Page 5 of Devoted
“I take it you work in the hospital then? It’s obvious you wouldn’t be coming off a shift that long and at this time in the day if you worked at a private practice.” I’m taken aback by his assessment, curious as to how he might know that information, even though I am still in my scrubs. But I do not have the energy to deal with this incredibly attractive man right now. My heart might be beating like it’s awake, but my brain sure as hell isn’t.
“Bingo,” I reply, turning back around to see that two more people have left the line, granting me one step closer to my fix.
“Not much for conversation then, are we?”
My head moves on its own accord, slowly turning to face him and showcase my best pissed off glare. “Forgive me for not wanting to converse with rude men.”
He laughs. “You think I’m rude? Wow. Okay, I’m gonna let that slide since clearly you’re exhausted.”
“You think?” I say, before twisting to face the counter again. As I scour the case of baked goods for some sustenance to accompany my coffee, a large hand brushes past me, acquiring a package of cinnamon-flavored gum in the caddy beneath the display cases. And since I can only assume that the hand belongs to the hunk of a man waiting behind me in line, I feel the need to address his choice since he felt the need to give me shit about not keeping the line moving and how irritated I am.
Let’s just say, I get feisty when I’m tired, alright?
“Are you seriously going to buy that?” I gesture down to his hand with my eyes as he opens up his palm, revealing the package of gum.
“Yup. Can’t go a day without it.”
“That’s… that’s like the most disgusting flavor of gum there is!” I curl my lips up and wrinkle my nose, definitely passing judgment on him now.
“That’s your opinion. But I happen to love it. It’s not like I’m buying orange flavored Tic-Tacs.”
“What’s wrong with orange-flavored Tic Tacs?” I ask as he waves at me to move forward since two more people have left the line. The finish line is right there, I can see it. But now I’m enthralled with what this guy has against one of my favorite breath fresheners.
“They shouldn’t be classified as mints. They don’t make your breath fresh like gum. They’re basically a candy.”
Okay, I guess he has a point. “But they’re so delicious!”
He chuckles as I take a minute to peruse his dirty blonde hair and honey-colored eyes this time, the softest shade of brown I’ve ever seen in someone’s irises before. His smile spreads wide and gives a glimpse of his pearly white teeth beneath those full, pink lips, and then he leans in close to my ear. The proximity of him and his hot breath tickling my neck makes me close my eyes instinctually. “Exactly, practically like candy. But hey, guess what? I find cinnamon flavored gum to be delicious and it actually makes my breath fresh. So who’s the smarter one here now, huh?” He slowly backs away and then ruins my buzz on his smell when he speaks again. “Your turn.”
Sure enough, I turn around and see one of the two cashiers waving at me to come forward. I shuffle over and turn my back to the arrogant prick that’s making me want to show him what I’m capable of with a syringe and a needle.
“Hey, Jess. You coming off of a shift or headed towards one?” Skye greets me, cheery as ever. I swear the woman must sleep in this shop since she always seems to be here. But if I slept around coffee and smelled it all day, I’d probably be as happy as a toddler eating ice cream too.
“Coming off. Last night was insane. I should have been home already, sound asleep in my own bed. But it was chaos, hence the need for coffee so I can make it through the grocery store without sleeping in an aisle.”
Skye chuckles while reaching for a cup, scribbling my name along the side in sharpie. I rattle off my order and while she rings me up, I spot another display of gum and mints to the side and low and behold, they have orange-flavored Tic Tacs. Channeling every ounce of spite I can find, I snag a pack and add them to my pile before completing my purchase.
“Here’s your honey bran muffin. Coffee will be ready in a few minutes.” I grab the brown paper bag and my Tic Tacs, preparing to move to the other side of the counter where the finished drinks are deposited.
“Thanks, Skye. You’re a lifesaver.” I flash her a grateful smile even though the amount of irritation still coursing through my body makes my internal temperature rise as I scurry along the counter and wait for my coffee.
Who the hell did that guy think he is? Being rude when he asked me to move forward in the line and then judging my choice of breath freshener? I realize my powerful reaction to him is probably a result of how annoyed I am due to my need to sleep. But even so, what kind of person just eggs someone on when they’re clearly tired?
“Well, isn’t that the pot calling the kettle black?” My annoying line-mate comes up beside me, waiting for his drink now too.
“What are you talking about?”
His eyes peer down to the Tic Tacs in my hand. “Nice candy you have there.”
I huff at him, grinning at how my malice for this man is just fueling the fire between us. But I can’t tell if that fire is attraction or aggravation. “Your little comment from earlier just reminded me that I was out of these, so I grabbed them.”
“It’s not good to eat candy all day.”
“Some would say chewing gum is bad for you too.”
He stares down at me intensely, my neck still craning back to see his honey-colored eyes. “I think you and I can agree there are far worse things you can be addicted to.” The grit in his voice makes a throbbing develop between my legs, a feeling I haven’t had from a man in a long time.
I lift a brow at him. “Like what?”
He takes two steps forward and then leans down to my ear again, those pesky goosebumps following. “Like a feisty, attractive woman that I’m sure is actually a pleasure to be around when she’s not sleep deprived.”
My breath hitches as I soak in his thoughts, the blatant attraction for me that he just confessed. And I’d be lying if I didn’t feel the same way. The man is gorgeous—tall, muscular but not overly so, confident, sarcastic—he’s everything I would normally go for.
But right now, this encounter is just too much for me to process.
“Jess! Your order is ready!” The barista behind the counter shouts over the noise of chatter, steaming milk, coffee grinders, and clinking metal.
“Nice to meet you, Jess,” the man says again, standing tall and flashing me a million-dollar smile that should come with a warning label.
“Uh… yeah… nice to meet you?” I say more as a question because I’m so flabbergasted by how our interaction turned from frustration to flirtation. All I can manage to do at this point is grab my drink, turn to him, and smile slightly while still thoroughly confused. Then I race through the coffee shop, reeling at how awkward that fifteen minutes was before I drive to the grocery store, buy what I need, and then finally throw myself into bed, where my handsome coffee man flirts with me in my dreams, and our encounter ends much differently.