Love and Lattes

by Heather Thurmeier

  "Coffee might be a tiny bit against the rules, but I figure we've already broken more than our share of them, so what's one more? Besides, since I'm the boss, I can make or break the rules without answering to anyone but myself, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to say it's okay."

  An idea came to mind that could justify them having a simple coffee together. "And, since you're new around here, I figure it's my duty to be the one nice person you meet. What better way to prove that, than by taking you for a coffee date to celebrate your first day of work? I know how the people in the Meadow are, and I can't imagine life's been much fun for you here."

  "I have to admit it's been a bit tough being the new girl, but I'm getting used to it. So, you said this is a date. Like a work date, right? Not a—a real date like the other night? 'Cause I'm pretty sure that's not allowed."

  "What do you want it to be?" he asked, eager for her answer.

  "I think that's a trick question designed to get us both in a heap of trouble. I really don't want to be on Rebecca's radar again." Julia laughed, but sounded a little nervous.

  Annoyance for Rebecca shot through him, and he was more determined than ever not to let Rebecca change the course of how his life would play out. She'd meddled where she didn't belong for long enough.

  "Well, I really do need to speak to you about work, so let's just call this a work date and go from there. God knows I wish it were more." He mumbled the last bit quietly without thinking.

  His breath caught in his throat, hoping Julia wouldn't take his words the wrong way. As much as he'd love to take her to bed again, he also did want to spend time with her, getting to know her and making sure she was okay after everything that had happened with Rebecca.

  "I do too." She whispered the words almost too quietly for him to hear, but the meaning behind them was as clear as if she'd said them into a megaphone. Her cheeks turned scarlet as his suggestion and her own confession hung in the air between them.

  There was something really sweet about a girl who blushed. He always managed to find the girls who were jaded and vengeful over the last guy who'd hurt them. Thankfully, that didn't seem to be the case with Julia.

  "Okay," Julia finally replied, "but if Rebecca comes looking for me, I'm totally blaming you for my hiatus from restocking books."

  Chapter Eight

  They took the elevator to the top floor and walked out the French doors to the rooftop terrace café. Wrought iron bistro chairs with cushions in bright shades of green, orange, and red sat in clusters around small tables meant for two. Their mosaic-tiled tops were covered with thin sheets of glass to protect the intricate patterns from the damage of the outdoor elements. Almost every table was occupied since the warm weather had enticed people outside.

  "Why don't you snag a table and I'll grab us something from the café. What'll you have?" He held the door open so he could go back in and get their coffees.

  "A caramel latte, please."

  He watched her walk away for a moment, enjoying the swish of her hips before disappearing back in to the café. He was getting himself into a giant mess of trouble, but he couldn't seem to stop himself. He had to know more about her even if pursuing her wasn't what he should be doing.

  * * * *

  Julia picked a table on the outskirts of the seating area where she thought they might be able to talk without being overrun by other conversations. Lush ivy climbed its way up the walls surrounding the terrace, twisting and clinging to the lattice beneath. She glanced at the other tables around her and wondered if anyone else sitting out on the terrace this afternoon had the same butterflies in their stomach.

  Chase got more interesting every time she spoke to him. Not to mention charming, smooth, funny, and so gorgeous—and her boss. Damn it.

  Julia still couldn't believe the one time she decided to be a little wild, throw her morals out the window, and take a guy home, she had to pick Chase. Why do you hate me so much, Universe?

  Why had she agreed to coffee with him when nothing could ever happen between them because of this stupid job? She was more attracted to him than she had been to any other man—ever—but was that enough of a reason to risk the job she'd just gotten and needed? She didn't even really know him yet. If she lost this job, how would she afford to finish her last few months of school?

  Whether she'd have the money for school without this job or not didn't matter. She couldn't let herself quit no matter how badly she wanted to. The last time she'd done something like that, she'd moved away from her family in Ohio because her boyfriend had begged her to live with him. Then the bastard kicked her ass to the curb as soon as he found a nicer ass to take to bed. She'd learned her lesson.

  He's my boss. He's going to stay my boss.

  She untied her sweater from around her waist, slipping her arms into its coziness, happy to have something to keep her warm. She wouldn't want a silly spring breeze to ruin what could potentially be a great first date—work date, whatever this was.

  Work date. Keep it straight.

  Julia ran her hand over the cover of the steamy new romance novel she'd chosen earlier. The cover pictured the usual tall, dark, and handsome man who almost always adorned the covers of this genre. She wondered what it would be like to fall in love with her own tall, dark, and handsome someday. Would he sweep her off her feet and into his arms, make love to her until the dawn broke and they fell asleep spooning?

  That kind of love story was a fairytale, but she couldn't help but wish for it. She had always believed one day someone would swoop in and carry her away, falling madly in love with her, but so far, no one had. Her feet had always remained firmly planted to the ground. No swooping. Not even a nudge. Would she ever find her own happily ever after, or was that just an ending found in books?

