Claire loved coffee. Be it the iced vanilla bean lattes from Main Street's Starbucks or the piping hot Columbian or French Roasts she'd get at the luxury hotels on the island. When the fall season came she couldn't resist having her Pumpkin Spice coffees. Back in her apartment she had both an espresso and a latte machine that readily made a fresh cup just the way she liked it. She wanted to be one of those people who knew how to make a good cup with unique glass heaters and kettles but in that Claire usually had bad luck. Thus always seeking out the quicker method of the ready machines or just buying a cup especially with all the options she had on the island.
The fact Ricardo knew how to make a damn good cup of coffee was part of why she loved him.
The first time he made her coffee was after their third date. She brought him back to her place and he worked his magic with an old can of Yuban and a simple stove pot. She insisted on him using her espresso machine but he insisted back that his coffee was the best. Had he been anyone else Claire might have thought him overly confident and at worst full of himself. But Ricardo wasn't one for self boasting, in fact he hardly ever was one to hype himself up or sing his own praises. So the fact he insisted he was good at this made Claire, the lover of the rich bitter bean juice, all the more curious.
That cup of coffee, rich in texture, the aroma of the ground beans, and the addition of something sweet she couldn't quite place sent Claire on a wave of pleasure. From that moment she knew they'd go on a fourth date.
Then they went on a fifth date. And a sixth date. And well, many more since.
Right now Claire sat outside on her apartment balcony overlooking the park. As would usually happen every now and again Isla Nublar was covered in thick white fog which brought cooler air to the island. Between her hands was a piping hot cup of coffee her boyfriend made.
"Enjoying the night?" Ricardo stepped out of her apartment carrying his own mug and a box of donutd. Claire smiled.
"Absolutely." She brought the coffee to her lips. The taste of it was rich and sweet yet strongly flavorful.
"I'm glad." Ricardo sat back in another chair and drank his coffee. The two stayed there on the balcony with the cool fog air and their bodies warmed by their favorite beverage.