Rebel Hearts: Outside The Lines Part 5

I'm smiling and nodding before I can get any logical words out. "Sure, thanks."

"I still want to make it up to you."

"Nah, it's okay. I really should go and get this over with."

He laughs. "Hopefully this guy takes it easy on you. Tell him some idiot ran into you and it's not your fault."

"I'll say just that." My heart flutters when he pushes the door open for me. "That's me," I say, motioning to my red Malibu parked right outside the door. I set the brownie and phone on the roof and open the door.

"Sorry again, Felicity," he says. "Maybe I'll see you here again. I pretty much live on coffee."

"Me too. Well, coffee and wine," I say and laugh at myself. Did I really just say that? Why not tell him that the wine is drunk out of a plastic b.u.t.ter Beer mug while Ser Pounce circles my feet?

"Both are essential," he says and hands me my drink. "Good luck with the a.s.shole client."

"Thanks, I'll probably need it." My eyes flick to the gallery across the street. "This day can't get much worse, can it?"

"Let's hope not." He lets his eyes run over me, slowly, deliberately. He wants me to know he's checking me out ... and liking what he's seeing.

Holy s.h.i.+t.

I'm fairly confident only this guy can make a coffee shop parking lot an erotic experience. I'm blus.h.i.+ng as I turn to get into the car. I close the door and pull my s.h.i.+rt up, untucking it from my skirt. I undo the b.u.t.tons and yank it off. It's way too stained and wet to wear. I toss my head back against the seat. What the f.u.c.k should I do?

I sigh and hang the s.h.i.+rt on the pa.s.senger seat, hoping it might dry if I blast it with the A.C. I look at the clock.

I'm now fifteen minutes late. I put the car in reverse, realize that my phone and brownie are on the hood, and frantically grab them. Then I high-tail it across the street. I get out, get my purse, and gather my composure, catching my reflection in my window. If only I'd worn any other s.h.i.+rt under my blouse than this ... Whatever. R2D2 is awesome.

My heart skips a beat. I lean against the door of my car, taking a few minutes to text Erin and calm down. Plus I need to process Hot Guy.

What is wrong with me? I should have flirted back, right? Maybe asked for his name at least? Oh well. I'll never see him again. I shake my head when I realize that I've wasted another five minutes. Now I'm twenty minutes late.

I fluff my hair, take a deep breath-I smell like coffee, though I say that's not a bad thing-and push my shoulders back. It is what it is. I'm going to go in, set this s.h.i.+t up, then get the h.e.l.l out of dodge.

I grab my work bag from the back, heft it up over my shoulder, and hold my head up as I walk into the gallery. Mindy looks up when the door opens. Her eyebrows go up as she takes in my Star Wars tank top. It's form fitting with a scoop neck, showing more of my t.i.ts than is appropriate.

"I'm ready to get started," I say, cutting right to the chase.

"Uh, okay," she says, blinking back her shock. "I'll let Ben know you're here."

"Thanks." I set the bag down on her desk, eyeballing the sleek computer that takes the place of the old dinosaur that sat in its place a few days ago. Mindy gets up, repulsion of my fas.h.i.+on choice clear on her face. She's looking good again today in a cream suit, hair in loose waves pinned back by s.h.i.+ny barrettes. Her makeup is flawless. Seriously, people have skin that even and clear?

Maybe she had some sort of procedure done. I doubt it. I'm sure my tainted high school memories glorified her a bit, my teenage mind thinking her better than she really is, but I'm pretty sure her skin had always been that way. Mine isn't particularly bad, but I don't look like a centerfold come to life.

Her heels click on the hardwood floor and she disappears into the gallery. Two of the paintings from Monday are gone, making the entrance look bare. I didn't doubt the talent of this Ben guy, but I doubted the price tags. Not being into art or anything cla.s.sy like that, I had no idea what the going rate was for a custom piece like that, though.

I click my nails on the desk as I wait, disliking this Ben guy even more as each minute ticks by. Finally, Mindy trots back to her desk.

"He'll be right down. You can start with his computer. He's busy, you know. You should hurry so he can get to work."

I swallow the retort that's on the tip of my tongue. I'll hurry because I want out of here, not because Ben-Diva needs his precious time.

