Page 11 of Savage

“I think that’s—” His eyes widened as he looked up at me, and he let go.

Blue.That was the answer to the lingering question I’d had. Light blue eyes under strong brows that made him moreattractive up close than I’d realized, even after all the time spent following him the last few days.

This was a monumentally bad fuck-up.

But it was too late for regrets.

I held his gaze and picked up the coffee, just as the barista called out, “Cappuccino for Stone.”

“Looks like I grabbed yours by mistake,” I said, and glanced at the name on the cup. “Cooper?”

He blinked and then seemed to find his words. “Uh, yeah. That’s me.”

“Sorry about that.” I handed him the coffee, making sure our fingers touched—because I was a glutton for punishment, obviously.

“Oh, no problem. It happens, right?” He smiled at me then, a friendly, interested smile that had me realizing this brief interaction wasn’t going to be enough.

I was so fucked for this.

“Croissant for Cooper,” the barista called out, stealing Cooper’s attention as he reached for the to-go bag. I grabbed my own coffee and didn’t miss the way he glanced past me at the table in the corner that he usually commandeered.

The one I just happened to have my coat thrown over.

Coincidence? Absolutely not.

All it took was seeing the disappointment flash across his face for me to make him an offer.

“Care to join me?” I said, nodding toward the table. “If you’re not rushing off to work or to meet someone, of course.”

“No, I’m not meeting—” He stopped and glanced down at the floor, biting back a smile before he looked up at me. “I mean, sure.”

One side of my lips curved, and I inclined my head for him to follow me, even though that was the last thing he should be doing. The last thingIshould be inviting. There was noreason for me to get further involved, to ask questions, to know anything more about him than what Alessio had given me.

But here I was sitting down opposite the one man I knew I should be avoiding.

Cooper pulled his chair out and took a seat, his cheeks a soft pink as he played with the coffee cup in his hands, his eyes glued to the table.

I wonder if that’s from nerves or the warmth of the fire crackling in the corner?Either way, it made him even more appealing than I’d first thought.

“So, um…” Cooper swallowed as his eyes finally found mine across the table. “I didn’t catch your name back there.”

“That’s because I didn’t give it.” I leaned back in my seat and ran my finger along the lip of the cup. “But if you ask me nicely, I could be persuaded.”

Cooper chuckled, and his cheeks turned a deep crimson. “Nicely, huh?”

“Uh huh.”

“That hardly seems fair. You got mine, no trouble at all.”

Now that was a laugh. I’d gotten into a world of trouble saving him and learning his name, and if King knew I was currently sitting in some hipster café with him then I’d be in deep fucking shit.

“Who said anything about trouble?” I sat forward and picked up my coffee to take a sip. “I said if you ask menicely.But…if trouble is what you’re looking for, I’m not averse to that either.”

Cooper’s eyes darkened at my blatant come-on, and if I wasn’t actually sitting here I wouldn’t believe the stuff coming out of my mouth.

Was Iflirtingwith him?

Yeah, that’s exactly what I was fucking doing. It’d just been so long that I hardly recognized it. But with his blue eyes focused on my mouth, his fingers rubbing up and down the side of hiscup, and the tip of his tongue wetting his lower lip, I couldn’t seem to stop myself.

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