"Hey, Myla!" Sarah waves from the counter and I flash her a smile. Seriously, she's such a sight for sore eyes. Her hair is so silky and long and her black glasses match her nerdy personality.
I glance at Alex who occupies himself with cleaning the tables when deep down he must be thinking about Sarah.
I know that because one time I caught him taking a picture of her when she was reading a book in the corner of the café. I always tease him about that but today is his lucky day, I'm not talking about that.
"You must have been busy," I say and lean on the counter. "Thank you so much, I'll make sure to repay you somehow."
"Oh, no you don't have to. I'm more than happy to be of any help." Gosh, I love this girl. "June helped us a lot too, so we weren't too busy at all."
"That's a relief. By the way, where is she?"
"She's hiding from her high school crush who rejected her." She says and I wince. "There he is." I slowly look at the guy she's pointing at and my lips form a thin, straight line. Ouch, he's handsome. "I'll go take his order and you stay here."
I nod and go behind the counter before I start organizing the things scattered below. And on cue, the phone rings, making me clear my throat and take it.
"Good afternoon, Petit Coin, how may I help you?" I hate talking on the phone, I do it all day and every day but it still makes me anxious for some reason.
"I'd like to order two iced Americano." The man on the other side of the line says and I nod, writing it down. "Can you please deliver it to Judy Hills?" The familiar name makes my stomach drop and I frown. It's familiar because it's always on the news.
"Yes. Your order will arrive shortly, thank you for ordering." I say and wait until he thanks me and hangs up.
Judy Hills?
While thinking about it, I start making the drinks to go and feel myself get nervous. It's a huge corporation everyone knows about, directed by one hot CEO that I usually see on Tv.
Whenever he appears in the news, I find myself admiring his looks. It's hard to forget his eyes when he stares at the camera and fixes his tie in the most attractive way I've ever seen.
"Are you delivering this?" I hear Alex as he makes his way to me and I nod. "Mr. Roy said you can take the day off, why are you insisting on working? If I was you, I'd take the day off and just sleep."
"I would feel bad for leaving you guys alone, so no." I quickly flash him a smile and take off my apron before I grab the drinks from the counter. "Or do you want me to go so you can have Sarah all to yourself?" Okay, I couldn't help it.
"Fuck off." He whispers and I just laugh. "Where are you going?"
"Judy Hills."
"What? Are you kidding me?" His wide eyes make him look like a bigeye. That's a fish, an orange one. "That's like a one-in-a-million opportunity. You're hitting the jackpot."
"What jackpot are you talking about? Anyways, I'm going. I can't be late or I don't know what might happen." I just chuckle at him. Seriously, he's so ridiculous sometimes.
I will deliver the order, get the money and come back. Nothing more.
I walk out of the place and start the café's motorcycle after I let down my hair and wear my helmet. June once told me I look hot without a helmet but safety first.
I'd rather not look hot than have my head burst open if I end up in an accident.
I cringe at the thought as I head to the huge building that's located six to seven minutes from our coffee shop. And when I arrive, I let out a heavy sigh and take off my helmet, looking up at the building until my neck starts hurting.
At the entrance, some guards are staring at me and I hesitantly approach them. But it seems they were waiting for me? "Hello, I'm here to deliver-"
"Mr. Laurier is waiting for you in his office." I gulp at the name. It's unique and sounds expensive, but most of all, it's so damn familiar.
One of them lets me step inside the building as he points at the elevator. "Seventh floor, on your left."
I nod, confused and lost, but I still walk to the elevator and press the button with the number seven.
Two women and a man get in the elevator along with me and I can't help but stare at their outfits. Such clothes would make me so uncomfortable to wear and I thank the universe for the job I have.
I don't care about your appearance, as long as you do your work how it's supposed to be. I remember Mr. Roy's words and smile. He's always been such a cool person.
The sound of the elevator snaps me out of my trance and I look at the green seven written on the screen before I walk past the workers and out of the suffocating place. And to my left, I spot the door with CEO written in bold letters.
Heart, stop beating so damn much. I know he's well known and very, very hot, but I'm here for work. My unholy thoughts should wait.
Hesitantly knocking on the door, I don't know what to expect on the other side. But the deep voice that I hear makes my stomach feel weird. "Come in."
My breath is stuck and my hand freezes on the doorknob as I hold the bag with his drinks. I take a deep breath and open the door, slowly stepping inside to see him sitting at his desk with his eyes focused on the iPad in his hands.
Zayne Laurier. The man all Seattle can't stop talking about.
The strong scent of men's cologne fills my nose as I stare at him, my eyes glued. I can't help but stare at his perfectly styled hair and the way his sleeves are rolled up, making him hotter than he already is.
"You must like what you see." His voice penetrates my ears and reaches my stomach, making my skin heat up. Fuck, he saw me. I dart my eyes and clear my throat.
