Page 3 of Dramatic AF
In fact, I’d probably be back home in front of my computer before he even realized something had gone very wrong.
Exiting the door to the left of the stage, I relaxed my shoulders and stretched my lips into a gentle smile as I strode confidently toward my target. No one paid any attention to me—including Jayden—not even a brief flicker of awareness.
“Sorry to interrupt,” I said, coming to a stop in front of him.
He looked up at me, his whiskey-colored eyes even more captivating in person. “No worries. What’s up?”
“The cafe got my order wrong, and it seems like a waste to trash it.” I held the drink up and glanced at it. “You wouldn’t be interested, would you?”
“Oh, um—” His sculpted eyebrows drew together, and his fingers tightened around the edge of the papers he held. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
Dropping his script and highlighter into the seat beside him, he rose gracefully, bringing with him the warm scent of amber and what I could only describe as sunlight. My breath caught, my voice sticking in my throat, and my pulse fluttered as the fragrance filled my nose.
“In that case, I would like it a latte.” He giggled at his own joke. “Thank you.”
Then he smiled, and my stomach did a slow roll as my entire world tilted on its axis.
By the gods, he was beautiful. Not in the conventional sense, but in that timeless, classic way that had inspired priceless works of art.
Still unable to speak, I passed him the drink with a nod instead.
“I’m Jayden, by the way.”
He offered his hand, just as I had hoped he would, but instead of taking it, I could only stare.
In the three years I had been contracting with MNSTR, I had never failed to complete a task. Not once.
Until now.
two
~ Jayden ~
Istoodthere,handoutstretched,for an uncomfortably long time until the awkwardness forced me to drop my arm.
The latte-bringing stranger seemed dazed, his golden-brown eyes unfocused as they stared at the space between us where my hand had just been. A muscle in his jaw bulged as if he was clenching his teeth, and his prominent Adam’s apple slid along the column of his throat when he swallowed.
His nostrils flared, and his lips pressed together in a line so thin they almost disappeared. He just stood there, his head slightly bent, and I could practically feel the tension vibrating through his broad frame.
I stepped toward him and placed a hand on his arm, just above the elbow. Normally, I wouldn’t invade someone’s personal space without invitation, but I was genuinely concerned about him.
“Are you okay? Maybe you should sit down.”
He blinked then and shifted his weight, his rigid posture relaxing into something a bit more natural. He still seemed tense, but at least he didn’t look like a stiff wind might shatter him.
“Sorry about that.” His voice came out thick and strained, but he gave me a small, uncertain smile. “I kind of zoned out for a minute.”
It hadn’t looked like “zoning out” to me, and it didn’t even make sense in context. No one just checked out that intensely and for that long in the middle of an introduction.
Still, I didn’t call him on the obvious lie. If the episode had been caused by a medical condition, drawing attention to it would likely only embarrass him.
“No need to apologize. Are you sure you’re okay, though?”
“I’m okay. Promise.” His smile stretched a little wider, and he took the hand I still had resting on his elbow. “I’m Trick. Yes, that’s my real name. No, it’s not short for anything.”
Warmth spread from my fingertips and up my arm from the contact, an odd sensation that sent a shiver through me. Still, I couldn’t help but chuckle at his exasperated tone.
