Only Yours

04. Coffee and Beauties

Tamina

I smile and happily give him a mini lecture on the coffee house down the road for ten minutes until the familiar plum toned building steadily approaches. The large panes of glass allow us a good insight of the warm atmosphere inside while the customers can have an entertaining view of the outside.

"Tell me, how long have you been a customer?"

Tilting my head in thought, a grin tugs at my lips. "To be honest, not long; I've never really been a café person. It was only when I became friends with a girl at college, she got me into it and ever since I was addicted." I hold up my palms and add, "But I only have it as a monthly treat."

He chuckles, hand no longer against the small of my back yet he makes sure to fall in step with me. If he wanted to, he could've been at Costa already while I'm all the way over here with those long legs of his.

"Are you still in contact?" he enquires.

I shake my head. "Sadly, no." Disliking the mood, I put on a smile and hastily say, "How about you, do you have a favourite café?"

Brandon lifts the corner of his lip. "Not yet, but I think this one might become one."

As much as I don't want them to, my cheeks burn from his comment even though it should make me feel honoured for helping him discover his number one coffee shop. If that's the case, then we may end up bumping into one another more, not that it's something concerning as of now. Ten minutes aren't going to set what happens next in stone. 

Like a gentleman, he holds the door open while questioning, "What would you like?" as we approach the counter.

The couple ahead of us order, and by the looks of it, it's for the kids lining the stairs. The people behind us shuffle in need for their lunch time fix, one has a suitcase in hand while the other has a clipboard. In the meantime, my fingers tap anxiously on my bottoms while Brandon is as cool as a cucumber.

Managing to keep my voice soft, I say, "Nuh-uh," when my confidence kicks in. "You bought the book, it's only fair I get the drinks."

He hitches a brow and it doesn't take a genius to know his eyes are holding humour by the way his mouth quirks up to one side. "I'm being a gentleman, you wouldn't want to hurt my ego now, would you?"

Stepping around him with a smile to allow more room for the customers behind us while they browse the cakes on display, my fingers drum on the counter. "OK," I sigh playfully, "you win. Can I have a salted caramel frostino, please?"

Nodding, he averts his view to the counter where a dainty blonde woman resides. Her forearms rest on the counter, causing my hand to slip away as she pushes her chest forward for extra measures. My lip rolls between my teeth to contain the laughter that wants to bubble up.

Her posture looks uncomfortable.

"What can I get you?" she greets, baby blue eyes gleaming up at Brandon whilst fluttering her lashes.

Brandon diverts his attention to me, body shifting closer. "One salted caramel frostino, and a caramel latte." His eyes fleet between us, leaving me a shifting mess.

"Do you want cream on that? Dash of coffee? Sugar for the latte?" she lists off, a strange hearty lilt taking over toward the end, but Brandon doesn't pay any mind.

Spotting the encouraging smile he sends my way, I murmur, "Just the cream, please."

The woman clicks away on the screen with a bit too much pressure, and I'm thankful she doesn't look back up. "Six pounds and twenty-five pence when you're ready."