Sanditon Steamy Brew Cafe

Chapter 4

I was just putting the first batch in the oven and whipping up the icing in the mixer, when I heard a strange banging noise. I flipped the switch on the mixer and listened. Again, I heard the banging noise as if someone was knocking on the door. I'd been here late in the evening and even early in the morning on many occasions and no one ever tried to get in. My heart was racing with fear. I could barely breathe as I grabbed a knife and slowly peeked around the corner. To my surprise, Sidney Parker stood outside the door. My fear subsided, at least knowing who it was. I still wasn't sure what he wanted. I put the knife down and walked out front to unlock the door.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

He hesitated for a moment before holding up a white bag. "I brought you some dinner. I didn't want you starving while making so many cupcakes."

"Oh," I said, furrowing my eyebrows at the bag in front of me.

"And it's just occurred to me that you are in a café and could probably make yourself something to eat rather easily if you got hungry," he said bashfully.

I grinned, finding his shyness endearing. I reached for the bag and looked inside. "What did you bring?" I asked. Inside were two salads, some bread, and a large cup of soup. He was right. All things I could easily make here at the café. It was the gesture that counted, I guess.

"Anyway, um... Yeah... I don't want to keep you from your baking," he said. He started to turn and walk back to his car.

"Do you want to stay for a while?" I called out to him.

He turned around and looked at me with a hopeful expression. He tried hard to hide his smile. "Do you want me to?"

"Well, you did buy enough food for two people. You might as well eat half of it, so it doesn't go to waste," I pointed out. He nodded his head and walked back towards me. I stood aside and let him in before locking the door again.

When I turned around, he was a mere breath away from me. His head tilted downward, and his expression seemed nervous, but eager. I sucked in a sharp breath realizing what was happening. I almost didn't want him to kiss me, but then I thought better of it and realized I really did want him to. "Charlotte," he breathed, nearly touching my lips with his.

"Yes?" I whispered back, finding it increasingly hard to breathe. In a moment of weakness, I let him kiss me. He moved his lips against mine as if he was an expert at the craft of kissing. I was not. I was sure he would probably find kissing me repulsive or think my breath smelled. But when he didn't stop and moved even closer to me, holding me against him, I finally let go of the fears rushing through my thoughts and simply enjoyed the moment. I let the bag of food drop to the floor at my side and let my arms drape around his neck as we continued to kiss as if we actually liked each other.

A sudden buzzing noise started to go off in the distance. I pulled away and stared at him with wide eyes. "The cupcakes!" I gasped. I ran off towards the kitchen and quickly pulled the first batch out of the oven. I stood at the counter, staring at the cupcakes in front of me and tried to make sense of what had just happened. A man I despised just hours ago had just kissed me, and I let him. I didn't like letting my guard down so easily. He was clearly an experienced man, and I was not at all. This was going to turn into another one of those incidents where I'm used for sexual gratifications and nothing else. He's probably got half a dozen girls on the side and I was about to be another one. My eyes started to well up with tears as the realization started to hit me. I hated myself for actually beginning to have feelings for him, but also believing he might have feelings for me.

"Charlotte," he said quietly, standing across from the me at the counter. I glanced up at him and quickly wiped at my eyes, trying to push my feelings aside. I went to the sink to wash my hands again and declared I had a lot of work to do. "Can I help?" he asked.