Page 24 of Seeking Two Lovers

“Sorry,” I rushed to say, snagging the bill he’d held toward me as heat flooded my cheeks. Cheryl had said he’d asked after me, but maybe he didn’t like forward girls. Maybe—

“H-How about a late lunch instead?” Blaine’s suggestion barely escaped his mouth, and he swallowed again.

I could work with shy. Hell knew, no man could be worse than Levi.

My smile widened as I handed over his change. “I’d love that.”

“T-Tomorrow? I have to finish up the patio job and should be done by one. Maybe one-thirty.” His words left in a rush, and he struggled to hold my gaze.

“Meet you here?” I suggested, realizing I would need to take it easy on the poor guy.

“Here. Tomorrow.” He nodded, his focus flitting toward me a few times as he stepped off to the side to wait for his order.

“Hi,” I said to the next person in line, for once not having to force a smile.

I caught Blaine’s gaze again before he headed toward the door, and I fluttered my fingers, jittery as hell.

Two dates in one day—but I doubted I’d get laid twice in those hours. Blaine was hot as hell and filled out his dirty work clothes enough to spin my head, so I didn’t mind waiting for him to make a move. Even if it took a few lunch or dinner dates.

He seemed the type that would be worth the wait.

8

BLAINE

I asked a girl out for lunch—and I hadn’t even gotten her name.

She was so damn pretty, and her smile made my knees weak. I almost drowned in her sparkly dark eyes, could barely keep my thoughts straight. How the hell was I going to sit across from her at a table without my usual buffer to ease my nervousness?

“You got this.” I shook my hands out at my sides, striding down the sidewalk toward the cafe on Thursday for my date. “You need this.” My self pep talk fell flat.

I’d never had a woman on my own, and the thought of it, while exciting, felt…off. Strangely unnatural.

I’m too dependent on Grey.

Everything good in my life was wrapped up in a neat package with him. What would happen when he was ready to move on from sharing a place with his best friend? Start something serious with whoever turned him inside out?

My stomach twisted.

I would be left to scramble on my own, live on my own, without his emotional support and strength.

The idea of a life without him made me just as sick, but I realized it was time to pull up my big boy boxers and do something alone for a change. Hitting bottom the night before had opened my eyes to that truth, and while I loved Grey, I needed to prove to myself that I could stand on my own two feet for when he eventually left me on the side of the road after finding his soul mate.

If things went well, if coffee girl and I ended up connecting and we met up enough times I was comfortable with her alone, then I would tell Grey about her.

Fuck knew he didn’t fill me in on every hookup he’d had since moving to California—

She stood outside the cafe, her long blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, large sunglasses covering her eyes. Still dressed in her work uniform, same as me, but mine was dirty from finishing up the job two blocks away.

I swatted at my thighs, dust from cutting pavers billowing around me while I walked toward her.

While I couldn’t see her eyes, her head swiveled my way, and her smile stole my breath. Could she be any more beautiful?

My legs shook while I moved closer, my own grin making an appearance even though my insides quivered like Jell-O.

“Hi.” She spoke first, her husky tone shooting lust straight to my balls.

“Hi.” I stopped a few feet away, hands shoved in my pockets, mind blank to everything but her. Petite to my six-plus feet. Narrow across the shoulders unlike mine. Fairer hair to my dark.

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