I sat in the coffee shop with Angela, my boss, and shot the shit as we waited for the lunch rush to start.

I loved this place. I was drawn to it in high school because it catered to my unique interests. It was the only place in town that was a safe haven for nerds like myself. From Star Wars lovers to Doctor Who fans to people who still played card games like Magic: The Gathering, there was a little something for every nerd who lived in Bozeman, Montana. I lived here after school, studying for exams while ordering coffee drinks named things like “Bean Me Up, Scottie” and lattes drawn into the top of the foam.

And now I was only a few steps away from helping to manage it.

We experienced slow days like this all the time. Some days were jam packed from sunup to sundown, and some days were deserted and barren. Angela and I had been standing around for almost two hours now, just shooting the shit, and I for one was getting bored.

Until the bell above the door finally rang.

“Thank fuck,” I said, murmuring. “Welcome to Java and Hutt. How can I help you this afternoon?”

Bozeman was a small town, though it was still one of the hotspots of Montana. Still, all the locals knew everyone, so there was rarely a time when someone walked in who I didn’t recognize. And if I didn’t recognize them, I could usually pin down who they were based on the gossip that flooded into this coffeehouse on a daily basis.

This was one of those moments, and I was fucking sorry it was.

He was a beautiful specimen. Tall and lanky, but you could tell by the breadth of his shoulders that he was strong. His striking hazel eyes complimented his golden hair, and the bright smile strewn across his cheeks made my heart palpitate. He was delectable, and I was going to really enjoy helping this man get whatever the fuck he wanted.

“Hello there,” he said, smiling, “do think you can help me. What is your house special?”

“We’re known for a special concoction of ingredients I cannot disclose unless you wish to put your life in jeopardy,” I said.

“But who can resist a good secret, am I right?” he asked.

“The customer always is.”

“Well then, give me a medium secret concoction, and I won’t make you liable for murder today,” he said.

“Fantastic. Would you like that secret concoction warm or chilled?”

“Can you do blended?” he asked.

“I can, but it ruins the taste. I’d much rather you have it chilled if you’d like something cold in this blustery weather.”

His eyes seemed to sparkle with our banter, and I was thoroughly enjoying it. His gaze met mine as he leaned his forearm against the counter, seemingly leaning in to tell me a secret of his own.

We didn’t have a house special, but I was going to pull one out of my ass just for him.

“Then give it to me however you wish.”

I could practically hear Angela groaning in the backroom. I rang him up for the mystery drink and got to work, combining full-fat milk with raspberry and chocolate syrups before offering up three shots of our finest espresso. I topped it off with a pistachio whipped cream, drizzled it with a little more raspberry and chocolate, then handed it over to him and watched him take his first sip.

“Oh, this is awesome,” he said.

“I’m glad,” I said, giggling. “I do hope you enjoy the rest of your day.”

He nodded at me, still drinking his coffee before he turned and walked away. I was sad when I saw him walk out those doors, but Angela was soon on my heels. She was giggling and ranting, talking about how he was flirting with me and how I should’ve given him my number. But even though I knew we were flirting, and even though he was absolutely gorgeous, I was at work. And while I was loud and proud, I was also professional.

Which meant not giving my number out to mysteriously beautiful customers.

The shift picked up during lunchtime, and the stranger almost fell from my mind. Regular coffees and iced chai tea lattes were churned out like Angela and I were part of a factory team. But the good thing about it being just the two of us was the fact that we only had to split the tips two ways.

That meant I’d get a decent chunk of money in my pocket by the time the day was over.

The lunch rush was just winding down as the bell above the door rang again. I sighed and switched places with Angela so her wrists could get a rest, but soon she was slapping me on my arm.

“What? What is it?” I asked.

“He’s back,” she said, whispering. “Look.”

My eyes rose to find those glowing hazel beauties staring back at me, and they rooted me to my spot.

“Hello again,” I said. “Back for another surprise drink?”

“Two things,” he said. “One, I raved about your secret concoction, only to find out you guys don’t actually have a house special.”

“Guilty as charged,” I said, giggling.

“Good,” he nodded. “That brings me to my second point. You were obviously flirting with me,” he said confidently.

“Obviously?” I asked, raising my eyebrow.

“I mean, come on. You made up a special drink just for me. You obviously want to give me your number so I can ask you to dinner,” he said, flashing that irresistible smile again.

I hesitated for a moment before answering. While the man was gorgeous, he was also a stranger. Angela didn’t seem to know who he was, and I had no clue either. I started to try to find a polite way of saying so when Angela spoke up from beside me.

“She would love to give you her number,” Angela said.

“Hey. Do you mind?” I asked.

I turned my gaze back to him, and there was something about his smile. It reached his eyes and set them sparkling. There was no way you could fake that type of kind, genuine smile. I ran my eyes down him one last time before I drew in a deep breath, and then I resolved myself to my answer before I nodded my head.

“Let me get a pen,” I said. “I’m Layla, by the way. Layla Westin.”

“Daniel Jones,” he said. “It’s wonderful to meet you.”

I jotted down my number and handed it over to him. He looked it over before he folded it up, and then he stuck it in the breast pocket of his button-down shirt. His smile was contagious, and I couldn’t help but return it.

“Great, thank you, Layla. I look forward to talking with you again very soon,” he said.

His voice was low and rumbling, like a train rolling in from the distance. I could feel the electricity coursing between our bodies, thickening the air around us. It became hard to breathe as his hazel eyes swallowed, and I swallowed hard before I released the breath I was holding. All I could do was nod in response.

I watched him walk away, my jaw unhinged, speechless. For the first time in my life, someone had left me breathless. There were people sitting at tables who were now staring at me, and I could feel Angela tugging at my arm, trying to drag me into the back room so she could shriek and giggle and scream with me.

But the only thing I could see was his tall, strong form receding from the coffee shop—and all I wanted to do was follow him.