Eyes going wider, he grinned. “You gonna defend my honor?”
“Something like that.” Anyone lying to college kids didn’t need to be a part of the larger Bold Brew community, but I also wouldn’t mind giving the guy a piece of my mind for letting Levi move across the state under false pretenses.
“Is it wrong that I kind of like the idea of you punching the jerk?” His tone was thoughtful, and I couldn’t tell how much was a tease and how much was serious.
“Well, maybe not committing a misdemeanor,” I admitted. I’d left my bar-fighting days long behind, but I did like Levi thinking of me as champion. “I’d like to warn others off him, though.”
“Darn. Someone needs to punch him.” His wistful tone was almost enough to get me to reconsider my stance on not starting fights. As a big guy, I knew perfectly well, though, that it didn’t matter how much the other person deserved it. I’d be the one hauled off and charged. And on a more personal level, I wanted to be more than an intimidating presence. I’d had enough of friends relying on me to be their personal bouncer, but for Levi, I might put the hurt on this guy.
“Agreed.” I nodded but stopped as an uncomfortable thought hit me. “But not you? You scared of this guy?”
“Not in the way you mean.” He quirked his mouth. “I’m more the ‘spare my knuckles and dramatically flounce off’ type.”
“Hey, a dramatic exit is highly underrated. But you feel safe now? Not like he’s going to cause trouble?”
I wouldn’t demand a name, but I did want to know that Levi was safe, and I told myself I’d want that for any acquaintance, but there was a stronger pull at work here too.
“He’s probably more worried about me causing trouble for him, honestly. I’d bet he never expected me to stick around the area, but I couldn’t go back to Scranton. My mom just got married. Great guy. Tiny house. I didn’t want to admit my stupidity. Not yet.”
“Good for you. Don’t let the jerk chase you off. And you tell me if that changes with him causing trouble, okay?”
“Why?” After setting his plate aside, Levi studied me intently. “I mean, we’re not even friends.”
Ouch. I’d moved from friendship being a bad idea to convincing myself that I could ignore my attraction to him and be friends. Trying to keep any hurt at bay, I kept my voice light. “Maybe I make that offer to all my favorite baristas. And maybe you need a friend, yeah?”
“Maybe.” Levi’s tone was thoughtful. A little too thoughtful. “Joe?”
“Yeah?” My arms prickled.
“Tell me about your Kinkbook page.” Turning his body, he moved so he was almost sitting sideways on the couch, still with that intent look.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” My voice was far more husky than the question probably warranted.
“Maybe I like bad ideas.” His eyes were sparkling like he was teasing, but his voice was more contemplative, like he was trying something out. Something dangerous.
“Levi—”
“I know you think I’m some silly kid, but you don’t have to protect my virtue or something. I’ve already poked all around Kinkbook. You’re not likely to shock me. And I’m curious. As a friend.”
“I never said that you were a silly kid.” Needing to quiet my revving pulse, I sucked in a breath. “But I’m not sure that we should be the sort of friends who exchange Kinkbook IDs.”
“Why?” Levi licked his lips, and the quick motion of his pink tongue made all my blood rush south.
“You’re trouble,” I whispered.
“Man, I hope so.” He grinned.
And I was doomed. So doomed.
Chapter Six
Levi
My new mission to get Joe to reveal some of his mysteries had me almost bouncing from my perch on the couch. I’d sworn off relationships after my ex-jerk, Rick, but that didn’t mean all my interest in sex had magically evaporated along with the future I’d expected. And I’d heard friends joking about rebound flings before, the oft-repeated advice about getting over a bad guy by getting under a good one. That hadn’t held much appeal to me.
Before Joe.
But now it was like my body had suddenly come back online, all processors lighting up, engine humming, every sense more alive. That Joe was kinky wasn’t that much of a surprise, but that he was kind about the whole Rick debacle, supportive instead of derisive, made him even more attractive to me. Not that I truly wanted Joe to deck Rick, but I liked the idea of having a champion a little more than was probably healthy.
And even as Joe told me I was trouble, I was still dying to know more about him, specifically about his kinky side. Like Rick, he was older and undoubtedly more experienced, but unlike the jerk, there was a humbleness to Joe that made him more approachable but also harder to read.
“You can tell me.” I went for a teasing rather than suggestive tone. “Like I don’t need your user ID to stalk your page. I just wanna know the highlights.”
“The highlights?” Joe raised both eyebrows at that. “You seem rather sure I won’t shock you, when there’s a number of pretty…interesting subgroups on Kinkbook.”
“Oh, I want to know even if it’s out there,” I assured him. “I told you one of my most embarrassing secrets. I promise not to laugh.”
Joe groaned. “It’s not laughing I’m worried about.”
“Are you worried that I won’t be able to control myself if it turns out we’ve got compatible kinks?” I considered this. Joe being attracted to me would be a bonus, as would him welcoming some sort of advance. Not that I was particularly good at come-ons, but I was game to try.
“I just don’t want things to be awkward. I like this.” He motioned at the food and the TV.
His sheepish expression and earnest words made him that much more appealing because he wasn’t a player, wasn’t all smooth and slick. And he hadn’t entirely shut down my plans, which had me even more bouncy.
“Me too. I don’t want awkward.” I nodded enthusiastically. “But it doesn’t have to be weird. You weren’t wrong about me needing a friend. I’ve got my coworkers at the coffee shop, but that’s not the same as having friends. And I’ve never had an actual in-person friend I could talk kink with.”
Talking was a few steps removed from doing, but I didn’t want to send him fleeing by offering a friends-with-benefits deal too soon. And even if Joe wasn’t interested, I was telling the truth. It would be really nice to have a friend I could admit my kinky side to.
Joe’s expression softened, eyes kind, mouth less tense. “It is nice to have people you can trust to talk about kink with. And honestly, I’m probably more vanilla than a lot of that crowd, but I’m not going to kink shame whatever you’re into either.”
“No furry suit in your closet? Darn. Maybe I’m the one with the collection of tails…” Laughing, I poked his arm. “And no offense, Joe, but totally vanilla people don’t end up on Kinkbook.”
“Point taken.” Joe’s eyes drifted shut like he was pleading with the universe. Maybe for patience. I was being a little extra.