Page 49 of Naked Coffee Guy
His tone is so serious, I look back up at him, studying his face for a clue.
“Maren, I’d like to take this relationship to the next level,” he says. My expression must be giving me away, because he grins then closes my dropped jaw with a finger. “Relax, I just want to take you on a date. A real date, to make up for the day we lost yesterday. Can I?”
Chapter Eighteen
Maren
Mac didn’t tell me where we are going. His only command was to wear something elegant and warm. So I slip on a slinky black dress I usually pair with combat boots, opting for a pair of stiletto heeled boots instead. Over my dress, I wear a black faux fur wrap that is deceivingly warm. I glam it up with dark eye makeup and candy apple red lips that make my pale skin appear that much more dramatic, and I wear my dark hair straight and long with fringe bangs in front. I know I hit the right notes when I open the door and Mac sucks in a hard breath.
“Damn, girl. Maybe we should stay in.” He grabs me by the wrist and pulls me in his arms, his hand resting on the curve of my hip as he tilts his head in an attempt to taste my mouth. I turn, laughing as I push him away.
“You should know that it took a long time to look like this. So yes, we’re going out, and no, you’re not ruining the look by messing up my makeup.”
His laugh is a hearty rumble, vibrating against my hands as he releases me. I take a moment to appreciate the man standing before me. He’s in a different suit this time, a little less stuffy than the other one, and it hugs his frame in a way that has me recalling what’s underneath. His beard is trimmed and shaped, his hair in casual curls over his forehead. I bite my painted lip, hoping that whatever we’re doing, it will end with my naked body pressed against his. By the way he’s looking at me, I can pretty much guarantee it.
When I turn for my purse, Nina is there, her eyes like saucers. I offer a crooked grin, knowing she’s also picturing him with a lot less clothes, and maybe a coffee cup in his hand.
“Nina, this is Mac.”
I don’t get a chance to say anything else before she stumbles toward him in an effort to shake his…hand? Shlong? Mac catches her, and I see Nina turn a shade of pink her hair has never reached.
“I’m Nina, your biggest fan. Would you like some coffee?”
I groan as Mac glances at me quizzically.
“I’ll explain later.” I shoot Nina a stern-eyed glare, noting that she seems to have recovered. She’s staring at Mac like he’s a snack, but when she finally looks my way, she offers an angelic shrug.
“Have fun, you two,” she says, patting Mac on the bicep, pausing, then looking at me with appreciation. “Lucky bitch,” she hisses under her breath, but not too quiet for Mac to hear judging by the way he’s holding in his grin.
“All right, what did your roommate mean,” Mac asks once we’re in his car, “Biggest fan? Is it my coffee order?”
I start to laugh, but then see he’s dead serious. “You honestly have no idea?”
“Idea about what?”
“About the stir you’ve created in the neighborhood because of your daily walks. There’s a whole topic dedicated to you on Nextdoor. There’s even a TikTok that just passed four million views. Surely you know.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
I turn in my seat, my mouth dropping. “Mac, what did you think would happen when you walk the neighborhood barefoot, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts? There are a lot of lonely housewives living here, and I guarantee they all set their alarms to see your morning stroll. Let’s just say you have everyone’s full attention at a very early hour.”
He tilts his head at me with a smirk. “Do I have yours?”
I swat his arm, refusing to answer. He barks out a laugh, and I know he sees right through me.
“Seriously, though. Why walk barefoot? I know you own shoes, and that can’t feel good.”
“I’m used to it by now,” he says, “You could say it’s like a meditation. I do it after my run because it’s grounding. It helps me feel like part of the earth.”
I’m immediately brought back to that first night we met—our shoes off, the way he held me on a rooftop bar under a starry sky. We were stories above the earth, and yet I’d never felt more grounded.
We’re standing on holy ground.
Which brings me back to our connection—the one he doesn’t know. I quickly brush it aside.
We take the highway into the hills bordering Sunset Bay, and he lets me play DJ during the drive. As the scenery fades to black, our headlights casting twin beams into the night, I set the mood with a mix of my favorite artists. First it’s retro Gwen Stefani with No Doubt that kicks off the vibe. Then Florence and the Machine, which always brings out my inner free spirit. Which is why when Paramore fills the car, I sing on full blast, letting my voice mingle with Hayley Williams. Mac stays silent, but he takes my hand, squeezing it when I belt out the chorus.
“Have you ever thought about doing this professionally?” he finally asks, and I duck my head with a grin.