Total pages in book: 19
Estimated words: 17808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 89(@200wpm)___ 71(@250wpm)___ 59(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 17808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 89(@200wpm)___ 71(@250wpm)___ 59(@300wpm)
None of that happened, though. It wasn’t until he put his hand on mine that I realized I’d taken my glasses off and was chewing on the end.
“How are you going to see my pretty face if you don’t wear them?”
Well, I had his face memorized, but that was beside the point.
“I have contacts,” I admitted. “I’ve worn them for years. I’m just so used to glasses that I still get the frames but with regular glass in them, so no worries. I can definitely see your pretty face. It’s one of my favorite things to look at.”
I froze. Almost vomited. Wanted to crawl under the table and not come out.
First, I’d admitted I didn’t actually need to wear the glasses I religiously had with me, and second…Jesus Christ, had I really told him his face was one of my favorite things? Was that a thing people actually said?
“Oh God,” I added.
Ronan’s grin spread. “I like looking at you too.”
He winked, then turned and walked away.
It wasn’t until my chest hurt that I realized I’d stopped breathing.
CHAPTER TWO
Ronan
I didn’t know what it was about the adorable redhead that had caught my attention, but he had and had yet to let go. I flirted with everyone. When I came out at eighteen, I decided I was done being ashamed and hiding who I was, and I hadn’t done that since. Hence the flirting. I enjoyed it, so I did it, but I enjoyed it a whole hell of a lot more with Mickey.
He blushed like crazy and was shy, awkward, and cute as all hell. But there was something else there too. This fire in his eyes that he seemed to be fighting with himself to tamp down, but I could tell it wanted to burn free.
Or maybe I was just weird about this guy and had no idea what I was talking about.
I really wanted to know what he was always working on when he came in. He lost himself in it. Sometimes I could stare at him for minutes on end and he would never know. It was like he’d stepped outside his body, completely immersed in his work and the click-click-click of the keys his fingers so deftly danced across.
Yeah, I was clearly losing it. I’d never been this fascinated with anyone in my life. Well, that wasn’t true, but with the last guy, I’d never even known his name or seen his face.
We got a small rush, so I got back to work, trying to force myself not to obsess over Freckles.
At seven, when he usually ate his meal, I brought it to him. At first, he didn’t seem to notice I was standing there, but then he snapped out of it, pulled his earbuds out, and angled his laptop away from me.
“I would never read what you’re working on without permission. No matter how curious I am.”
“Sorry. It’s a habit. I’m…protective.”
“No worries. We all have our secrets. One day I’ll get you to share yours with me.” I winked, then returned to work. Once at the counter, I glanced over. He was still staring at me, his head cocked slightly, before he shook it, turned red, and looked away.
Mickey stayed until nine, then packed up his bag, gave me a small wave, and left.
“What’s with you and that guy?” Brooks, one of my employees, asked.
“What do you mean?”
“It’s pretty clear he’s crushing on you, and from what I’ve seen, you’re interested too, which I have to admit, shocks me a little. He’s not your usual type.” No, he wasn’t, but again, there was just something about Mickey that had grabbed me and had yet to let go. I shrugged, and Brooks continued, “I guess I don’t understand why you haven’t gone any further. When you want a guy, you go for it. I’ve never seen you hold back before.”
“Don’t know. Can’t quite put my finger on what it is.”
Mickey was special, and I was aware that sounded ridiculous, considering I didn’t know him outside of the fact that he was a librarian who had come into my coffeehouse regularly for the past year to work. But I’d always been one to trust my gut, and when it came to him, I knew I had to tread carefully, or I’d lose any chance with him at all.
Another customer came in, and I said, “I’ll get the register if you want to start cleaning up.”
Brooks nodded his agreement, and I got busy, trying to stop thinking about that pretty pink flush on freckled skin.
CHAPTER THREE
Mickey
BoyToy5600: Did you go skinny-dipping yet?
WordsAreLife: No.
BoyToy5600: Doooooo iiiiiiiiit!
WordsAreLife: The point is, I want to skinny-dip with someone, not by myself.
BoyToy5600: Yes, I know. The point is, you’re supposed to ask your crush. You said he flirts with you.
WordsAreLife: He flirts with everyone. And what am I supposed to say? Hey, let’s grab dinner and maybe afterward we can get naked in a lake?