he pulled it down.
He missed the naked skin, but damn, Rhys looked good in Caleb’s clothes.
They hadn’t even started working together, and the situation was already getting dangerous. They needed to talk, but that was not what Caleb wanted to do.
Rhys, clearly oblivious to how he’d affected Caleb, pointed at the kettle. “It boiled, but I wasn’t sure what kind of tea you wanted.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Caleb said. “Is chamomile okay with you?”
“Yes, that’s fine.” Caleb gestured Rhys toward the nearest table, then poured tea for each of them and set the mugs on the table. “Do you want something to eat too?”
Rhys shook his head. “Do you still want to work together?” The words poured out with no spaces between them.
Caleb smiled. “I do.”
“So you haven’t figured out your entry yet?”
“No, I haven’t been happy with anything I’ve tried.”
“Me either. I think we need each other.”
Caleb’s smile widened. He certainly needed more of Rhys. “We do. I haven’t changed my mind about that.”
“I thought maybe you would have after I…”
“Just because you said no to my suggestion? I’m not put off that easily. I wasn’t going to push you, but I’m glad you’re here now. Though maybe right now isn’t the best time to get started working together. We should finish our tea, then go to bed.”
Rhys’s eyes widened for a second, and then he relaxed. “Oh, like to sleep. That’s what you meant. Yeah. It’s late.” By the time he finished talking, his cheeks were bright red.
Caleb realized how his words had sounded and almost suggested they both go to his bed, but this was absolutely not something to jump into. “It is late. I’m sure you didn’t mean to be out at almost midnight.”
“I didn’t. I’m really sorry I got you out of bed.”
Caleb smiled. “No, I’m glad you did. It was worth it. I haven’t had much chance to talk to you, and I want to get to know you better, so this is good. We’ll work on a festival drink, and we’ll have plenty of time together.”
Caleb knew he shouldn’t be flirting so openly. He knew this was a bad idea, but with Rhys here in his shop in the middle of the night and admitting that he couldn’t think with Caleb undressed, it was too much for him to overcome.
Rhys sighed. “I’m not sure what else to try. I’ve run through all my ideas, and none of them are right.”
“We should start fresh, brainstorm with each other and come up with something new, instead of trying to tweak any of the drinks we’ve already dismissed.”
Rhys nodded. “That makes sense. But… Um… I don’t want to piss you off, but it’s really important to me that…”
Caleb held up a hand. “You don’t have to explain. I know you want everything to be perfect. You’re not going to settle for espresso that isn’t the highest quality. I get it. You might be surprised how hard I try to meet high standards here too.”
“Shit.” Rhys scrubbed his hand over his face. “I wasn’t trying to imply that you didn’t. I really didn’t mean to insult you. I know I’m difficult, but it makes me feel all crazy if things aren’t right.”
Caleb reached out and laid a hand over Rhys’s. “It’s okay. We’ll work through that. I want this to be perfect too. I want us to win. That’s why I wanted to work with you in the first place.”
“It is?”
“Yes. You obviously really know what you’re doing.”
“You’re doing a great job here too. I mean, you’re drawing a crowd every day, and I’ve heard so many great things about your drinks.”
For some reason, his compliment mattered more than anyone else’s had. “Thanks. It is going well, but I’m still new with this.”
“How did you end up here? I’ve heard stuff people say in town, but I know better than to trust what everyone says.”
Caleb laughed. “That’s probably a good policy.
It’s a long story, too long to give all the details tonight, but I got out of a bad relationship with the owner of a coffee shop I worked at in Boston.
I needed a fresh start in a new place, and I was sure could run a business better than my ex.
I found this space for rent, and here I am. ”
“You made a good choice coming to Frostwick Harbor.”
Caleb gave Rhys a slow once-over. He was going to have to let Rhys keep the sweatshirt. He wanted to see him in it again. “Yes, I did.”
Rhys’s eyes widened. He pushed his chair back and stood. “I should get going. I can’t work on the festival entry until tomorrow night. I’m going apple picking with Tessa and Finn right after lunch.”
“Then we’ll be spending a lot of the day together. I’m going with them too.”
“Oh, wow. You are?”
“If that’s okay. If you want time with them—”
“No, that’s great. I mean… I was just wondering if maybe we could not say anything about how we’re working together, not yet anyway.”
Caleb wasn’t sure he liked that idea. “Are you embarrassed to be working with a guy who makes his silly, decorated drinks?”
Rhys shook his head vehemently. “It’s not that. Everybody loves your drinks. Your style is different than mine. That’s okay.”
He was so adorably flustered that Caleb had to work not to laugh.
“My friends, especially Tessa, will ask me all kinds of questions. They’ll want details about why I agreed to it, and they might think there’s more to this than us needing each other’s help to get the best drink.”
Caleb nodded. Working together was the perfect idea for the festival and maybe for them if they could somehow navigate the town and their connection and the pressure.
He was probably fooling himself. A relationship with Rhys was definitely not a good idea.
“We wouldn’t want rumors going around about us. ”
“Right. You have no idea how bad the people in this town can get.”
“Are they not as nice as they seem?”
“No, it’s almost that they’re too nice. They want to help everyone by getting in their business. They mean well, but…”
Caleb truly didn’t want to be fodder for the gossips, but he also wanted Rhys. “We won’t say anything. We can get together tomorrow night after we’ve gotten back and see what we can come up with for our entry.”
“I should give you back your sweatshirt.”
“Keep it. You look good in it.”
Rhys frowned. “I’ll wash it, then bring it back.”
“Okay.” Caleb walked Rhys to the door. He unlocked it, then turned back.
Rhys was so close. Only a few inches separated them.
He watched Rhys’s chest moving up and down rapidly, and then their gazes caught.
Rhys had been staring at him again. His eyes darted away, but Caleb waited him out.
When he looked at Caleb again, Caleb said, “I’m looking forward to working with you. ”
Rhys nodded. “Yeah. Me too.” He swayed closer as he spoke. Had he meant to, or did he just feel the same pull that Caleb did?
Caleb wanted to kiss him. It would be so easy to cup his face and bring their lips together. Not now. As much as he wanted to know what Rhys tasted like, this wasn’t the right time.
He took a step back, and Rhys pushed the door open.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yes. Tomorrow.”
Caleb stood watching him until he’d stepped inside Frost + Foam.