Chapter 12
Stephanie entered the small coffee house, the sharp aroma of the freshly ground beans hitting her almost immediately as she made her way towards the booth in the back corner. The machines hissed and gurgled behind the counter as she excused her way past an elderly couple standing waiting for a table. It was unusually busy for a Sunday morning which had ended up being very fortunate indeed for Natasha. It meant that there were simply far too many people around to witness her grabbing her friend and throttling her for following them last night.
Adjusting the strap of her brown leather bag on her shoulder, Stephanie snickered to herself but her smile quickly turned into a deliberate scowl as she saw her friend look up from the table in front of her. Biting down on her lip, she stifled her laughter at the sheepish expression on Natasha's face. The poor girl was obviously expecting to be read the riot act over her actions last night and really, it would be a shame to disappoint her. Dramatically narrowing her eyes to disapproving slits, Stephanie silently slid into the bench across from her sniffing almost haughtily as she placed her handbag down on the space next to her.
"Hey, Steph."
"You know, I don't know if I should even be talking to you never mind having coffee with you." said Stephanie, pressing her lips together as she placed her forearms on the red and white checked tablecloth, leaning forward in an almost intimidating manner. Her thumb absently flicked at a loose thread on the bottom cuff of her chocolate brown cardigan. "And don't even bother trying to deny anything. I saw you with Jamie in that movie theatre last night."
Natasha offered her a lop-sided, contrite smile. "Yeah well we kind of figured that out when the movie started and we saw you and Paul leaving."
"Well it was no more than you deserved. I can't believe you came along to spy on us like that."
"Come on now. I wouldn't call it spying, exactly."
Stephanie threw Natasha a look that clearly showed she disagreed with her as she pulled the small silver holder towards her, her slender fingers absently beginning to rearrange the untidy sachets of sugar into a neat row. "So what would you call it then?"
"I like to think of it as more along the lines of chaperoning you."
"Chaperoning me?" she snorted, shaking her head causing her freshly washed brown strands to shift across her shoulders. "How old do you think I am? Ten?"
Natasha let out an amused chuckle. "Well no, although there are times when I watch you and Paul together and suddenly I feel like I'm back in kindergarten all over again." she grinned.
Stephanie tried her best not to smile in reply as she pushed the perfectly stacked sachets of sugar back into the centre of the table. After all, she couldn't help but agree with her. There had been times when Paul would evoke completely child-like reactions from her, name calling and insults being the general theme during most of their conversations. He got under her skin in a way no one ever had before. He could be so irritating and annoying and then of course there was that cocky smirk of his. Half the time she wanted to smack it from his face, the other times...well needless to say those were the times when her reactions to him were anything but child-like. In fact, it was safe to say the impulses she had were the polar opposite of that. Like last night for example when she kissed him and he had stolen her breath away.
Feeling a rush of heat to her face, Stephanie immediately stamped out that memory as she cleared her throat and rested back against the padded red leather. She stretched her legs out under the table, the heels of her high heeled boots scuffing against the polished wooden floor. "Yeah well you crossed the line following us like that." she said.
Natasha sighed softly as she pushed her blonde hair back behind her shoulder. "Look, I know, okay? And I am sorry but hey, you can't be mad at us, really. Our intentions were nothing but good."
Stephanie's blue eyes narrowed in her direction once more. "And how do you figure that one out exactly?"
"Because Steph, we were worried about you."
"Worried?" she repeated, surprised as she briefly glanced in the direction of the table across from them where the elderly couple she passed were finally being seated.
"We decided it could go either way." explained Natasha smiling as she placed her hands on the table in front of her, sliding her fingers together. "You and Paul would either get along great last night or you would end up killing each other and being your friends, we knew we just couldn't risk the blood shed."
Stephanie couldn't help but laugh at that comment, her blue eyes twinkling with amusement. "Well you'll be pleased to know that no blood was spilled. In fact, we both made it through the date in one piece."
"I'm glad to hear it." grinned Natasha, her big chocolate brown eyes silently appraising her friend as Stephanie glanced out the large glass window. There was still a trace of her smile lingering on her lips, a smile that told her what she had already guessed. Not only had she and Paul made it through the date in one piece, but they had obviously had a good time in the process. That had been evident from the moment Stephanie had sat down at the table. See, she knew her far too well and the fact she hadn't launched straight into a tirade about what a bastard Paul was spoke volumes to her. Still, that didn't mean she was going to let her off lightly. Being her best friend meant she was entitled to at least form of interrogation. Licking her lips and settling back in her chair, Natasha lightly coughed. She smiled as she caught the brunette's attention once more. "So does this mean things went well with Paul?"
