Someone brushed past her in the hallway, probably a poor student about to get chewed out by Professor Mason. Tasha didn’t bother to look up. If it was one the students she knew, she’d have to smile and pretend to be friendly. She just couldn’t summon the energy for that, so she kept her head down and continued down the hall.
When she finally did make it back with the sugar packets, she was feeling slightly calmer. Not enough to go another round with Faith, but enough to drop off the sugar packets and escape to whatever job her boss had lined up for her. As she neared the door, she didn’t hear Faith’s voice lecturing a student, so she felt safe to enter.
Tasha pushed open the door and froze, white sugar packets fluttering to the floor. There was her Prince Charming, standing in the middle of the room and kissing her boss.
Instantly, her mind started to spin. What did this mean? Are they an item? Her teeth ground together, and she couldn’t peel her eyes away as his lips lingered on Faith’s cheek a moment too long. Faith gave him a quick hug and then glanced over at Tasha. Her eyes drifted down to the floor scattered with sugar packets and back up to Tasha, pegging her with a disapproving look.
Tasha swiped the sugar off the floor, feeling stupid and clumsy. As she straightened up, another emotion struck her. Anger. And that was a much more fitting emotion. How could he be kissing Faith, when he had kissed just kissed me senseless a few nights ago? Surely, I was the wronged party. There was an acidic taste in her mouth as a sense of loathing built up inside of her chest, forming into a large ball that threatened to rip out of her at any moment.
“Oh, I’m sorry. It looks like you have a guest,” the man said.
Tasha was floored when she heard his husky, honey-like voice. A wave of pleasure rolled through her body, and she felt taken back for a moment, the anger she had felt before disappearing as if it had never existed.
“Oh, don’t mind her. She’s just my TA. An inept one at that,” Faith said, flicking her glance at the sugar packets held in Tasha’s hand.
The man frowned a bit at Faith’s tone, but Tasha couldn’t tell if was due to Faith’s assessment of her abilities or if he disapproved of how Faith dealt with her. Usually, she got pitying glances from those around her.
Faith didn’t notice or care about the man’s opinion and continued to address him, in what Tasha could only describe as a flirtatious manner. “I’ll see you on Saturday then?”
The man nodded before making his way out of the room. He gave Tasha a quick smile as he passed by her, but not one ounce of recognition passed over his gorgeous features. Thank goodness. She dreaded to think how embarrassing and awkward it would have been if he had actually recognized her from the party.
“Who was that?” Tasha breathed, unable to control her curiosity.
“None of your business,” Faith shot back.
Tasha’s anger quickly came flooding back at her boss’s curt response. She hated how Faith looked down at her as if she was one of the superior goddesses she talked about in lectures and Tasha was nothing more than a mortal woman she could smite whenever it was convenient for her.
“Anyway, I need you to photocopy these maps for me. Make sure they’re double-sided.” She got up, thrusting a large tome in Tasha’s arms. “And I want this done by my afternoon lecture.”
Tasha’s fingers dug into the crumbling leather cover of the book. She knew that her eyes flickered with hatred, anger, humiliation, and a few other emotions that could get her fired. She averted her gaze and turned from the room clutching the book. Never before had Tasha been so happy to leave Faith’s office, even if it was to do some silly, trivial task.
Chapter Nine
After work that day and an evening class, Tasha was glad to be home. She wasn’t so glad, however, to find out that her fridge was completely empty. All she had left was a jar of mayonnaise and a questionable carton of milk. She groaned, seeing that it was already too late to go to the supermarket, or rather she couldn’t be bothered to go at this time of night.
She grabbed her phone and snatched the takeout menu she had pinned to the front of her fridge. Pacing around the small kitchen, she waited as the phone rang, growing impatient. Surely, her favorite Chinese takeout hadn’t already closed. It was only 9:58.
