Three Rules I’d Never Break by Remi Carrington
Chapter 7
Much earlier than I’d intended to be up on a Sunday morning, I knocked at the doughnut shop. Tessa wasn’t open yet, but I knew she was inside.
She unlocked the door. “Come in and lock it behind you.”
I did as I was told, then perched on my favorite barstool. “Want me to start the coffee?”
“Sure. You’re up early. Something bothering you?” Tessa poked her head out of the kitchen. “Trouble with Eli?”
I’d debated about whether to bring up the topic, but now that she had, I was grateful. I needed someone to talk to about this. Keeping secrets was too hard.
“I wish I could read his thoughts.”
“Eli? The guy has his thoughts written all over his face.” She laughed as she set a pan of glazed doughnuts on the counter. “I did feel bad for him last night.”
“Me too.” I faced the coffee pot and added water before flipping the switch. “I love Cami, but she cannot hear anything of what I’m about to tell you.”
Tessa opened the display case and began loading trays onto the shelves. “My lips are sealed.”
“On my way home from the bombed date, Eli pulled me over, and I sort of unloaded on him about guys only wanting one-night stands.”
Tessa’s mouth fell open.
“It gets worse. When I got back to the shop, I forgot to turn off the alarm. I didn’t figure that out until Eli was standing in the store with a gun pointed at me.”
“That doesn’t make any sense. Why would he point a gun at you?”
“He didn’t recognize me in a towel, and I had a mask smeared all over my face because I was about to jump in the shower.”
She slapped a hand over her mouth as she laughed. “No wonder he wouldn’t sit with us.”
“Yeah.” I refilled the napkin holders. “If he’s interested, why won’t he ask me out? I get that he’s a bit shy, but he talks to other people. Like you. And Haley. And Cami. Is it really so hard to talk to me?”
“Eli isn’t really shy. He just can’t form sentences when he’s around someone he’s attracted to.” She lifted her eyebrows and shot me that knowing look. “Occasionally he’ll muster up a spurt of courage and rattle off a sentence or two, but it’s rare unless you get him talking about something like work.”
“Or safety.”
Tessa laughed. “Oh yes. I’ve been lectured on going out alone at night. And the one time I picked up a stranger off the side of the road, Eli came unglued. For weeks, he repeated all the reasons it was dangerous. Also, he hated it when Cami lived in the back of the photography studio. He’d go by there to check on her.”
“Was that the stranger who puked in your car?”
“Yep. I didn’t need Eli to explain why it was a bad idea. My car reeked.”
“You knew Eli was coming by because he did that with Cami.”
“I guessed, but your reaction confirmed my suspicion.”
“He’s checked on me every night he’s worked since the towel incident, but he didn’t stop by last night.” I looked around the shop. “Anything else I can do?”
“Figure out ways to talk to him. About work. Or you could learn to play video games. He likes those. What do you know about cars? He has a thing for cars.”
“Law enforcement. Video games. And cars. Got it.”
She closed one case and moved on to filling the next one. “Some of the guys give Eli a hard time about not talking to you. Not nearly as bad as it was during high school, but still. Anyway, because of that, last night was embarrassing for him.”
“When I asked if there was anything I could do, I meant is there anything I can do right now. To help you.” I tore the napkin that was in my hand. “And people should leave Eli alone.”
“Teasing is their way of trying to help him get over it.”
“So, what happened before when he wouldn’t talk to someone? Does he just have this long list of females he won’t speak to?”
Since he was single, I worried there was no solution to his silence.
She shook her head. “Eventually, he gets past it and starts talking. Then he isn’t interested anymore.”
“Fabulous. That’s exactly what I wanted to hear.” I reached for the door. “Should I unlock it?”
“Yep. And flip the sign, will you?”
As soon as I turned the sign around, I spotted Eli getting out of his truck.
“Tessa, he’s here.” I moved away from the door, wondering if I should slip out the back and leave.
