Day Two
There had been no doubt in Zelina's mind about returning to Just In Time. This was going to be her location for writing her third book, despite the significant distraction of the gorgeous, tall, strong barista Raquel.
Despite the distraction? Zelina had to admit that was a pathetic attempt to lie to herself. Because of the distraction was more like it. She wanted to encounter Raquel again. She wanted to talk to her some more if possible. And she wanted to fantasise about her some more. Doing that had already made it hard for her to get to sleep the previous night.
The powerful, instant attraction she had felt towards Raquel was a new experience for her, but there was certainly no denying it. The beautiful barista really pushed Zelina's buttons without even trying in the least – without even knowing, in fact.
There had been many different fantasies already, almost all of them involving Zelina being overpowered or held down by Raquel, while being kissed, fingered or given oral sex. All of that after one encounter. Now it was time for another one, she thought as she walked up the street towards the coffee shop. Unless Raquel wasn't working today of course. That would piss on the fire big time.
Thinking ahead, Zelina had decided to arrive early to beat whatever breakfast rush the coffee shop might experience. She knew there was breakfast offerings on the menu so they clearly had the business to justify that. She arrived about ten minutes after opening time, ready for coffee and a day of writing, in theory at least.
There were only two tables occupied when she walked in, both near the windows. The table for two at the back near the restrooms and opposite the sales counter was free. Zelina went straight for it, noticing to her pleasure that Raquel was working. She was in the kitchen, talking to the older man who ran it. Possibly her dad, Zelina wondered as she took off her coat and started unpacking her laptop bag.
Nose ring girl wasn't working, she saw. Instead there was a short, pretty blonde behind the counter. She was around the same height as Zelina herself.
With her laptop out and set up for work, she went up to the counter to order.
"Morning. What can I get you?" the blonde asked with a polite smile. The service was good in this place, as was the coffee. But Raquel the warrior queen was the star attraction.
"I might get some breakfast later. But for now, I'll have a cappuccino."
"Of course," the blonde said. She rang up the sale and Zelina paid with her phone. "I'll bring it to your table for you."
"Thanks," Zelina said. The blonde was pleasant and attractive, but she wanted to be served by Raquel. Actually, she wanted to serve Raquel. She wanted to be made to serve the warrior queen like a dirty little slave. And she wanted to be punished for not serving well enough.
And we're off to the races already, she thought. She had only seen Raquel from behind, from a distance, so far today and already new fantasies were being conjured up.
Zelina opened up her fledgling story on the laptop and waited for her coffee before getting to work. The blonde brought it over a couple of minutes later. She was just returning to the sales counter when Raquel walked over from the kitchen. She recognised Zelina from the previous day and smiled.
"Morning. Nice to see you've come back. Zelina, right?"
"That's right," she said, stomach fluttering. Those smiles were absolutely breath-taking. "Morning, Raquel."
The shop wasn't busy yet, so Raquel had a moment to talk, doing so from behind the counter. They were still close enough that their voices didn't need to be raised.
"You've got your laptop again. What is it you're working on?"
"I'm an author. My third book is what I'm working on. I write under the name Thea Trinidad, if that means anything to you?"
Raquel looked a little embarrassed. "Sorry, I'm the wrong person to talk to about books. I was probably in school last time I read one. That's pretty cool that you're an author though. You find a coffee shop is a good place to work?"
Zelina was disappointed. For some reason she would have been delighted if Raquel has read her work. No one was perfect though, not even the warrior queen. "I do. Silence drives me crazy. It's just how my brain works, I guess. The noise, the background chatter, the good coffee, it all helps me to make progress." Not to mention a certain gorgeous member of staff being an inspiration for my story, she didn't add.
"Sounds good. I'll let you get on with it," Raquel said with another smile.
Zelina didn't want the conversation to end, but it would have been obvious she was forcing it if she tried to continue and that would seem odd from Raquel's point of view. For that reason, she simply nodded and got to work.
Pleasingly, she found it easier to focus on her writing than she had done the previous day, albeit keeping half an eye on Raquel when she passed by the table, heading to and from other customers.
"Dad, I'm going upstairs," she heard Raquel say to the man who worked in the kitchen after she had been there about an hour.
"Okay," came the reply.
Then the blonde finished serving a customer and Raquel spoke to her as well. "Alexa, I'm heading upstairs."
"No problem."
Raquel came out from behind the counter and made eye contact with Zelina, who was looking up from her work.
"Don't you just hate dentist appointments?"