"Excuse me, here's your order." I place the bag on his desk and wait for him when he reaches for one cup, slowly putting in the straw while he glances at me.
The way his eyes scan me from head to toe as he places the straw between his lips is dangerous. My heart races inside my chest but I keep my posture and smile a little.
I look at his lips when they pull away from the straw and I look up at his eyes. I can't read them, but for some unknown reason, they hold curiosity and interest. Which only makes it harder for my heart to calm down.
"Sit down," I hate being told what to do but upon hearing his words, I find myself sitting down on the chair in front of him. "That drink is yours."
What? To say I'm taken off guard would be an understatement.
I frown, looking at the other cup of coffee on the desk. "I'm sorry, but I'll have to decline." My response seems unsatisfying to him as he raises an eyebrow and looks at me like I'm a worthless piece of shit.
Then out of nowhere, he smiles. No, it's halfway a smile and halfway a threat and it frustrates me.
"As you like." He mutters and takes a sip of his coffee as I look away, but before I know it, I hear him cough. "Why does this taste like shit?"
Excuse me? His words make my blood boil but I try to remind myself that I'm a calm person. I don't get angry at customers because a customer is king and they're always right.
"You made this?" I take a deep breath and flash him a smile I'm struggling so much to fake.
"Yes."
He chuckles lowly. "I was told there's a hot girl who works at that café and who makes impressing coffee but I guess that's not you."
My tongue goes to the side of my cheek as I look away from him and try to stop myself because another single word from him and I'll lose it.
"I'm sorry, but this is the coffee we provide for all our customers. If you have any complaints, feel free to contact our boss or come by to meet him."
The image I had of him as a charming and successful CEO is replaced with that of an arrogant and narcissistic idiot.
"Why? Do you wish to see me again?" I scoff, finding what he just said very amusing. He's the last person I'd ever want to meet or cross paths with again. He's just a self-centered prick.
I rest my hands on his desk and lean forward, looking right into his eyes. "I don't expect you to come yourself, because apparently, you can't even make a proper phone call to make an order so you make people do it for you."
His eyes are glued to mine as I hold eye contact. He's no one to intimidate me. That's what I thought because the next thing he does makes me lose my sanity.
His Adam's apple goes up and down as his eyes dart down, making my skin heat up when his gaze lingers on my chest. "Are you trying to seduce me?"
"What- who's seducing who?" I regain my posture and clear my throat, hoping my red cheeks don't give away how frustrated and embarrassed I am. "You're wasting my time, I need to go back to work."
"How much is the coffee?"
"4 dollars," I say curtly and he smiles, looking up for something in his drawer. Then he takes out a one hundred dollar bill and nonchalantly throws it at me.
I stare at it for a while as it rests on the ground and hear him get up from his seat before he makes his way toward me. "You can keep the change."
I take a deep breath and relax my fists as I reach for it, holding it with a firm hand. I don't waste any more time before I put it on his desk and turn to leave when I feel him grab my wrist.
"Let go of me." I turn to look at him and he's staring at me in pure confusion, it's so satisfying. My hand rests on his and I harshly grab it and yank it off me. "Don't order from our café again, we don't want customers like you."
With that, I leave his office after slamming the door shut behind me and I sigh heavily, regretting the fact that I didn't take the day off today.
My mouth hurts from smiling too much at the cameras in front of me. My men stand behind those big lights and make sure everything is perfect, except nothing is.I'm forced, once again, to sit here and smile at the faces that watch me on the other side of the screen. What a waste of time.I don't know how much more I need to fake this stupid smile but if it's any longer, I'll lose it. Along with the interviewer who keeps staring at me with seductive eyes while I do my best to act dumb and oblivious.She puts her hair to the side, revealing her neck as she glances at me and I just roll my eyes mentally because I can't do that on national TV."So, Mr. Laurier," She starts, her voice adding to my annoyance. My only wish now is to get the fuck out of this place and have a whole day of no human interaction so I can relax and not think of strangling anyone. "What advice would you like to share with people as the CEO of one of the biggest corporations here and abroad?"Great, now I have to th
She pops into my mind out of nowhere and I groan when my body reacts before I even know it. I can't understand why she has this effect on me even though I didn't even get to see her face.There's one thing to do. I grab the iPad on my desk and start typing on it. Famous café with the hot girl. I don't even know what I'm doing at this point but I'm so damn curious about who this woman is and it's killing me.I slide my finger on the iPad and through the Google results until one photo appears and the corner of my lips lifts up. There you are.There's a picture of her in her motorcycle and Keith's words replay in my mind. I haven't even met her yet I can recognize her.Looking at the iPad's screen, I find myself too immersed in this. Her hair is long and black, bringing out her blue eyes. She looks unique and exotic, perhaps that's why people recognize her easily.I can't believe I'm admitting a woman is beautiful, gorgeous even, but she is one to praise."Keith," I click on his number
