Fat Cat Liar
“Are you ready?” Her sweet voice brings my attention back to her face, and I nod.
“Great, let me get my bag.” When she turns, I get the full view of her from behind.
There’s a stir in my gut, and my cock comes to life at the sight. Her entire back is exposed, covered only with a crisscross of the same thin straps on her shoulders. She continues to talk, but I don’t comprehend what she’s said until she’s back in front of me.
“I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“I was saying, I hope you like cheese danishes. I called ahead and had Ricardo set some aside. He makes world-class pastries unmatched anywhere. They sell out by eight on Sundays, but I explained you are new and needed the full experience.”
“Ricardo?”
“The owner of the café on the corner. That’s our first stop.”
“First stop?” My mind is hazy, and nothing she says is sinking in. I jerk my head a few times to try to break out of the daze.
“Well, I thought we could walk a few blocks and I can point out some of the places you may be interested in.” She narrows her eyes at me, and her smile fades into a thin line. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, absolutely,” I force out. “I’m great.”
“Do you like danishes?”
“Of course, I do. What man would turn down a world-class pastry with such a beautiful date?”
Her face heats, but the smile returns and I want to pound on my chest.
What the fuck, Lawson?
I sweep my hand to the hallway. “Should we go?”
She locks her apartment and leads the way to the elevator. On the walk to the café, Greer explains a few of the local landmarks, but I have a hard time concentrating. The sidewalks are busy this morning, and she’s forced to brush up against me several times. Each brief touch awakens something inside.
An unwanted attraction builds, and I mentally scold myself for allowing emotions to surface.
Stick to the plan.
When she opens the door to the café, the overwhelming scent of freshly brewed coffee and sugary goodness hits us.
“Greer!” A robust man rushes toward her and kisses both her chee
ks, whispering something in her ear.
She laughs, caressing his cheek lovingly, and then turns to me. “Lawson, this is Ricardo.”
He glowers at me. His only emotion is the red-hot heat of disapproval in his eyes.
“So nice to meet you. Greer has praised your café all morning.” I hold out a hand.
He takes it, squeezing a little too tight, and I fight a hiss when he crushes my broken knuckle.
“Greer is family,” Ricardo bites out.
His warning is loud and clear, adding another layer to the enigma of Greer.
I may not be a fighter, but I could easily beat this man to a pulp.
When I’m convinced he’s broken another knuckle, he drops my hand and walks away, muttering something I don’t comprehend.
“Don’t mind him. He’s a little protective. He wasn’t welcoming to Jonas and Enrique the first few times he met them either.” She giggles, motioning to a small table.