The corner of Kade’s mouth tilted up, the earlier irritation gone. “Bring it on.”
Keaton really liked Kade. The man seemed a little intense, somewhat mysterious and reserved, but the guy wasn’t afraid of a challenge. Maybe he could try his more exotic flavors on Kade.
“So where do you work?” Keaton grabbed the basket and gathered some mangoes, slices of pineapples, a few shaved carrots, and some all-natural guava juice. He glanced up when Kade didn’t answer him.
The scowl was back.
“I really should be heading out,” Kade said. “Thanks for the breakfast and the juice. Go easy on the kiwi.”
Keaton watched as Kade turned and began to head toward the door. “Kade,” he called out. When Kade turned to stare at him, Keaton was at a loss of what to say. He didn’t want the man to go. The reaction surprised Keaton.
“Yes?”
Chewing on his bottom lip, Keaton tucked his hands under his armpits. “I’m sorry, man. Sometimes I get a little too nosy. I have this illness where I was born without the buffer that connects brain to mouth.”
Keaton began to study the bowl on the counter, hating that he had run the guy off with his stupid questions. He got a fluttery feeling in his stomach and his chest felt a little tight when he saw that Kade was walking back toward him.
“Your questions are perfectly legit, Keaton.” Kade stopped just short of the counter. “You didn’t say or do anything wrong.”
Keaton licked his lips and dipped his head. “So will you stay so I can torture you?”
Kade’s laughter was deep, making Keaton’s groin tighten. “I never thought I would say yes to a question like that.”
The laughter was infectious, making Keaton grin widely. He pulled the sliced fruit from the counter and carried it over to the blender. He told himself not to ask any more personal questions. Kade was apparently a very private man.
“I forgot to ask you. You’re not allergic to any exotic fruits, are you?” Keaton tossed slices of mango into the blender.
“Not that I’m aware of. But since I have no idea how exotic you’re talking, I guess we’ll find out.” Keaton swallowed when Kade said exotic. He had put a heavy emphasis on that word. Having Kade as a friend would be cool. He liked the guy, even his oh-so-mysterious façade. However, having Kade as a lover was a reality he knew wouldn’t be coming true.
But damn if he didn’t want to hear that sultry voice talking to him during sex. The image alone had Keaton fumbling with the fruit, dropping slices of pineapple on the floor. His body was reacting to the guy’s voice in ways Keaton had never experienced before. Not that he never had sex, but his cock usually didn’t get hard hearing someone talk.
“Isn’t your boss going to say something about me hanging around here?” Kade asked.
Keaton turned, winking at the man, hoping he wasn’t coming on too strong. “I’m pretty sure he doesn’t mind at all.”
Kade held up his hands. “Okay, but I’m only giving you until lunch. I have things I have to take care of.”
Once again Keaton’s stomach dropped at the thought of Kade leaving. He shook his head and wondered if maybe he wasn’t coming down with something. He was feeling a little off, sweaty, and his heart kept giving an extra beat.
Maybe he should make an appointment to go see a doctor. “That will give me plenty of time to try a few more drinks out on you.” Keaton measured out the guava juice, adding it through the small hole at the center of the lid. Scooping an eighth cup of flaxseed from its bag, Keaton dropped that in as well.
When everything was blended, he shut the machine off and poured his concoction into another cup. “Here you go.” He set the clear plastic cup on the counter.
Kade grabbed the cup and moved back when a few customers walked inside. Keaton thought it odd the way Kade moved to the other end of the counter, as if he needed more space than most.
Whatever the reason, Kade stayed down on the other end until the customers were served and had vacated the shop. “How long have you been open?” Kade asked as he sipped on the juice.
“A little over a month. A friend of mine had passed through Brac Village and heard about the loans the mayor was giving to people with less than perfect credit. The only stipulation was that the person wanting the loan had to live here.” Keaton snorted. “I had no problem moving out of the city. I was working a dead-end job, and let’s face it. Country air is a lot healthier to breathe.”
When Keaton was finished talking, he wanted to kick himself. He hadn’t meant to start babbling again. There was something about Kade that made Keaton relax. Keaton realized that he was comfortable around Kade. Keaton’s mind was a little off the beaten path and he thought differently than most. A lot of people did not like his free nature. Some thought him a little slow or dimwitted. But that wasn’t the case. Keaton just didn’t have a lot of the hang-ups that most people carried around with them.
Kade raised his cup. “Now this is good. I like it a lot better than the kiwi drink.”
“Dude, what did kiwi ever do to you?” Keaton laughed.
“My leop—I don’t like the way it tastes.” Kade set the cup on the counter. Keaton was pleased that it was empty.
“Do you want some more?” He grabbed the cup and refilled it, handing it back to Kade. Keaton stole a glance, checking out the shadow stubble on the man’s face and the short, stylish hair that was such a dark brown that it was almost black.
But it was the odd combination of color in the guy’s eyes that kept pulling Keaton’s attention. Wow, they were just so…yeah, he liked them. He liked Kade. Keaton found himself biting his tongue because he was