“Hello?” A quick, heavily accented voice came through the line, much to Tasha’s relief. She quickly placed her order and then looked around the house, wondering what she could do for the thirty minutes she needed to wait before picking up her food. Eventually, she laid eyes on the stack of papers she had to grade. She sighed and grabbed them, heading over to the couch, where she made herself comfortable, red pen in hand.
She quickly read through the essays, pointing out the student’s mistakes and commenting on how they could make their paper better for the next assignment. She tried to be easy on them, knowing that the final paper, graded personally by Professor Mason would be brutal. It was a miracle if anyone in the class came out with an A, even the introductory classes.
Eventually, she got up and grabbed her keys and jacket, walking down the street toward the local Chinese restaurant. It was only a few blocks away, but walking by herself at night always made her jittery. The area she lived in was relatively safe, but one could never be too careful. She had read plenty of crime novels and watched enough CSI to know that anything could happen anywhere.
The nippy air made her shiver, forcing her to zip her jacket up to her neck as she tried to hide most of her face in the turtleneck. She still shivered, quickening her pace down the street. Eventually, she could smell the scent of fried rice, chicken teriyaki, and of course, General Tsao’s chicken, her personal favorite. As she opened the door to the restaurant, she was nearly blinded by a pair of headlights as a car pulled up to the parking lot. She shielded her face and stowed away inside, glad for the warm atmosphere she encountered.
“Hello! Welcome to Yan’s!” A greeter smiled at her, handing her a menu, thinking she was going to stay for dinner. Tasha shook her head.
“I got takeout,” she said, pointing toward the counter where she could see two brown paper bags.
The woman nodded and stepped aside. Tasha walked forward, smiling at the man who was working the cash register. Behind her, the doorbell chimed, indicating the arrival of another customer.
“Hello! Welcome to Yan’s!” She heard the greeter say, but she quickly ignored what was going on behind her as she handed the man her credit card, eager to get back home with her food. Her stomach was already grumbling with hunger. She could almost taste the spring rolls she had ordered.
“Hey! It’s you,” a soft, husky voice sounded behind her.
Tasha’s eyes grew wide as she instantly recognized it. Could it be? She slowly turned around, her eyes locking on none other than the handsome man that had kissed her… and Faith. He was wearing a leather jacket and a plain black shirt, giving him an almost edgy look, but his chiseled face and pearly white smile still made Tasha’s heart skyrocket. “We never got to properly introduce ourselves. I’m Emmitt.” He held out his hand and smiled even wider.
“Oh…” Tasha bit her lip, hesitating. “I’m Tasha,” she said, finally placing her hand in his. Just like at the party, a surge of energy spread through her body like wildfire. Her cheeks burned, and she quickly pulled away. “Sorry… I’m sick…” She lied, grasping onto the lame excuse to explain why she had jerked her hand away.
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” he said apologetically. “Yeah, the cold evenings and warm days are really hard on the immune system.”
“Yeah… changing seasons... allergies. You know?” She tried to make her voice sound a little more nasal than usual, but one thing was for sure, she was no actress.
“Oh…” He looked at her quizzically, as if guessing that she was faking it. “Me too. I’m actually surprised they haven’t hit me as well.”
Tasha wanted to smack herself for her stupidity and pathetic acting skills. Prince Charming. No, it was Emmitt, she reminded herself, ap
parently wasn’t going to proclaim she was a liar out loud because he turned away from her to hand the man behind the cash register his own credit card. Tasha focused on signing her name at the bottom of the receipt so she could make her getaway.
Tasha had just finished the last stroke, when Emmitt said, “Anyway, I heard you were a teaching assistant. That’s pretty cool. Do you live around here?” he asked.
Why did he want to know where I lived? “Um… down the street actually.” She blurted out. Why did I just say that? She grabbed her bag, edging toward the door, looking ready to run away just like she had done at the party.
“Really? I actually live a few blocks over. Do you come here often?”
A flicker of something interesting and extremely attractive shot through his eyes. Tasha had to brace herself against those green eyes. They sucked her in and that was definitely not a good thing at the moment. She tried to cover her nerves and look disinterested, saying, “Sometimes.”
