Behind her she heard the café door open, alerting her of new arrivals. Her mother smiled at her and said, “I’ll let you take care of him, Bryce.”

She frowned, turned around and looked right into Kaegan’s eyes. So much for banishing him from her thoughts. She looked back at her mother. “No problem.”

She left and greeted Kaegan. “Hello, Kaegan,” she said, as if she hadn’t seen him earlier that day. As if she hadn’t told him that they could never share a friendship again.

“Hello, Bryce. Good seeing you.”

“Why?” she asked, as she led him to an empty table.

“Just is.”

When he sat down, she handed him a menu. “You want a beer to start things off?”

“Yes.”

She walked off while thinking she had to get a grip where he was concerned. More than ever she was looking forward to meeting Jeremy Skinner for coffee next week. Jeremy had called a few days ago and they realized he’d be in New Orleans the day of her class. Bryce had suggested meeting up for that cup of coffee she owed him. She needed to place her concentration on any man other than Kaegan.

Moments later, when she returned with his beer, she couldn’t help but notice he had rolled up the sleeves of his shirt to expose strong hairy arms. Arms that used to wrap around her. Hold her tight. Arms her fingers used to stroke.

The memories had forbidden desire trickling down her spine. For crying out loud, that was the last thing she needed, but obviously, her body didn’t know that.

She placed the beer in front of him. For some reason her hands were shaking and the beer nearly sloshed out of the glass. Kaegan reached out and covered her hands with his to steady the beer mug. “Easy,” he murmured in a low, throaty tone.

As far as she was concerned, there was nothing easy about waiting on him, and definitely nothing easy about the warm hand covering hers on a cold glass. She shouldn’t feel heat from that, but she did. “I’m good now, Kaegan. You can take your hand away.”

He did so slowly and she removed hers. Then for some reason she just stood there and watched him lift the glass and take his first sip. There was something erotic about seeing him do that. Something so arousing. And when he put down his beer mug, he glanced up at her and licked his lips. “That was good and just what I needed.”

Bryce was certain what she needed was to have her head examined. She should cross the room and tell her mother to finish waiting on Kaegan, but that meant she would have to explain why. Clearing her throat, she said, “Do you know what you’d like to have this evening, Kaegan?”

“Yes. I’ll have pork chops—marinated, boneless center-cut, the way I like them—smothered in gravy with dirty rice, red beans, okra and corn. And don’t forget the corn bread.”