to reel it in. Unsuccessfully.
He straightened up, spread his hands apart and grinned manically. “Crazy, right? You called me a wiener, and I’m still falling all over you.”
His easy words slammed into me, and my laughter stopped. My mouth opened.
Not only was he easily the most gorgeous male I’d ever seen, but he was disgustingly charming.
But his hotness was irrelevant.
Because I sensed a guy who crushed hearts like saltine crackers in soup.
I sensed a guy who thought he was so awesome he was fairy dust.
I turned around and ran as hard as I could, away from those eyes, that body, that smile—and that fucking perfection I didn’t need.
AS IF FATE meant for us to be together, my reprieve from him didn’t last long.
The next day, after my run and a hot shower, I skipped the coffee shop to avoid Blair and instead went to the ice cream shop next door that opened at eleven.
That was how I found myself trying to decide between ice cream flavors, mostly the chocolate ones. Major decisions for a junk food addict.
“May I taste the Brownie Chocolate again?” I asked the young girl behind the counter. I smiled sheepishly since I’d sampled at least ten already. She sighed heavily and left to get another spoon for me.
“You know, if it’s that hard to decide, why don’t you just get them all,” a husky voice rumbled from behind me.
“That’s thirty-five flavors. I want to enjoy my ice cream, not make myself sick.” I tossed a grin over my shoulder at the mystery voice, expecting to see some dad with his kids waiting in line.
Instead, my gaze crashed into Blond Guy. I sucked in a sharp breath and all the hairs on my body rose up in unison.
A choir of angels may have sung in the distance. I told them to hush.
I stood straighter in my white shorts and Foo Fighters shirt, immediately wishing I’d put on something prettier. “Did you follow me?”
He scoffed. “No.”
“So this is a coincidence? Out of all the ice cream shops in LA, you walk into mine?”
He cocked an eye. “Your gin joint, huh?”
He’d gotten my Casablanca reference. “I love old movies,” I said.
“Me, too,” he said quietly, studying me intently although I refused to reciprocate. I’d already taken a good look in those few seconds and knew he wore a Dallas Cowboys hat pulled down low, his thick hair curling up around the ends and framing his masculine face. He looked like a dessert I wanted to sink my teeth into, and I had to keep reminding myself that I was on a low calorie diet when it came to relationships.
He leaned in. “Uh, I’m glad I ran into you. I wanted to tell you I’m sorry for spying on you. It’s just … the first time I heard you play, I wanted more. You’re—”
I shook my head.
“What?” he asked.
“Don’t apologize. I need to practice knowing someone sees me. Hard to explain, but I freak out when I play in public and haven’t played on stage in a while.”
“I’m sorry,” he said as he considered me. “That must be very hard. It’s brave for you to tell me.”
I swallowed at the butterflies that had taken up in my belly. “Yeah, I’m not a beauty queen or a genius or an athlete, but violin was the one thing I excelled at.”
“I might have to disagree on the beauty part, but regardless, I’m glad to be part of your comeback.” He eased up closer and I felt his eyes on me as I tasted the sample the shop girl handed me. I shifted, moving a step back. Distance. I needed it.
He rubbed the back of his neck, a torn expression on his face. “I’m actually here to meet someone, but I’ve got ten minutes before she shows. You wanna hang till then? I’d love to hear more about how you got started on the violin.”
She? He had a date coming?
“Can I help you with a sample?” Counter Girl breathed at him as she came to life and tittered behind the counter like a teenage groupie. Figures. All it takes is a muscular chest to get all the free samples you want.
He ignored her, his ice-blue eyes on me. “Well?”
“Er, I’m actually in a hurry”—total lie—“and …” I petered out as he suddenly grinned. “What?”
“You really have no idea who I am, do you?” he said softly as he leaned in my space and whispered in my ear.
My breath hitched at the swirl of