"Sure," I say and take another breath. A door opens and closes from inside the gallery, and I hear heavy footfalls come downstairs. Ben rounds the corner and it's all I can do not to let my jaw drop onto the floor. Color rushes to my cheeks.

Son of a b.i.t.c.h.

It's worse than any Shyamalan twist: a.s.shole, little-miss-diva Ben is the hot guy from the coffee shop.

CHAPTER FIVE.

We stare at each other, neither speaking, for several beats. Mindy looks back and forth, not following our expressions of abhorrence.

"Felicity," Ben finally says and his eyes settle on my b.r.e.a.s.t.s. "Nice outfit choice."

"Some idiot ran into me and it's not my fault," I say back. "Ben."

"You two know each other?" Mindy asks.

"Yes," Ben says the same time I say "No." Ben clears his throat. "Why don't you get started," he says to me. "I'd hate for that a.s.shole client to get upset."

I purse my lips together and glare at him. Then I blink, grab my bag, and hurry past Mindy. We go to the center of the gallery and up a flight of wooden stairs that have been painted black.

My pulse is pounding, and I can't take my eyes off of Ben's a.s.s as he ascends the stairs in front of me. It's so perfect and tight. A quarter would bounce right off that thing. There is a door at the top of the stairs that creaks open. The smell of paint and clay hits me hard.

"Close the door," Ben says and I just know he's going to yell at me and call my boss or something of the like. He turns around and crosses his arms. He's grinning. "You're not the fat, ugly nerd I was told was coming to install the new computers and fix the website."

"And you might not be the a.s.shole client I thought you were."

"Just might not be?"

I lift my left shoulder in a shrug but can hardly move it under the weight of the bag. "I don't know you yet. You can at least tell what I look like in a second flat."

"That is true," he says and runs a hand through his hair. He leans against an L-shaped desk that's cluttered with books and messy stacks of paper. "Why do you think I'm an a.s.shole?"

I swallow, trying to will the blood rush to leave my cheeks. "The way Mindy talked about you. You sounded like a high-maintenance diva, to be honest."

His face brightens as he smiles again. Then he raises an eyebrow. "You know Mindy?"

c.r.a.p. I could lie, right?

"I mean," he continues. "She saw you, and you're clearly not fat or ugly." His eyes do one more sweep of my body. "Not at all. So why would she lie?"

"She's s.a.d.i.s.tic?" I offer, voice going high pitched.

Ben tips his head like he's studying me. "She is, but not that much."

"We went to high school together," I admit and am surprised by the relief I feel in saying that. "And we weren't friends."

"What, were you the popular hot girl and she wasn't?"

I let out a snort-yes, and actual snort-of laughter and give Ben a "what the f.u.c.k are you smoking?" look.

"Other way around?" he asks like it can't be true.

I put my hand to my chest, meaning to draw attention to the giant R2D2 on my s.h.i.+rt as if that proves my point. "Very much so."

"Because you like Star Trek?"

I blink and look down at my s.h.i.+rt. Nope. I just ... can't. I shake my head and stare at him with wide eyes. The adrenaline is wearing off and things are feeling more and more awkward. I wave my hand in the air.

"Look, sorry I called you an a.s.shole, though I really didn't call you that. Just show me the computers and I'll get things set up, fix your site, and leave."

Ben still has that stupid grin on his face, and I hate how attractive he is with it. "You're making me want to prove to you I'm not an a.s.shole."

"Really, you don't have to. You did seem like you were legit sorry you ruined my s.h.i.+rt back there-"

"You said you weren't upset," he interjects.

"I'm not that upset. That s.h.i.+rt really doesn't fit that well and I only wore it because I'm slacking on laundry. I don't think I've even worn it in years." Color rushes to my cheeks. Why am I saying this? Stop talking, Felicity. "Now ... let's just get this over with and be on our separate ways. Then you'll never have to see me and think of this awkward moment again."

"I'll definitely be thinking about this again," he says and pushes off his desk. I just now notice the flecks of paint on his hands and arms. If I hadn't been so dumbstruck by his d.a.m.n good looks, maybe I would have put two and two together and figured out he was Ben.

Though, I highly doubt that.

It was already in my mind that Ben was an older gay man, not a super attractive guy in his thirties with muscles and tattoos and a rather large bulge in his- Stop.

