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That earns me a deeper laugh, the kind that rumbles in his chest. “Okay, what’s your favorite track?”

“War Pigs.”

“Nice,” he murmurs with a laugh in his throat. “You love protest songs buried in heavy riffs?”

“I like music that says something. I don’t discriminate about what it’s saying.”

His smirk fades into something softer, more thoughtful, before he hardens again. “I like that. I’ll take all three.”

I try not to jump up and down.

“I’ll take a record player too if you have one.”

“You don’t have a player?”

“Nah, just moved into town.”

“Oh! Where from?” I walk toward the stack of record players at the back of the store, grabbing one off the pile before handing it to him.

“Texas.”

I don’t know why I expected more of an answer after the little connection we made over War Pigs, but clearly I was mistaken.

“Nice. You should like it here. Everyone is great.” I purse my lips as I scan his items into the register. “And umm… yeah. If you like apple pie, this place is your jam.”

“Don’t much care for it. Always preferred cherry.” He holds his stare far too long. “What time do you get off work?”

Something tightens in my chest. His tone is casual, but there’s an undercurrent of something I can’t quite place. I glance toward Sienna, desperate for her to confirm that this is actually happening.

She nods, eyes gleaming with excitement, gesturing me forward as though she wants me to be reckless and say yes… but I can’t do that to Aaron. Besides, maybe this guy wants to see what time I get off work so he can murder me. “I work every day until four.”

Wow! Maybe I should hand him my entire schedule while I’m at it. Maybe he needs my social security number, too.

“I get hungry around four. You want to show me around town?”

My cheeks blaze with heat and my heart pounds against my chest. “Oh, I have a boyfriend. He’s a banker down at the bank. We, ugh, we’ve been together for a while and I’m really happy.”

“Good for you.” The man holds his stare with mine. “I didn’t ask if you wanted to cheat on him. I asked if you’d show me around town.”

Oh shit! Am I that dumb? Did I not see that? How did I not see that? Of course, it’s not a request for sex.

“I’m sorry. I thought you were asking me out. I’m so dumb. I don’t get out much.” My heart slams against my chest.How freaking embarrassing!

He leans back as though he’s slightly amused. “You sound like you’ve been tempted.” His smirk is criminal, as though he knows exactly how he’s affecting me.

“That’s not—” I scramble for words as heat builds in my cheeks.

He chuckles and glances toward the street. “Relax. No high stakes questions. Point me to the best coffee shop in town, and you can keep your complicated banker boyfriend.”

“He’s not complicated,” I say, taking the man’s cash.Who pays in cash?

“Okay, so he’s not complicated, and you just like making it sound like he is?”

“No, he’s actually the least complicated person. He’s very regimented, always on time, hardworking, and he makes a lot of money, so…”

The man tilts his head back. “Ah, there it is. You like the money.”

“No!” I hand him back his change. “I… I like him. He’s a good person.”