"Oh yes," Zelina said, offering a conciliatory smile. Her real reaction was disappointment because the warrior queen was apparently leaving. So much for the eye candy.
Raquel headed upstairs, presumably to a staff room, Zelina assumed. She returned to her writing for a few minutes until she heard Raquel's voice again.
"I'll be back as quickly as I can, Alexa."
"Good luck," the blonde said pleasantly.
Zelina looked up and her pulse quickened immediately. Raquel now had a black leather jacket on, along with matching gloves. She was carrying a motorbike helmet. A biker chick as well as a warrior queen! Was it possible to be any hotter? She disguised her reaction by finishing off her coffee.
Raquel went through the kitchen and presumably out of a rear fire escape door or something. A minute or so later, Zelina heard a powerful bike engine fire up. She was by no means an expert, but she guessed it was a Harley-Davidson.
"Can I get you another drink?" Alexa asked from behind the counter, making eye contact.
"Yes, I'll take another cappuccino, thank you."
Zelina sat and waited for the drink, able to think of nothing but Raquel in that leather outfit. It really fired her up, as the rubber gloves had yesterday. She imagined caressing Raquel's tall, strong, muscular body while it was clad in leather. She imagined the gloved hands pinning her down while Raquel kissed her, in so many ways and in so many places. Even if she wanted to, she would be powerless to resist. Raquel would be way too strong for her. Being rendered helpless by the warrior queen was the stuff of dreams, to the point where she could hardly sit still.
"A cappuccino," Alexa announced, approaching the table with it. "I've opened a tab for you."
"Ah, thank you. I might order some food soon."
"Sounds good. Give me a shout if you want to order."
As the morning progressed, the breakfast rush had come and gone. Alexa and the man who was apparently Raquel's dad had been dashing around like crazy, but they had coped somehow. It was quite impressive. The timing of Raquel's dentist appointment was not ideal.
Zelina sat back in her chair, giving her eyes a break from the laptop screen. She was in time to see Alexa taking a tray of used plates, cups and cutlery behind the counter. She unloaded it into the sink and started running the water.
No, don't wash the dishes, Zelina thought in annoyance. She wanted to watch Raquel do that. But Alexa was already putting the black rubber gloves on. They were too big for her, considering how small she was by comparison to Raquel. Zelina could have sat and watched, but no, only Raquel interested her.
Zelina decided to order breakfast. There were not many vegan options on the menu, but this was a coffee shop not a restaurant. She was about to settle back into her work when she heard a bike engine out back. Raquel had returned. Even that excited her. Damn, she had it bad for the warrior queen. Real bad.
Raquel soon hurried in through the kitchen, full of apologies, carrying her helmet. "Sorry, sorry! They kept me waiting for ages. I'll go up and get changed."
"How did it go?" her dad asked her.
"Okay. No problems found, and I got my clean and polish."
"That's good," he said.
"Glad that's over?" Zelina asked Raquel as she came through from behind the counter.
"Oh yeah. Got that nasty polish taste in my mouth. Need a coffee."
You could always eat me, Zelina thought. Tie me to a bed and eat me.
Was it wrong to think about a virtual stranger like that? Probably. But she couldn't help it.
Raquel went upstairs, and came back down a few minutes later back in her uniform, powerful arms on display thanks to the polo shirt.
Enough, Zelina told herself. She was totally obsessing when there was writing to be done. She ordered some breakfast and got back to work, writing while eating the food that was delivered by Alexa. It was nothing special, but it wasn't unpleasant and it wasn't expensive. Perfectly acceptable for a coffee shop offering.
Finally, Zelina became fully engaged in her work and the next time she stopped for a break she realised that two hours had gone by. She figured she was probably outstaying her welcome at the coffee shop, so she packed up her laptop and made ready to leave.
Raquel happened to start running water into the sink as Zelina was putting her coat on. She cursed her own timing. There was a big stack of dishes in the sink that she could have enjoyed watching Raquel work her way through them.
"How was the food?" Alexa asked her, making ready to take payment for the tab.
"I enjoyed it, thank you."
Raquel looked around, putting on Zelina's favourite gloves. The shiny black rubber looked so sexy on her big hands. "Thank you for coming in again. Will you be back tomorrow?"
"That's the plan," Zelina said with a smile. Raquel smiled back at her, then made a start on the dishes.
Forcing herself not to stare, Zelina settled her tab, adding an appropriate tip. Only as she was leaving the shop did she replay Raquel's final question in her mind.
"Will you be back tomorrow?"
Was she imagining Raquel sounded like she wanted the answer to be yes, rather than asking out of idle curiosity?