Emmitt’s smile notched up and the wattage of those eyes intensified. She had to get out of here for her own safety and sanity. He was incredibly attractive, yes, and her heart yearned for him, but at the same time, she couldn’t allow herself to get too attached. After all, her disastrous love at first sight prince was dating her boss, and anyone who did that was obviously a little insane. Then, add the fact that he kissed a perfect stranger by the chocolate fondue and you had yourself a certifiably crazy Prince Charming.
“Ah, maybe I’ll see you around then,” he said, walking forward and opening the door for her. Just when she was trying to distance herself from him, he had to go and be a gentleman. She felt herself becoming weak in the knees. Dating Faith aside, could this man be any more perfect?
Quickly, she started to head down the street. Seconds later, the sound of hurried footsteps chased after her, forcing her to look back over her shoulder.
“Wait!” Emmitt was rushing toward her. “I think you took my order,” he said, showing her the receipt stapled to his bag.
“Oh. Sorry,” Tasha said, feeling embarrassed. Now she really wanted to run away.
“No worries. But, are you walking home?” he asked, tilting his head to the side. A powerful gust of wind blew by, rippling his sand-colored hair. His green eyes were illuminated by the lamppost overhead, giving him an almost feline appearance.
“Yeah. It’s not that far.” Tasha shrugged, trying to make it seem like it was no big deal.
“I can give you a lift if you want. I don’t mind,” he offered.
“Are you sure?” Tasha asked, feeling uncertain. It was a strange internal battle. Her heart screamed that this man could be her one true love, her hormones thought he was dazzling, and her mind told her that crossing Faith would be the worst possible thing she could do at the moment. Strangely, it was a blast of wind that set her teeth chattering that decided for her.
Emmitt plucked the bag of food from her hands. “Come on, you’re freezing. I’m not taking no for an answer.”
He offered her his arm in escort. Tasha's hand itched link herself with him, but she hesitated.
“I’m not an ax murder or anything. I have excellent references. You can even call Faith,” he cajoled.
The last thing Tasha was going to do was call Faith and ask about Emmitt. The best course of action seemed to take him up on his offer, get out of the cold, and then avoid him for the rest of her life.
“Ok. Thanks for the ride,” Tasha said quickly, stuffing her hands in her pockets and avoiding his outstretched arm.
He frowned slightly and dropped his arm. Then, he turned on his heels, leading them toward the parking lot. His car was an old Ford Mustang that looked like it had been recently renovated. Its aqua blue finish didn’t have a scratch on it. Tasha smiled, appreciating it. Her dad had been very much into muscle cars. He couldn’t afford one, but he had loved to drag Tasha to car shows when she was little.
Emmitt opened the door for her and ushered her inside, once again acting like a perfect gentleman. Tasha’s heart quickened in response. What is it about this man that makes me feel this way? It was like Cupid himself had shot her with an arrow, teasing her with a man she could never be with.
Tasha’s eyes narrowed. Maybe Cupid wasn’t a he… Maybe she should blame her screwed up love life on one Katy Cupid. Katy had convinced her to believe in one night of fairy tales and magic and look where that had gotten her, hopelessly infatuated with her boss’s boyfriend.
Once inside, Emmitt turned on the heat and drove her home. His car was still warm from the drive to the Chinese place, and blissful heat poured out of the vents. Tasha warmed her hands, and her shivering subsided. Warm and comfortable in her seat, Tasha sat back and directed Emmitt to her house.
“Well, here you are,” Emmitt said once they were outside Tasha’s house. “Now I know where you live, so you can’t run away from me again.”
He winked in her direction. Tasha’s hand froze on its way to the door handle. Did he recognize me after all? Her heartbeat rampaged, threatening to jump out of her chest and run off. She held very still waiting for Emmitt to proclaim that he’d finally recognized her.
“Well, have a good night,” he said.
Tasha let out the breath she was holding. “Thanks, you too.”
