by Angela Peach
“Of course I will. I’m not going anywhere, okay?”
We took our mugs to the front and I turned everything off, before grabbing my jacket and keys and locking up. By the time we got to my car we were both completely soaked through to the skin and we fell in out of the rain, laughing hard. I looked at her sat next to me, blonde hair sticking to her face, her glasses steaming up and rain dripping down her skin, and something very powerful coursed through me. Stronger than desire, deeper than attraction, it made every hair on my body stand on end. I felt our fates seal for good, for better or worse.
Sophie seemed to get caught in the same bubble of magic as her breath caught when she turned to face me. She took off her glasses and put them very carefully to one side, then leaned across and pulled me toward her for a deep and passionate kiss. It was electrifying. This fusion of our energy was like nothing I’d ever come close to experiencing before. This kiss was like a supernova compared to our drunken encounter the previous week. She pulled me as close as was humanely possible in such a tight space and we sucked each other’s tongues and crushed our lips together in an effort to deepen the kiss. I wanted to be inside her, for her to be inside me, and as she tugged on the strands of my hair entwined between her fingers I groaned with pleasure.
By the time we pulled reluctantly apart, our eyes were droopy but bright and the car windows had steamed up completely. Without saying a word, I started the car and gave the pedal a few pumps to get the engine revving and set about de-misting the windows before glancing back at Sophie. She smiled, still slightly breathless from our embrace. It was so comfortable holding her eyes with mine, neither of us filling the silence with inane crap.
Once the windows had cleared enough for me to drive, I put the car in gear and set off for home feeling warm and optimistic. Every now and then, one of us would reach out and touch the other’s leg and we’d smile stupidly.
I had to drop her off around the corner from home, but she understood and didn’t make a fuss about getting wet again. With one long lingering kiss, she promised to see me the next day, then she jumped out into the rain and ran off. I watched her go, a deep sadness in my heart. What I wouldn’t have given right then to be able to go home with her, shower together and snuggle up under a duvet trying all manner of things to keep warm.
Instead, I drove to my usual parking spot and took a minute to focus my thoughts before going inside. It wouldn’t do to go in all charged up with sexual energy and thinking about what had just happened, not with Mel getting seemingly more perceptive by the day.
By the time I was pushing open my front door, I was totally focused on the safest thing I could think of. Danny.
“You’re late babe,” Mel said from the lounge as I made a huge fuss over the dog jumping around me.
“Car wouldn’t start again so I went back into the café and had something to eat. Then it just miraculously turned.”
“You really need to get that sorted out Han. One day you’re gonna be stranded in the wrong place at the wrong time.” She sounded genuinely concerned and my stomach tightened guiltily.
“I know. When I can afford to I will. Anyway, I’d better take Mr Shmelly Paws out for a walk before I attempt to dry off and warm up,” I said, quickly grabbing his lead. “Back in about half hour, okay?”
“Well it’s not like I’m going anywhere, is it?” she mumbled, leaning sulkily against the door frame. “Bloody dog gets more attention than I do.”
“He needs it Mel. He’s like a baby in that way, y’know, needs walking and feeding. You don’t need anything.”
“I’m your girlfriend. And it’s not like I can get attention from anyone else.”
“For Pete’s sake, I’m doing the best I can and sadly the living come first. Sorry. Come on Danny.”
And on that little bombshell, I swiftly exited the flat.
CHAPTER 13
I’d read somewhere that being in love produced the same kind of chemicals in your brain as drug addictions, and in the same respect that break-ups were like severe withdrawals from drugs. Right now I’d say I was definitely experiencing an addiction and riding high on it. I mean, I was completely flying while at the same time watching the clock for my next fix. All I could think about was getting to the end of the shift which is when Sophie had said she’d pop in to see me. Until then, we were kind of satiating ourselves with the odd text here and there (although each time I checked my phone and saw a message waiting, my heart raced like I was looking at a winning lottery ticket!)
