Page 35 of Demon's Mate
Was that guy’s friendly stare all that had his senses tingling? It’d be good to start recognizing local faces. That way Harper wouldn’t have to be so suspicious of every person he encountered.
His posture sagged. Worrying about every little thing was exhausting.
Taking a sip of his sweet hazelnut almond latte, Harper tried to empty his mind. He sipped slowly, casually watching people in the café. The place wasn’t packed, but it was an off time of day. A pair Harper guessed were a couple leaned in close to one another at the front of the room, whispering.
Longing stirred in Harper’s chest, which was even worse than the paranoia plaguing him.
After his complicated hookup, he was less sure casual sex was his thing. He wanted a partner. It had felt so right kissing Ash, his hard body keeping Harper’s world in line. He wanted more of that.
The hollowness in Harper’s chest intensified, and he bit the inside of his cheek until he tasted copper. He wasn’t going to pine after Ash. He deserved someone who treated him right, not just blew his mind and cast him aside.
Harper had another sip of his coffee.
A tall figure walked in front of the café window and came to the door. Harper paused in the process of setting his cup on the table. As if his thoughts had summoned him, Ash stood in the doorway, his bulky frame taking up too much space.
What were the chances?
Ash glanced around the coffee shop until his eyes landed on Harper. He didn’t smile, his square jaw set, a serious furrow in his brow.
An electric tingle went down Harper’s spine and he suppressed a shiver.
No. He wasn’t reacting that way. He wasn’t happy to see Ash and wasn’t getting any warm feelings.
Their eyes locked. Ash didn’t appear surprised to find himself face-to-face with Harper. It seemed like coming across Harper stirred zero emotion in him, which stung.
Ash entered the coffee shop and came closer, heading toward Harper’s table, not the register.
What? No. They weren’t going to ignore each other? Harper’s pulse quickened. Did he like or hate this twist of fate?
Hate. Definitely hate.
“Harper.” Ash nodded in greeting, his voice as deep and melodic as Harper remembered. “I’m glad I ran into you.”
Harper set his coffee down at last. “You are?”
Ash’s lips twitched downward like he wanted to frown but was trying not to. Harper’s cheeks flamed. He didn’t want to have this conversation. He’d made peace with never hearing from Ash again.
Hadn’t he?
Harper tried to hold on to his embarrassment and anger, but something softer muted his senses. The comfort of Ash’s embrace was too easy to remember.
“Yes, I’m glad to see you.” Ash pulled out the chair opposite Harper. “May I?” He indicated the seat.
Harper blinked, pushing away the memory of Ash’s comfort. He tilted his head, adjusting his glasses and fixing Ash with an unwavering stare. “Why would you want to sit with me?”
Ash took his hand off the chair. “I want to apologize.”
Heat burst over Harper’s cheeks and traveled down his neck.
Damnation. Harper didn’t want to acknowledge how Ash had left him a mess on the couch and didn’t want to think about what Ash had seen of him before that. He didn’t like how desperate he’d been in front of Ash. Harper didn’t want Ash to know he cared.
Ash shifted awkwardly like he didn’t know what to do with his hands now that he’d let go of the chair. “I’m sorry for leaving so abruptly. You deserve better than that.”
Relief, then anger, swept over Harper. If Ash cared enough to be sorry, why had he run off in the first place? “I do deserve better,” Harper made himself say. He could do with the reminder. It didn’t always feel true when everyone treated him like he was disposable.
Ash reached a hand toward the chair again, then pulled it back. “Can I make it up to you?”
Oh, Hell, was that a note of regret in Ash’s tone? Real regret and not just something placating? Ash’s golden-brown eyes seemed almost pleading. Or maybe Harper was seeing what he wanted to see. Why would Ash care this much? He hadn’t the other night.