The left hand corner of Stephanie's mouth lifted shyly. "I guess you could say that, yeah."
"And I don't get any more details than that?"
She quickly shook her head. "No. Sorry. You don't deserve them."
"Not even over a coffee? I just ordered you a mug a minute ago. I even got a muffin to go with it."
Stephanie raised her brow, suddenly tempted. "Chocolate chip?"
"Of course."
"Hmmm." she replied, pretending to ponder over her answer as she pushed her soft chestnut strands behind her right ear. She pressed her lips together as she lifted her shoulder in a slight shrug. "Well, in that case, I think I can probably forgive you."
Natasha laughed as the waitress arrived placing down their order on the table. Stephanie smiled her thanks immediately reaching for the sachets of sugar and pulling out two.
"There's brown there too, you know."
Stephanie gave a snort of disgust as she shook the small white sachet before ripping it open and pouring it into her large mug of steaming black coffee. "I want real sugar, thanks." She added the second and lifted the silver tea spoon next to her. It was while she was stirring her hot drink that she caught the movement at the bottom of the street. Her brow wrinkled in surprise as she saw a familiar head of dark hair walking in their direction, a magazine rolled up and clutched in his hand, his face tilted towards the sun. She peered a little closer as she lifted her mug to her lips, the steam rising and hitting her face. "Is that Jamie over there?" she asked before taking a cautious sip.
Natasha glanced out briefly, quickly nodding her head. "Yeah."
"Is he joining us?"
"Oh no." she replied emphatically. Seeing Stephanie look at her somewhat curiously, Natasha smiled and shrugged casually. "At least I don't think so. I'm sure he mentioned something about hitting the gym this morning."
"Oh." she replied simply, her blue eyes lowering to her muffin missing the flicker of amusement that crossed Natasha's face.
"You know you sort of look a little disappointed there."
Stephanie looked up.
"Were you hoping he might be coming here? Or was it more the fact that if Jamie showed up, a certain friend of his might just show up too?"
Stephanie's blue eyes glowered at her as she flicked her hair back almost defiantly. "I don't know what you're trying to imply."
"Of course you don't. You're just blushing for the hell it."
"I'm not blushing."
"Yes you are."
"It's just hot in here, that's all."
As if to prove her point, Stephanie placed down her mug and began to remove her brown wool cardigan. She instantly felt the chill prickle her bare arms as she folded it over and placed it down next to her. Even the sun was against her, disappearing behind the thin blanket of cloud casting their table in a dark shadow.
"So you still haven't told me how things went last night."
She said nothing as she slid her fingers through the mug handle. The warmth instantly bathed the palm of her hand.
"And you'd better not hold back on any details either. It's been a while since I've got to grill you over a date."
"Well I could say the same thing about you." Stephanie retorted.
"Yes but we're not talking about me. We're talking about you so hurry up and tell me everything."
Stephanie lifted her shoulder in a shrug. "We had a nice time."
"Nice?" repeated Natasha, sounding more than a little outraged at her reply.
She just nodded her head chewing on the corner of her lip trying her best to contain the smile that she could feel tugging at her lips.
"I need better than nice, Steph. In fact I deserve better than nice. After all, if it wasn't for me interfering, you two might never have been on the date in the first place."
Stephanie grinned at her smugly. "It's good of you to finally admit that you do interfere."
Natasha wrinkled her nose up in response. "You know fine well it was only because I had to. The pair of you were being far too stubborn to do it of your own free will."
"Yeah well I'll probably have to give you that one." she admitted before taking a mouthful of her coffee.
"So, come on. Where did you go?"
Stephanie swallowed her drink and smiled. "Well, after we sneaked out of the movie theatre, we took a drive up to Cedar Point. We sat on the hood of his car, drank some beer and just talked really."
"You talked?" replied Natasha, her brown eyes widening into large ovals as she stared at her in obvious disbelief.
"Yes. What's wrong with talking?"
"Oh nothing." she replied as her finger traced the rim of her mug. "Absolutely nothing at all. I just don't know a lot of people who go to Cedar Point of an evening and "just talk"."
"I take it you are referring to your own experiences there?"
Natasha glared at her. "No I am not."
Stephanie smirked as her fingertips pinched off a piece of her muffin. "So you weren't talking about the time you went there with David Parker? You know that night where you gave him a hand job and he……"
"Hey, enough!"