At just gone four I paused mid-order and looked over toward the door, sensing her arrival earlier than we’d planned. My breath caught at the sight of her standing nervously in the entrance, a big smile on her face. And like a moment straight out of a movie, the sun burst out from behind the clouds and shone behind her, making her look like spring in the middle of winter. (Okay, even I groaned inwardly at my romanticism, but I couldn’t help turning into a poet every time I saw her.) She waved at me before walking slowly to the counter and I waved back, grinning stupidly at her just as the milk I’d forgotten I was heating bubbled up out of the jug in my hand. Cursing, I turned my attention back to what I’d been doing and hoped no one had noticed my mistake.
When I’d cleared up the mess and got another jug of milk on, I risked a quick glance toward her and saw that she’d taken a seat at the end of the counter and was reading a book. She had her hair tucked behind her ear in a way that made her look super cute, although in my opinion she always looked super cute. Or sexy. Or beautiful. Or…
I managed to swerve my eyes back to the jug just in time to catch it before it bubbled over again. I seriously needed to focus. On work.
Sophie. Sophie. Sophie. Sophie. Sophie.
I was completely consumed with her. My ears sang with her name and my mind kept conjuring images of her – how I had seen her, how I wanted to see her (sometimes PG, but mostly XXX rated images) and my body just ached for her touch. Like, my entire body. Even my ankles.
It was a good ten minutes before I was able to sneak her a hot chocolate (I already knew this was her favourite) and a couple of hot buttered crumpets.
“I’m early.”
“I’m glad.”
The urge to kiss her was quite simply overwhelming. So much so that I found myself leaning toward her, lips puckering in preparation for the sweet sensation they’d been yearning for all day. However, at the last minute I got a grip on myself, knowing I wouldn’t be able to pull away if we full on locked lips, and I moved my head to the side so they met cheeks instead. Even so, our heads lingered close for a few extra-long seconds. Feeling her warm breath on my face was intoxicating and it took every ounce of will power I had to pull away. I exhaled slowly in a vain attempt to calm my pulse, but my entire body was buzzing, rushing, throbbing even from that briefest contact.
“Thanks. For the drink and…” Her voice tailed off as she gestured vaguely toward the crumpets. I swallowed hard.
“No problemo. I er, guess I’d better get back to work.” I dragged my feet away from her as I rubbed my palms on my thighs, wondering when all the moisture in my mouth had relocated to my hands.
How was it possible for her to have such an effect on my entire being? I was seriously contemplating spinning the closed sign round and kicking everyone out on a fake fire drill or something, just for some alone time with her. Luckily, I was capable of retaining enough common sense to continue working and gently reminded myself she’d still be here when I did close the café. Plus, she was early so I should be grateful she was here for me to make gooey eyes to in the first place.
But by five fifteen, I was clucking and anxious. The only customers left were a couple of businessmen sat with laptops open discussing work. For a start, we never got businessmen in here as they tended to favour the fancy coffee shops and bars in town, so why they’d chosen the Captain’s Café today was beyond me. I’d already whizzed through the cleaning - the machines were done, the closed sign daringly turned and I’d
even put all the chairs on top of the tables and mopped around them (leaving a safe and dry exit for them of course – Health and Safety at all times) but they seemed too engrossed to notice. It was time to go for something more drastic. I flicked all the light switches off.
“Sorry, we’re closing now,” I called out cheerfully. They looked surprised and I heard a few grumbles from them about where they could go to next to continue whatever it was they’d been working on, so I gave them a few suggestions as I gently ushered them toward the door. I locked it straight away and turned to see Sophie clearing away their cups and plates for me.
“They left you a three pound tip.”
“Oh! Wow! Maybe we should try and encourage more suits to come and do their business in here,” I said, impressed and felling a little bit guilty for chucking them out into the heavy rain so mercilessly. “Here, let me take those out to the kitchen.”
