4. Avery

CHAPTER 4

AVERY

Inhaling a breath to regain my composure after speaking to my mother, I'd reached out to push the door to the coffee shop open. A warm rush of air had hit me as I stepped in, jerking me out of my muddled thoughts. When I raised my eyes, a tingle ran down my spine as I took in the side profile of the six-foot-plus hunk of a man at the counter.

I'd done this dance before. It was just a different day and a different dude but I couldn't help staring. Dressed in dark pants and a checkered button-down shirt that stretched across his wide chest, he was the epitome of handsome. No, beautiful, almost pretty. Even from where I stood, my eyes lingered on him, captivated by the disciplined strength in his posture. The subtle lines etched on his face spoke of battles fought, and despite the absence of a uniform, this man carried the unmistakable aura of someone with a military background.

It was in the way he walked, no, glided his lithe body around as he moved to a different section of the cafe. His gaze held a watchful initensity, a reminder of someone accustomed to vigilance. I couldn't shake the feeling that beneath this man's exterior lay a complex mosaic of experiences.

I watched him look longingly at the display of breakfast foods without making a move to get anything. I could relate to that look. Croissants and strawberry rolls were my weakness too and it didn't seem like my love-and-hate relationship with carbs was ending anytime soon, especially with the way I frequented this coffee shop. I snorted to myself.

It wasn't like I could survive without my daily dose. The man's attention was on me. His steel-gray eyes, like gunmetal, took a journey, taking in every inch of me. I tried to keep my stomach... shit, I tried to keep everything tight. Sure, I didn't date anyone seriously, but hey, I was still human.

Then he hit me with his smile . Now that… that was a smile. A warm smile that belied his military posture.

My stomach dipped. It was rare to come across a man that hit all of my weak points right off the bat. He had the height, the build, the confidence, and those damn eyes... eyes that seemed to see right through me.

Different emotions flickered across his face as he took me in. I resisted the strong urge to preen a little even though I hardly had the time to wade into the dating pool. The weight of responsibilities didn't stop me from being as vain as the next human. Instead of all the non-verbal cues I could have given, I simply held his stare, waiting for the appraisal to be done with.

The corners of his eyes crinkled, and the edge of his mouth slid upwards as he greeted me with a captivating smile, painting a ray of sunshine on his face. I could feel my knees buckle. All the thoughts of my mother and my family problems dispersed into thin air. I made my way over to introduce myself.

"Hi, I'm Avery Branson."

The intensity of those eyes and the warm smile of an everlasting hearth directed at me got more intense by the second. My palms were beginning to sweat.

"I'm Creed. Nice to meet you, man." He didn't offer his last name and I let it pass, refusing to push. Seconds of uncomfortable silence stretched.

I shook my head to clear it. I had to say something to fill in the silence. Before I could think of the right words, Creed's lips were already moving.

"Where are you from?"

"Michigan. How about you?"

"Born and bred right here in Chicago."

I barked out a laugh, suddenly feeling relaxed. "Ah. Chicago Bears?" At his nod, I went on, "That wasn't hard to guess. It seems to be the default setting of every Chicagoan."

Creed flashed me a charming smile, causing my heart to flutter. His piercing eyes sparkled mischievously. He dragged his eyes up and down my body and I felt like it would burst into flames. The eye magic between us was intense. I couldn't remember the last time I'd had this kind of intense, instant chemistry with someone.

Without stopping to think, I took the leap and said, "I'd love it if you joined me for coffee," I could hear the hint of flirtation in my voice. "But only if you let me pay."

"Sure." I could see the blue undertone in his gray eyes.

We walked side by side, arms slightly brushing against each other. The contact burned me like the lightest lick of a flame and my breath turned shallow. My heart fluttered erratically in my chest; it had to be abnormal.

The conversation lagged as we ordered pastries at the counter. Then we grabbed a table with two empty chairs.

My eyes rested on Creed's biceps. I fantasized about squeezing his arm to find out if it was as solid as it looked.

