It got worse.
Hipster Guy had beaten him to the bus stop the next morning and he gave Jim a cheery grin as Jim got there. Jim, bought up to be unfailingly polite, smiled back as best he could but had trouble meeting the man's eyes. After all, he'd been thinking of him in the most compromising of positions and Jim was sure the guilt was written all over his face.
Thankfully the bus arrived before he could be approached and Jim purposely chose the only single seat at the front, instead of his usual place at the back. Hipster Guy walked by him and Jim could have sworn that he saw disappointment flicker in the dark eyes for just a second.
Jim got his kindle out, but he spent just as much time surreptitiously watching Hipster Guy at the back of the bus as he did attempting to read. He saw that he'd engaged the person next to him in conversation and was chatting away, that generous mouth stretching in an insanely attractive smile as he talked in an animated fashion, waving his hands around.
Jim looked at him out of the corner of his eye. Today's jeans were grey and matched with a dark navy and black plaid shirt over a t-shirt with a faded Rolling Stones tongue on the front. The wild dark curls were pulled back into a knot at the back of Hipster Guy's head and it showed off those sharp cheekbones and dark eyes to perfection.
The bus finally reached their stop and Jim toyed with the idea of maybe lingering and actually talking to him, but he chickened out at the last minute and jogged off in the direction of the library before the man got off the bus.
The morning dragged and Jim found himself staring into space on more than one occasion. Tom took the piss out of him a few times and Jim took the opportunity to escape at lunch time and head down to the coffee shop to pick them up a couple of pulled pork sandwiches and coffee which they would have in the garden out the back of the building.
It was busy and he joined the queue without really looking, too engrossed in checking his phone. When he looked up though, Jim saw a familiar head of dark hair and a pair of broad shoulders a few people in front of him and cringed. This was the last thing he needed.
He shifted from one foot to the other, chewing on a nail as he watched the man get to the counter and place his order. He was digging through his pocket and then dumped a handful of change on the counter. The barista looked less than impressed and gave him a withering glare as she announced that he was a Pound short. Hipster Guy looked at a loss and Jim was somewhat alarmed when his body seemed to take over and he found himself walking up to the counter before he could stop himself.
'Here.' He held out the Pound coin he'd taken from his own pocket. Hipster Guy turned with a look of surprise on his face that quickly morphed into a sunny smile.
'Hi.' He looked very pleased to see Jim, but that may well have been the Pound talking. Jim was now appalled at his own forward behaviour.
'Here.' he repeated, holding out the change to him. Hipster Guy extended a hand and Jim gave him the money. As he did, their fingers brushed and it was like an electric shock going through him. Hipster Guy's hazel eyes were now shining.
'Thanks.' he grinned.
'No problem.' Jim blurted and quickly moved back into line. He glanced up and heard the barista talking to the man.
'Name?' She sounded bored by the whole process.
'Ross.' Hipster Guy said and that set Jim's heart pounding. His crush now had a name.
Thankfully the man he now knew was called Ross didn't hang around after he got his coffee and Jim got to the counter and placed his order. He paid and waited for the brown paper bag containing the sandwiches and the cardboard holder with the two coffees, one for him and the other for Tom.