  Julia glanced back toward the café doors. What about Chase? If he weren't her boss, could he be her tall, not too dark, and handsome? His sandy brown hair was cute, and she liked the way it seemed to have a hint of curl. He didn't look like the typical guy she dated, not that she dated much, but maybe different was good. Maybe different was exactly what she needed right now. Time to get over the bad-boy with tattoos phase and move on to a new kind of man—clean-cut, clean-shaven, and damned sexy in a button-up shirt.

  Just then, the café doors swung open and out walked Chase. Her stomach did a back flip at the sight of him. Is this what being swept away feels like?

  He set the tray down without spilling the mugs filled to the rim with warm, amber coffee peeking out from beneath pillows of white foam. He placed a latte in front of her and took the other for himself before settling into the chair across from her.

  "I didn't know if you were hungry, so I got a little something just in case." He took a plate from the tray and set it between them on the small table.

  "Thanks. This is great, but you didn't have to."

  The plate held a selection of fresh baked cookies, probably one of every kind offered in the bakery case. She didn't know which to try first since they all looked delectable. She wasn't even sure the tilt-a-whirl in her stomach would let her eat anything. But turning down chocolate was just begging for bad karma, so she grabbed a cookie and broke off a small piece. The cookie was soft and gooey and made her stomach rumble.

  "Wow. That's really good," she said around a mouthful of food.

  He smiled in response and took a bite of his own cookie. "This is my favorite time of day. It's when the fresh cookies come out of the oven, and it just so happens to be when the boss let's me take my coffee break."

  "Sounds like you have the boss wrapped around your little finger."

  "I do. I can bend him to my will like that." He laughed and snapped his fingers.

  He is so cute—too cute. He could definitely lead to her needing to find another new job.

  "So." He looked down at his coffee with a serious tone. "I wanted to talk to you about Rebecca."

  "What about Rebecca?" She'd love to be able to tell Chase she thought Rebecca wasn't a st
ellar manager, but she would hold her tongue, at least until she knew how Chase felt about the situation.

  Chase acted as if he were trying to think of just the right words before finally speaking. "Rebecca can be sort of—protective. She shouldn't have spoken to you the way she did, or sent you to the back room to deal with those shelves. Sometimes she forgets to use her best judgment."

  "It's okay. No harm done." Julia hoped she sounded upbeat and unruffled by Rebecca's earlier stunt.

  "No, it's not, but thanks for being so understanding." He shook his head. "Rebecca's worked here a long time and she tends to be wary of new people."

  "Honest, it's fine. I've developed a thick skin living here. I'm getting used to people not liking me." Julia smiled weakly, hoping she didn't sound as pathetic to him as she did to herself.

  "Well, I'm sorry about Rebecca and I've spoken to her about her behavior already. I don't think she'll try to pull another stunt like that again anytime soon."

  "I appreciate you looking out for me."

  "And for what it's worth, I like you." He smiled and she wanted to melt. "I know I'm not supposed to and all, but I do. So at least you know one person in this place isn't out to get you."

  "Thanks. For what it's worth, I like you too."

  Silence filled the space between them for a few minutes. The pause in conversation wasn't an uncomfortable silence, but a definite hint of longing lingered between them—longing for something they both wanted and neither could have.

  She sighed. There was a way, but was she willing to make that choice? She shook her head, not yet knowing the answer.

  Chase cleared his throat. "So, since you're not from around here, what brought you to work in my store?"

  "I have to pay my rent somehow." She shrugged. "You know, I've walked past this place a bunch of times and never had the chance to stop in until I got the interview. I wish I'd known the coffee and cookies were so good. They would have come in handy all those nights I've stayed up late studying."

  "How much more school do you have left?"

  "Two months, then I'm free."

  "What's your major?"

  "Business with a focus on marketing."

  "Business was my major too." He sent one of his amazing smiles across the table at her. "I graduated a couple of years ago. Then I took over the store. What'll you do when you're finished?"

  She twirled a strand of hair as she thought about her answer. "Look for a job I guess, but I'm not sure where."

  "Do you have someone else to take into consideration as you decide where to go?" She noticed his raised eyebrow at the question. Didn't he know the answer to this question automatically after their night together?

  "You know I wouldn't have done what we did if I had a boyfriend, right?"

  "Of course. I didn't mean to imply anything. I was just checking."

  "I'm really not the kind of girl who would do that kind of thing." She moved her coffee mug in a tiny circle on the table, watching as the foam mixed with the liquid. The sight was strangely soothing. "Actually, I'm not the kind of girl who goes to bed on the first date either, so maybe you have every reason to ask."

  He took a sip of his coffee. "Actually, I don't think I have any good reason to ask. I'm your boss. It's none of my business who you have to accommodate in your daily decisions."

  "Well, now that you have mentioned it, I guess I do have to accommodate Ben and Jerry, but somehow I don't think they'll care too much if I make them move to a new freezer somewhere." She grinned, hoping to reassure him there wasn't anyone waiting in the wings for her.

  She couldn't even imagine being somewhere else right now, and there certainly wasn't any person she'd rather be with. In fact, it was as though the world outside the bookstore had disappeared completely into some hazy mist the second she'd literally walked into Chase at the front door.

  "You have no idea how happy I am to hear that." He reached across the table and stroked his fingers along the back of her hand. Suddenly, he withdrew his hand again as if he'd touched a hot pot. He grasped his coffee instead. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I just seemed to have trouble making sound professional decisions when I'm around you."