We shared our first smile when my gaze finally returned to eye level with Creed. His irises sparkled in the light of the room. It was hard to tell whether this was flirting or Creed was just being receptive to me.

"So, do you come here often? I mean, it's a bit early to be here all dressed up in your… work clothes." Creed gestured at me.

"Is it that obvious? I mean, I'm dressed like this almost every day, but yes, I do come here often. It's quiet in the early hours of the morning, and I get to inhale the scent of freshly brewed coffee too and watch people go about their business."

Creed nodded and gave me a once-over. It was almost as if he was sizing me up, but gave up as soon as he was confronted by my similar stare.

"I was wondering if you're in the military?"

Creed bit his lips, looking uncertain about how to respond to the question. His eyes lingered on me and his forehead wrinkled in contemplation. "That's pretty complicated stuff I don't think I'm willing to talk about right now. We could discuss some other things if you want."

"Yeah," I shrugged. "That works for me."

Creed offered a bright smile. "So no hard feelings, huh?"

"None at all. I'm just trying to get to know you and possibly make a new friend," I muttered, struggling not to trip over my words.

"Depends on what your definition of friendship is."

"Umm, someone to talk to and hang out with from time to time?"

"Sure. The job description sounds simple enough." He looked amused.

"Great," I replied, feeling both nervous and excited. I couldn't remember the last time I felt butterflies in my stomach when I met a guy I was attracted to. Why did Creed have to be so fucking good-looking? It was distracting and I hadn't been able to stop looking at him since we began our conversation.

I couldn't stop now either. What was coming over me?

Creed took a long sip of his drink and closed his eyes, leaning back in the chair as the light shone on his face. He looked content. I couldn't remember the last time I'd just basked in the moment the way Creed appeared to be doing.

"You're staring again," Creed said without opening his eyes.

"I don't think that's the right word to use in this context. I'm just admiring your ability to live in the moment."

Creed responded with a smile, and I couldn't help but wonder if his lips were as soft as they appeared. "You'll lose it if you don't find moments to destress and forget about your problems." He opened his blue-gray orbs and looked at me.

"I'll keep that in mind." After a few minutes of quiet, I mustered the courage to ask what had been on my mind since we met. "Are you in a relationship? I mean, it's hard to picture you single…" My voice trailed off as I spoke, expecting Creed to pick up on the rest.

He didn't reply straight away. He took several sips of his coffee and then set the cup down. He looked at me with his hypnotizing eyes that made me want to lean forward and gaze deeper into them.

"I've been on my own for so long, I'm not sure I remember how to share my space."

"Oh." I paused, taking him in. So he wasn't attached. That played right into my hands. I hid my grin behind my coffee cup, letting the warmth settle the nervous energy buzzing under my skin. Going with him as my date to Thanksgiving would not only get my mother off my back but might give me a chance to get to know him better.

The silence stretched, so I leaned in a little. "What do you think about sharing space with me?" I winced as the words left my mouth—was there something in this coffee making me lose my filter?

Creed nearly choked on his drink, sputtering until his face reddened. The relaxed air between us evaporated. My heart sank.

"You're flirting with me?" His wide eyes looked like he'd just seen a ghost.

I couldn't hold back a smirk. "Is that a problem?"

"I… I don't think we're on the same page," he stammered, his shoulders hunching. "Sorry, I didn't mean to give you the wrong idea, Avery. I'm not… gay. I thought we were just talking. You know, sharing a moment over coffee. I just needed some conversation with another human for a bit. Guess you caught me at a bad time."

He met my gaze, but the spark I thought I'd seen earlier had dimmed. There was nothing there now but unease and impatience. I shrugged, draining the last of my coffee, trying to keep my expression neutral.

"It's fine, Creed. No hard feelings. It was nice meeting you." I tossed a few bills on the table and stood, shoving my hands into my coat pockets.

Walking away before attachments could form was easier—something I'd learned the hard way. Yet, as the door slid shut behind me, a faint tug in my chest lingered, and I couldn't quite figure out why.