She set a bag on the counter. “Here’s his food. Grab him a coffee cup. I’m going to finish up in the kitchen.”
“You’re leaving on purpose.” I was a little afraid that after one look at me Eli would leave without his coffee.
She grinned. “Guilty. Talk to him.”
The door opened, and I slowly turned around. “Good morning.”
He gave a small head bob, which was silent Eli’s version of a hello.
I didn’t move as he walked toward the counter. “I’m not upset about last night. I hadn’t even realized I was on fire. Thank you for being a hero and saving my hair. I don’t think I’d look good bald.”
“Okay.” He reached around me and picked up the bag.
The man was maybe ten inches taller than me, but when he was this close, I felt really small. In the best kind of way.
I held out an empty coffee cup. “I figured I’d let you fill it since I’m not good with lids.”
As he took the cup out of my hand, he studied my face. “Thanks.” He didn’t move.
Hopefully, I could find something to say that would get him talking. “Nothing weird happened last night. The store was quiet.”
He nodded.
“But you know that. You drove by here during your shift, didn’t you?”
The slightest shrug was his version of an answer.
“I jaywalked again when I walked home from the party. It was getting dark, and I figured it was safer to get home faster rather than walk all the way to the corner where there is a clearly marked crosswalk.” To any normal person, I sounded like a complete loon.
Eli narrowed his eyes. “You shouldn’t do that.”
“Which part?”
“Both. No place is completely safe, and cars speed through here at night. They won’t be able to stop in time to avoid you.”
I leaned in closer. “You make it sound dangerous.”
He inhaled, then strode to the coffee pot.
My brain buzzed with attraction. Maybe using words wasn’t the best strategy.
Once he’d filled his cup and put the lid on properly, I touched his arm. “Eli?”
He turned around. “What?”
I didn’t let his curt reply change my mind. I moved my hand to his chest. “I, uh . . .”
His gaze stayed glued to my fingers.
When I placed my other hand on his chest, he sucked in a breath.
Inching up on my tiptoes, I questioned the wisdom of what I wanted to do. He might never speak to me again. Or maybe he’d decide he wanted to spend more time with me.
I’d never been good at poker. I was more of an all-in type of player, and that only worked sometimes. Hopefully, this was one of those times.
I slid my hands up his chest and around his neck. As I closed my eyes, he leaned down and captured my mouth with his. Who needed words?
For a man who had trouble talking, he sure could kiss. His lips moved against mine. Hunger and desire crackled in the air, sending tingles dancing on my skin. Was he feeling this too?
If so, why hadn’t he wrapped his arms around me?
Crap. Why hadn’t I suggested he put his breakfast down before starting this?
Stubble grazed my lips as he turned his head. “Delaney.”
Cradling his face, I pressed my lips to his again, wishing I’d also thought to flip the sign to closed.
The bag crinkled as Eli wrapped his arms around me. Then his coffee hit the floor.
He backed up like he’d been slapped. “Tell Tessa I’m sorry about the mess.”
“Eli, wait!”
Shaking his head, he rushed out the door.
So much for my great idea.
Technically, for the record, he’d kissed me. And I’d enjoyed every second of kissing him back.
“That was quite a conversation y’all had.” Tessa dragged the mop across the floor. “It didn’t burn you, did it?”
I ran a finger around my lips. “A little.”
“The coffee, Delaney. I was asking if the coffee burned you?” She rolled her eyes.
Glancing down at my coffee-soaked tennis shoes, I stifled a giggle. “Didn’t feel a thing.”
“I don’t believe that for a second. You were too busy feeling something. That’s why you didn’t notice that hot coffee landed on your shoes.”
Sighing, I watched his truck pull out of the lot. “I’m bad luck for him when it comes to coffee.”
Tessa stepped up next to me. “If it helps, I’ve never seen Eli do that.”
“Kiss someone?”
“Leave like that.”
“The way he raced out of here worries me.”
Her nose crinkled as she scrunched it up. “Yeah. He might avoid you for a while.”