DELINQUENT

NINE

Hot. My apartment was so hot. Panting, I threw the thin sheet off of me. My body was slick with sweat, my clothes clung to me. I wiped sticky hair out of my face and pushed myself up. I felt like s**t. I got off the bed with jerky movements, muscles still half asleep. The button of my jean shorts dug into my stomach, I wiggled out of them.

Already feeling cooler I stumbled into the kitchen, laughing when I saw Tom. Probably in an attempt to cool off, he had laid down half naked on the hardwood floor of the living room. His hand twitched causing me to stifle my laugh with my hand. He looked like a lunatic strewn over the floor. I opened my fridge letting the cold air waft over me.

My skin tingled at the sudden drop in temperature. I snuggled in closer to the fridge and pried open the freezer. Smiling when I spotted a half bottle of Jameson sat front and center. Maybe he had brought it up so he could have it for breakfast. I laid my head against the edge and took a long breath. In 5 minutes, I was comfortably cool. Finally able to think.

Tom rolled over onto his stomach, face smashed up against the floor. I took a mental picture before returning to bed.

I woke up for the second time when my bed shook under me, creaking loudly. My body jolted up, thoughts jumping to danger. To a burglar, to a killer. Relief washed through me when I saw that it was Tom. Just Tom. In a dramatic plea for attention, he had dumped himself onto the mattress next to me.

I fell back against my pillows, nerves fried.

"What time is it?" I asked.

Tom adjusted himself so that he was on his side, head resting in his hand. "After ten." I flipped on my side to mirror him.

"Sleep well?" I teased.

"f**k no. You need air conditioning or at the very least a fan."

I rolled my eyes at him. "You're such a princess."

He leaned into me and with a strong hand pushed me over. My back meeting the bed. "Whatever." He avoided my accusation as he got off the bed, halfway through the door he added, "I'm going to shower."

My eyes shot open. "Wait!" I shouted. The bathroom door closed. "I only have one towel!" I raced to the bathroom and pounded on the door. "At least let me shower first!"

In response, I heard the shower switch on. I groaned and took a moment to stamp my feet.

Dick.

Tom emerged from the bathroom with a smirk as he took me in. I had continued my pouting from the floor, leaning on the wall opposite the bathroom. I tried to keep an upset look on my face as I took him in.

Good lord, the tattoos, the brands, the rippling six pack that melted into a v of muscle. Where did I even begin? His chest rippled with muscle, big drops of water ran down his hair and fell onto his cheek. Onto that knee weakening dimple.

"Your turn." His voice was thick and caused me to press my thighs together. Damn him and his body, with that face. Damn that voice that made me tremble with want.

Towel hung low on his hips, he started down the hall. A trail of water chased him.

"I don't have a towel." I reminded him as I stood. I didn't know what I expected him to do, pull a fresh towel out of thin air? I definitely didn't think he would just tug the towel off him and toss it to me.

I squeezed my eyes shut to avoid drooling over the completely naked man in my apartment and ducked in the bathroom needing a physical barrier between me and that tight ass he had shown off so abrasively.

I took a long cold shower.

Luckily, when I finished in the bathroom, Tom was dressed and distracted with his phone. I snuck into the bedroom and with mind warping speed, yanked on shorts and a t-shirt.

A light knock at the door. "Breakfast?" Tom offered.

I walked out of the room, expecting to see that familiar gold arched paper bag on the counter. It wasn't there. I shot him a confused look. He didn't see it, his focus back on his phone, he slid keys into his pocket.

I laced up my sneakers and unplugged my phone, checking it for messages. None. Zilch. Zero.

Tom opened the door and nodded for me to exit. After a second to pluck my keys up, I dashed out. He locked the door from the inside before shutting it tightly. I didn't know what the plan was, what I was doing with Tom. We had never hung out in the daytime. Not really.

His phone let out an eardrum bursting shrill ring, he snapped it up before it could shriek again. I distracted myself with my own phone as we walked, skimming the day's headlines, bookmarking some to read later.

