Chapter Three

Eve watched as Jon disappeared and reporters flipped their cell phones open and started to ask her questions about why he was in her coffee shop and her affiliation if any, to him. What the hell did they think he was doing? Practicing the trapeze for the circus? It was a coffee shop for god’s sake.

“Look, if you’re not going to buy something please leave.” She motioned for Ria to help her herd the crowd out, it was polluting her nice clean atmosphere. She’d read about Jon’s divorce, it was hard not to since it had been splashed across any major tabloid. Seemed both of them were starting over, with her divorce being finalized three months ago freeing up her inheritance money to open the shop.

“She knows him!” one of the reporters announced holding up his phone, which clearly had Google or something glowing on it. “They went to the
same high school.”

Well shit, the coffee orders came flying in even without her divulging any information about how she knew Jon. It wasn’t the way she’d wanted her business to make its mark but for the next three hours, she was run off her feet steaming, frothing and blending coffee out her ears. Significant praise and words of, “this is the best coffee I’ve had in a long time,” were flying around. One reporter even was now going to whip up a write up about the best kept coffee secret in Soho.

Damn.

By the end of the day, she was dead on her feet like she’d been walking on gourds all day. At ten she closed the door and snicked the locks. Finally.

She’d had zero time to process exactly what had happened here, Jon had walked into her life and brought her over a thousand dollars business and free advertising in all the same day. It was unbelievable. She brewed herself up a Chai latte and was content to slide into a booth to recount her cash, just so it wasn’t a dream. Most of her food stock for the week was gone, she’d have to order more in first thing in the morning.

Damn Eve, this is happening, this is finally happening. She sighed happily and then the rap of knuckles against glass turned her attention to the front of the shop.

“I’m closed!” she swivelled around and her heart jammed in her throat.

Jon.

She rose quickly and snapped open the locks, what was he doing here? She thought he’d never come back after what happened this afternoon.

He came in quickly with a gush of cold wind, and closed the door behind him.

“I saw you were still here, I hope you don’t mind—“he met her eyes and smiled. “Eve.”

Oh god, he did remember. His woollen coat, dusted in snow was wrapped fiercely around him, the winter pale of his skin only made her sink into those blue eyes.

What did she say now? And why was she a puddle of Jell-O, again. Jesus Eve.

“That’s me.” Was all she could say, she cringed. That’s me?

“I’m sorry about before, I didn’t mean to invade your gorgeous little shop with the baggage of my life.” He stood, nervously she thought as his hands still stayed firmly in his pockets.

She laughed, “Its ok – evidently I just had the best day since I opened sales wise.”

His eyebrow arched, “is that so? Well hell, now I don’t feel guilty. You should be the one feeling guilty making money off my baggage.”

The heat crept up her neck, “oh I do – I felt-“she stopped when the twitch of a grin teased the corners of his mouth so she folded her arms. “That’s not nice.”

He took a step forward, keeping his eyes fixed on hers. “You know what else is not nice?”

She could smell him now, the scent of spice and rain – so similar to that night they’d worked on his car took her over. “What’s that?” she dared to ask as he took one more step towards her. Her eyes feel to his lips, only inches away from hers.

“We didn’t get to kiss that night.” He stayed put, and the rapid beat of her heart drummed out over the Nora Jones croon she had going in the background.

He licked his bottom lip and she nodded, “that’s a shame isn’t it?”

He tipped her head with his knuckle and leaned in, pressing his lips hard up against hers. It was everything she’d imagined but so much more. Her hands slid up the buttery wool of his coat to his shoulders as he angled the kiss deeper. His tongue teased at her lips before he breached them tasting each corner of her mouth.

She felt herself drift into him, her hands gripped the lapels on his coat a she let herself slide deeper into him. He was still cold from the night, but the warmth between them soon swelled.

His hands cupped her face drawing her up onto her tip toes, wrapping her own arms around his neck. The sweet and dark heat of him poured into her, as hurt healed hurt. It wasn’t until his thumb swept the tear away from her cheek she realized she was had tears.

All this time, she’d waited for someone to kiss her the way he did. The way she knew he would of all those years ago but instead they’d both gone down different paths and ended up miserable. Whether this was fate or in the cards, all she knew now was he was meant to be here and they were meant to be kissing.

He didn’t stop, he swallowed her moan and walked her back until she felt the wall press against her back. God, she’d missed this. Someone to connect to, someone to be with. His hands raked up into her curls tilting her face letting the kiss go from sweet to hot in seconds.

Her hands raked into his hair pulling him closer, she felt her nipples tighten as he pressed against her. Finally he pulled away, leaving an inch between their lips. He ran his thumb across her bottom lip and smiled.

“How was that?”

She chuckled, and couldn’t help but to lean in to dust her lips across his once more.

“Worth the wait.”

She wanted to say so much more, ask so many more questions but he wrapped her hands in his and brought them to his lips. With a smile on his face, and the same twinkle in his eye he asked.

“So, can I give you a ride home?”

The End.