Page 16 of Be With Me

I watched him swagger over to the counter. He was wearing jeans again, a little darker than the ones he’d had on last night, and a long-sleeved, dark red button-down shirt made of some kind of soft-looking material with a collar. Black sneakers were on his feet. With his dark hair and olive-toned skin, he looked like he’d walked straight off a fashion runway. The girl taking his order was young. Probably right out of high school. She laughed at something he’d said, her cheeks turning a bright pink as she peeked at him from under her lashes.

What am I doing?

I asked myself this for the hundredth time in the last half hour. Was it true Willow was his sister? What if she wasn’t and he was just playing me? Taking advantage of a lonely, older woman. I chewed on my thumbnail as I watched him chatting up the barista while he waited for my drink. Maybe this was all a big prank.

Or, maybe I just needed to chill out and enjoy the sex for however long it lasted.

Problem was, I knew me. And I didn’t do casual sex. I’d tried once or twice in my life, and inevitably, I developed feelings. That was just the kind of person I was. I soaked in the energy around me and reacted accordingly. And I felt things pretty hard. This was why I’d veered far, far away from the dating scene ever since my divorce.

And there was no way in hell I wouldn’t do the same thing with Tyler. Just from the few conversations we’d had over the last year since I met him, my instincts told me he was a genuinely nice guy. But nice or not, he was definitely the bad boy type. Intense. A little dark. The kind of guy I’d always found completely irresistible when I was young, and the kind of guy I normally stayed far, far away from now that I was older and had a little bit of sense in my head.

Last night was just…well, I didn’t know what the hell had happened last night.

I scoffed at myself. His bad boy persona wasn’t the real issue here. The real issue was that I was afraid. Say he really was available and he really was that into me. My kids would laugh at me if I introduced them to this guy as their new…what? Mom’s boyfriend? Stepdad?

My heart thumped as a sudden vision of Tyler, dark eyes intense with emotion, swearing himself to me and only me, flashed through my mind.

Blinking hard to break off that insane train of thought, I tore my gaze from his strong thighs—outlined so well in those jeans—and looked down at the table.

And then what? I grow older and fatter and more wrinkled while he remains frozen in time? Or practically. All of these curves he claimed to so love were hanging on to their youth by a thread. A very thin thread. One that was quickly unraveling.

People would think I was his sugar momma.

My friends and family would think the same thing when I introduced him as mine. All of them—except maybe Stef—will call me a “cougar” and make fun of me like they do to the middle-aged men who date eighteen-year olds. Instead of growing old gracefully with someone, I’ll spend the remainder of my years fighting a losing battle with the aging process all while trying to keep up with my beautiful, younger man. Spending all my money on Botox so his eye won’t wander to the young baristas who are bound to stick their perky boobs in his face and promise him naughty things with big eyes weighed down by false eyelashes and not sagging skin.

“Ailee?”

I blinked to find said beautiful, younger man standing in front of me with a smile that hinted at nervousness, holding out a cup. His dark eyes travelled over my face, telling me things I really wasn’t ready to hear.

I took the coffee from him, wrapping my fingers around the warmth. “Thank you.”

Tyler sat down across from me. We stared awkwardly at each other for a minute. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know why I was here or what I was hoping would come out of this meeting.

Suddenly, he leaned forward and his dark eyes pierced mine. A rush of warm heat raced through me and settled between my legs as the air between us became tense.

“I want to be with you, Ailee.”

There was no doubt in my mind as to exactly what he meant by “be with you”. I immediately shook my head, remembering how he’d walked out on me the day before. “I agreed to coffee, Tyler. That’s it.”

With a loud sigh, he leaned back. Fingertips tapped the table again as he studied me.

I sipped my coffee. Looked out the window. This was a mistake. I should just go home. Yeah. Home. I’ll finish that bottle of wine Stef and I started and watch Netflix until I pass out. Worry about someone else’s problems for a while.

On that note, I pushed my chair back.

He froze, panic coloring his features. “Where are you going?”

“Home.” I gave him an apologetic smile as I grabbed my purse from the seat next to me. “Coming here was a mistake. This was a mistake.” I started to get up.

He grabbed my hand before I could leave. “Please don’t go. I’m sorry for being so blunt. I just…I don’t know if I have much time.”

A shaft of fear zipped through me. My knees gave out and my butt plopped back down on my chair. “What do you mean? Are you okay? Is something wrong with you?”

“No. No. Nothing like that. I mean, I’m not dying or anything. I just need to get home soon, too. And I’m not sure when I’ll get to see you again.” He squeezed my hand. “Please. Stay. Talk to me.”

Against my better judgment, I slid the strap off my shoulder with my free hand and put my purse back on the chair next to me.

Hope spread across his handsome features. “Okay?”

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