Obsessions

Chapter One

Evangeline

"The keys are on the counter, make sure you lock up before you leave!" Mr.Danvers, the old man who owned the café, shouted back at me before walking out the door, not even waiting for my reply.

I don't know how Mr.Danvers manages to keep all his hair on his head but he does, housing a salt and pepper littered scalp, I'm sure many people want to know the seventy-year-olds secrets. He's quite an interesting old man, to say the least, he always has the weirdest stories to tell.

I shake my head and let out a small laugh as I get started on my list of chores that need to get done before I leave.

"Hello, are you still open?" A calm, deep voice startles me, I drop my cloth that I had been using to wipe the counters and snap my head around so fast that I fear I may have given myself whiplash.

My eyes wander over the man. He's tall, dressed in a fine dark gray suit, white dress shirt, and red tie with messy jet black hair.

I nod slowly, " Just about to close, but is there anything I can get for you before I finish up here?" I whisper, my mind screaming, as a small smile formed on his plump lips.

"Well, Evangeline-" I couldn't help but cut him off.

"You know my name?" My eyes grew wide as I gawked at him. Do I know this man? How does he know my name?

His hand moved off the counter, reaching towards me. Growing closer and closer to my breasts, it felt like he was moving in slow motion and my nerves fired on high alert. Don't touch me. His fingers clasped onto the tag that I had pinned to my chest, "This fancy little thing seems to have told me your name," the amusement in his voice killed me.

I look down and see my name scribbled across the tag.Well, that's embarrassing.

"Oh..." I let out an awkward sounding laugh, "So what was it you wanted sir?"

His eyes locked on mine, "I would like two coffees, one with two cream, no sugar and the other is yours. You're looking a little tired, Angel." He places a fifty dollar bill on the counter and slides it toward my hand that's resting on the counter.

"Well, that's not going to cost this much money," I quickly get the change out for him and push the money back towards him only for his large hand to land on top of mine, I could feel the warmth spreading through my hand and up my arm. A tingling sensation slowly making its way up my arm and through my body. How did he do that?

"Keep the change," he says firmly somehow managing to seem intimidating even with the innocence in his eyes. I let out a small sigh, I'm not about to argue with a customer. The customer is always right after all, or so my manager likes to tell me. An expensive outfit, large tip... He must have money to waste but still, who would waste so much money on coffee? I really want to just make him take the money.

I turn and start making his drink, adding the cream just like he wanted, placing his coffee in front of him; acting as if I had forgotten about the second coffee he had asked for, and also kind of hoping he would get the hint that I didn't need a coffee.

"Here you go," I smile up at him, his eyes command me to make the second coffee but instead I turn around to continue on with my 'chores' for the night.

Fortunately for me, he just stands there and watches me for a few minutes while I tidy everything up.

"I thought I asked for two coffees, not just one darlin'," His eyes stare me down, " How about you make yourself a coffee and come join me?" This felt like less of a question and more of a command. Evangeline, do this; Evangeline, do that.

I hate to admit it but that smile of his is making it harder and harder to say no. "Fine...one coffee and then I finish cleaning up, okay?"

He gave a firm nod before making his way towards the shelves full of books, leaving me to make my coffee without him standing over me. I watch for a moment as his fingertips brush over the spines, his eyes scanning over each tile.

I turn and get started on my own coffee, taking my time to see if he gets annoyed with waiting and leaves, but he doesn't, he just fingers the ribbed book spines the entire time. Why can't he just go away?

"Don't you have a girlfriend you need to get back to or something?" I let out a sigh while mixing my coffee a little too slowly; his eyes look up and watch my hand stir the sugar into my coffee, a frown making its way onto his lips.

"Oh no girlfriend for me" I watch as a smirk spreads across his lips. My cheeks heat up in embarrassment as I ever so slowly, make my way over to him and sit down at the opposite end of the table.

"Okay," Giving a small shrug I look down at my coffee, running my fingertips over the rim.

"Tell me about yourself," I take a small sip of my coffee before looking up at him, only to find him already staring back at me with curiosity shining brightly in his beautiful swampy green orbs, the awkward moment already forgotten about.

"Hmmm...How about you tell me your name first." My eyes lock on his, daring him to tell me.

"James," A small shiver ran down my spine as the name fell from his lips so smoothly.

"James..." I couldn't help but test the name out on my own tongue, it somehow sounded even better when I said it. Damn, that's a sexy name. "Now what would you want to know?"

"Everything."