Page 77 of The Jester and His Outlaw: Part One

“You good?” he asks his best friend. Foxy and Kai are too wrapped up in one another to notice. Riggs nods, grimacing.

“I’m gonna get some fresh air. I’ll catch you guys later.” He stands and pulls out his wallet. Fishing through, he pulls out a twenty and tosses it down on the table. Jensen picks it up and hands it back to him, but Riggs looks at his hand with a sneer. After a moment of heated stares, J lets it go.

“Would you like some company?” I ask, not wanting him to leave just yet. I haven’t had enough time with him and we haven’t talked through things. Our conversation on the phone after everything with Brett left me wanting more.

“Sure,” he shrugs his response with one shoulder.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it,” Jensen tells me and I give him a smile.

“Thanks, J.” Riggs shakes his head while he waits for me to crawl from the booth.

When I’m free and standing, his palm falls flat against the small of my back and he leads me out of the diner. I fish my keys out and unlock my Jeep. Not like it matters much because the top is down, but it’s a habit. He shoots me a questioning expression but doesn’t protest and closes my door once I’m settled in my seat. “There’s a place we can go. I bet you’ll like it. Are you allergic to cats?”

“No, I don’t believe I am. I’m not sure I’ve ever been around one long enough to know.”

“Good.”

One of thebest places on earth is the Catty Reader’s Cafe. A place where snuggly kitties, books, and coffee come together. You can bring your own book or read one of theirs while you pet and snuggle cats.

I’m reading Caligo by Torri Heat when Riggs looks up from the orange tabby in his lap. She’s a chunky girl who spotted him as soon as we walked in and wasted no time in forcing him to pay attention to her. He didn’t argue and I’m glad because Riggs petting a fat cat might be one of the cutest things I’ve seen in a while.

“I don’t mean to offend, but romance?” he says as he strokes Fat Cat’s back. They have names, but I try not to get attached because you can adopt from here and it isn’t often that the same cats are here on different visits. I roll over on my back, putting my head closer to his lap as I lay my book across my chest.

“Is romance not good enough for you?” My tone isn’t serious, but I don’t let it appear a joke either. Sometimes a debate does a person good.

“Don’t take this out of context, Charley. I just didn’t peg you for a romance girl. To be honest, you seem like more of a tomboy. Romance is awesome, and I’d be lying if I said I haven’t read it.” That statement would offend most girls, but I’m not. He’s right. I have always been more of a tomboy than a girly-girl. His smile is soft when he plucks the book from my chest and scans the page I’m on. “Wolf shifters? Nice.”

“Fated mates.” I snatch the book back and my fingers brush his arm, sending a shiver coursing through me. I don’t want it to feel this good when I touch Riggs. He should be off limits, but even just sitting here in a cat cafe talking to him has my heart pounding. Time with Riggs is right. I look forward to it. I shouldn’t fight it.

But so many things could go wrong trying to hook up with someone who my parents don’t approve of, someone who has many demons that I don’t know if I can help with. Good thing I don’t give a shit who they like or don’t like. When I’m out of college, I’m out of this high society bullshit.

I want him. I’m not sure I can deny myself any longer of the connection we have.

Riggs circles my wrist with his long fingers and brings it in to kiss the soft flesh of the underside. My nipples harden and my belly warms. Yep, I can’t deny what his touch does to me. I let out an involuntary soft moan and Riggs’ crystal blue eyes flame with desire.

I place my bookmark and whip the book shut, sitting up. Fat Cat jumps from his lap with a little meow and scurries off, only she’s kind of slow, so it’s more like a waddle. Riggs adjusts himself, looking at the floor, and I get a sense of nervousness from him. Is he nervous to kiss me again?

No, not after our kiss in the courtyard.

I sit next to him, similar to the way we snuggled the first time. His body is rigid, and he’s tense, but he wraps his arm over me, anyway. Dropping my head back, I burrow into his chest and my lips find the skin of his neck. I press a lingering kiss there as I inhale his sexy scent. He goes even more still, swallowing hard.

“Riggs, what is it?” I ask in a whisper.

“Nothing,” he clips, and his hand on my back clenches. His touch, even seemingly platonic, is turning me on.

“It’s obviously something.” He sighs, pushing air through his nostrils. I place my palm on the side of his face and force him to look at me. His lips are mere inches from me and I lick mine without realizing what I’m doing. Eyes glued to the motion my tongue makes, he shifts, then glances away as he grinds his jaw. He’s fighting us, just like I have been. I wonder what his reasons are, but I’m also afraid to ask. “Kiss me, Riggs.”

Without hesitation, he says, “I can’t, Charley. It was a mistake coming here with you.” I don’t move a single inch to let him up. I’m not even upset because he’s just doubting himself. A relationship between us would be tricky and hard. I’m sure he is a struggle to be with because he’s grumpy and sad most of the time and he doesn’t let anyone in. But I want to be the person to try. I don’t want to deny us any longer or keep questioning things. Our start was unconventional. Sure, however, I get it and I want him.

“You’ve kissed me already, Riggs, on the lips and now the wrist. Did that not mean anything?”

“People make mistakes, Outlaw.” I don’t let myself get mad. Frustrated, a little, but not mad. He’s only trying to keep us from inevitable pain he believes will happen.

“And Outlaw. What the fuck is that? That’s some romance novel shit. You don’t just give people sexy nicknames.”

“Sexy nicknames?” He momentarily cracks a delicious smile, landing his icy blues on me before he zips it all back up.

“Yeah, that’s a sexy as shit nickname,Jester.” His face crumples into a frown.

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