We walked together for some time, me just a step behind him. I hoped he had a location for food in mind and that it was close or I was going to starve.

I held mixed feelings over our time together. Irritated that Tom answered call after call, murmuring commands into his phone. Why did he ask me to come just to ignore me? At the same time, what would I even say if I had his attention?

Thanks for the tip?

Sorry for kissing you?

Am I really the New Carly?

Those all seemed like disasters waiting to happen. Tom stopped abruptly and opened a glass door for me. I glanced up, trying to catch the name of the place we are at, a striped awning blocked my view. Through the door, I was hit with the smell of strong coffee and syrup.

It was a small coffee shop bustling with people starting off their day. I eagerly joined the line to the register, poking my head out to the side to check out the pastries and fruits displayed the glass case. My mouth watered at every single thing.

Indecision filled my stomach as I let my gaze jump from delicacy to delicacy. I would have to return to that decision. I turned my attention to the large chalkboard hung on the wall detailing house drinks. Written in a whimsical cursive I struggled to make out half the words, the ones I could read did not interest me.

I didn't want an iced-mocha-caramel-blended cup of bullshit.

It wasn't long before I was face to face with a gum popping cashier.

"What can I get ya?" She asked cheerily.

I panicked. "Black coffee and - " I bit my lip aiming to pick out a sweet treat.

She read me like a book, leaning over the counter and pointing at a parchment wrapped croissant. "That's my favorite, buttery, flaky goodness that will pair perfectly with plain coffee."

She was a Godsend. "Two of those please, and thank you." She winked and nodded, clicking at the screen in front of her.

"4.67" She read me the total. I was halfway to my purse when Tom grabbed my hand, jerking it to rest at his side.

"She's with me, Elle." He said, deep voice shaking my bones. I squirmed in his grip leaving him to tighten it.

"Sure, thing Don!" Elle's demeanor changed in an instant, her friendly smile turned flirty. Did she say Don? No - I misheard her over the milk being steamed.

She swallowed her gum. This girl was cute. Of course, Tom knew the beautifully sweet cashier. Did he have a girl after him at every place in town?

He slid her a twenty, and turned around, pulling me behind him. To the other bystanders, we probably appeared to be a normal couple heading to the local shop to plan our wedding or pick out a cat. A ridiculous image.

Though I had to admit, I liked the way he held my hand.

He dropped it to pull out a worn wooden chair for me. I blushed at the chivalry. Who was this guy? Where was Jameson Neat?

I sat down, frowned and stood up as he took the seat across from me.

"What?" He quizzed me.

"My coffee and cro- "

He cut me off. "Elle will - here she is now." The lovely cashier placed a marbled tray on the table between us. Two black coffees in simple white mugs were surrounded by a small assortment of baked goods, including two of my croissants.

She took care straightening the tray on the table, then pulled two newspapers from her polka dotted apron.

"Anything else?" She directed the question at Tom. My entire existence forgotten. I couldn't even hate her for it. Tom was . . . a sight. Disregarding the fact that he wore sexy messed up hair, steel grey eyes and a brush of stubble that all begged for everyone to look at, he had an aura to him. Something in him that commanded attention, demanded it.

Tom shook his head and passed her a folded-up bill. "Say hi to Roman." He told her as she eagerly lucked the bill from his fingers. quickly tucking it in her back pocket. She smiled and returned to her post behind the cash register.

Tom took no time to claim a coffee and gulped down the steaming liquid. Over the top of the mug, he studied me. I was frozen, in awe of what had just happened. I peered around the small shop. No one else had trays, no one else had newspapers. There was no table service here.

"What just happened?" I blanched.

He shrugged. Feeling completely confused, I ripped apart my croissant popping a bit into my mouth.

Fuck.

Elle had been right. The light pastry disappeared as it hit my tongue. Perfect buttery goodness. I let out a satisfied moan.

Then I felt a pinch in my heart when I saw the way Tom watched me - like he wanted to skip the pastries and have me for breakfast.