I walked into the small café and inhaled the spicy scent of herbal tea. I had been living in London for about two weeks now, and I had yet to find myself a decent cup of coffee. God, I missed New York. I missed Starbucks.

Still, I had a lot of research to do before I could feel comfortable enough to write my newest novel.

I scanned the establishment, looking for Lela, but it seemed she hadn’t arrived yet. Typical. Back in college, I had bought her a watch, hoping that would aid with her punctuality, but it never had. Heidi and I used to get so frustrated with her.

“How may I help you?” the barista asked.

“Oh. Sorry, I’m still looking over the menu.” The chalkboard was filled with different options. Most of the teas sounded exotic and indigestible. In the end, I settled for a harmless Earl Gray. I took it to the back of the café, choosing a booth tucked away in the corner. Hopefully, Lela would still be able to find me.

I plugged in my laptop and picked up my work from last night. I had been making a list of various museums and libraries that held any information on Jack the Ripper.

“Order for Cruz!” I perked my head up, spotting Heidi’s brother at the counter. Hunter was standing beside him, looking around. He spotted me and started to point excitedly.

It was too late to duck out now. I tried to act natural as he approached me. My cheeks flushed slightly as last night’s dream resurfaced in my mind. It had been so vivid and wild that I had woken up with a need for fresh panties.

“Today must be my lucky day,” Cruz said as he slipped into the booth. “Not only did I find a four-leaf clover while we were at the park, but now I run into the most beautiful woman in the world.”

Hunter held up the clover as proof, twirling it between his fingers. “He let me keep it.”

“What are you doing here?”

“They have some really good muffins here. Do you want some?” He pushed the pastry toward me.

I shook my head. “No, thank you.”

“Oh, come on, just one little bite. You won’t regret it.” He broke off a piece, guiding it toward my mouth.

I found myself parting my lips for him. The muffin truly was delicious. I closed my eyes, savoring the sweet taste.

“See, what did I tell you?”

“Okay. I will admit, that was pretty good.”

“Here, have half of my muffin.”

“It’s fine, really.”

“I won’t take no for an answer,” he insisted with a bright and charming smile.

I relented, accepting the treat. I took another small bite before I wiped my hands and went back to work. Maybe if he saw that I was busy, he would leave me alone. It wasn’t that I didn’t like him. I did. I just didn’t want to be pulled into a relationship that wouldn’t be sustainable. I would be leaving London in a few weeks, and I had no idea what his occupational plans were. For all I knew, he could be leaving tomorrow for Brooklyn.

“What are you working on?”

“Some research on Jack the Ripper.”

“So you really are writing a novel about him? Hasn’t that story been overdone by now?”

“The goal of a good writer is to take the old and spin it into the new.”

“I thought writers were supposed to be original.”

“Yes, but you draw inspiration from a thousand different sources. Sometimes, rehashing something is the most original thing you can come up with.”

Cruz didn’t look very convinced.

“Don’t give me that look. You’re just a finance manager.”

“You’re right. I’m stuck in a cubicle all day crunching numbers.”

I rolled my eyes. “When are you going to tell me what you really do? There’s no way a guy like you is a finance manager.”

“How can you be so sure?”

Before I answered, I took in his physique. He was wearing a tight dress shirt. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, exposing his muscular forearms. They seemed to dance under his skin as he played with a napkin.

“Why would a finance manager need to keep himself buff?”

He chuckled. “Buff? I see your eyes have been wandering.”

“I’m just pointing out an observation,” I said quickly.

“Alright, maybe I have a home gym and that’s what I do after a long day at the office.”

“I don’t believe it. There’s something you aren’t telling me. Like your first name.”

“That’s a mystery you might never figure out.” He grinned, placing a tiny paper crane on the table. “But if you want to know more about me, meet me after work tonight.”

“Where?”

“How about the London Eye? You can ask me anything you’d like, as long as I get a kiss at the top.”

I contemplated his offer for a moment before I nodded my head. After all, I had always wanted to ride the oversized Ferris Wheel. I would have preferred to ride it with a boyfriend, but a handsome stranger would work just as well.

“Great, I’ll see you then.” Cruz winked before he got up and left. Seconds later, Lela walked into the café, waving at me.

Once she joined me, she cocked her head to the side. “You ordered a muffin? I thought you hated muffins.”

“I do…”