She laughed as she popped the food into her mouth. She ignored Natasha's threatening stares from across the table as she chewed.
"I'm well aware of that time, thank you very much. I just don't care to relive it if it's all the same to you."
Stephanie swallowed and licked her lips. "God, he was so embarrassed. He couldn't even look you in the eye the next day at school."
"I think we'll just end this now, if you don't mind."
Stephanie chuckled into her white ceramic mug. "You ever see him around?"
"No I don't. And don't think for one second I don't remember how the subject of David Parker came about in the first place. You and Paul. I want details. Now spill it."
"There's nothing much to tell. We talked. We had a nice time. Paul drove me home."
"And that's it? There was no kissing, no hand holding, no romantic overtures?"
Stephanie settled back in her seat, glancing over at her a little coyly. "I guess maybe there was a little hand holding, yes."
"But there was no kissing?"
She pulled on her lip trying her best to stifle the grin that threatened to spill across her face. "I never said that."
"Stephanie!"
Her efforts were futile as her blue eyes sparkled and her face erupted with her smile.
"Okay, okay. We kissed. Are you happy now?"
"No! You should have shared this with me sooner!"
Stephanie chuckled as she played with the coffee mug in her hands.
"So come on, tell me. When did he kiss you?"
She rolled her lips together, suddenly feeling warm and more than a little tingly as she recalled her date with Paul. "Actually he didn't kiss me. I kissed him first." she admitted bashfully, her cheeks instantly flushing with heat. As she caught Natasha's surprised expression, she didn't know if it was her admission or the memory of the kiss that caused her to react this way. It was probably a mixture of them both. God knows she had turned into such a girl when it came to this man. Next thing she knew she'd be writing his name down on her files at work outlining it in a love heart. Only instead of the arrow through it, she would draw a dagger. It was definitely more fitting for their relationship.
"So you made the first move?" asked Natasha bringing her out of her daze.
Stephanie nodded her head. "It's totally crazy, huh? I mean for weeks I've been doing everything in my power to push him away. But last night sitting beside him, it was like my attraction to him just overwhelmed me. I had all these urges that I was able to keep in check until there was just this moment when Paul looked at me and suddenly I couldn't hold them back any longer. So I kissed him."
"And? What happened then? What did Paul say?"
She lifted her shoulder in a casual shrug. "Maybe that's a question you should ask him yourself."
"See, now I know what you're doing here." smiled Natasha, wagging her finger in her direction. "You just want me to ask his version of events so I can report back to you what he said.
"That's exactly it." replied Stephanie grinning as she flicked a crumb from her white vest top before bringing her coffee mug to her lips.
"But I still want to know one thing. Was he good in bed?"
Stephanie coughed and spluttered as she banged her mug down on the table.
Natasha's laughter filled the small coffee house. Unable to respond, she lifted her hand to wipe at the hot drink that dribbled down her chin. She could feel her eyes beginning to water, the wetness spilling over the corner of her lashes.
"Sorry but you know I had to ask."
Her coughing finally under control, Stephanie glared at her friend. "Well you can save your breath because nothing happened between us. Not that it's any of your business. It's called a private life for a reason, you know." As she glanced down, she let out an audible groan at the dark coffee stains staining her white top.
"Sorry." smiled Natasha apologetically as she handed her a paper napkin.
Stephanie snatched it from her hand and slid her way across the bench. "I'm going to the bathroom to try and do something with this. I'll be back in a minute."
Natasha nodded her head and watched her weave her way through the table to the opposite side of the room where she disappeared through the wooden panelled door.
She turned and reached into her bag, pulling out her cell phone. She was punching in the numbers when the voice from the side startled her.
"So, what is this? A case of he said, she said?"
She looked up to see Paul slide in the seat Stephanie had vacated just a moment ago. She swallowed her surprise as she stammered out a greeting. "Paul! Hey. How are you doin'?"
His brown eyes stared at her from across the table as he pushed Stephanie's half empty coffee mug to the side. His forearms rested on the tablecloth, his thick arms bulging out against the short sleeves of his white t-shirt as his blonde strands hung neatly over his broad shoulders. "You know, you really shouldn't send your brother to do your dirty work for you."
Natasha lifted her shoulder in a shrug. "What do you mean?"
Paul let out an amused chuckle as he shook his head. "Don't even try to act all innocent with me, Tash. I mean what are the odds that the morning after Stephanie and I go out on a date, you and Jamie invite us both out for coffee. Separately I might add which was very clever on your part up until the point where your brother leaves my cell phone at the table just over there."
