“Just don’t give me anything that tastes like the first drink you gave me,” he teased and wondered why he was flirting with Keaton. Until he had a job and a place of his own, Kade needed to stay away. He should not be flirting, and he should definitely not be enjoying the man’s company.
“I call this Suicidal. Don’t let the name fool you. I only call it that because so many fruits are blended in.” He handed him another cup. Kade took it, careful not to make contact with the man’s skin.
He sniffed the drink, wondering if it really was suicidal to drink it.
“You’re not wussing out on me, are you?” Keaton actually looked disappointed. Kade didn’t like that look on the man’s face. He wanted to wipe it away, erase it and see that innocent smile once more.
Blowing out a breath, Kade swallowed a mouthful. He shuddered and coughed. “Way too much kiwi.”
Pearly-white teeth appeared, dazzling and straight. “I take it you don’t like kiwi.”
“Not a real big fan of it.” Kade set the cup on the counter, tired of reaching over the case. He also knew there was a small part of him that wanted to get closer to Keaton. Although they had a counter between them, it wasn’t as high as the display case.
“Okay, dude. I’ll give your taste buds a rest. Have you eaten breakfast?”
Before Kade could answer, Keaton was walking over to a steel refrigerator that Kade hadn’t seen behind the counter. He watched as Keaton pulled something out, and then opened the microwave, tossing it in. “I’m making you an egg white wrap with spinach and goat cheese.”
The man was killing him. Didn’t this place have any meat? What Kade wouldn’t give for some bacon or maple sausage. He had run out of the house this morning without breakfast. What Keaton was making him did not sound appetizing at all.
“How did you get such a buff body, dude? Are you one of those guys that was born with it or do you spend most of your day in the gym?” Keaton opened the microwave and pulled out a small white wrapper. “Okay, let me know if you like this. If you don’t, I’ll make you something else.”
Kade scratched at his chin, wondering if Keaton always subject jumped. The man hadn’t even waited for Kade’s first answer before asking another question. When Keaton set the sandwich on the counter, he turned and walked away, Kade still not giving him any kind of an answer to either question.
Leaning over the counter, Kade glanced to see that Keaton was washing the containers he had used to make the drinks.
Okay, then. Keaton was a little strange. It was almost as if he couldn’t stay in one place, like had to move around. It was exhausting watching him.
Kade took the offered food and grabbed a seat at one of the small tables inside the shop. He could hear Keaton whistling as he worked. Chuckling to himself, Kade unwrapped the paper and took a bite.
Damn, this was pretty good. Who knew he would like egg whites, spinach, and goat cheese combined? Although Kade had never tasted goat cheese in his life, he found that he liked it.
Customers traveled in and out of the juice hut for the better half of the morning, He sat there slowly eating his food as he watched Keaton work.
Chapter Two
Keaton was a nervous wreck. He was surprised he was able to talk at all. He usually clammed up around drop-dead gorgeous men. He knew he had been babbling, but he hadn’t been able to stop himself.
He hated that he didn’t have the ability to be smooth when it came to talking to hot guys. He had lacked that skill his entire life. Shrugging to himself, Keaton scrubbed out the utensils he had used. The pulp from the oranges was already trying to stick to the sides of the plastic.
He really was trying to come up with some new flavors. That hadn’t been a come-on line…although he liked the fact that Kade had agreed to hang around.
“That was pretty good.”
Keaton smiled to himself as he dried his hands off on the towel. He turned to see Kade leaning against the counter. The man’s eyes were a cross between blue and green. Keaton had never seen anyone with those color eyes before. They were a gorgeous teal.
“Dude, you look too buff not to eat healthy. How is it you’ve never tried half the stuff on the menu?”
“How do you know I haven’t tried half the stuff?” Keaton knew he was blowing it when he heard the irritation in Kade’s voice. He hadn’t meant to offend the man. What he said was true. Kade looked like he worshiped the gym. Most guys like that survived off of protein drinks and lived in places like the one Keaton owned.
Keaton had never stepped into a gym in his life, but he liked eating healthy. He believed his body was his temple and he was very careful what he put in it. “I didn’t mean anything by that. No offense.”
Grabbing some fresh fruit from the basket that was sitting on the counter, Keaton began to slice mangoes. The hut always became crowded at lunch. He would need to get things ready. Besides, it looked like he had blown his chance with Kade.
“You didn’t offend me,” Kade said. Keaton turned to see that Kade was still leaning by the counter. He would have thought the man would be gone by now. He set the knife down and then turned the sink on, rinsing his fingers off.
“Are you ready to try another concoction?” Keaton had gotten in some flaxseed and was trying to figure out how to infuse it with the drinks without anyone really tasting the seeds. Since Kade was his guinea pig, he would try some drinks
