I’d been wanting to see my green-eyed waitress again, but I didn’t expect to run into her quite so literally. “Diner girl. I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you there, I was rushing to get to—” I drew in a deep breath, dropped my hands to my side, realizing I’d been probably holding her a tad too long.

“Rushing to where?”

“Funny, really. I was on my way to your diner.”

I could see her swallow hard, then clear her throat a few times before she could find her voice. “Well, I was on my way there, too.”

My lips turned down when I realized I’d ruined her shirt. “Let me get that cleaned for you, or we can stop at a store, and I can buy you a whole new one.”

She glanced down at the coffee stain on her shirt. “Don’t worry, I’m used to it. I think all my clothes have at least one coffee stain, or three.” She chuckled.

My brow perked and her cheeks turned red. It was a rather awkward moment, seeing as how we were both headed to the same place and we needed to decide whether or not we should walk together. It was an easy decision for me, but after spilling coffee all over her, she might not be as amenable to the idea.

“We can walk together—or?”

“Or, what?”

“Or, I guess I could walk five steps behind you the whole way there.”

“That would be a little creepy.”

I chuckled. “I guess it would. I just don’t want you to feel like you have to walk with me.”

“I don’t have to do anything. But I’d like to walk with you.”

“So, you’re sassy no matter what time of day it is?”

She shrugged and shot me a wink. “Pretty much.” Her cheeks flushed a bit further, but her embarrassment ebbed enough to lessen the tension between us.

“My apartment’s on the way,” she announced. “I’ll just stop and change before I go to the diner.”

“You’d be okay with a stranger walking you to your apartment?” The tension that had tightened around my shoulders relaxed a bit.

“You’re not exactly a stranger.”

“I’m Grayson, by the way. I don’t think we were properly introduced.”

“I know.” She flipped her hair and headed down the sidewalk, leaving me standing alone.

I jogged behind her to catch up, then laid my hand on her shoulder. “And you’re Jade.”

She glanced over at my hand. “Presumptuous, aren’t we?”

I pulled my hand away. I’d never met a woman who wasn’t keen to my advances. I mean fuck, I’m Grayson fucking Sparling.

“So, no last name?”

“Hunter. Jade Hunter.”

“Pleasure to finally meet you, Jade Hunter.”

She didn’t reply. Instead, she sank her teeth into her bottom lip to curb her smile, scrunching her nose as if she were concentrating on something difficult.

She was being adorably cute, and I couldn’t help but inch closer to her. I was stunned by the feeling radiating from the air billowing around us. I shoved my hands into my pockets, grinning back at her. If I’d left them out, I would’ve probably touched her hand, creeping her the fuck out.

“So, shall we?” I asked, taking a step forward.

We’d barely made it halfway down the sidewalk before my steps stuttered and I slunk back until we were walking side by side.

“I don’t know where you live,” I said, grinning. “Probably shouldn’t be the lead.”

“You usually are, aren’t you?” She winced as the words left her mouth. “I mean, in the movies.”

I rolled my eyes, “Yeah, I guess I usually am—in the movies, though.”

I almost crossed the street when I should’ve turned left, but she gently grabbed my elbow, leading me in the right direction. Again, pinpricks danced where our skin met.

“Sorry. There I go, trying to lead again.”

“I like when you lead.”

I perked my brows, enticed by her innuendo.

“Your movies, I mean.”

Her cheeks turned pink. I was amused by her insecurity coupled with her sass. I couldn’t quite grasp what kind of girl she was. Playful? Cheeky? Meek? No, she wasn’t meek. Either way, she intrigued me like no one else, and I’d be damned if I was going to let her off the hook without letting me in to find out more.

“I didn’t peg you for the romance type,” I said.

She shrugged. “In life? Or—”

“Movies. I meant movies.”

“Oh.” She laughed.

“What’s your favorite, though?”

She stopped walking, pulling her keys from her pocket. “This is me,” she said, unlocking the door. “Action movies, I guess.”

She opened the door and went inside the complex. I hesitated as to whether I should follow her or not, raising an eyebrow as I waited for an invitation.

“Are you coming in?”

The tension in my face left as I took my first step into her complex.

“Which is yours?”

“Three,” she gestured toward the door.

I headed over and leaned against the doorframe, waiting for her to unlock it. Her hands trembled a bit under my stare, the keys almost slipping from between her fingers.