Chapter 18
KINSLEY
“Can you just order me a coffee? I need to go use the bathroom,” I say, watching as a flash of panic crosses Royce’s face as we stand in line at the coffee shop. I roll my eyes thinking about the day that had started all this between us. “You’ll be fine.”
“You say that but…” He grins and I chuckle as I walk away, weaving through the people and tables scattered around.
I’ve barely pushed the door open when I’m met by a faint cry from the closed stall. Brows furrowing, I take a step farther into the bathroom, stopping when I hear it again.
“Are you all right?” I ask, only to be met by a humorless laugh.
“Not unless you have an extra pair of pants.”
“Open the door, sweetie.”
The girl behind the door shuffles around before clicking the lock open and staring up at me.
“I have a date,” she whispers and I nod.
“Is he a douche?” I ask and she smiles.
“No, he’s really nice but this is our second date and,”—she turns, revealing an obvious rip in the back of her pants—“I can’t let him see me like this.”
“Give me a sec, okay? Fix your makeup.” I nod toward the mirror as I pull out my phone and call Royce.
“Are you calling me from the bathroom?”
“Yeah, I need your shirt.”
“What?”
“Your shirt. Go into the men’s room, take off your shirt, knock on the women’s door, and I’ll get it.”
“Umm…”
“It’s an emergency.”
“Fine,” he sighs and hangs up, a knock on the door sounding a couple of minutes later.
“Do I even want to know?” he asks but I just smile, leaning out to press my lips to his.
“Later.” Winking, I close the door and lock it and turn back to my new friend. “Okay, ready?”
“I guess…” she says hesitantly.
Whipping off my coat, I set it on the vanity, thankful it’s cold enough that I opted for a long one for our outing.
Because even though Royce’s shirt will cover my ass, it won’t cover much else.
I pull my shirt over my head and shove it into my purse, replacing it with Royce’s before shimmying out of my skirt.
“Here,” I say. handing it to her with a smile.
Her eyes well with tears and she rushes forward to wrap me in a hug. “Oh my gosh, thank you,” she gushes before hustling into the stall and changing. When she emerges, she’s beaming, the skirt a little big but barely noticeable with her cropped black jacket and tank top.
“You look amazing,” I tell her honestly as she shoves her jeans in the garbage.
“It’s a good thing I shaved my legs today, right?” she says, her cheeks flushed, and I wink.
“Definitely.”
“Seriously.” Her shoulders fall as her eyelids flutter shut for the briefest of seconds before she meets my gaze.
“Thank you. Dating sucks and I just really wanted today to go well.” She looks down.
“How am I going to get you the skirt back? Here, I have cash.” She starts digging through her purse before I place my hand on her forearm.
“Don’t worry about it,” I say, looking down at my tights, knee-high black boots, and Royce’s shirt. “Go and have the best date of many to come. My boyfriend will have nothing but good things to say about my wardrobe change.”
I turn and check out my ass in the mirror. The shirt is long enough to cover me but not by much. Grabbing my jacket, I throw it on, thankful I’d picked the longer pea coat for our walk to the coffee shop.
ROYCE
I’ve commandeered a table in the corner with a direct line of sight to the bathroom. It feels creepy, but I’ve never been in a situation where I had to literally give someone my shirt, and I’m thankful I’d opted for a sweatshirt to go over it.
A pretty woman exits the bathroom first, her eyes bright and her smile full as she looks past me toward the guy hovering near the entrance. I can see them embrace in the reflection of the window.
“Beautiful Things” by Benson Boone plays quietly over the speakers, and time seems to slow to a crawl as Kinsley walks toward me.
Holy shit.
Her coat fans out away from her body, her black boots, tights, and my shirt on full display—her skirt absent. I do a double take at the woman who exited the bathroom before her, confirming the item had apparently changed hands in the last fifteen minutes.
Standing, I catch Kinsley around the waist, brushing my lips along her cheek before whispering in her ear, “I like the way you look in my shirt.”
“I thought you might,” she murmurs, her fingertips dipping under my sweatshirt and trailing along my bare skin.
“That was some emergency.”
“Second dates are very serious.”
“I’ll make a note of it,” I tease and then grunt as she digs her nails into my side, pulling me until I’m pressed against her. “What date are we on?”
“The one where you take me home and bend me over the table while I’m wearing your shirt.”
I swallow hard and her eyes drop to my Adam’s apple. It’s hot and I have no idea why, but seeing her pupils dilate has me half hard in the middle of this damn coffee shop.
“I thought we were having coffee.”
She rocks her hips against me, my brain short-circuiting with the movement.
“We can reheat it.” She licks her lips as she adds, “And have a lazy, naked day.”
“Let’s go before I embarrass myself.”
“You say the sexiest things,” she teases, taking a step back and sipping from her cup as I grab mine before taking her hand.
“Enjoy it now, because I’ll be completely unable to form words the second we’re in the apartment.”
Laughing, she pulls me toward the door, throwing the girl wearing her skirt a little wave and a conspiratorial smile.
Kinsley Dane might be the hottest woman I’ve ever met, but she also has the biggest heart, and she changed someone’s life today. She’s so damn incredible it makes my heart squeeze in my chest.
And just because I can, I pull her to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk and kiss the hell out of her.
And what’s better—Kinsley Dane kisses me right back.