As he gestured to a table down on the left, Natasha resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her brother's stupidity. God only knows he had a habit of dropping her right in it lately. A perfect example had just been ten minutes ago when he had paraded himself down the street in full view for Stephanie to spot him knowing fine well she would be sitting there. He obviously didn't know the meaning of the word discreet. He probably couldn't spell it either, the dumb bastard.
"And now I walk in here to see you sitting here not even half an hour later." Paul smiled and shook his head once more as he sat back in the seat, his fingers pushing his hair behind his left ear before he crossed his arms in front of him. "You know I really should have worked out what was happening the second he called me up in the first place. I mean I couldn't remember the last time he surfaced before noon and on a Sunday nonetheless which makes me wonder what the hell you had to bribe him with."
This time Natasha did roll her eyes. "God, you're such a cynic. And anyway, what makes you think that I'm here with Stephanie? I could be having coffee with anybody."
Paul raised his brow. "And this person just so happens to have the same wardrobe as her?"
"What do you mean?"
His head tilted to his right hand side. "That's her cardigan folded along the bench."
Natasha sniffed. "And how do you know what her cardigan looks like?"
"Maybe because I've seen her wearing it?" he smirked.
"Smart ass!"
Paul laughed and ducked as Natasha threw a crumpled up napkin in his direction. He retrieved it from the middle of his thighs and tossed it down on the table, his fingers lifting to scratch at the stubble on his chin. "Just admit it, Tash. You've been rumbled just like you were rumbled last night when Stephanie caught you sitting in the movie theatre."
Natasha sighed. "I wondered when you would bring that up. Steph's already given me the third degree over it, just so know you know."
"Well it's the least you deserve."
"She also told me that you guys had a nice time on your date."
"Oh she did, did she?" he smiled.
"Yes. Are you saying differently?"
Paul shook his head in amusement. "No I'm not and stop putting words in my mouth." he said, his brown eyes narrowing as he pretended to scowl at her.
"I wouldn't have to if you would just give me an answer."
"An answer about what?" he teased, the left corner of his mouth curving into a smirk.
"Paul!"
"Natasha!" he repeated, mocking her whining tone.
"God! You know you can be so juvenile."
"Yeah, well I'm surprised he even made it out of kindergarten."
Paul's shoulders shook with his deep chuckle, his brown eyes twinkling with the grin that had appeared the second he had heard her voice. "Hey Stephanie."
"Hey." she replied as she hovered by the edge of the table, a small nervous smile tugging at the corner of her lips. In fact her nerves had been shot the second she had walked out of the bathroom and noticed him sitting there in his jeans and t-shirt. She had felt a catch in her breath as something gripped at her chest, just like it was now with him grinning like that. But suddenly those nerves became disappointment as she watched Paul slide out of the booth and gesture for her to sit down. As she thanked him, she silently cursed him under her breath. He could stick his chivalry straight up his ass if he didn't even have the decency to stick around for a conversation with her. However, a few seconds later she was more than pleasantly surprised to feel Paul's shoulder unexpectedly brush against hers as he sat down beside her. The warm tingles she felt earlier returned in full force as she realised she had jumped to the completely wrong conclusion.
"So how are you doing?" he asked.
"Good." she replied nodding. "I think I've survived the interrogation. Well apart from the coffee stains I get to wear all day." she smiled as she pointedly stared over at Natasha who if she wasn't mistaken was taking way too much pleasure from watching them sitting together. An almost smug pleasure too.
"Or you know you could always just take the top off."
As Stephanie turned to glare at Paul for his suggestion, she noticed his gaze was lingering on her coffee stained breast, the cotton material still damp from the damage limitation she had tried to carry out with the soap and water in the bathroom. Shaking her head, she smacked his arm with his brown eyes having the audacity to look at her incredulously.
"What?! I was only making a suggestion."
"Yeah well you can make that suggestion to my face and not my breasts."
"Listen guys, I just spotted a friend from work over there." said Natasha interrupting and chuckling. "I'm going to go across and say hello, okay?"
They both nodded in response and a brief silence descended on the table for a moment before Paul shifted in the chair turning towards Stephanie. His smile was hidden in his warm brown gaze as he looked at her, raking his fingers through his hair. As she inhaled the spicy scent of his cologne, Stephanie realised she was struggling to breathe with him being in such close proximity.
"So, I was kind of hoping you had a nice time last night." he said.
