Free Third Time's a Charm by Virginia Smith Page B

attention on an old-fashioned sideboard covered with a display of tea canisters and mugs. Where was he? She couldn’t even step through the connecting doorway to the Centre College Bookstore to browse while she waited, since it was closed on Sundays.
    She’d moved to another wall and stood examining a collection of framed photographs and artwork when the door behind her opened. She arranged her smile and turned. Ryan swept inside, bringing a rush of warm air with him. When he caught sight of her, an admiring smile lit his features. An answering thrill brushed away Tori’s irritation. Okay, maybe they had nothing in common, but he sure was nice to look at.
    He crossed the distance between them with three long-legged strides. “Sorry I’m late. Have you been here long?”
    “Just a minute or two.” Standing beside his muscled frame made Tori feel dainty and feminine. She flashed her eyes sideways up at him and affected a teasing tone. “Just long enough to worry that I was about to be stood up for the first time in my life.”
    A grin eased the worry off his face. “Not by me. I was out at my brother’s farm in Junction City and got trapped behind a tractor pulling a load of hay on the way in to town.” He placed one hand at the small of her back and gestured toward the counter with the other.
    Tori let him guide her, enjoying the warmth of his fingers through her blouse. They stood side by side examining the menu boards on the wall behind the counter, close enough for her to feel the heat radiating from his body and catch a spicy whiff of some sort of cologne. Strong enough to have been freshly applied, which meant he took the time to slap on some cologne before coming to meet her. Because he wanted to make a good impression, maybe?
    She was still smiling at the thought when he looked sideways down at her. “What do you recommend? I’ve never been here.”
    “But this is the place to go in Danville.” She raised her eyebrows. “Don’t you drink coffee?”
    “Sure, normal coffee. I have no idea what half that stuff is.” He waved a hand at the board. “I mean, I know what Rattlesnakes and Honeybees are, but they aren’t something you pour in a mug. And a Jitterbug is a dance, not a coffee. Maybe I’d just better stick with the regular stuff.”
    She put a hand on her hip and tossed her curls. “Well, I don’t know if I can go out with someone who’s never drunk a Jitterbug.”
    Oops. She shouldn’t have mentioned going out. No reason to pretend this was anything more than a spur-of-the-moment conversation between friends. Good looking or not, she needed to remember that they were just friends, and they’d better keep it that way.
    He looked startled for a moment, and then a slow grin spread across his lips. “I’ll try anything once, and I’m highly motivated.”
    O-kay. Obviously he’d like it to be more.
    A blush at his blatant compliment threatened, and she looked purposefully at the menu board. “If you like caramel, the Jitterbug is good. Or if you like vanilla . . .” Her voice trailed off as the blush warmed her cheeks. The vanilla latte was called a French Kiss. Better not go there.
    “It all sounds good. Hey, look at the Depth Charge. Four shots of espresso?” He gave a low whistle. “I’d be awake for a week if I drank that.”
    “Amateur.” She pretended to heave an exasperated sigh. “Maybe you’d better leave this in the hands of an expert.” She stepped up to the counter. “We’ll have two Temptation Lattes.” She gave him a sideways glance and added, “Extra whip.”
    He read the description. “Hazelnut, white chocolate, cinnamon.” Nodding with approval, he said, “Good choice.”
    Tori considered paying for her own, but he whipped out his wallet before she could do more than reach for her purse. Okay, this was his idea, his invitation. Let him pay this time. She left him at the counter and wandered over to pick out their seats. Maybe the comfy leather sofa? Too