gave her the perfect opportunity to indulge in something higher and sexier, but alas, she was out of luck this time.
“Oh, well,” she mumbled out loud.
After vigorously brushing her long hair, she shook it out and let it fall where it wanted. At the sink, she quickly washed her face, then applied the sunscreen-infused moisturizer she’d been using for a decade. A hasty swipe of her favorite neutral lipstick followed by a spritz of perfume and she was good to go.
The full backpack was too awkward to lug around, so she stuffed it into her work locker and reached for her small purse.
Her stomach growled as she made a hasty exit, waving good night to her co-workers. Blessed with a racecar engine metabolism, she could eat twice her weight in cookies and cake and burn it off before bedtime. She never regretted eating but felt at times like she should apologize for being on the thin side. It wasn’t as if she had a svelte body because she worked at it. Not at all.
She double-timed her pace and hurried to the corner Starbucks. Arnie wasn’t hard to find—not when he stood guard at the front door.
Summer slowed and hid behind a large, potted bush at the corner of the building. Peering through the greenery, she studied his appearance.
The guy was extraordinary. Far from the standard issues guys she knew, he stood from the rest. He had deliciously broad shoulders. His chest tapered to a narrow waist. He was blessed with long legs and had tree trunks for thighs. His coloring gave him the look of a Viking warrior or a sun god. Adonis came to mind, and she sighed. Comparing him to the god of beauty and desire was a no-brainer. He was that good-looking.
Dressed in a pale blue button-down shirt, sleeves rolled back, and a pair of perfectly fitting dark slacks, he gave off a strong masculine vibe. Nibbling on her lip, Summer thought about the young twentysomething guys of today. There was a world of difference between grown boys wearing backward baseball caps and the fully adult male waiting for her.
His chin went up, and he appeared to study the air. Then his head turned toward the planter, and she froze. He smiled, shook his head, and checked his watch. She took advantage of the distraction and hurriedly sashayed around the planter.
“Ah, Summer.” He chuckled when she was a few feet away. “Good evening.”
She very nearly stumbled as his sexy growl wrapped around her heart.
“Arnie,” she sighed breathlessly.
“You look lovely,” he told her with a pleased grin.
When she was in front of him and could move no closer without it getting weird, Summer found she had to tilt her head to look up at him. The sensation of being small and fragile rattled her as much as the warmth in his gaze.
“You clean up pretty nice too, Arnie.” She leaned in. “You smell nice.”
His laugh was big and husky. “I’m glad you like it. Christmas present from my boss.” He chuckled.
She sniffed and smiled. “What’s it called?”
“I’ll tell you if you promise not to Google it. Your web search proclivities didn’t help the sneaker situation.”
“Oh, dear. Is it made with contraband ingredients?”
“No.” He laughed with a throaty bark. “Not contraband but definitely pricey.”
Studying his face, she looked for a reason to apply caution but felt nothing of the sort. He laughed easily and didn’t appear put off by her directness. Plus, he scored bonus points by ditching the god-awful footwear, and splashing on expensive cologne. Getting to know him wasn’t a mistake.
Crossing her fingers behind her back, Summer smirked playfully and nudged him with her elbow. “Lucky you.”
“How so?” he responded with a curious expression.
“Rich aunt and a boss who hands out expensive gifts.”
Something flashed on his face, but it didn’t linger long enough for her to pin down the significance. Then he winked and sniggered with all the swoony charm of a movie hero. “My watch is from Tar-jay.”
“Your watch is from Apple but kudos for shopping a good deal.”
He opened the door and with a gallant bow waved her into the store. She walked in ahead of him and looked around. Starbucks was always busy. The café seating area was usually overcrowded, and tonight was no exception.
“I see a table,” she told him. “Over by the window, next to the fireplace.”
He glanced over her head and nodded when he saw the empty table. “You stake a claim, and I’ll get our drinks. Hot chai latte with