She passed me the crockery and I practically ran it out to the pot wash area where it could be done first thing in the morning. Freddie was already pulling on her coat – I’d told her earlier that Sophie was coming round and she’d promised to make herself scarce. She gave me a quick hug and wished me a good night before exiting out of the back door.
Nerves suddenly swept through me and for a moment I was frozen to the spot, swallowing hard. Taking a deep breath I forced my feet to move.
“I cleaned the table down for you and put the chairs up,” Sophie said, pushing her hands deep into her back pockets when she saw me.
“Thanks.”
“I think we’re alone now,” she sang and I could tell she was just as nervous as me. We both laughed stupidly before staring at each other, strangely and inexplicably shy. I glanced around at all the windows, realising we were in full view of the outside world which wasn’t helping. Giving Sophie my sexiest ‘Follow me’ look, I stepped backward to the door, but missed it and hit the door-jam instead, failing epically on the looking sexy part of the plan. However, the other part of the plan worked and she followed me eagerly out to the warm (more importantly windowless) kitchen. As soon as the door closed behind her our bodies gently collided, followed by our mouths.
We necked like horny teenagers, our hands roaming shyly across the contours of annoyingly clothed skin as we pressed tight together, aching for more, small noises of pleasure escaping and fuelling us. But before we got too lost in the moment I pulled away, needing to clarify something.
“I don’t want to have sex with you.”
Sophie tilted her head, bemused.
“O-kay. That’s…interesting to know. Are you just using my thigh to scratch an itch?” she teased. I kissed her again, fully meaning to continue my point, but it was another few minutes before I remembered and wrenched my lips free. She took the opportunity to kiss and nibble my neck.
“You know what I…mmm…what I mean…” I whispered.
“You mean not here in the café?” She hit a particularly sensitive spot and my eyes rolled.
“Oh god, yes!”
“Yes you do want it here in the café?” She murmured, fully enjoying teasing me and the effect it was having.
“No!”
“I know. It’s okay, I feel the same. No sex here.”
We managed to just about hold onto our control, but what we were doing to each other was like feeding a desperate starving person a few lettuce leaves. It was torture, and eventually hands started daringly sliding under clothes, into hot tight crevices that made the small noises turn to gasps of longing and groans of need. When I found myself attempting to undo her jeans as her hands slid inside the back of mine, it was Sophie who pulled away.
“Wait. We need to take a minute to just breathe…and calm down,” she said, sounding as reluctant to slow down as I felt.
“I’ve changed my mind. I do want to have sex with you,” I practically whined, attempting to pull her close to me again. Her eyes flashed and a wave of desire and lust hit me along with a strong feeling that was almost a thought.
This isn’t how I want our first time, but I’m not sure I can stop myself.
I swallowed hard. Had I just picked up on her thoughts or was I just extra perceptive to her feelings because they mirrored my own? Sophie drew back from me, her expression curious.
“What just happened? Why are you looking at me like that?”
Not wanting to freak her out by admitting I might have possibly read her mind, I shook my head smiling.
“Nothing. I just realised I was being totally unfair and sending out mixed signals. This isn’t how I want our first time, and I’m not sure I’d be able to stop myself if we carried on,” I said, watching her reaction carefully. Her eyes widened.
“I was thinking the exact same thing!”
“Seriously?”
“Yes! I mean I really, really want to keep going, but I’d only be lying to myself if I thought I’d be able to stop because I want you, Hanna. Badly.”
I wasn’t sure I’d ever get used to the buzz that coursed through me whenever she admitted she liked me, or wanted me, or wanted to have sex with me. It was that hit of the drug I was addicted to, rushing through my veins like morphine.
I’m falling in love with her.
This time I wasn’t sure where the thought had originated from. It could have been me, but it also could have been Sophie thinking it. Or maybe it was both of us? Maybe we were both thinking the same thing? I pulled her into a strong hug, squeezing her close to me.
