Nerdy (Unexpected Lovers, #2) - J.B. Heller Page 0,1

left,” he says, crossing his sculpted arms over his chest.

What the hell is this—The Twilight Zone? Hot dudes don’t write romance novels.

“But, I—you’re a—” I start to say when a pretty brunette practically shoulder-barges me on her way to delivering the stud at the table a steaming mug of coffee. And somehow, she manages not to spill a drop.

“Here you go, Sebastian. I made it just the way you like it,” she purrs, lingering as she pushes her arms together at her sides, accentuating her cleavage.

If I wasn’t so shocked, I’d gag. She’s trying way too hard. The guy pays her no heed, not even acknowledging her as he keeps his amber gaze locked on me throughout the exchange. Which she doesn’t like at all, judging by the icy glare she throws my way as she passes me on her return to the counter.

“Eleven minutes, Miss Moss,” he mutters, glancing at the clock on the wall behind me.

I swallow then plonk down in the seat across from him. “I’m sorry, I just—I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that you’re a guy.”

He arches a brow. “Is that a problem?”

“No,” I say immediately. “I was expecting a woman. It threw me.”

His eyes dart to the wall clock again as he takes a sip of his coffee. “Ten and a half minutes.”

Christ, what is his problem? I drop my notepad on the tabletop then sit back in my seat. “Have I done something to upset you, or are you just an ass?”

He scoffs. “How am I the ass here? You were supposed to be here at seven. And instead of working, like I should have been, I was watching the clock and wondering where the hell you were for the last thirty-nine minutes.”

I blink at him. It is way too early for this crap. I heave a sigh then rest my elbows on the table, sliding my hands into my hair at my temples. “Look, I’m not a morning person. I got out of bed at six-thirty this morning to be here for this interview.” I pause, and he opens his mouth in an attempt to start speaking.

I hold my hand out. “Shh, I’m not done,” I say. “Then my Uber got a flat, and I had to order another one. I didn’t have your number to let you know I’d be late, since we’ve only communicated via email where, by the way, you neglected to mention that you have a penis. So, when I walked in, I was looking for a woman for almost ten minutes before I approached you.”

He sips his coffee as he silently examines me after my little tirade. Eventually, he sighs and extends a hand toward me. “I’m Sebastian Bailey. Perhaps we should start over, Miss Moss.”

Taking his hand, I give it a firm shake, the way my brothers taught me. “Fine by me,” I say. “And call me Emory.”

Sebastian nods as he releases my hand. “As riveting as this little introduction has been, Emory, I have to go. Day job and all that.” He swallows the last of his coffee, slides his laptop into a sleek brown leather shoulder bag, then stands.

“Would you like to reschedule?” I ask, tipping my head back to maintain eye contact now that he’s standing above me.

He shrugs. “If you can be punctual, we can try this again tomorrow.”

I promptly bang my forehead on the table. “Fine,” I grumble. I’m being super unprofessional, but I’m too tired to even care. When he doesn’t reply, I lift my head to see him striding out the door and onto the street.

He glances at me through the picture window, an unimpressed expression on his handsome face as he points to the table. I follow his gesture and pick up a piece of paper with a cell number on it. He’s gone by the time I look back up.

Sebastian Bailey may be sexy as shit, but the dude’s a total asshole.

At six-fifty-five, the chair across from me makes a godawful screech as it’s dragged out from the table, and the hot mess that is Emory Moss drops down into it.

Her hair is a wild mane of bright-red curls as she stares at me. Her bright-blue eyes tell me everything she’s thinking in this very moment, and I can’t help but smirk.

“Oh, look, she does know what punctuality is,” I murmur.

Her gaze narrows. “I got up extra-extra early and forwent my morning coffee to be here. So, you better give me something good for this