A/N: Hey all! To those of you still following and leaving reviews, thanks. As I've said before the story won't be like this forever, I promise. Life has been crazy between college, work and friends birthdays so that's why this took a little bit! Anyways, I should get a few chapters up pretty quick next week and introduce more of the story line and more of the characters. Hope you enjoy the cutesy stuff while it lasts. Happy reading.


(Ch. 2)

Elena had opened her book back up after rescuing Damon; she certainly hadn't expected him to appear on the chair beside her.

Relaxing into the chair, he kicked up his feet, lightly placing his boots on the corner of small square coffee table in front of the two chairs.

"So I have to say, I didn't quite expect to see you this soon. What are you, stalking me?"

He smiled bemusedly at the dark hair girl, trying to get a rise out of her. Elena wasn't going to rise to the occasion though. She scoffed out a laugh and turned her body to the left to better face him. Pointing at the store logo over her right breast, she proved her innocence.

"Clearly, you are the one stalking me. I work here. I'm actually on a break right now until business picks up. So technically you should be praising me for rescuing your ass."

She nodded toward to counter where Emily was tending to a new customer. Damon chuckled, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, I had it under control. It would have only taken me a few more minutes."

Now it was Elena's turn to roll her eyes. Realizing she was going to get no more reading done this way, she remarked her book and put it down on the smaller, round table between the two armchairs.

"By the way, I can't very well be stalking someone I don't even know the name of. I can't thank you properly without your name either."

Considering, momentarily, she narrowed her eyes for a second before deciding there could be no harm in giving her name. He was, after all, her ta and would find out one-way or another.

"Elena, Elena Gilbert."

"Well Elena Gilbert, thank you for saving me…a few minutes of annoyance."

Elena smiled shyly as Damon unleashed the full force of his crocked smile directly on her. She stammered out a reply. Momentarily tripped up by his attention. So much for playing it cool, she was about to sound like a blabbering idiot.

"Uh...you're welcome…it's really no problem."

Just then, Emily ran back over with Elena's muffin. Pure animosity seemed to be radiating off her as she approached and found Damon sitting there.

Oh yeah, he was sooo busy, but he could come over and talk to Elena. What could Elena give him? That was an easy answer, nothing. She doesn't even pay attention to guys. Emily hadn't worked here long, but through observation and word of mouth she knew the only things Elena worried about were school, work, books and her very few friends. If he wanted someone who would put out, which most every gorgeous guy did, then he was looking in the wrong place. Huffing out a frustrated breath, the barista stopped in front of the two.

"That will be $3.50."

Emily crossed her arms in front of her body and leaned her weight back on her right leg. Damon shifted in his chair, lifting the left side of his butt off of the leather, he reached into his back pocket and removed a five-dollar bill from his wallet before Elena could even grab her money. Handing the money to Emily, shock was clearly conveyed on her face.

"Don't worry, I go this one Elena. Keep the change, Em. Also, I won't be in need of anything else today. So don't worry about asking."

Dumbfounded, but thankful for his generosity, Elena had to shake her head to think straight.

"Same here Emily. But thanks for the muffin."

Turning swiftly, the barista stormed off back behind the counter in a huff. She was murmuring under her breath, but making sure it was still loud enough to be heard.

"Oh yeah, very busy, can't talk. He can talk to her and buy her muffins, but can't even look up at me long enough to talk."

"I wouldn't order anything here…like ever again, if I were you. Well at least not from her. You may get spit in your drink."

Elena laughed lightly as she watched the barista continue to throw a fit behind the counter. Damon's deeper chuckles mingled with her softer ones in the air around them.

"By the way, you didn't have to buy this for me…"

She lifted the muffin and tilted it in his direction before letting it come back to a rest on her leg.

"It was the least I could do to thank you, Ms. Gilbert. I'm sure you wouldn't have gotten that muffin if I wasn't being sexually harassed."

He lifted his eyebrows and laughed at the idea of being rescued from sexual harassment.

"Well she is new…I'll make sure that goes down on an incident report. I will say she isn't as pleasant as most of our other baristas."

"Oh really, I didn't get that impression at all… I thought she was just peachy."

"How about you tell me that next time and I won't rescue you from being attacked in public."

"Next time…I didn't know there was going to be one."

Damon smiled slyly and raised his eyebrow. She said next time, which meant she was enjoying herself, right. He wasn't complaining; he was relieved. Sure he would see her in class, but that was class. In class he couldn't joke around and flirt with her openly. He couldn't show favor and he sure couldn't interrupt lecture. If he wanted more time, like this moment, which he did, he would have to see her again, outside of class. Suddenly, he was very glad that he had found this coffee shop a few weeks back and took such a liking to it.

"Well…I mean I'm assuming if you ever come in here again I'll see you. I mean most of the people in here are regulars and have a regular time, and this is my work time. And I have to see you in class. Don't get all conceited on me."

How could this beautiful man turn a simple statement into something for her to be embarrassed about? She could feel his eyes boring into her, tearing her apart. It's as if he was testing what she was made of. Seeing how she would react.

"Get conceited, on you…. never. Don't think so. I was born naturally amazing, it's not something I can change."

Damon winked and relaxed back into the corner of his chair, his body facing right, toward Elena. After a moment they both began laughing again. Inhaling deeply Elena regained control of herself.

Damon's eyes shifted, staring above Elena's head as a man in a collared green shirt with the bookstore logo and a nametag approached. He noticed that the tag had the word 'manager' engraved directly below his name 'Mike'.

Elena noticed the slight adjustment of Damon's eyes and didn't realize what he was looking at until she felt a hand press to her shoulder. Leaning her head back, Elena's sight landed on her boss.

"Hey, Mike. What you need?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you. I just noticed a customer or two walking around, figured you'd want to go talk to them. Also, there is a box of used books that need to be assessed and put up. You don't need to go this moment if you don't want, as long as you get to it before you head out."

"Oh, it's no problem. I'm not doing anything anyways."

Elena turned her face down and threw Damon's cocky half smile back at him. Turning back to face Mike, she assured him she would get to it momentarily and started standing as her boss walked away.

Damon waited until the boss was out of earshot before he spoke up again.

"Your boss seems pretty laid back."

"Yeah, he's pretty great."

"Oh, also, thanks for calling me nothing."

Damon smiled to show he was joking. He understood that she had to go work. She probably shouldn't even have been talking to him for as long as she had.

"You're welcome. Well, I guess I'll be seeing you Wednesday morning."

Elena turned and spoke over her shoulder as she started wandering back toward the bookstore portion of the building. She wrapped her muffin in the napkins it sat on and carried her drink and book off with her.

Following suit, Damon stood up with his computer bag and drink. He certainly wasn't going to stay here with the barista from hell all by himself. Damon called after her, feeling the need to say her name once more.

"Thanks again, Elena, I look forward to seeing you again."

With a last glance at her retreating form, seeing her wave a frappe filled hand, Damon turned his back and headed toward the store exit.

All Elena could do for the next hour was think of those icy eyes and that stupid pink mouth as she evaluated the books. Still hearing the way her name wrapped around his tongue, eased out over his lips before floating through the air, landing on her ears. She had never loved her name more.


A/N: As always, thanks for reading and please leave your reviews. Also, there may come a time when I give options to help me decide where the story goes, until then, feel free to share ideas. I will add everything to my list of things to consider in the future.