Her lips curved up gently in response, her previous irritation immediately subsiding. Although if she was honest, she hadn't been all that irritated, not when part of her had actually liked the fact he had been looking at her in that way. In fact, she had liked it a lot. "I did." she replied. "You?"
"Eh, it was okay."
Stephanie's mouth parted in protest as she glared at Paul, slapping at his arm and hitting the solid muscle underneath. His deep laughter rang out causing a wild flutter across her chest.
"Come on. You know I did." His grin faded just a little as a hint of seriousness crept into his brown eyes. He rolled his lips together revealing just a little bit of hesitancy before he found the courage he had been searching for. "In fact, I was even thinking that maybe we should do it again some time."
Stephanie arched her brow a little dubiously but her smile couldn't be contained in her blue eyes. "What? Go out on another date?"
Paul nodded as he shifted in his seat, his gaze settling on hers.
"But wouldn't that be like tempting fate? I mean okay, we survived one night together but what's the odds we'd make it through a second?"
He grinned suddenly finding himself being drawn into her big blue pools. He couldn't help himself as he reached out to touch Stephanie's fingers as they rested on her thigh, his tips shyly brushing over them unwittingly sending a tiny shiver down her spine. "Hmm, I see what you mean.
"And personally I've never been very good with odds or even dates for that matter." she admitted, her smile suddenly trembling at the corners revealing her slight apprehension. Apprehension that quickly disappeared as Paul smiled at her.
"Well, maybe you should change that."
Holding his gaze, Stephanie's tone was laced with sarcasm. "And I should start by going on another date with you?"
"I can't think of anyone better, can you?" grinned Paul.
Stephanie lifted her shoulder in a shrug trying her hardest not to focus on his touch and how the gentle caress of his fingers made her pulse jump, sending a warm sensation shooting to the pit of her stomach. Her whole body was tingling like every part of her was aware of him right now. Actually, it was probably pathetic that just a simple touch made her complete putty in his hands. After all it hadn't been that long since she had been with a man although it was safe to say that no one had elicited such intense feelings in her before, feelings that she should really get a grip of before she got herself in trouble. But as she allowed herself to gaze into those endless brown orbs, she realised it was too late for that. She was already way in over her head and before she knew where she was, she heard herself agreeing to that second date. "I guess we could maybe catch that movie sometime. You know the one we didn't see last night."
"I would definitely be down with that." Paul's brown eyes glinted mischievously as his lips curved into a smirk. "Actually I'm down with a lot of things, if you know what I mean and I'm sure that you do."
Stephanie pretended to be disgusted as she shook off his touch suddenly grateful for the chance to breathe. "Yeah, well I'll just have to take your word for that." she retorted.
"Why? I'm more than happy to give you a personal demonstration."
She shook her head. "Just stop right there! I'm not getting into this with you."
"Getting into what?"
Stephanie glanced over at Natasha who had just arrived back at the table wearing an amused expression across her face. She rolled her eyes as she pretended to glare at Paul. "Trust me. You don't want to know."
"I take it I interrupted something?"
"You always do. But don't worry your pretty little head. I was just about to leave anyway." said Paul smiling at Natasha and failing to notice the flash of disappointment in Stephanie's eyes as he slid out of the booth.
"But you can't go."
"Why?"
"Because you haven't answered my question yet." grinned Natasha .
"Ask your brother." smirked Paul before glancing over at Stephanie. He smiled gently as he shifted his feet on the floor below him. "I'll call you?"
She nodded as he lifted his hand in a wave and left their table.
Natasha grinned as she called out after him. "You can run but you cannot hide, Levesque."
Stephanie could hear his deep laughter follow him towards the door. As she settled back in her seat, she saw Natasha's grin hadn't faltered in the least. In fact, her brown eyes were almost bubbling with her excitement. "So he's going to call you?"
She nodded. "We agreed we would try a second date."
As Natasha let out a delighted squeal at the news, Stephanie found herself grinning back. It had been the first time in a while that she had felt so happy and content to be caught up in a moment. For too long she'd tried to kid herself that men were just a complication she didn't need or want in her life. Then she met Paul and he had turned everything around on its head. The walls she'd built to protect herself had come tumbling down one by one and suddenly her heart was desperate to open up to him. God knows it had been a long time since she had let anyone get that close to her. She knew it would be a huge risk letting Paul in and taking the chance that she could get hurt all over again. But she knew it was a risk she was prepared to take even if she wasn't sure she could survive the odds. All she needed to do was to try and take this slowly and remember to breathe.