Pit Stop: Baby! (Crescent Cove 4)

I stepped away from him. “Everything.”

His low laugh made me pick up the pace to get into line. I didn’t need him making fun of me on top of it. In fact, I didn’t need any of this. I was just getting settled in Crescent Cove. I had a decent job and I’d even made a new friend.

Sort of.

If late night break-ins and a love of scary movies counted anyway.

“Hey, mocha latte. How’s it hanging?”

“I need a double shot.”

Macy wiped down the counter. “And for your friend?”

Gage stepped up right behind me. I elbowed him back a step. The bastard just laughed. “Surprise me. I’m told you’re a bit of a genius knowing what people need.”

Macy glanced at me then at Gage. “Uh-huh. You got it.” She tipped her head. “What do you do, stretch?”

“He’s a race car driver.”

“Ex-race car driver.”

I spun around. “Excuse me?”

“You don’t know...well, anything about me, huntress.”

“Well, alrighty then.” Macy looked between us then hurried away from us to her espresso machine.

I frowned up at him. “What does that mean?”

He shrugged. “You just made it way more interesting to be back in town.”

“Wait, what?”

He leaned down into my space. “I was only passing through. Visit the folks, harass my brother. You know how it goes. Now? Well, Crescent Cove just got a lot more intriguing.”

I was officially fucked, minus the orgasm. At least a recent one. And orgasms were not like pennies in the bank. Saving them up did not pay dividends. It just made you that much more likely to jump the first sexy dude who touched your…dart.

“Here you go.” Macy rattled off the total for our drinks.

Gage held out his credit card. “Can you add two lunch specials to that?”

“Sure.” She tapped her long finger along the edge of Gage’s card. “All good, mocha?”

“What?” I blinked. God, I felt so dumb. I literally couldn’t get past the part about him staying in town. “Oh, umm.” I blinked up at the menu board with the lunch special of soup and grilled cheese. Sounded amazing actually. Even if my stupid body temperature would skyrocket for the rest of the day. “Yes, thank you.”

Macy swiped his card and handed him his receipt.

Gage took it and stuffed a bill into the tip jar. “Thanks.”

I didn’t want to look, but fucking sue me. How he tipped said a lot about a guy. Twenty fucking bucks? Yeah, either he was trying to impress me—working—or he was throwing around money to look cool—asshole.

Jury was still out.

He took our cups with a charming smile for Macy. “Thanks.” He turned, invading my space again. “Sit outside or in here?”

Considering it had been raining since I moved to town, I was taking the outdoors option. That and I could walk away faster if need be. “Outside.” That, and I was already feeling a hot flash coming on. They were getting freaking ridiculous.

“I’ll have Vee bring your food out.”