"Was he really that bad?" I hear Alex ask while I make coffee for the customers and I sigh heavily at the unwanted memories. I have decided to put them in the never-recall part of my mind but Alex is not helping."Yes, Alex. So bad I could have killed him right then." He just laughs at my response and then stares at me with concern. "No, he didn't do anything.""Myla, tell me." I stop and turn to him, my lips forming into a straight line."Where do I even start? He was expecting me to suck his cock or whatever because it looked like that's why he called me there. Next time they order, you go." I point to his chest and his eyes widen."No. I don't want to get fucked." He laughs and I roll my eyes at him. "On a serious note, that's expected from someone like him. I mean probably everyone wants to sleep with him for both his looks and his wealth. He must be used to it.""Yeah, but not me. I didn't expect him to be such a dick but-" I stop for a second while holding the two drinks in my h
We slowly pull away from each other while I think about what the fuck just happened. All I remember before my desire took over me is the fact that I just wanted to make her shut up. And the only way I could think about is kissing her. Way to go, Zayne.She's looking at me like I'm some maniac before she wipes her swollen lips as if she's disgusted by me. That's not the reaction I was expecting. Women love kissing me, and I doubt I'm a bad kisser. Now she even makes me doubt my kissing skills?"You talk a lot." I know it's a lame excuse but that's all I can manage to say. She really makes me go speechless. There are cameras in the place and I just hope she doesn't report me for assault because the look on her face is not one of satisfaction."What is wrong with you?" Her eyebrows are furrowed and I watch as she licks her lips, making my eyes widen. "Do you go around kissing people to shut them up?""No, but it's definitely a good strategy for dealing with people who never shut up." She
The car that stops in front of us is the same one that was parked near the café some time ago and I scoff, turning to Zayne. "I see you were stalking me.""I wouldn't call it stalking. I was waiting for the café to close."I stop in my tracks and put my hands on my hips as I frown. "You've been planning on taking me out since the start?""I say it wasn't spontaneous." I hear him say while he opens the door for me to get inside. I hesitate for a second because he's still a total stranger and I'm trusting him not to kidnap me. "I won't-""Hello!" Zayne is interrupted by the sudden voice inside and I look at the driver who happens to be a familiar face. I feel myself smiling when I remember him from the café. He's one of the kindest and sweetest customers I can ever forget."Oh? You're Zayne's driver?" He nods and smiles at me and I feel at ease. With him around, I doubt Zayne would do anything wrong. "You're Zayne's guest?" It's my turn to nod and his eyes widen as they dart to Zayne.
I have always been drawn to the classic and timeless look of black dresses on women. There is something undeniably captivating about the way a black dress can accentuate their body curves while also highlighting their beauty and confidence. So, when Myla steps in front of me with the black slit dress on, I scream inside. I feel my eyes widen and my heart beat faster than ever when my eyes travel from her upper body to her leg and thigh. Whoever chose her dress is a fucking genius and I owe them one. The simple, yet elegant design draws attention to her every move and I let out a heavy breath, feeling myself getting hot. The way the fabric moves with her and the way the light dances off it are so fucking attractive that she drives me crazy. "Your men are waiting in the lobby," Keith informs and I nod, directing my gaze to Myla who's sitting silently by my side. She's still wearing my jacket and her hair is in a low bun that matches the black dress. Although it slightly hides her fac
Fuck Zayne Laurier. Now I hate him to the core.After what happened and after I got out of his car, I make my way back to the café and change from that fucking dress to my clothes. I put it back in the bag along with the jewelry and mentally remind myself that I have to give it back to him, which I'm already dreading.It was never mine and it will never be. I would never keep anything that fucker buys. I can't understand why I'm so frustrated or why I expected him to be nice when he was the worst asshole I've ever met since I first met him. It was all too good to be true, he would always spend time with women and toss them away like we were some worthless junk he didn't care about.I refuse to be like that, I'm worth more than all the wealth or power he has. Riding my motorcycle back home, I park it in front of the house and step inside while I look for my mother in the living room. "Myla? You're home?" Her voice feels like a warm blanket around my shivering body. "Hey, mom." She's
Evelyn and I are all over the news and I can't help but feel relieved they didn't get any of what happened with Myla. It's not even about me, I'm used to scandals and rumors. I just don't want her to be harassed by paparazzi and crazy people.She didn't sign up for that when we first met and I'm not planning on exposing her to millions of people who would only be a pain in her ass. "Mr. Laurier," Kevin, one of the employees, speaks from outside and I tell him to come in. "Excuse me, here are the papers you asked for.""Thank you. You may go back to work." I dismiss him and look at the stack of papers that he put on the desk. As much as I want to complain about the amount of shit I have to do, I have to work in order to keep my position and distract myself from thinking about Myla.I review some strategies and make a few changes when needed, all while thinking about not thinking about Myla. I hate when something is distracting me and I hate when I don't get what I want right away.And