The Barista

Belief

"Tell me," I say softly, rubbing his perfectly sculpted chest. "If it wasn't for me needing this, what would you have said to get me back?"

"Oh, that's easy." He smiles.

"Okay. So, tell me."

He sighs and removes my hand. He rolls onto his side and of course, he's going to lock eyes. "Elle Scott. I've spent twenty-seven years on this earth."

"You're twenty-seven?" I say and gasp jokingly. "Old man!"

"Hey now." He grabs my hand, kisses it, and releases it. "Twenty-seven years and there has never been a day where my heart decided to skip for anyone or anything. Yet the day you walked into the restaurant I noticed you immediately. And then when I found out you were eating with us my heart skipped. That was the first time in my life I was so damn confused. I couldn't understand why my heart was skipping."

He's making me fall for him even more.

"Keep going," I say and bite my bottom lip.

"Elle. I know what it feels like to love your family. I never knew what love at first sight was...until I met you. The feeling inside of me was something I had never experienced until your eyes connected with mine and you smiled. God! That smile! You made me question every single molecule of life. I had no idea what I was going through and at first not only was I confused but I was terrified. I had no idea until that night. I started missing you and I hardly knew you. I knew your name and that was it. I wanted more and it started to drive me mad. Angry in a way I've never felt. Then I realized it was something out of my control."

"Like, love!" I exclaim and slide my hand over his shoulder. "You were in love with me the moment you met me. Is that what you're saying right now?"

He nods softly. "Yes. And I am too busy and too stubborn to think I could ever be in love with anyone. I've had many relationships and I've been in control of every relationship except this one. The moment we spent the night together and didn't do anything freaked me out. Everything in my bones wanted to take you that night and make love to you. And maybe 'making love' sounds cheesy but I don't know how else to say it because it's not sex with you. I feel so many emotions when I kiss you. I feel this wild fiery burst inside of me when our bodies collide. And I don't talk like that. I've been known to make fun of men who talk like pussies. But it's how I feel and there is no other way to explain it."

"I get it," I say playfully. "I know exactly what you're saying. I've turned you into a woman."

"Come on." He smiles. "I'm opening up to you. Take it a little seriously please."

"Trust me," I say and quickly steal a kiss and pull back. "I'm loving every second of your honesty. You're making me feel things I've never felt too. It's not just you. I honestly thought I'd never fall in love and get married. I had no inkling to do so. I figured I'd work at the coffee shop for my entire life, write my books, and hopefully become some big-time author someday. But you brought so much more out of me. And you're making me realize so much more."

His eyes wave with curiosity. "Like what?"

"Is that even a question, Liam Easton? Like the fact that I am taking some stupid test tomorrow to enter some competition just to prove my intelligence. Abby has been trying for years for me to use my brain. It took you a day to do it."

He flashes his eyes playfully with his cheesy smile. "I'm guessing that means I should feel special?"

I slide my hand in between his legs and grab tightly. "This should feel special, babe," I say and quickly slide my tongue against his bottom lip. "Special is an understatement. I'm jumping out of my comfort zone just to do this stupid test in front of so many people."