Frayed Silk(5)

Despite the accuracy of his statement, I laugh quietly. “Is that like a weird fetish of yours or something?”

He huffs. “Hardly. But it comes in handy because I usually want to steer clear of that shit.” His eyes fall on me. “But you … well, you look like you need a good bit of loving or at the very least, a friend.”

My heart stutters at his words. He’s right. I do, but I just don’t want it from him. Besides … “I have friends.”

“While that may be so, it might help to hang out, you know … to take your mind off whatever is troubling you so much.”

I scoop the carrot slices into a bowl and grab the cling wrap from the counter behind me, mulling over it for a few minutes.

Is it wrong to have coffee with another man? One who’s made his interest in me so blatantly obvious over these past few weeks? Hell yes, it is. But I’m beginning not to give a damn about right and wrong. Not when Leo so clearly doesn’t seem to give a shit anyway.

“Okay.” I lean a hip against the stainless-steel counter to face him. “One coffee.” I raise my brows and pointer finger in warning.

He grins, startling me when he leans in to grab my cheeks to place a quick, loud peck on my forehead. “You won’t regret it, Blondie.”

Let’s hope not.

We finish our shift, and I wait for him outside while he fills out some paperwork needed for his probation officer. I don’t know all the details of what he did, but I heard that he used to be mixed up with a bad circle of people, who were heavily involved in motor vehicle theft. He swaggers a little as he walks out to find me standing here. Beaming, as if he thought I’d renege on our coffee date.

Date? Nope, just coffee, I tell myself. And who knows, maybe caving a little will help in getting him to back off a bit.

He wraps an arm around my shoulder, and I instantly lift it off me, scowling up at him.

Chuckling, he raises his hands in the air. “Okay, got it.”

We walk into an old diner at the end of the street, and Jared slides into an empty booth in the corner. I hop in on the other side, placing my purse down next to me and ordering a latte when the waitress comes by. Jared orders a flat white, and I can’t help but think about Leo and his love for black coffee, no sugar. I pull my phone out to check it but find no missed calls or texts. I don’t know what I was expecting really. Maybe a sign that I shouldn’t be doing this? I bite my lip as anxiety assaults me and put my phone away.

Jared leans across the table between us, clasping his hands together as he stares intently at me. My teeth slowly release their hold on my lip as I realize no man has really looked at me in this way for months.

“What’s eating at you, Blondie? Is that Rover of yours giving you trouble? Because I know a guy—”

A laugh escapes as I hold a hand up, halting his words. “Stop, no.”

He winks. “Just let me know.”

“Aren’t you in enough trouble with the law?” I ask him.

“Well, I didn’t say I’d be doing anything, now did I?” He gives me a wicked grin, and I feel butterflies slowly awaken in my stomach. Which terrifies me, so I decide to cut the bullshit. “Jared, you’re funny, handsome, and I’m sure you can be very sweet, in your own unconventional way …”

He gasps loudly. “You can’t break up with me yet, babe. We’ve only just begun.”

I burst out laughing again, wiping underneath my eyes.

“Man, you should really do that more,” he says quietly.

“Huh?” I thank the waitress when she places our mugs down and moves to the table across from us.

“Laugh. You should definitely laugh more.”

Oh. The smile wilts off my face as my cheeks start to heat. I tug my mug over to me, prepping it before blowing and taking a small, tentative sip. “Wow. This is amazing.”

He takes a sip of his own. “Right? Best coffee in this damn city.”

We drink in silence for a few minutes, and I start to fidget under his searching green gaze.

“It’s your husband, isn’t it?” he asks suddenly, looking at the diamond ring on my finger.

I almost choke on my coffee. “Excuse me?”

“Your husband. He’s the one who’s got you looking like you’re barely scraping by.” He then eyes my Gap t-shirt dress, my hair, and my purse. “Even if you have money.”

“Funny you should say that. I grew up in this city in a tiny one bedroom flat—just me and my mom.”

“No way.” He whistles. “And Mr. Rich swooped in to save your ass? Cinderella style?”

I smile sadly. “Not exactly. We met in college, and I thought he was a rich prick until I finally gave him a chance. He grew up where we live now, Bonnets Bay.”

Jared’s eyes widen. “A Bay bitc—” He cuts himself off, a wee bit too late.

“A Bay bitch,” I finish for him, rolling my eyes. “Yes. Though not all of us are bitches. Just FYI.”

He simply smirks. “So Miss I have a perfect life, what’s happened?”

I take a deep breath, not sure whether to say anything. We haven’t really known each other that long. So I settle on something small. “Just … things between my husband and I have been, strained, I guess.” I shrug as if it’s not tearing me to shreds.