Love Shots 4: Love at First Bite
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Guinevere
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A short snippet from Hugh and Luke’s love story in Love at First Stoplight, offering a focused glimpse into the connection that draws them together. This moment captures the early spark between them—the attraction, ease, and emotional pull that quietly sets everything in motion. It isn’t meant to tell the whole story, but to spotlight a meaningful exchange that reflects their chemistry and the tone of their relationship. Through small gestures and shared awareness, this scene hints at the depth, warmth, and promise that define Hugh and Luke’s romance as it continues to unfold beyond this first encounter.
Chapter 1
Book 4: Love at First Bite
HUGH
I can’t believe I’ve zinged with someone. I actually zinged. And given my track record with men, I’d honestly lost hope of ever truly connecting with someone.
Yet here I am.
Was it the pasta dish he gave me? Was it laced with some love potion I didn’t know about? Ugh.
After I got back from the convention, I immediately immersed myself in work. Talking to Cami about it did help a bit, but I was still stuck in this weird, bad juju energy.
Everything went well in the beginning, so why the hell am I in this position?
Literally everything bad that could happen, happened. Unrequited zing? Being ghosted?
Him being unsure of his sexuality?
I was a chill person. If someone wasn’t interested, it wasn’t worth the trouble. Like a freaking Teflon pan, I let shit slide and moved on.
But that whole seven days made such an impact on my body and soul that it’s ruined my vibes for the past couple of days.
Besides working my ass off, I’ve cleaned and cleaned our entire house, turning it into a whole spa just so I can feel and smell peace. But even the two-hundred-dollar aroma diffuser I got from India wasn’t doing its thing.
I opened his Instagram account and scrolled through his posts. Ninety percent of it was photos of his dishes, and there were barely any selfies.
I wanted to know more, but there was hardly any useful info on his socials. It’s not like I’ll get an idea of his character based on how he plates and garnishes his beef Wellington.
Ughhhh.
I looked at the wall clock and saw I still had fifteen more minutes before I could clock out. It was ticking painfully slow, and I groaned at my desk, unintentionally bumping my head hard on the surface.
“Fuck!”
“Oh my god, are you okay, Hugh?” Louis, our office intern, asked. He immediately knelt by my side to check on my forehead.
“I’m fine, just a bump,” I said.
“Wait here,” he said, rushing off somewhere.
I looked at my desk mirror and inspected my throbbing forehead when Louis came back, handing me a pack of frozen peas.
“Where’d you get that?” I asked.
“From the pantry.”
“Why the hell do we have frozen peas in the office fridge?” I asked, taking the bag and placing it on my forehead.
“I don’t know…”
“Well, thanks anyway. You can go now if you want,” I said, waving him away.
“Um, so, it’s Friday,” he said, still not leaving.
“It is indeed.”
“Do you want to maybe go—” he started, but I immediately interrupted.
“Again, Louis, not happening.”
“But—”
“I know I’m irresistibly handsome and charming, but it’s not going to happen, and a bag of peas won’t change that.”
“Okay, maybe next time?” he said, smiling, completely unfazed. He was like a loyal dog, immune to all things negative. He smiled and waved me goodbye.
“What did you do to the poor guy?” Ezra said, suddenly appearing out of nowhere.
“When the hell did you get here?”
“It’s a secret,” he said, smiling secretively, making me roll my eyes.
“So, what did you do to your intern to make him that head over heels for you?”
“My looks and charms?”
“Bitch, everybody in this building is at least a solid eight,” he argued.
That was true. Our company was heavy on looks. Of course the skillsets were there, but it was no secret they only employed good-looking people.
“Ugh, I gave him a snack or something, I don’t remember,” I said, not really recalling when it all started. “Anyway, what brings you here?”
“I have a hot little goss for you, my darling,” Ezra said, lifting my spirits a bit.
“Ooooohhh, pray tell, what is it, my darling?” I asked, and Ezra gave me his “up to no good” look.
“This is for your ears only, since I haven’t really confirmed things yet,” he started.
“Bitch, spill already!”
“Okay, okay, remember that hot CEO you interviewed?”
“Mr. Preston? What about him?”
“He’s apparently seeing someone,” he said, and I gasped.
“No way! Who is it? An actress? A business mogul? A model?” I asked, my senses tingling from the gossip.
“No clue, but my little birdies said she’s pretty.”
“I wonder who she is! I’m dying to know. Nicholas Preston is one hot specimen,” I said, though not as hot as a certain someone…
“But again, for your ears only. I don’t plan on making the Prestons an enemy,” Ezra said, shivering for extra effect.
“Of course.”
And just like that, once Ezra delivered his piece, he was gone like the wind. And so was the time.
I grabbed my stuff to clock out and finally get some rest at home. I’d decided that this evening would be all about self-love, and that would continue into the weekend.
My commute passed in a blur, and soon I was walking through our neighborhood. It felt strange to be home early on a Friday, but I wasn’t in the mood to go to a bar and wallow in self-pity.
I’d rather pamper myself at home, where it was quiet and relaxing, and I could purge any thoughts of—
“Luke?”
