Dirty Toe Drag (Nashville Assassins Next Generation 6)

Stella beats me to the coffee shop and is seated on the patio with an iced coffee and an easy grin on her face. I hold up my hands in justification as I call to her, “In my defense, I walked.”

“I would have picked you up,” she says as I lean toward her, kissing her cheek. Jesus, she smells like jasmine and orange. So fresh. Her hair is down under a wide-brimmed black hat. She’s wearing thick black sunglasses, but her jumpsuit is a bright pink that comes to her knees before showing off some sexy calves and even sexier black heels. She looks as if she belongs in a 1920s magazine ad.

“I have a truck.”

“That you tend not to drive,” she says as I sit in front of her.

“I thought it would be faster to walk, and I wouldn’t have to deal with parking.”

“True. I’m in heels, so I’m not walking this far.”

I smile over at her. “You sure are gorgeous.”

“Suck-up.”

“You mean truth-speaker.” She snorts as I hook a thumb toward the shop. “I’m gonna run in and get something. You good?”

“Yup. Want me to come with you?”

“Nah. This is a good spot. Don’t lose it.”

She snickers as I head inside and order myself a drink. While I wait, I watch her as the breeze moves her hair along her shoulders. She looks incredible, so beautiful. I can’t believe she asked me here, but damn, I’m grateful. When my phone sounds in my back pocket, I reach for it, a little dread in my gut at the potential of it being the same number from before, even though I know I blocked it. It’s not, but my stomach still drops.

It’s Aiden.

“Hey, bro. What’s up?” I say as I answer very calmly and evenly.

“Nothing much. What’re you doing? Want to meet up at Topgolf?”

I pause. “I’m actually out already.”

“Oh, okay. Wanna meet up after?”

“Maybe. Let me see how long I’ll be here.”

“Where?”

“Um, excuse me, Mom. I am a big boy.”

He laughs. “You’re good, though?”

“Yeah, fine.”

“On a date?”

I chuckle softly. “Kinda. She wants to talk.”

“Talk? And you went?”

“Yeah. She’s special.”

“Wow,” he draws out. “Someone has finally caught your eye?”

“Eh, she’s had it.”

“Interesting. When you’re ready, let me know. Shelli and I would love to meet her.”

I glance back out at his sister. Stella has her head tipped back, warming her face with the sun. “For sure, dude.”

“Awesome. Well, enjoy, and if you want to meet us, we’re all heading out in an hour for Topgolf.”

“Sounds good. I’ll probably swing through.”

We say goodbye just as my name is called for my coffee. I grab it, smile a thanks to the barista, and then head outside. Stella looks up as I approach, her lips tipping up on one side, and I know she’s looking me over. I can’t see her eyes, but her smile tells me everything I need to know. Fuck, she makes me hot. “Your brother called me.”

She nods, her grin not faltering. “What did he want?”

“Invited me to golf. But I told him I was out on a hot coffee date.”

Her brows rise above her glasses. “You tell him you were with me?”

“Nope. Left that part out since I’m not sure why you asked me here.”

She laughs around the straw she has against her lips. “How do you plan on going about that?”

I shrug as I lean on my elbows. “Straight up with him—once I know you want to see where this goes.”

“Where are you wanting it to go?”

“I mean, I like the idea of us. But until I know if we’re compatible, I don’t want to scare either of us.”

“Smart.”

“Not my first rodeo, Stella.”

“Oh, really?”

“I’m sure this is hard to believe, but I have been in a serious relationship or two.”

“That is hard to believe. I was told you were a love ’em hard and leave ’em guy.”

“Oh, I am, but I know special when I see it.”

Her cheeks fill with the softest, rosiest color. “Interesting.”

I reach toward her, removing her sunglasses, and she lets me with no hesitation. “I want to see your eyes.”

“Satisfied?”

“Not even in the slightest. But damn, those are some pretty eyes.”

She grins. “What ended those serious relationships?”

I take a long sip of my coffee, my gaze burning into hers. “I’m sure you know being with a hockey player is a lot.”

“I’m no stranger to the life.”

“Exactly. So you know you gotta trust each other completely. And unfortunately, the one I gave all my trust to fucked me over. And then, after her, I held back since I was nervous, but she wouldn’t get it out of her head that I was cheating on her, when I wasn’t.”

Something moves in her eyes, but before I can ask about it, she says, “That is unfortunate.”

“It is,” I agree with a shrug. “But you learn and move on. How about you?”