04 - Born to be Wilde.txt Read Online Free PDF Page A

drawled, then headed off in the direction of his evening's pursuit.
     
    Joel spent the next hour nursing his beer while waiting for Lora to finish her shift. He kept a keen eye on everyone she came into contact with, knowing that a customer could easily be a potential threat sent by Zach's bookie. The evening passed without incident, until Lora was finally off the clock and he was escorting her toward the front entrance of The Electric Blue.
     
    Once they were outside, Lora visibly shivered as the cold night air washed over them. "You can certainly tell it's mid-October," she said, and slipped into her lightweight coat as they walked along the sidewalk. "The temperature keeps getting cooler and cooler."
     
    He reached out to smooth down the collar of her coat, which was flipped up in the back, and his fingers brushed against the side of her neck. Her skin was incredibly soft to the touch, and he could have sworn he heard her suck in a quick, startled breath at his unintentional caress.
     
    Dropping his hand back to his side, he made as if that brief contact hadn't affected him, too. "Then a cup of coffee is just the thing to warm you up."
     
    Smiling, she adjusted her purse strap over her shoulder and pushed her hands into her jacket pockets. "I'm looking forward to it, actually."
     
    Even though it was after ten in the evening, there were still plenty of people on the streets, though no one paid them any attention. A block later they reached The Daily Grind, and Joel opened the door for Lora to walk in, then followed behind her.
     
    "Hey, Joel," a young, pretty girl behind the counter greeted him enthusiastically. "It's been a while since you've been by."
     
    "I was in the neighborhood tonight, and I thought I'd bring a friend in for a drink." He glanced at Lora, who wore an amused expression, and he knew why. The girl, who was barely out of high school, obviously had a crush on him. "What would you like, Lora?"
     
    She perused the menu for a quick moment. "I think I'm going to splurge and have a café mocha, with whipped cream."
     
    "And I'll have a cappuccino." He pulled out his wallet and paid for the drinks.
     
    Once their orders were up, he grabbed both large paper cups and led the way toward a vacant table against a large window overlooking the street outside. Considering the chilly weather, The Daily Grind was busy and there were only a few available places to sit. He would have preferred one of the more comfortable couch setups where he could talk to Lora with more privacy, but at this point he wasn't about to be choosy.
     
    "Hi, Joel," another worker called from across the place, loud enough that he had no choice but to acknowledge the perky café manager.
     
    "Hi, Kate," he said with a friendly smile. "Is Liz around tonight?"
     
    "No, she left a few hours ago with Steve," the cute girl replied.
     
    "That's good to hear. Steve needs to be sure she doesn't overdo now that she's pregnant again." Joel placed their drinks on the table, then shrugged out of his black leather jacket before helping Lora out of her coat—this time without touching any bare skin.
     
    The humorous glimmer in her eyes and the fanciful smile curving her lips was unmistakable. "What's with that grin on your face?" he asked, already suspecting he knew the answer.
     
    Shrugging lightly, she sat down at the table. "Judging by the enthusiastic reception you just received, I'm thinking that you must come here frequently."
     
    "It's been a few weeks, but I do stop by when I get the chance," he said, and settled into the seat across from her, which also gave him a clear view of the front door and anyone who walked through. "Not only does The Daily Grind make some of the best coffee drinks in Chicago, the owner, Liz, is married to my cousin Steve."
     
    She took a sip of her coffee. Her lashes fell half-mast, and an appreciative moan escaped her as she savored the warmth and flavor. "I have to agree with your assessment of the drinks.