Page 49 of Wingwoman
The Texas drawl caused a shiver to glide down my spine.
I glanced to my left, unsurprised to find Josh leaning close to my ear. I rolled my eyes and ignored the way my flesh lifted with goosebumps. The barista gave me an apologizing shrug. “I assume you mean large… largest we’ve got is twenty ounces.”
She pointed at a large plastic cup and I gave her a smile. “Yes, thank you.” Then hitching my thumb over my shoulder, I responded, “I think some people like to play dumb as if they don’t know what those sizes mean.”
Her smile grew wider. “I know what you mean. At this point, don’t we all have Starbucks vernacular in our everyday language? I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s added toWebster’s Dictionarysoon.”
I liked her. And I didn’t think it was simply out of desperation that she couldbe a candidate for Josh. I genuinely liked the girl.
She turned around to pour my cold brew and with her back to us, I gave Josh a look, glancing first at him, then back to her, with a quick wiggle of my eyebrows.
He looked confused at first as his gaze lifted past me to where she stood behind the counter. “Her?” he whispered.
“She’s cute,” I mouthed back to him.
He rolled his eyes, sipping a paper cup of something. “Youcan’tbe serious? You must really hate the idea of being my muse if you’re stooping to suggesting a bari—”
I clamped my palm over his mouth. “Shhh,” I hushed him. “You don’t have to be a jerk about it. You still have a reputation to uphold, you know.”
Though I couldn’t see his mouth, I could feel his smile beneath my palm. And I could see the way his eyes narrowed, crinkling with the grin.
That was the thing about Josh. When he smiled, he did so with his whole face, not just his mouth. And the sight of it made my stomach knot with pleasure.
My lungs tightened as I felt his hot breath caress over the skin of my hand. I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry at the feel of his lips against my flesh.
He made a lowhmmmsound that vibrated against my hand and seemingly connected straight to my chest. I pulled my hand back and suppressed the tremble that coursed down my body.
I liked his lips. I liked them way, way too much.
And unfortunately, I now knew how damn good they felt pressed against mine.
“Here you go,” the barista said as she handed me an icy tumbler of cold brew coffee.
Thank God. I needed the cold drink to cool down my heated face.
I smiled and thanked her, taking it to the counter to fix it up with half and half. I felt Josh follow me, standing right over my shoulder as I stirred the creamer into my coffee.
“I’ve been thinking,” he said quietly. “You’re right about unveiling my muse at the charity rodeo.”
Shiiiiiit. “I am?”
He nodded and slid his hands into his pockets. “If we find a muse, yes. I don’t have to worry about tarnishing her legacy, because as you pointed out yesterday, my feelings for my muse will be real. Otherwise, I wouldn’t agree to her.”
I grunted. “Well, that’s for damn sure. You’ve given me a run for my money here.”
“Cute,” he said. “But bottom line… you win. Let’s announce my muse as my new girlfriend at the rodeo.”
“Great,” I said.
Woohoo, I thought without enthusiasm.
I won.
I won the small victory that I shouldn’t have been fighting for in the first place. “You can go get us a table, you know. You don’t have to stand at my heels like a well-trained poodle.”
He was silent behind me and I resisted the urge to glance back at him.
Instead, I eventually heard his low chuckle. “I already saved us a table in the back corner. But Hope,” his voice lowered and I felt his whiskered chin brush my shoulder as he added, “I’m hardly a poodle.” I bit my lip to keep from grinning.