"Feel free," I say and hold onto the strap of the heavy bag. Ben notices and steps forward to take it. Okay. Maybe he really isn't an a.s.shole. "So, your computers," I start. "They were seriously old. How did you function?" I can be blunt right? We are past fake formalities by now.

Ben laughs. "I don't use it much." He must notice my shocked expression. "I bring my laptop with me everywhere I go and use that instead."

"Oh good," I say. "Because if you were one of those people that didn't like computers, I'd ... I'd really do nothing because I don't know you and it wouldn't matter at all." I laugh, nervous. f.u.c.k, why am I so awkward?

"We can change that," he says, his dark eyes meeting mine and it's like he's looking into my soul, seeing how desperate I am for a good, hard f.u.c.k by something other than my neon-pink vibrator. Seriously, my wrists hurt from doing myself every night. Thanks, Mom, for forcing me to take piano lessons that started the wrist pain. Wait, no. Mom should be nowhere in this thought process. I blink and shake my head.

"But first," he says when I just stare at him like he's an all-you-can-eat cupcake buffet and I'm on a carb-free diet. "The computer situation. I did update what we have here. It's easier to do bookkeeping in the office rather than brining my personal computer back and forth."

"I bet. So you want me to set that up too?"

"I can do it."

"I'm sure I can do it faster."

He gets a devilish glint in his eyes. "I'm sure you can."

Is he making a s.e.xual joke or do I have a dirty mind? f.u.c.k. Thinking about Ben and s.e.x makes me warm and tingly all over. "Well, I'm here to help so ... uh ... I'll help if you want my help, because that's why I'm here. To help." I internally wince at my own choice of words.

"So you can help?" he teases and goes around to his messy desk. I take a minute to look around the s.p.a.ce. The "office" part opens into a large studio, with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto the street. Sheer curtains have been hung over them, several feet of fabric gathered on the floor. The walls are a mix of cracked plaster and exposed brick, and I'm not sure if it was done on purpose of if that it happened over time. It is very fitting for an art studio, nonetheless.

Shelves are pushed against the wall, every inch covered in paint, brushes, and other various materials. Several easels have been set up in the middle of the room, and some sort of statue was shoved in a corner, looking forgotten. The entire place is a mess, but it's working. In fact, it wouldn't work any other way. Chaos and creativity go hand in hand.

"That's the new router you got?" I ask, wrinkling my nose.

"What's wrong with this one?"

"It's not very good."

"The guy at the store recommended it."

I put a hand on my hip. "You believe some teenager in a blue s.h.i.+rt over me?"

That grin is back on his handsome face. "How do I know you're any more-or less-qualified?" He runs a hand through his thick hair. "Where did you go to school?"

"MIT," I say right away then wish I could take it back. I got the majority of my schooling done there but actually graduated elsewhere.

"Fair enough," he says. "What router should I get?"

"Considering the old wiring in this building, I'd get something stronger with a better range. I can write down some recs for you."

His eyes fall onto my chest again. "Or we can go out to the store and get something together and then have dinner."

"No," I say right away, surprising myself. Hot Guy, aka, a.s.shole-not-a.s.shole Ben, just asked me out. Why is my gut telling me not to go? I'm not in high school anymore. This isn't some setup to mock me. We're adults. He wouldn't ask me out if he didn't actually want to go with me.

He looks taken aback, like he's surprised at my insta-rejection. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

"Nope. I don't have a husband either. I'm single." Might as well get it all out there. "You?"

"No boyfriend or husband. And no official girlfriend or wife."

"But you have something unofficial?"

"I date," he tells me. "But it's nothing serious." I'm not sure what to think of that. "Look," he says. "It's not every day I spill coffee on a hot chick that thinks I'm an a.s.shole."

I smile. "That doesn't happen to me every day either. Or ever. Really, it's never happened." I don't remember the last time someone called me hot. Well, someone other than people at Comic Con admiring my accurate yet revealing costumes.

I put the router back in its package the best I can so Ben can return it. We start setting up the new computer.

"Do you have plans this weekend?" he asks me. I don't, other than playing video games, working on my Comic Con costume, and binge watching Firefly on Netflix. "If not, I'd really like to take you out."

"I think I can rearrange a few things," I say. "Where are you going to take me?"

"What do you like?"

"When it comes to food? Uh, everything."