Page 16 of Mocha Kisses

Rome avoids my question. “What brought you to town?”

“An editing job.”

His brows raise as he leans against the back counter, his arms folding across his chest and showing off that colorful sleeve of tattoos. It reminds me of the way he held me last night, my cheeks heating at the memory. When Rome licks his lips, swallowing so that his Adam’s apple bobs up and down, I know he’s thinking of the same thing. “Wait, you must be my roommate’s new editor. Griffin? He’ll be pleasantly surprised.”

I don’t like the sound of that. “Why?”

“You’re nothing like the last few that have strolled in here and you have a good head on your shoulders. Besides, you’re way easier on the eyes than the last one.” Rome’s face scrunches up and he looks adorable despite all the piercings. I’m surprised though, since Casey is most everyone’s type.

“Thanks, I guess?”

“It was a compliment, Luna.”

I frown, glancing around the small café. Nothing has changed from when his father ran it, maybe some repairs but that’s it. And yet, there’s no way someone like Rome is this nice. Well, no way someone my age is this nice. “Do you have a secret family you’re hiding or something? You’re so…giving.”

Pain flits through his expression and I almost miss it. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“Are you married?” I angrily push away from the table, searching his left hand for a ring. How I got to this conclusion I’ll never know but I’m not a homewrecker and I don’t need the extra attention. By the scrunched look on Rome’s face, I can tell that I’ve broached a topic he doesn’t want to dwell on.

“Luna, I was. It didn’t work out and we wanted different things.” His words end with a sigh and I feel that I’ve officially ruined the mood. What with my bad table manners and digging into his personal life, I can’t imagine we’ll be doing this again anyways. I’ll keep my head down when I walk past the café to get to Griffin’s office.

Silently, I down the rest of the coffee and wrap up the muffin in a napkin from the holder beside my seat. Rome watches until I’m halfway to the door and then he’s right beside me, gently pulling me into his arms.

“Luna, I didn’t expect someone to stumble into Spring Haven last night but I’m glad it was you. Don’t be a stranger.” Then he kisses me, sweet and sensual. He doesn’t push. He doesn’t demand. He just sups until he’s had enough and pulls back, that radiant smile resting on his lips once again. “Good luck, sweetheart.”

I’m not sure the last time I had someone in my corner and even if Rome doesn’t truly mean those words, they warm my heart anyway and stupidly promise me a future where there is none.

Nova

Griffin’ssoftmurmursagainstmy chest draw a smile to my lips, his full head of hair nestled beneath my chin. His arm is thrown over my waist, one of his legs following suit. He sleeps like a koala at times and I cherish the moments he’s wrapped around me. It makes me feel needed, wanted,important.

However, I shouldn’t have done that. I shouldn’t be greedy where Griffin is concerned but he’s been with me for so long that I’m too selfish to let him go. I’ve always known that if Luna shows up I might be pushed to the back burner and as much as it hurts, I want to see my lover happy—whatever that means. He smiles but never with his eyes. He hasn’t for years until last night when he heard her name.

Rome doesn’t smile much either, discarded by his ex-wife because she thought the grass was greener on the other side. It wasn’t and she’s been occasionally calling him to reconnect. For some reason, he doesn’t block her, grimacing every time he declines her calls. I can’t say that it’s healthy but we all deal with our demons differently.

My need to protect and care for both of them is obscene but I attribute it to the fact I never received the care I wanted as a child and am now making sure the men in my life get everything I never had.

Pressing a kiss to Griffin’s forehead, I untangle myself from him and head to the closet. The suit of the day is fully black, paired with a light blue button-down shirt and a plaid black tie with navy accents. Griffin prides himself in choosing my clothing, only because he’d rather don himself in sweats and a sweatshirt. I’ve told him time and time again that his presence is the first thing people see but I kind of love the fact that he doesn’t care.

My job as his lawyer and most of Spring Haven’s insists on the suit, mostly because I am dealing with corporations eagerly trying to buy into available land surrounding our little piece of paradise. Should they buy out any of the farms or smaller stores, Spring Haven will lose its charm and none of us are ready for that.

I make my way to the kitchen after washing up and slipping into my clothes, surprised that Rome’s door is open. He must have not come home last night, which is strange but not out of the ordinary. Peeking at my phone, I realize that he hasn’t answered any of the texts in the group chat. This time when I shoot him a text, it’s privately.

You good?

Yeah sorry. I’ll be over in like an hour.

Everything okay?

Yep.

Bring a few bagels.

For Luna?

How do you know the editor’s name?

I frown, wondering how he could have met her. Sure, maybe she stopped in for a coffee but there’s no way he would have made the connection between her name and our newest editor. I press the green call button and wait for him to pick up.

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