The warmth of the café enveloped her like a soft embrace, its rustic charm offering a cozy reprieve from the biting chill outside.
Strung lights hung from the wooden beams above, casting a golden glow that blended seamlessly with the earthy tones of the furniture.
The smell of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the sweet scent of pastries, creating an intoxicating atmosphere that made her heart flutter.
A chalkboard sign read, "Today's Special: Lavender Vanilla Latte."
She sat across from Yasha, a Russian guy with an easy laugh and a warm smile, his deep voice promising interesting conversation.
His dark, tousled hair framed a face carved from classically handsome features—the kind of face that made the world seem more enchanting.
He animatedly recounted a story about his life back in Moscow, gestures embellishing his words, eyes sparkling with joy.
But she wasn't listening.
But as he spoke, her mind drifted, unfocused. She absently sipped, on her latte, thinking.
Not on his words but her thoughts wandered to a different realm entirely—quite explicit.
"I can't wait until I get to sit on top of those lips." Those were the line of her thoughts as she sat dreamily staring at him—her Russian man Yasha.
She imagined a world where they were tangled in sheets, where her turquoise hair would brush against his chest.
"...so I kind of suspect that I might be the one chosen to take the shoot isn't that great,"
Blinking rapidly, she returned her gaze to him, catching the tail end of his sentence. "Oh, uh… yeah, sure!"
she replied, wishing she remembered what he'd just said.
"Damn, why is he so hot, I really want him to warm me inside." she absentmindedly uttered softly.
But then he paused, and looked at her.
"Hey Chloe, did you say something."
She coughed out some of her latte, realizing she said that out loud, she didn't want to seem like she was down bad.
And with quick and 'flawless' precision thought of a little white lie.
"I was saying I need some warming up as it's starting to get a bit chilly here."
Dmitry's jovial tone broke through the awkward silence. "Oh, I thought I heard something else?"
She mind was in turmoil,"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Did he hear what I said, No he didn't, Yes he did, No he did not, Yes he did."
But this bubble of turmoil was popped when he said.
A soft chuckle escaped him as he leaned back in his chair, the jovial ambiance around them reflecting his demeanor.
"It's getting kind of late," he said, glancing at the window where the sun prepared to slip below the horizon, casting an orange glow that illuminated their table.
"Should I escort you to your house?"
Her heart skipped at the notion of being escorted, but then she remembered. "I live on campus." she felt dejected but his next word changed her mood.
He laughed, a deep, rich sound that made her smile blossom.
"How about my place instead? There's a great little bistro nearby."
She pondered for a moment, excitement mingling with a fizzy sensation of nerves as she imagined the rest of the evening, her heart racing at the prospect.
She wanted to immediately scream YES! but she reeled herself and with composure.
"Sure," she replied, biting her lip, feeling reckless and free.
They paid and stepped outside, the cool evening air greeting them like a playful breeze.
As they walked down the bustling street, their banter continued, laughter blending with the sounds of the city.
Suddenly, she collided with a guy in a dark coat, his coffee flying into the air before splattering across her crisp white sweater.
"Hey!" she exclaimed, irritation flaring, but her voice quickly faded as she registered the liquid soaking her clothing.
"You asshole, do you know what this is it's pure cashmere, I swear that am going to murder you."
The guy fixed his glasses and said,"Sorry," clearly fidgety about the encounter as he didn't look up he quickly scurried away.
"Hey! Get Back! Here you..."
Before she could spout obscenities that would most likely get her cancelled, she felt.
Yasha's presence felt suddenly reassuring as he stepped in, placing a gentle hand on the small of her back.
"Easy, easy!" he murmured, speaking to her. "It's just coffee. Are you alright, Chloe?"
And then she realised she just made a scene and she looked around and saw the passing people give her strange looks indirectly.
But worse she did it in front of him.
She shot him an apologetic look, feeling her anger dissipate.
"I'm fine," she said, forcing a smile, though she could feel her cheeks heat with embarrassment.
"It's fine and I'll pay for the dry cleaning so leave him alone, am just suprised seeing you get upset."
"You don't have to pay it's just a little stain,and the outburst It was just a one time thing, I rarely act out like that."
Yasha led her away from that unfortunate encounter, steering her toward his car.
She slipped into the passenger seat, thanks to his chivalrousness, and he quickly began driving through the dimly lit streets, music streaming softly in the background.
But then she noticed they were slowing down
And eventually, he pulled into a quiet parking lot, the stars twinkling overhead, and turned to face her, eyes full of intention and a click sound was heard.
Looking confused she asked,"This isn't your condo."
He mysteriously replied, "I know."
"Then why.."before she could continue.
"I've been meaning to do this for a long time but I can't wait," he said, his voice low and tantalizing.
"Do what exactly." She asked in a seductive tone.
Heat washed over her, the moment suspended in time. Her breath hitched as she felt a flush creeping up her neck.
"To make you my little pusik."
In Russian 'Pusik' meant 'Cat', dabbling in Russian a bit taught her that.
He leaned back the seats and came closer, bridging the gap between them,
"What if someone sees us." she asked as she was pushed back at the seat.
"Who in this empty parking lot will, especially with tinted windows my little pusik."
This was what she wanted after the got back together his love, his attention again, it felt right.
"And I want to capture so many beautiful moments with you today but not with my camera but my eyes.
As his deep voice wrapped around her like a warm blanket, Chloe felt the anticipation crackle between them like electricity.
The world outside the car faded away, leaving only the two of them cocooned in a bubble of intimacy.
Moments ago, she had been flustered over a coffee stain, but now, with the sultry allure of Yasha's words filling the air, her nerves morphed into a thrilling excitement.
"Pusik," he whispered again, the term rolling off his tongue with an affectionate cadence that made her heart race.
"I want to learn every little thing about you, every secret you hold. I want to see the real you."
Chloe's breath hitched as she felt herself drawn closer to him, the smell of his cologne—woody and spicy—inviting her in.
"You're making it hard to think straight," she murmured, her pulse quickening as he leaned slightly into her, framing her face with his hands.
"What if I want you not to think at all?" He leaned in, brushing his lips gently against her forehead, a gesture so tender it sent shivers down her spine.
"Just feel."
The moment hung in the air, thick with unspoken promises. Images flooded her mind
—a montage of whispered secrets shared in dark corners, laughter shared over coffee cups, and nights spent tangled in each other's arms. With each passing second,
her decision became undeniable—the urge to surrender to the electric chemistry ignited between them was overpowering.
"Okay," she breathed, heart racing. "But you have to promise not to take your eyes off me."
As she said it, she tilted her head slightly, a challenge woven into her words.
His lips curled into a mischievous grin, a spark igniting within his gaze.
"Oh, believe me, my little pusik, I can't take my eyes off you even if I wanted to."
In that fleeting moment, the barrier between them seemed to dissolve entirely.
She could feel the heat radiating from his body, his breath mingling with hers in a way that felt intoxicatingly sweet.
Chloe shifted, her heart pounding loudly in her chest, daring him to continue this dance of intimacy.
With a tantalizing slowness, Yasha moved closer, his fingertips trailing lightly along her jawline. "You wanted to be warmed up, didn't you in this way?"
She thought inwardly,"Oh fuck, he did hear me!
And another voice responded,"Told you so!"