Her traitorous heart did a tiny flip-flop in her chest when tall, dark-haired, extremely attractive Eric Miller came into view—definitely hot guy material in every way—and when he saw her approaching, a disarmingly sexy smile formed on his lips as he met her gaze.
“Good morning,” he said when she reached him, his low, husky voice pouring over her like warm honey, which in turn made her feel equally gooey inside. “I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d bring you that coffee you never have time to indulge in on your way to work.”
He offered her the large paper cup he held in his hand, imprinted with the name the Espresso Cup. “White chocolate mocha with an extra shot of espresso and whipped cream, right?”
She blinked at him, shocked and impressed that he’d remembered such a specific drink order, but he was clearly a guy who didn’t miss even the most minute details considering he’d remembered the name of her salon, too.
She accepted the latte with a smile. “Yes, that’s correct. Thank you,” she said, keenly aware that they were being watched, and very blatantly, by her two partners and their curious clients. “That was very nice of you.”
His green eyes twinkled playfully. “It was my pleasure.”
God, the way the word pleasure rolled off his tongue was so decadent and sinful.
His own gaze did a quick sweep of the shop, which was completely, awkwardly silent, as if everyone was waiting with bated breath to hear what he had to say to her.
Absently, he ran his fingers through his hair, disheveling the strands in a way that only added to his masculine appeal. “Do you mind if we take this conversation outside?”
He was obviously just as mindful of their avid audience, and she appreciated the suggestion. “Sure.”
Setting her drink down on the reception counter, she followed him out the main door to the sidewalk in front of Beauty and Bliss. The shop was framed by huge glass windows, and while their discussion was now private, the two of them were still on display and the women inside were not discreet about their staring. She was going to kill her two friends for being so damn nosey.
She crossed her arms over her chest to brace herself for a possible rejection, which was silly because if he was going to say no to her weekend proposition, wouldn’t he have just done it by phone?
His gaze dipped, sliding down to the upper swells of her breasts that she’d just inadvertently offered up for his perusal. He didn’t linger long, just enough to start a slow burn in the pit of her stomach before his eyes made their way back up to her now flushed face. It took everything in her not to shift restlessly on her feet or melt into a puddle at the approving curve to his lips. Apparently, Eric Miller was not only an ass man but a breast man, as well.
She was desperate to dispel the sexual tension vibrating inside her. “So, what brings you by, other than delivering coffee?” Somehow, she managed to keep her tone even and businesslike.
“First and foremost, I wanted to apologize for not getting in touch with you yesterday,” he said, his tone sincere. “I had every intention of calling, but I was slammed at work from the moment I walked into the office. And by the time I got home last night, it was after ten and I didn’t want to risk waking you up.”
His legitimate reason for ignoring her after their meeting softened Evie’s defenses, and her arms and shoulders relaxed a fraction.
“I thought an in-person apology was better than in impersonal text, and I was hoping the coffee would earn me some bonus points for going silent yesterday,” he said, offering her a charming smile that was completely unfair because it made her forget everything but how goddamn sexy and attractive he was. And persuasive, too.
“It did,” she admitted.
He appeared satisfied to hear his ploy had worked. “I was also curious to see where you worked and what your shop was like. I should know all that information if I’m your boyfriend, right?”
It took a few extra seconds for his insinuation to sink in, but she wasn’t going to get too excited until she had a firm confirmation from him. “Does that mean you’re available for me to hire for all of next weekend?” She couldn’t disguise the hope in her voice.
His low, husky laugh was like a caress across her skin. “Yes, that’s exactly what it means, Evie Bennett.”
“Oh my God. Thank you!” A huge wave of relief washed over her, and she reacted without thinking, closing the short distance between them and wrapping her arms around his neck to hug him in gratitude.
As soon as she was pressed tight against him, with her softer feminine curves aligned to his harder masculine body and her cheek rubbing along his slightly rougher skin, that initial gesture of appreciation veered in a whole different direction as awareness slammed her senses. A hard, muscular body she shamelessly wanted to feel naked against hers and warm skin scented with an arousing combination of cologne and pure man that tempted her to bury her face against his neck and breathe deeply of that intoxicating fragrance.