  His touch was warmer than the coffee she held, and a shiver ran up her arm despite the sweater she wore. She wasn't used to men who were so straightforward. Chase constantly kept surprising her with his reactions and comments. He was so different from other guys. If only he weren't her boss, maybe this could actually go somewhere.

  He continued to stare at her with eyes that could light fires under the intense heat of their gaze. She could feel her heart slamming into her ribs and the chill she'd felt earlier from the cool air drifted away. She couldn't help but stare, thrilled and saddened at his words.

  Damn it. I don't want him to be my boss.

  "I don't have anyone waiting at home either, in case you were wondering but didn't want to ask." He looked at her as though waiting for a response.

  "Um." Julia stuttered, trying to find words. "Um, it's good there's no one at home." Her cheeks blushed what had to be a deep red.

  Think of something better to say.

  She was fairly sure she'd blushed more in this one day than she had in her entire life combined. She really wanted to let the conversation continue on its current course, but she couldn't. They were letting themselves get carried away again, like they had at the club, and she needed to keep her head on straight this time.

  She took another nibble of her cookie while she thought of something safe to talk about—something that wouldn't lead them back to talking about the other night, or their feelings for each other. "I know you don't read romances, but what do you read?"

  He took another cookie from the plate, breaking it in half. "I love sci-fi, but I'm not a full-fledged Trekkie or anything." He laughed. "And I love a good mystery."

  "Who doesn't?" The heat cooled from her cheeks and her head started to clear.

  He reached across the table and stroked her hand again. His expression grew serious. "I don't know about you, but I'm trying really hard to ignore the feelings you're stirring up inside me, and resisting them is getting harder with each minute I spend with you. I really like you, Julia, and I think you like me too. We don't have to let this job stand in the way of something that started between us before you came to work for me. We can find a way to figure this out."

  Her heart drummed in her chest. She was definitely feeling something strong for Chase despite her logic not to. Maybe a chance to date him—really date him, not one night at the club and in her bedroom—was worth changing her plans for a guy. As long as that guy was Chase.

  Yep, she did have feelings for him. No sense in hiding them any longer. But should she admit them to him? His hand was so warm on hers. Memories of his touch as he caressed down her abdomen came flooding to her mind along with the rush of adrenaline he sent pumping into her system. She did want to be with him, despite everything else, despite the risk.

  "I know exactly what you mean. I—" She stopped mid-sentence when a ringing came from under the table, interrupting their moment. He dropped her hand to retrieve his cell from the front pocket of his pants.

  Julia waited quietly as he spoke into his phone in a hushed voice. Was she really going to have to choose between the job she desperately needed and the man she desired? Was there a choice anymore when he looked at her like that—when he touched her and she could think of nothing else but him?

  It looked like she was probably going to need to print off a few more résumés after she finished her shift—if she finished her shift. Maybe she should just quit now and be done with this stupid job.

  "I'm sorry about that. They need me back inside. Do you mind waiting here for me? I should only be a minute or two."

  "Sure. The boss is always needed."

  She watched him walk away. She leaned back in her chair and sighed. This all seemed very surreal. She came to work nervous about a first day, but now she sat here halfway through he
r shift filled with even more nervous energy, but for a completely different reason.

  "Julia? What are you doing here?" Tali sauntered up beside the table followed by another girl Julia hadn't met before. "Was that Chase I saw you with?"

  "I—yeah, that was Chase. How do you know him?" Julia tilted her head to the side.

  "Everyone knows him." Tali put her hand on her hip, shifting her slender frame to the side. Somehow she always looked like she was posing for a photo shoot even without trying.

  Julia pushed the thought from her mind. Her friend couldn't help it that she was helplessly beautiful. "Really? Why's that?"

  "Because he's Chase. He's only the hottest guy in the neighborhood." Tali shrugged. "Sorry. I guess I should have warned you about him. I always forget you're not from the Meadow."

  "Warn me? Why would I need to be warned about him?" This is probably bad, isn't it?

  Tali glanced at the friend standing beside her. Julia could see a silent understanding pass between them. There was definitely something about Chase that was cause for warning.

  "Are you on a date with him or something?" Tali asked, tossing her long, dark locks over her shoulder with a talented flip of her head.

  Julia's eyes flickered to the door. "Why?"

  "Well, be careful. Chase isn't known for sticking with one girl for long. I don't want to see you get hurt."

  Julia's chest tightened as disappointment seeped into her mind. Was she implying Chase was a player? Was he playing her right now? She swallowed the lump in her throat. Were his feelings for me an act?

  No. His feelings couldn't be an act. The night they'd had together hadn't been an act, she was positive. Tali was wrong. She had to be. Chase wasn't a player.

  Tali looked at her with soft eyes. She wasn't going to let Tali know Chase was the guy she'd brought home the other night until she knew for sure there was something real between them.

  "Oh, you don't have to worry about me, Tali. I work here now. Chase is actually my boss." She waited a moment while that news sank in. "Chase and I aren't on a real date. It's more like a work date."