His ability to effortlessly keep the conversation going was such a relief. I never seemed to know what to say next, but answering questions was easy. “I write suspense novels, usually about serial killers, although one of my biggest sellers is technically a thriller.”
“What’s the difference?”
“Between thriller and suspense?”
“Yeah.”
“There’s not necessarily a standard definition, but most agents and editors consider a novel a thriller if the protagonist is in danger from the outset and the reader has basically the same information as he or she does. A suspense usually means the reader knows things the protagonist doesn’t. So the reader waits with suspense to see if the protagonist discovers the danger in time.” I shut my mouth again. “Sorry, that was probably more information than you wanted.”
“Not at all.” He leaned forward and rested his forearm on the table. “That’s awesome. I don’t think I could sit still long enough to write a page, let alone a whole book.”
I shrugged. “I’ve been having a hard time lately, too.”
A pretty blond woman dressed in a pink blouse and cropped pants came over to our table. “Hey, Gav. How’s the leg?”
“Mostly just itches. Have you met Skylar?” He turned to me. “This is my sister-in-law, Grace. She’s my brother Asher’s wife.”
Grace gave me a warm smile. “Hey, I heard you were in town. It’s nice to see you again. I think we were probably in elementary school the last time I saw you.”
“Probably.”
“I was just with your hubs,” Gavin said. “He was looking good at quarterback. How are you feeling?”
“I feel amazing, actually.” She rested a hand on her stomach and turned back to me. “He’s asking because I’m pregnant.”
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” She smiled again and there was so much joy in her eyes, it made my heart flutter a little. “I feel really good. No morning sickness or anything. I’m a little tired, but I can’t complain. So far being pregnant agrees with me.”
“You’re a brave woman,” Gavin said. “Baking the first Bailey cub of the next generation.”
“Logan has a pool going to guess the gender,” she said. “Want in?”
Gavin tilted his head, as if he’d be able to tell whether Grace was carrying a boy or a girl by looking at her. She wasn’t even showing yet.
“Boy,” he said, his voice full of confidence.
“That’s what Gram said, too.”
“Of course she did. Because it’s a boy.”
“You’re probably right. Baileys produce a lot more boys than girls.”
“I guess our boy swimmers are the aggressive ones.”
Grace laughed. “Something like that. Anyway, do you want anything? I can have Jenna bring it over so you don’t have to get up.”
“That would be awesome.” His gaze swung to me. “As long as Skylar doesn’t mind.”
He was making me feel a little jittery, but not in a bad way. “No, I don’t mind.”
“Your usual?” Grace asked.
“Yes, please and thank you,” he said, flashing her another grin.
“One salted caramel mocha with whip coming up.”
He leaned closer and whispered, as if he were telling me a secret. “I kind of have a sweet tooth.”
“Did you know that the researchers who discovered the artificial sweetener sucralose were actually attempting to create an insecticide?” I asked.
“I didn’t know that.”
“Apparently one of the researchers was asked to test the substance, but he thought he’d been instructed to taste it. Fortunately for him, it wasn’t toxic. And it tasted like sugar.” I pressed my lips closed. “Sorry, I don’t know why you’d need to know that. I did some research on potentially toxic household substances once and fell down a rabbit hole.”
“I thought you were going to say someone dared him to taste the bug poison.”
“That wouldn’t have been a very smart dare to take. Although getting the words taste and test wrong when you’re trying to make insecticide seems like a pretty big mistake.”
He smiled at me again with a look in his eyes like he wasn’t sure what to think.
Which was understandable, considering I was babbling about insecticide and artificial sweeteners.
The barista brought Gavin’s coffee to the table. He thanked her, then brought the mug to his mouth. When he set it down, a little bit of foam was still on his upper lip. I watched his tongue dart out to lick it off.
He leans close and his tongue brushes the tip of mine, a tantalizing taste that sends a shiver down my back. Our lips press together, my eyes fluttering closed, and—
I blinked the vision away. Where had that come from? I shifted in my seat, hoping he hadn’t noticed that I’d been briefly overtaken by a kissing fantasy.
Except his eyes were on my mouth. Was he staring at my lips because I’d been staring at his? He didn’t look away, and my gaze dipped again. What would that mouth feel like on mine? On my skin, trailing down my neck, or finding the hot bundle of nerves between my—
He cleared his throat and I practically jumped out of my chair.
“Sorry,” we both blurted out at the same time.
I pressed my lips closed, and his hooked in a little smile. He glanced away, like he was confused about something, and took a drink of his coffee.
It felt like I needed something to do with my hands, so I picked up my almost-empty cup. I was used to being flustered when I met someone new, but this was different. Something about Gavin Bailey made my heart flutter and a cascade of tingles rush through my body.
Hopefully I wouldn’t start babbling morbid facts about gunshot wounds or decomposing bodies. Sometimes I did that when I was nervous.
Gavin’s phone dinged and he took it out of his pocket. His face fell. “Damn. My brother Logan needs a ride home.”
Our eyes met again and that arc of electricity was back, sparks flying in the air around us. I desperately wanted him to stay, and for a second, I was almost overcome by the urge to lean over and kiss him.
Sucking in a quick breath, I tore my eyes away. “Well, it was nice to meet you. Officially.”
“Yeah, you too.” He stood and got his crutches under his arms.
I got up and followed him to the door, then opened it for him. He walked through and glanced back at me.
“Thanks. I’ll see you around?”
“Yeah, I’m sure you will.”
His eyes flicked up and down and he nodded, a little smile stealing over his features. “Bye, Skylar.”
“Bye.”
I stood there in a daze while the door fell closed behind him. What had just happened? Sure, he was attractive. Jaw-droppingly gorgeous, to be exact. But that didn’t account for the way I floated back to my table, my hand still tingling from where he’d touched me.
Now was not the time for me to get hung up on a guy, no matter what he looked like. I’d just been dumped, for goodness sake. And I needed to get my career back on track. Figure out how to start writing again.
I sat down and opened my laptop, determined to focus. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get Gavin Bailey out of my mind.