Desperation of Love Read Free

sloppy.”
    “I was trashed,” I reply with another roll of my eyes. “You don’t have to make it sound better than what it was.”
    “It doesn’t matter.” He chuckles.
    “I’m sorry that I left you there. It was childish.”
    He looks away, just for a moment, like he’s trying to carefully choose what he wants to say next. He looks back at me with a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “You can make it up to me.”
    “How?” I question, dragging out the word and squinting my eyes at him.
    “Breakfast.”
    “Breakfast?” I ask, sounding confused.
    “Yes. Tomorrow morning, nine o’ clock, Laura’s Café.”
    I can tell by the tone in his voice that it’s not a request, but I try to get out of it anyway. “I don’t know.”
    “You don’t have a choice.” I knew that was coming. Alex doesn’t strike me as the type to just walk away when he wants something and, evidently, breakfast with me is what he currently wants. “I’ll see you there, princess.” He leans in, placing a kiss on my forehead before walking away and leaving me to wonder what the hell just happened.

 
     
    Laura’s Café is crowded, as usual. Now that the summer crowds are dying down, it’s easier to get a table but it’s busy nonetheless. I have no trouble spotting Alex at a table in the rear, coffee cup in hand, looking disturbingly sexy. He’s the kind of man who doesn’t have to try to be sexy, he just is. There’s an air of confidence about him. He’s secure in himself and, in turn, his sureness exudes. I can tell by his slightly damp hair that he’s freshly showered and even though he’s seated behind a table, I can’t help but notice how his dark blue t-shirt accentuates his muscular arms. I shake these thoughts out of my head. If I keep this up, it’s going to be an excruciatingly long breakfast.
    “Morning, princess.” A slow smile forms on his lips. I can already feel my heart rate increase, and it kills me that he knows how he affects me.
    I take my seat across from him, realizing that it’s not far enough away. The length of a football field wouldn’t be far enough. There’s just something about him that makes me want to throw myself at his feet. “What’s up with you calling me princess?” I ask. It’s the second time he’s called me that and I’m not sure I like it.
    He takes a sip of his coffee and looks out the window. “It suits you.”
    “Because I’m spoiled and stuck up?” It wouldn’t be the first time someone made that assumption about me. I get it all the time. It’s not that I’m either of those things, I just tend to be aloof at times. I think it’s a defense mechanism.
    He turns his head and looks at me again. “Because you deserve to be treated like one.”
    “God, you’re so full of it,” I say with a chuckle. I try to dismiss his compliment but I can’t deny that I really like how sweet he can be. More importantly, I can’t quite handle the intensity of his eyes on me, but I can’t make myself look away. He can see through all the smoke and mirrors, beyond the role I play every day. Maybe it’s because he’s taken the time to get to know me on a friendship level.
    After what feels like an eternity, he looks away, staring down at his coffee. “That hurts, baby.”
    “Oh, now it’s baby ?” I question, shaking my head. “Why did you want to meet up with me, Alex?” Before he can reply, the waitress is there to take our orders. Pancakes for me, an omelet for him. I watch as the waitress gives him her best seductive smile, hoping that he’ll notice her. She couldn’t be more obvious if she tried. It makes me want to rip her hair out of her head, and that’s not a reaction that I’m comfortable with. He acts like he doesn’t see her, like she doesn’t even exist, like I’m the only one in the entire restaurant. It makes me uncomfortable but I like it nonetheless.
    He reaches across the table and grabs my hand. “You and I.” He hesitates. “We seem to