“You have no idea how badly I want you too. And when we finally do get to be together, without the Ex-Factor complicating things, I promise it’ll be worth the wait.”
“I know.”
We stayed like that for a few minutes, just enjoying the closeness with each other. I couldn’t remember ever hugging Mel in that same way.
With a small moan of pleasure, she pulled away and studied me.
“You, Hanna Compton, make me feel like I’ve never felt before. Since the moment we met, I’ve just been blown away by everything about you. You’re incredible!” She exclaimed, sounding surprised. “I’ve never felt this connected to anyone before and it kinda scares me a little.”
“Scares you in a good way or a bad way?”
“I’m not sure. Ask me again when Mel’s out of the picture,” she said, smiling. She stroked my face, taking a deep breath. “I’ve been meaning to tell you…I can’t see you tomorrow night. I’m going to see my parents for my brother’s birthday and I won’t be back until Sunday morning.”
“Oh, that’s okay. I mean we don’t have to see each other every single day, do we?” I said, trying to hide my disappointment. “It’s good to miss each other. So-o, if you want we could hook up on Sunday and take Danny for a walk? I know a beautiful hiking trail about an hour’s drive away and there’s a great pub we can grab some lunch in if you feel like it?”
“That sounds great! I love hiking.”
“Really? Awesome. I haven’t been for a while so it’ll be good to blow the cobwebs away,” I enthused, not quite believing my luck that she actually enjoyed hiking. Mel had been so anti-hiking, she’d refuse to walk to the corner shop which was only five minutes (at a snail’s pace) from the flats.
We arranged a time and place to meet up on Sunday morning before having one last quick kiss and locking up. She linked her arm through mine on the way to the car and once inside, placed her hand on my knee as if needing some constant contact.
When she got out at our usual drop-off point, I missed that contact like she’d taken one of my limbs with her.
CHAPTER 14
The weekend got off to a great start when the order with all the Christmas specials came in just as we opened up, meaning we could sort through it all without any interruptions. I’d spoken to Ju the night before and asked her to walk and feed Danny so we could work late getting everything ready for Monday (thus freeing up my Sunday for Sophie.) She’d not only agreed, but told me to take him round to her place before work and she’d look after him until
I finished. This was an absolute score and I’d gushed my thanks to her when dropping Danny off this morning, promising to fulfil any future favours asked of me.
Fred and I went into overdrive, neither of us wanting another bollocking from Pete about not doing our jobs properly, so by lunchtime all the new stock was stored and logged, with most of it taste-tested on ourselves. The new latte flavours of mince pie and spiced orange were festive and delicious, and Freddie had rustled up a couple of small test batch cakes which were extremely more-ish and already pretty dented! There was an apple and cinnamon cake with a brandy cream, and a black forest roulade with a lovely cherry filling. They would get us through Monday while she made larger versions, but I already knew they’d be a big hit with our regulars. I noticed with a pang of sadness that she hadn’t made any gluten free ones in case Ju came by, but didn’t say anything.
Being a Saturday, the hours seemed to fly by at a different speed to normal weekdays, and in no time at all it seemed we were closing the door and turning up the Christmas cd on the stereo. We had a few boxes of decorations to hang around the café, as well as a tree to put up and make look pretty without contravening any of the Health and Safety regulations.
“O-oh I wish it could be Christmas every da-ay, so let the bells ring out, for Christmas!” I sang with as much enthusiasm as I could muster, my arms wide and head thrown back. Freddie smiled and raised her eyebrows knowingly.
“I take it things are going well with blondie then?” she said, passing me a length of tinsel. We hadn’t had a real chance to talk about personal matters yet, being more focused on getting the café stuff done. I grinned as I strung the tinsel along the wall.
“They might be. She might also be the most perfect woman I’ve ever met. And, there’s a small possibility that I might be falling in love with her,” I blurted out, unable to stop myself and in dire need to tell someone before I burst.
