Playing a Player (Sweet Cravings #1) - Ivy Smoak Page 0,3
2 o'clock. Maybe if I went down there, I could get to know him better before rashly asking him to be my roommate.
Before I could chicken out, I grabbed my purse and hurried out of my apartment. I made my way down the street, searching for the restaurant. It was nestled between a Starbucks and a pizza place. I had never noticed it before. I pushed the door open and a bell rang to announce my arrival. The small restaurant was deserted. It was past lunchtime, though, so maybe their usual crowd had already left. I looked around. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to sit down or wait for a hostess. There was a man at a counter in the back staring at me.
"Can I help you, miss?"
Oh, I'm supposed to order back there. I wound my way between the small bistro tables to the back of the restaurant. There was a chalkboard behind the counter. All the menu items were in French, but the descriptions were in English.
"I'm sorry, I don't really know how to pronounce anything. Can I just have a turkey sandwich on a croissant?"
"Sure thing. Did you get that, Rory?" The man looked over his shoulder.
"Got it!" Rory said from somewhere I couldn't see.
"That will be $7.50, miss."
"Okay." I grabbed my wallet out of my purse. Just as I pulled out a ten dollar bill, Rory walked up to the counter. An apron was tied around his waist and his hair was mussed up. He looked even sexier than he had earlier. There was a dot of flour on his cheek. And he was smiling at me.
"This one's on me, Jerry."
Jerry looked at Rory and then back at me. "I actually need to use the restroom. I'll be back." He winked at Rory and walked away.
Rory put his elbows on the counter and leaned forward slightly. "I hope you're bringing me good news, Keira. You saw how short of a walk it is from your apartment to here."
"I actually haven't made up my mind yet." I put the money on the counter and slid it toward him.
"Lots of good contenders, huh?" He slid the bill back toward me and put the plate with the sandwich on it down on top of the money.
"There were a few." I laughed, remembering Piper storming out of the apartment. "Actually most of them were horrible. There was this one girl who thought I was too sloppy to live with. She was super rude."
Rory leaned forward on the counter. "I don't mind if you're a little dirty."
The way he said it made my heart race. I could feel my face blushing. "I don't mind paying, Rory. I didn't come here to get free food. You just mentioned it, and I've never been here..." I shrugged my shoulders. I couldn't seem to control my rambling around him.
"It's on me. I insist."
"Are you trying to bribe me?"
"I'm just being nice. But if you're accepting bribes, then yes, it is a bribe."
"Well, thank you." I grabbed the sandwich and my money and made my way over to one of the tables. Geez, could I be any more awkward?
Chapter 3
A chair squeaked. I looked up and Rory was sitting down on the other side of my table, regarding me curiously.
"Are you done working?" I asked.
"No, not yet. I didn't want to miss talking to you, though. Look, I know you don't want a guy roommate."
"It's not that." I laughed uncomfortably. "Actually, yeah. It is that. It's just kind of awkward."
"Well, I'm not planning on walking around naked, if that's what you're worried about."
"Oh, God no. No. I mean yes, don't do that."
Rory laughed. "I mean, as long as we're not attracted to each other, it really shouldn't be a problem."
He's not attracted to me? That's kind of a rude thing to say. I shifted uncomfortably in my chair. "Right, of course. I mean, I'm definitely not attracted to you. I like...glasses. I mean, guys with glasses. And the whole tall, dark, and handsome thing is really overrated. I should say tall, dark, and not handsome, am I right? Gross. Ugh." I laughed awkwardly and shoved the rest of my sandwich in my mouth. What the fuck?!
He lowered his eyebrows slightly. I hadn't meant to offend him. And it was a lie. He was dreamy.
"Okay. And we can just make a pact," he said.
"Hmm?" I had a mouth full of food.
"To just be friends. To not start liking each other."