Page 6 of Dangerous Love

What should I do today?As soon as my eyes landed on the journal sticking out of my laptop bag, I sighed, slight shame overtaking me at the little devil’s voice in my head laughing at Evelyn’s instructions.Practice your WWW and gratitude journal, Sienna. Every single day.

I grabbed the journal, and the gel pen next to it, and opened the book to a new page. I added today’s date, the purple ink turning into calligraphical symbols on each corner.

What worked well today?

“Hmmm…” I searched for the happy news in my head, tossing between the double shift I’d scored for tomorrow, and the sweet hot drink steaming in front of me. My fingers ran through the page, adding both to the list of positive triggers, and I relaxed, my shoulders dropping as I swallowed the first sip of liquid.Cheers to small victories.

I added the name of the exercise at the top of the journal, and like a well-rehearsed play, I allowed the lines of my mental script to spill onto the paper. As much as I hated feeling so weak, I had to give it to my therapist. Getting things off my chest did take a load off. With every word, my hand moved faster across the page, and a paragraph later, I was back to being somewhat of a decent human.

My phone rang fifteen minutes into my positive psychology vent, and my supervisor’s name flashed on the device. I picked up. “Hi, Sam.”

"Just confirming that you’re all good for a double shift tomorrow and the next day?”

“You got it.” Not only was I grateful for the entertainment, I was also counting on the money. After the wedding, I planned on moving out of Avery and Grace’s house and into my own place. As caring as they all were, I loved my own company better. “With bells and whistles.”

“I wouldn't expect anything less from you,” my boss teased.

My eye caught a silhouette glaring in my direction right before it dashed into the men’s. My skin prickled. Black pants, green top, but not enough time to check out his face.

So I like writing in a journal while sipping on hot chocolate. Sue me...

I turned my head back, my mind refocusing on my call. “Glad to hear my reputation precedes me.” I laughed into the receiver. Right as I was about to hang up, a weird sixth sense triggered my brain, and I paused, trying to put my finger on why the figure coming my way was oddly familiar. “Thanks, Sam. Chat tomorrow,” I said to my boss, my hypervigilance on high alert. I narrowed my eyes. With a cap and sunglasses covering half his face, the guy studied me with every step he took.

Strong. Confident.Determined.

If this was about me hogging a whole table with my stuff, he could go fuck himself. If it was a desperate stud move, then he could do it twice. An unease grew in my gut, and I grabbed my pen tighter, my fingers pressing hard against the plastic. I ignored him and went back to my journal.You’re paranoid. That’s what you get for turning into a hermit.

“I thought it was you.”

In about twice the time it should have taken, I lifted my head from the pits of my journal, hoping the slow motion would give me a head start with the voice recognition. “Excuse me?”

I drilled into the man behind the shades, and as if he took the clue, he removed the cap and sunglasses. He smiled, and it hit me. First, the buzzing through my ears. Then, the shards slicing my throat. And finally, the out-of-control heart rate whipping at my chest.

Please, please, please. No freaking way.Eyes wide and mouth agape, I begged my brain to kick itself back into gear. But no. Riley Williams stood there, smiling at me, his voice huskier than I remembered.

“How have you been, Sienna?” The world froze, every second feeling like a decade of shame, fear, and betrayal. The whole lot came crashing down when he shuffled onto the booth across from me. “Can I sit for a minute?”

I swallowed hard.Wake up. You’re not sixteen anymore.“Clearly, the question is just for show.” I steadied my breathing, my palms hiding on my lap until I’d regained somewhat of my composure.

He smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “If you ask me to leave, I will.” He pointed to my hot chocolate. “But I’d love to get you another one of those and catch up.”

There was no way I was letting whatever the hell was still floating in my subconscious for him make me weak. I narrowed my eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“I was on my way back from a meeting and decided I’d pick up some coffee. Then I saw you, and thought I’d say hello.”

“Drive-through not your thing?” I deadpanned.

He chuckled. “Nature called.”

My heart fluttered, my eyes scanning my old flame as discreetly as they could.

Damn.He was hot. His jet-black hair teased his forehead, and his jaw had squared up since the last time I’d seen him. A light shadow covered his cheeks. His lips were as kissable as I’d remembered, but now, to top it all off, he had the body worthy of a yearly Manpower calendar.

A tinge of comfort niggled at me, and that part wanted nothing more than to hear Riley’s updates, to see if my friend was hiding in the shell of this new hotcake. However, the other part screamed at the top of its lungs that men weren’t to be trusted while it gathered whips, chains, and big-ass locks to keep the soft me in line.

“Happens to the best of us,” I said, my fingers clutching my empty cup.

“How have you been?” A shade of seriousness came over him as he leaned forward, his elbows on the table between us.

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