Page 72 of Lightning Angel
He was watching her intently.
Her heart accelerated. Their fingers brushed as he accepted the cup from her, his touch electric unlike the last time they made skin contact. Was it lightning outside? Was that why his touch felt electric?
Alexa glanced at his face again; he was in no pain. If it were lightning, he’d surely be in agony. He didn’t look like he was concealing it either.
Alexa didn’t want to give another thought about what she felt.
When Tristan moved to one of the tables and the next customer placed their order, Perry leaned in to whisper again. “What was that?”
“What waswhat?” Alexa threw her a dubious look.
Perry returned it with aseriouslylook. “The tension between you two.”
“What?” Alexa hissed incredulously.
“Don’t play dumb, Lex. I saw it, dang, I evenfeltit.”
Alexa swallowed the hardness from her throat. The unnatural heat taking over her body nearly suffocated her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Either you’re playing dumb or you don’t realize what is between the two of you.” Perry was too stubborn to drop it.
“There’s nothing between us for goodness’ sake.” Alexa widened her eyes to state her innocence. “We’re just friends.”Andshe was a little attracted to him. That’s all; just a silly attraction.
Perry shook her head. “There’s no point in talking to you.”
“Likewise,” Alexa countered, slightly annoyed that the sudden tension between her and Tristan was obvious even to another person. She groaned inwardly. Hercoworker didn’t have to rub it on her face. But this was Perry, after all.
Perry threw her an infuriating smirk and returned to her work.
Alexa groaned inwardly again and let her eyes wander to where Tristan was. He was smiling into his drink. Her eyes widened in realization.
Big ears.
The knot in her stomach, one she had forgotten the moment she saw him, returned. Despite him defending her countless times and saving her life, he had yet to prove himself trustworthy. If he didn’t, as much as it ached her heart, this would be the end of their friendship—to save her heart from a real ache, worse, breaking.
Yet, her eyes kept darting over to him. She couldn’t help it; he was the handsomest male in the café and the most remarkable sight her eyes beheld. The admission flared in her heart and she pulled her defenses up stronger than before. A few times, their eyes met, and she realized he had been stealing glances at her all the same.
Tristan managed to last in the café until her shift was over, ordering himself a sandwich after he finished his cappuccino. Perry jumped in to take his order before Alexa could, and watching her chat with Tristan stirred a strange feeling inside Alexa’s safe walls. When Perry batted her eyelashes at him before he turned to leave, the feeling intensified.
She winked at Alexa with a knowing smirk as Tristan turned his back to her.
Little twit.She was trying to make Alexa jealous. And irritatingly, she succeeded.
So what if she was a little jealous? She was merely feeling protective toward herfriend!
When her time was up, Alexa was both relieved and anxious. She might be free of Perry’s torture now, but what waited her next, confronting Tristan, she realized was the hardest part.
Alexa met Tristan’s eyes across the room. She stole a glance at Perry; seeing her occupied, she gestured to him that she was going to the backroom. Tristan gestured back, that he’d be waiting outside.
She expected to find him waiting for her by the sidewalk when she stepped through the back exit, but seeing him leaning against the wall with a paper bag and a to-go coffee tray in hand, surprised her a little.
Tristan’s face lit up with a smile and he approached her. “Hey.”
Alexa arched an eyebrow at him. “Hey?Like we didn’t see each other there just a moment ago.”
“Wrong greeting, I guess.” He gave her a cocky grin and held out the paper bag and the coffee tray with two cappuccinos. “For you and Cassie.”
Alexa accepted it from him warily, as he took the bag from her shoulder, and peered into the paper bag. Hotdogs. Her favorite. How did he know she loved hotdogs?