Before I could do anything more than widen my eyes in shock, a light blue dress shirt and paisley tie cut off my view of Philip. Thane's ocean blue eyes captured mine, and even though I've only just met him, I could tell he was angry. I only caught a glimpse of it before he covered it with a smile, leaned over the counter and kissed my cheek. "Hey baby! Did you miss me?"

...What?

It took me a bit to figure out he was helping me, so I attempted to smile back. Hopefully it was convincing. The hand holding my arm disappeared right before the bell for the door chimed. Thank God, I couldn't take much more today.

Thane turned toward the door, peering through the windows to watch Philip walk away. When he turned back around, the smile was gone.

"Are you okay?" His eyes scanned me for injuries, clenching his jaw at the red handprint on my arm.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I changed the subject. "How did you know where I worked?"

"I asked your mother. I am quite charming, you know. Now," Apparently he was not so easily distracted. "Who was that? A friend of yours?"

I really didn't want to do this now. Especially not with Mr. Present From God.

"Definitely not a friend." I decided that the black granite counter was in dire need of scrubbing.

"So… an ex then?"

The now-clean counter STILL wasn't clean enough.

"Yep."

"Hmm. So that means I missed my chance to punch him in the teeth?"

My eyes darted up to meet his before I started laughing uncontrollably, the 'dirty' counter forgotten.

Even Pete looked up to see what all the laughing was about.

It took me a solid two minutes to get myself under control, but at least Thane's scowl was gone by the end of it. I decided to just move on to a different subject. "So did you come here for the coffee or the barista?"

Where did that come from? That was a flirt. Why was I flirting?

The corner of his lips curled up slightly. "Both, but mostly for the barista."

And he was flirting back. What alternate reality did I step into?

"I see. So you're stalking me now?" I perked a brow and gave him a smirk.

He seemed to consider that. "Stalking isn't the word I'd use."

I found myself leaning my forearms on the counter. "Oh, do tell. What word would you use?"

He mirrored my stance, leaning in close. His warm breath brushed my cheek. "Interested."

My brows raised so high they probably disappeared into my hairline. Yes, I knew that was impossible. Just go with it.

"Interested. In what exactly? My amazing espresso skills? My inability to walk across crowded spaces without injuring someone? My incurable foot-in-mouth disease?"

He chuckled softly. "Yes."

"Yes to what?"

"All of it."

I began to wonder if he wasn't a few tacos short of a Fiesta platter.

He continued before I had a chance to speak. "Would you be interested in having a coffee with me?"

"What?"

"Would. You. Be. Int-"

"I heard you just fine the first time." I couldn't stop the eye roll.

"So?" He seemed to be waiting for my answer.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why have coffee with me?"

He tilted his head to the side just a bit. "Well, we are in a coffee shop. Isn't that what people do here?"

The sass was strong with this one.

"I'm working."

He scanned the small sitting area before capturing my gaze again. "I think the guy nursing his coffee will be okay for ten minutes."

I paused to consider this. We definitely were not busy in here. If I topped off Pete's coffee I should have ten minutes. Also, he wasn't letting me make an excuse even if I had one. Might as well get it over with.

"Fine. Ten minutes. Let me refill Pete's cup and grab us some drinks. Have a seat."

I quickly refilled the sweet old man's cup, trying to make small talk for a minute but he was not having it. He jerked his head toward where Thane is sitting and gave me a wink.

Traitor.

Heading back to the counter I poured one cup of the house blend and one cup of hot water, plunking an Earl Grey tea bag in. Quite funny that a barista hated coffee. I could make a mean cup of dirty bean water, I just couldn't drink it.

While I shoved creams and sugars in my apron pocket, I kept wondering what in the frilly five hells I was doing. I'd made an absolute fool of myself in front of him. Was I a glutton for punishment? Must be it.

I grabbed the two drinks and made my way to Thane's table, setting his in front of him before emptying out the cream and sugar from my apron. "I forgot to ask how you liked your coffee, so I just brought these with me."

"This is perfect, thank you." He added one cream and stirred with the stirrers on the table. "How long do you work today?"

"Until close. Which is six tonight."

"Great! So you have no excuse not to come to dinner with me." He slowly sipped his coffee, his eyes on me.

I almost spit my tea out.

"Isn't it customary to ask the girl on the date instead of just assuming she'll go?" I got rid of the tea bag and took a sip.

"It is definitely customary, yes. However, it appears your favorite word is 'no', so the customary doesn't seem to work with you. And, to be honest," Thane leaned toward me, his beautiful eyes capturing mine. "I don't really want to give you a chance to say no."

This was pure torture. I felt like I was in one of those rom-coms. Every voice in my head was telling me I wasn't good enough, that he was just playing me. He could never be serious.

No one was ever serious. Not when it came to me.

My own mother, the one who was biologically programmed to love me, couldn't go one day without telling me what a failure I was. I wasn't like her. I didn't have the great job or the huge house. I worked in a coffee shop called The Mighty Java and still lived with my mother.

She even went so far as to tell me to my face that she should've aborted me when she had the chance. More than once. I was a worthless burden, a speck on the otherwise spotless shine that was her reputation.

A large, warm hand rested on my forearm, and I blinked my way to the present but couldn't fully immerse myself in the witty flirting that we'd dabbled in previously. I forced a smile and met Thane's somewhat concerned gaze. "Sorry. Zoned out."

"Where did you zone out too? It didn't look like a happy place of dinner dates and cheap roses."

"Nowhere important." I chugged the rest of my tea, regretting it immediately as it boiled the inside of my throat. But I ignored it. "Thank you for the offer, Thane, but I'll have to rain check that dinner."

I rose from my seat and started to grab my empty cup when his hand stopped me, his long fingers curling around my cup. "I don't understand. Is everything okay?"

I slipped out of his grasp. "Yes, I'm fine. It's just not a good time right now. It's just a rain check. But I really need to get back to work." Without another look in his direction, I cleared the cups from the table and hurried behind the counter.

The sound of the front door closing seemed much louder than usual.