Chapter 7
Seven
Maria
“Hello! Earth to Maria!”
Darius’ voice yanks me out of my wayward thoughts just as the mug I am currently filling with coffee overflows. The dark liquid splatters against the counter and then drips onto the floor. I frown at the mess.
“Shit,” I curse under my breath, shoving the coffee pot back into its spot on the machine. After quickly dumping the now overly-filled mug into the sink, I grab a couple of cleaning rags to wipe up the mess I made due to my thoughtlessness.
While I do that, Darius moves to get a fresh mug of coffee for Chase, who is our only customer right now.
I know that our manager has had to make accommodations to be able to schedule Darius and me for the same shifts since we live together and like to carpool.
However, in this moment, I am grateful because it means that he is the only one here to see me make a complete ass of myself. Well, he and Chase.
Thankfully, whatever conference they had going on at the hotel across the street was just a one-day thing. It’s been a fairly slow day because of it, which I am also grateful for.
“Maria? You doing okay, sweetheart?” Chase asks, taking the coffee Darius sets in front of him. The coffee I was supposed to have gotten for him.
“I’m fine,” I grumble in frustration. I wipe the last bit of coffee up off the floor and sit back on my knees. Looking up at Chase, who’s watching me closely, along with Darius, I give him the best smile I can muster while feeling so foolish. “Sorry, Chase. I’m just… I’m having an off day.”
“An off day?” Darius chuckles. “You’ve been distracted like this since you got home from your date last night with Mr. Delicious.”
“Oh! You went on a date?” Chase asks, looking way too interested in the fact that I went on a date than is normal.
I scrunch my nose at Darius. “Thanks, Mouth.”
He’s right, and I hate that he’s right. I have been distracted since last night because Mark has invaded my mind like a parasite, and I can’t stop thinking about him.
Even my dreams last night had been plagued by the kiss that had me panting and damn near begging for more.
At the time, I had been all too willing to give him all of me, even though it had been our first date. That scares the hell out of me.
Usually, I have way more control over myself and my hormones. It’s just been a really long time since someone has gotten under my skin like this, and the connection between us feels like something more than just a purely physical attraction.
Mark had been so attentive, and his focus had been on me the entire night.
Even when the waitress at the restaurant, who is far better suited for him than I am, began openly flirting with him after hearing him talk about his erection, his attention never left me.
I am used to guys having a ‘wandering eye’, but not Mark.
I had been the center of his attention. Supposedly, he wants to do it again, too.
“Yes,” I tell Chase, scratching the back of my neck. “I went on a date.”
“Well,” he presses. “How did it go? His name’s not actually ‘Mr. Delicious’, is it?”
I snort a laugh, unable to help it.
“No, but it should be,” Darius chimes in. “The guy is sex on a stick. And judging by the way she looked when she got home, I think I have a pretty good idea of how the night went.”
I frown because there’s no way he can know.
I locked myself in my room as soon as I got home last night, needing some time to myself.
I promised to get around to telling him at a later time, and I haven’t done so yet.
Mainly because I’m still trying to work it all out myself. So, he doesn’t have the slightest idea.
Folding my arms across my chest, I lean my hip against the counter. “Oh, really? Well, okay then. If you are so damn smart, how did my night go?”
He chuckles, looking between Chase and me, and shakes his head. “It was perfect,” he begins, his tone way too confident. “He was charming, swept you off your feet, and made you feel like the most beautiful girl in the world.”
My eyes narrow at him. “How?” is all I can manage to ask.
Darius shrugs, smirking. “Because I know you, and you are really fucking conflicted right now. Sorry about the language, Mr. Chase.”
Chase waves him off, obviously more interested in the conversation than the language being used.
“I am not conflicted!” I retort instinctively.
Darius moves his hand to his hip. “Remember the part where I said that I know you? One doesn’t need to be a therapist to figure out that you have guy issues. Ergo, you’re conflicted.”
“I don’t have issues with you,” I mumble. I hate how exposed and vulnerable I feel right now. I didn’t know I was that transparent.
“Yeah, well, I’m not trying to get into your pants,” He throws back at me.
“I don’t understand,” Chase states thoughtfully. “Why are you conflicted? You like him. Yes?”
I nod because there’s no point in denying it when Darius basically outed me. “I do. Probably way more than I should after knowing him such a short time.”
The old man raises an eyebrow. “Then what’s the issue? Seems to me you are making this way harder than it needs to be.”
“The issue is: What if he turns out to be like all other guys I’ve dated?”
