Hot would be a decent way to describe him. Hot as hell would be even more accurate. He was tall enough that I could wear my highest pair of heels and still have to tilt my head up to make out with him—my official categorization of male height. His hair was in the dirty blond range and was cut short on the sides and swept back on top, which suggested he had good taste and reasonable grooming skills.
Both of those criteria landed high on my List of Reasons to be Attracted to a Man. The beard was a brand-new addition to the list. I’d never kissed a man with a beard and I had a sudden, irrational interest in experiencing that at some point.
Then I got to his eyes. They were a cool blue-gray that made me think of gun metal and glaciers.
He strode right on up to me and stepped into my personal space like he had a standing invitation. When he crossed tattooed forearms across a broad chest, I made a squeaky sound in the back of my throat.
Wow.
“Thought I made myself real clear,” he growled.
“Uh. Huh?”
I was confused. The man was glaring at me like I was the most hated character on a reality TV show, yet I still wanted to see what he looked like naked. I hadn’t exhibited such poor sexual judgment since I was in college.
I blamed my exhaustion and emotional scarring.
Behind the counter, Justice stopped mid-latte creation and waved both hands in the air. “Hold on now,” he began.
“It’s okay, Justice,” I assured him. “You just keep making that coffee, and I’ll take care of this…gentleman.”
Chairs pushed back from tables all around us, and I watched as every last customer beelined for the door, some with their mugs still in hand. None of them made any eye contact with me on their way out.
“Knox, it’s not what you think,” Justice tried again.
“I’m not playing any games today. Get the fuck out,” the Viking ordered. The blond god of sexy fury was rapidly plummeting lower on my sexy checklist.
I pointed at my chest. “Me?”
“I’ve had enough of your games. You got five seconds to walk out this door and never come back,” he said, stepping in even closer until the tips of his boots brushed my exposed toes in their flip-flops.
Damn. Up close, he looked like he’d just stormed off a marauding Viking vessel…or the set of a cologne commercial. One of those weird artsy ones that didn’t make any sense and had names like Ignorant Beast.
“Look, sir. I’m in the midst of a personal crisis and all I’m trying to do is get a cup of coffee.”
“I fucking told you, Tina. You are not to come in here and harass Justice or his customers again, or I’d personally escort your ass out of town.”
“Knox—”
The bad-tempered, sexy man-beast held up his finger in Justice’s direction. “One second, bud. Looks like I gotta take out the trash.”
“The trash?” I gasped. I thought Virginians were supposed to be friendly. Instead, I’d been in town barely half an hour and was now being rudely accosted by a Viking with the manners of a caveman.
“Darlin’， your coffee’s up,” Justice said, sliding a very large to-go cup onto the wooden counter.
My eyes darted toward the steamy, caffeinated goodness.
“You even think about picking up that cup, and we’re gonna have a problem,” the Viking said, his voice low and dangerous.
But Leif Erikson didn’t know who he was messing with today.
Every woman had her line. Mine, which was admittedly drawn too far back, had just been crossed.
“You take one step toward that beautiful latte that my friend Justice made especially for me, and I will make you regret the moment you met me.”
I was a nice person. According to my parents, I was a good girl. And according to that online quiz I took two weeks ago, I was a people pleaser. I wasn’t great at doling out threats.
The man’s eyes narrowed, and I refused to notice the sexy crinkles at the corner.
“I already regret it, and so does this whole damn town. Just because you change your hair doesn’t mean I’m gonna forget about the trouble you’ve caused here. Now get your ass out the door and don’t come back.”
“He thinks you’re Tina,” Justice cut in.
I didn’t care if this ass thought I was a serial killing cannibal. He was standing between me and my caffeine.
The blond beast turned his head toward Justice. “What the hell are you saying?”
Before my nice friend with the coffee could explain, I drilled my finger into the Viking’s chest. It didn’t go very far, thanks to the obscene layer of muscle under the skin. But I made sure to lead with the nail.