Coffee and Cream

A Beautiful Secret

DARCELLE

Emrys looked ridiculously good tonight, dressed comfortably in a hoodie, black vest, and sweats that hung perfectly off his frame. It was my first time in his house, and I didn't mind the idea of getting some action from him if the night took us there. I could feel his eyes on me from the moment I stepped inside, and every time our gazes met, that unspoken tension between us simmered. So when I got dared to kiss Mal, I decided to make a show of it.

I crawled toward Mal slowly, letting everyone watch, and when I kissed him, I made it count. I french-kissed him hard, my tongue teasing his, tugging his hair so roughly that he let out a moan. The room erupted in whistles and hollers, but I was only half-aware of them. I knew Emrys was watching me, probably clenching his jaw. After a few seconds, I pulled away, wiping my lips, and returned to my seat, throwing a casual glance at Emrys. He wasn't looking at me like the others were—he was staring at me like I was in trouble.

Nathan, sitting beside me, hyped me up. "Damn, Darcelle, I knew you were bad, but not that bad."

I laughed, nudging him playfully with my shoulder. "There's a lot you don't know, Nate."

But my focus kept drifting back to Emrys. He looked so cozy in his outfit, probably knowing how cold his house could get, especially with the rain pouring down outside. His place was right on the cliff by the ocean, the kind of place that had a constant chill. I should've worn a jacket, but Nathan had convinced me to leave it behind. Now I was regretting it, goosebumps prickling my bare skin.

Then, my phone buzzed. A message from Emrys:
"Come up."
He attached directions to his room.

I glanced up, and he was no longer beside Isabelle. Without a word to Nathan, I excused myself. "Restroom," I lied smoothly, getting up before Nathan could question me. I followed Emrys's directions, weaving through the hallways until I found his room. The second I stepped in, Emrys grabbed me, pulling me inside, slamming the door shut behind us. He locked it before smashing his lips onto mine with a growl, kissing me like he'd been waiting for it all night.

Between breathless kisses, he whispered against my lips, "I've wanted to do this since the moment you walked in."

I wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing him harder, our lips bruising with intensity. "Me too," I breathed between kisses, my fingers sliding through his hair. I paused to smirk and said, "You have a lovely home."

He hummed a low "thank you" against my neck, licking the skin before lifting me off the ground. In a swift motion, he yanked my top off and flung it carelessly to the floor. I wasted no time either, peeling his hoodie off and pushing his sweatpants down, undressing him piece by piece. He groaned, gripping my waist, and murmured against my lips, "You've been naughty, ladybug. You need to be punished."

That name, ladybug, meant we were in our zone. I giggled lightly, my eyes gleaming. "Punish me, Daddy," I teased as he tossed me onto the bed, pulling my pants off in one quick motion.

We didn't waste time. It was quick, messy, and so, so good. We laughed between breathless moans, pushing each other to the edge until we both came, kinking and riding the high together. When we were done, we hurried to dress before anyone noticed we'd been gone too long.

He tossed me one of his hoodies and smirked. "You've got goosebumps."

I knew he just wanted to see me in his clothes, and I wasn't about to deny him that. His eyes practically begged for it. I slipped it on, tugged him close by his shirt, and stuck my tongue out at him playfully. He leaned down, licking my tongue before sucking on it, his hands squeezing my ass with a final playful spank. "Head down," he whispered, voice low. "I'll be there in a bit."

I snuck back downstairs, feeling Nathan's confused eyes on me the second he saw the hoodie. I shrugged, flashing him a smile. "Someone lent me a hoodie. I was freezing."

I took a long sip of punch, hiding the satisfied smirk tugging at my lips. Mission accomplished. A few minutes later, Emrys appeared with a tray of snacks—cream cheese tortilla bites, cheeseburger sliders, pigs in a blanket. Isabelle jumped up like the perfect girlfriend, taking the tray from him and passing it around.

Emrys announced, "There's an indoor pool and a hot tub for those who wanna get wet."

Nathan's eyes lit up, wiggling excitedly beside me. He had been the one who really wanted to come tonight. To be fair, I wouldn't have come if I didn't want to, but I wasn't about to tell him that. I'd wanted to see where Emrys lived. Even Nathan had found it suspicious how easily I agreed. I probably should've played hard-to-get just a little longer.

The night ended with Nathan and me stumbling out, drunk and laughing as Mal, still buzzing from earlier, offered us a ride. He dropped me off first, filling the car with his chatter the whole way. Nathan was silent, probably as exhausted as I was.

As soon as I got home, I took a long shower, washing off the smell of rain, bourbon, and Emrys, and collapsed into bed with a contented smile on my face.

******

Emrys was my beautiful secret, at some point, we all get that one beautiful secret in life. He was that man who taught me how to explore my dark fantasies in bed. He let me simply be and I did the same for him, so we were imperfectly perfect for each other.

I smiled to myself taking a sip of my tequila espresso martini. I couldn't always bring myself to decide which one I loved more, whether it was coffee or alcohol, so I developed a knack for combining the two. I made the meanest coffee cocktails with blindfolds on.

I sat on my balcony, reading a new book about dungeons, dragons, and Vikings. I had an hour of free time before I had to get to the grocery store for my shift. I wasn't particularly looking forward to it.

*******

The store was bustling with activity as usual. I and my coworkers worked diligently to scan items and bag groceries for customers.

I was in a good mood today until a customer decided to pour salt into my drink. Not literally, but could as well be. He was carrying a basket filled with various items. As I scanned the items, the man's face grew increasingly grim. When the total appeared on the screen, his jaw dropped.

"What? That's too much! I don't have that much on me." he exclaimed, his voice rising.

"I'm sorry to hear that. You can either pay the full amount or put some items back."

He, however, was not satisfied with my response. "Look, I'm a regular customer here. Can't you just waive the extra? I'll pay the rest."

With a smile plastered on my face even though it held no warmth, I responded, "I understand that you're a regular, but I'm not authorized to waive charges. It's against store policy."

He became more agitated, "You're so rude! I've been coming here for years, and you can't even do me a small favor?" he yelled at me.

I blinked, taken by surprise at his outburst but I maintained my composure, "I apologize if you feel that way. However, I must follow the store's rules. Please choose some items to put back so you can pay the remaining balance."

"I demand to speak to your manager!" he shouted.

I remained composed. "Certainly," I replied. "Please step aside so I can assist other customers."

As he stormed away, I continued to serve the other customers with a professional demeanor. I knew that the situation was frustrating for him, but I also understood that I had to follow the store's rules.