That’s why I am so damn conflicted— What I’m afraid of.
I do like Mark a lot, and I’m worried that he’s going to end up hurting me like all the others.
I’m worried that he’s just being nice to me and telling me what I want to hear to get me to sleep with him.
Then he will disappear like every other guy I’ve been with.
Darius’ face softens, and he gently grasps my arm. “Oh, honey. You don’t know that’s the case.”
“Don’t I?” I ask. Tears burn the backs of my eyes, and I blink them away angrily. I’m surprised, though. I didn’t realize this bothered me so much.
For the first time since he began frequenting the shop, Chase rises from his seat and steps behind the counter to take me into his arms. I never pegged him as a hugger, but it’s sweet, and I’m even more surprised that I let him hug me.
It feels like a line that isn’t supposed to be crossed, but Chase is one of my closest friends.
I smile as I take in his scent of Old Spice and cigars.
After a few moments, he pulls back, but keeps hold of my shoulders. “Maria, did he hurt you? Did he do anything to set off any alarm bells?”
Shaking my head, I smile softly. “No, he didn’t. He was a perfect gentleman.”
“Well then, give him the benefit of the doubt,” he chastises. “It’s not fair for you to punish him for something he didn’t do.”
I can’t bring myself to respond because I know he’s right, but it’s not like I do it intentionally. I have been hurt so many times now; being guarded is just second nature. It’s how I protect myself.
Chase briefly cups my cheeks in both of his hands before poking my nose and then going back to his seat. “Now,” he says, taking a sip of his coffee. “How did the two of you meet?”
I don’t even get the chance to open my mouth to explain that insane story to him before Darius is excitedly beating me to it. He’s all too eager to tell Chase about my social media blunder, which turns out to be a good thing because my phone vibrates in my back pocket.
Normally, I wouldn’t pull it out while on the floor, but since it’s so quiet, I decide to make an exception. A smile breaks out across my face when I see who the text message is from.
Mark: Thought about you last night.
Maria: Did you now?
His response comes quickly, leading me to imagine him sitting at his desk in his fancy office, swinging back and forth in his chair.
I cross the floor and lean my ass against the counter by the sink.
Darius and Chase don’t need me for their current conversation, and I don’t want or need an audience while I text Mark.
Mark: I did. More specifically, about that kiss.
Maria: Kiss. Right.
Mark: Don’t play coy. You know you were thinking about it, too. You’re probably thinking about it now, even.
Well, I’m sure thinking about it now. It’s still mind-boggling that he has such an effect on me. No one has had that kind of control over me before.
Maria: Maybe
Mark: We should do it again.
Maria: The kiss or go out?
Mark: Yes.
I laugh out loud, causing both Darius and Chase to look over at me. Thankfully, though, they stay where they are.
Maria: Helpful. What are you saying we should do again?
Mark: I think you want to. I think it blew your mind as much as it did mine. Want to do it again tonight?
Maria: Oh my God! The date or the kiss?
Mark: If you wanna know which, you are just going to have to say yes.
I shake my head, loving how easy it is to talk to him, to joke around. It feels like we’ve known each other for a long time.
Maria: You’d better be careful, Mark. Whichever one you are talking about, doing it two nights in a row might lead people to think you like me or something.
Mark: And if I said I did like you? Would it make you blush?
Maria: Maybe
Mark: Good. You’re fucking sexy when you blush.
I nibble on my bottom lip as my face and neck flush crimson as if on cue. I can still feel Darius and Chase watching me, but I can’t tear my gaze off the screen.
Mark: Say yes, Maria. Say yes to tonight.
Maria: Yes.
Mark: Perfect. I’ll pick you up at your place at seven?
Maria: Sounds good. Where are you taking me?
Mark: That’s a secret.
His response causes me to pause a bit and press my lips together. Because that’s not ominous or anything.
Maria: You’re not a serial Killer, are you?
Mark: You know I’m not.
Maria: Stranger things have happened. How will I know what to wear tonight if I don’t know where we are going?
Mark: Nothing fancy and maybe a light jacket.
Mark: And lace underwear if you are so inclined *winking face emoji*
Maria: Or I can forgo panties altogether.
I’m not really going to do it, but if he can tease me, there’s no reason I can’t tease him too.
Mark: And now I get to finish this meeting with a boner. Thanks for that.
Maria: You’re welcome!
The bell above the door dings, and I pocket my phone, now a lot more excited for what tonight might bring. I just hope it doesn’t come back to bite me in the ass later.