Emmitt leaned across her, popped the handle, and opened the door for her. Only a few measly inches separated Emmitt from Tasha. She remembered how right she had felt in his arms and her breath caught in her throat. It was an exquisite kind of torture, being so close to him yet unable to be with him.
It took a moment for her to regain her composure, but once she did, she quickly scrambled out of the car and rushed into her home, without bothering to thank or even wave goodbye to him. Why did things like this have to happen to me?
To Tasha’s dismay, they kept bumping into each other the rest of the week. Be it at the grocery store, or the local park. It was like wherever Tasha went, Emmitt would appear a few seconds later. He’d say hi, open doors, and offer her a ride home. He really was Prince Charming: funny, sweet, and a great listener.
He made her feel special, and she never wanted that feeling to stop. But it had to stop for her own piece of mind. She was becoming way too attached to Emmitt. It was more than the fantasy of love at first sight. She really liked Emmitt as a person and was falling in love with the guy behind the Prince Charming costume.
Tasha’s heart leaped a little higher each time she saw him, but at the same time, it was bittersweet to know that behind the scenes, he was still dating her boss. But even so, she could never quite get the thought of their kiss out of her mind. It kept haunting her whenever she closed her eyes, reminding her just how alive it had made her feel.
Tasha wanted to curse fate, because it sure felt like it was cursing her, dangling the perfect guy right in front of her, yet he was completely off limits.
Chapter Ten
Emmitt walked into Cupid’s Café after a long day of working on his car. It was Thursday, and he needed a burger, but not just any burger, one of Cupid’s University Burgers. It was stacked high with two patties, four slices of cheese, a fried egg, onion rings, and anything else one might want to put on it.
As he sat at the counter, Katy smiled at him. “The usual?” she asked. Emmitt nodded with a bright smile, almost challenging her own.
“Tell me, Katy, how do you manage to remember all of your customers’ orders? There has to be at least a hundred or more people that filter through this place in a day. You can’t possibly remember every single one.”
She smiled in response. “Call it a gift of sorts,” she said, handing him a root beer float, the froth foaming down the side of the glass.
Katy wandered off to check on another customer, leaving Emmitt to his own thoughts. He stirred the ice cream around in his root beer with a straw, not really paying attention to it. Emmitt was more concerned about brooding than sipping at his float.
He was confused about women, and that was saying something. His mother
, Charlotte, would have teased him relentlessly if she saw him now. She claimed that Emmitt had the magic touch with women. Charlotte could personally attest to that fact as she had been taken in by that magic the second she’d seen him sitting there. She claimed that one look at him had captured her heart. Mom’s just fanciful… and terribly sweet. But…
Emmitt admitted that he did have a way with people, not just women. He thought it was because he liked to listen, to get to know people, and genuinely wanted to help them out. It wasn’t magic as far as he was concerned, it was common courtesy. Though, at the moment, he felt unsettled.
Katy came back and moved behind the counter picking up dirty dishes and silverware.
“Can I ask you something?” Emmitt asked, his face suddenly turning serious.
“What is it?” Katy questioned as she started wiping down the counter, but still giving him her utmost attention.
“Well, do you believe in love at first sight… or rather… love at first kiss?” Emmitt asked.
Katy’s head whipped up, and every one of her nerves sparked. Could it really be that easy? She kept her face neutral, only arching an eyebrow. “Been kissing all the girls to find the right one?”
Emmitt’s teeth flashed in a wide grin. “Just one girl.”
Katy couldn’t believe her luck. She’d had on her to-do list to call Emmitt’s mom, Charlotte, and ask if she knew anyone who’d dressed up as Prince Charming. Charlotte was a good friend and one of the organizers of the Ball. Katy had seen her running around that entire evening. If anyone knew who Tasha’s Prince Charming was, it was Charlotte. Apparently, the call wouldn’t be necessary.
Cafe Love: Cupid's Cafe Box Set Books 2-4 Page 19