Next to Me by AnnaLisa Grant Read Free Book Online Page A

be wrong.
    “You want something other than coffee? A latte or something? I’m buying, and I don’t mind saying I’m a pretty generous date,” he smirks.
    “Just a regular coffee is great, thank you,” I giggle. I giggled! Oh, my God, what is this guy doing to me?
    We automatically walk back out to the table where I found him and sit down. He’s comfortable, casual. Totally at ease as he leans back in the metal chair.
    “Would you like a croissant? I have plain and chocolate,” I offer.
    “I like a girl who brings something to the table,” he chuckles. “I’ll take one of those chocolate ones if you can spare it.”
    “Here you go!” I take a chocolate croissant and place it on two napkins in front of him. “They’re fresh. Just got them next door.”
    “Holy crap! This is the best thing I have ever put in my mouth,” he says with muffled joy.
    “I know, right?” I take a bite of a plain croissant and it practically melts
    in my mouth.
    “So, Jenna, tell me about yourself,” he inquires as he takes a sip of his coffee.
    “C’mon, Landon. You don’t strike me as a small talk kind of guy. I mean,
    you did find a way to know exactly where I was going to be this morning. And you were at Duke’s on Saturday night. So why don’t we start with you telling me how we came to be having coffee and croissants this morning.” I say to him. It’s too early to go into the vague backstory of my life and I want to know more about this guy who has seemed to magically pop into it.
    “Well played, Jenna, well played. Well…I saw you at Carina’s and, as cheesy as it sounds, I was just drawn to you. You came scurrying in like a frazzled schoolgirl, but then you owned that dance floor.” I blush as I recall the dance Marco and I put on for the class that day. “I did some digging – and by digging I mean I just asked Carina where you hung out, where you lived, and where you worked. Don’t tell that woman anything you don’t want anyone to know.” We both laugh because that is absolutely true.
    “So you knew I was going to be at Duke’s? And you saw me there?” He nods and gives me a tightlipped smile. “Why did you leave?”
    “I don’t know. I started feeling like a creeper. You were there with your friends and I thought maybe you were just coming over to tell me I was intruding,” he tells me.
    “That didn’t stop you from waiting for me this morning,” I challenge.
    “This morning is different. This morning I get you all to myself.” Landon smiles and a nervous lump appears in my throat. I take a sip of coffee in an effort to push it down.
    “You really aren’t about the small talk, are you?” I say, biting my lip so I don’t grin like a total fool.
    “Not at all. Have dinner with me,” he says. It’s not a question.
    “My schedule is kind of crazy…” I begin.
    “When? When are you free?” Landon leans forward in his chair and
    locks his eyes on mine. They’re this beautiful shade of brown, so rich and velvety.
    “I, um…” I clear my throat, caught off guard by his directness. “I’m free tomorrow night,” I tell him.
    “Perfect. I already know where you live, sort of. Tell me which apartment is yours and I can pick you at your door properly.” He leans back in his chair again, the intensity of the moment is gone now that I’ve surrendered to his I have to meet this girl techniques.
    “How about I just meet you down here 7:30?” I propose.
    “No.”
    “No?”
    “No. I don’t meet girls for dates and I don’t go Dutch. I’m the guy. I pick you up at your door, take you out and pay for it, and then I drop you off at your door. So…I’ve already proven that I can find out where your apartment building is. How hard do you think it’ll be to find out which apartment is yours?” There’s that smirk again. I’ve known this guy for 30 minutes and I already love his smirk.
    “Well played, Landon, well played,” I say, mirroring his smirk. “It’s apartment