Escaping Mr. Grayson [UN-EDITED]

Chapter Four.

I've worked at Darla's for only a few months after I started Shakespeare University last year. It started off because I needed the extra cash for things that my mother wouldn't add in my budgeted allowance. Things like new clothes and transport for moving out of campus. But now, Darlas is almost like second nature.

Everybody on campus comes to Darla's. It's a small coffee shop but, coffee is the very fuel of everyone that walks the campus grounds. From lecturers to students and extra staff. I only work Saturdays and Sundays, but I was able to squeeze in a shift after switching my Saturday with Becca Marvin's Thursday. I'm honestly glad I could make this shift. It gives me something to think about other than.... No. I'm not even going to say his name. Not today.

After crying myself to sleep last night, I've come to the conclusion that I might need to have a conversation with him about what happened. Maybe if I clarify things and apologize for my indecent behavior, it'll be even a little bit easier to live with myself. By lunchtime, the shop is almost empty and I sit behind the counter eating a chocolate chip muffin and reading my most recent novel, Lolita.

"I'll have a plain black coffee", I hear a familiar voice coming from the other side of the cash register and I lift my head. "no sugar", Mr. Grayson adds.

His gaze is intense. I nearly choke on my muffin when I see him.

"Uh...that'll be $5 and 50 cents", I murmur

"Here you are", he smiles before handing me a $10 bill, "keep the change"

Hm. Is he just trying to be nice? Or is he flaunting his money. Oh, maybe he's paying for my services from the other night. This is what its come to, right? Im just a cheap one-night stand. Ugh. I nod and bend over to grab the coffee cups. My hand trembles lightly as I pour the coffee into his cup, breathing heavily. I take a breath before turning around and handing him his cup of steaming hot black coffee.

"Thank you. Come again", I whisper and he smiles at me with such a look of amusement in his dark eyes. Hes enjoying this.

Why is he acting like this? Like nothing happened? Are we really just going to ignore the fact that we've seen each other naked?

"Would you like to talk for a minute?", he murmurs and my heart immediately starts to beat out of my chest. Oh no. You lookfrazzled

I steadily come out from behind the counter trying desperately not to trip on my own shoe. I follow him to a table in the corner of the shop where I sit down timidly, trying to catch my breath.

"What would you like to talk about", I squeak. Oh, my goodness, calm down Nailea! I tell myself.

"Isnt it obvious? I want us to talk about what happened the other night. I want to apologize but unfortunately, we can't undo the past. We can, however, move forward", he says in a 'matter-of-fact' kind of way.

"If anything, I should be the one to apologize.", I say, "That isn't the type of person that I am. That wasn't me"

"Who was it then?", he asks teasingly with his voice low and his gaze fixed on me.

My cheeks heat up and I feel my nose wrinkle. Why does he make me feel this way?

"Relax Miss Tembo. I'm only teasing", he says quickly and smirks. "Was that your first time?"

I nod. Feeling embarrassed by it. "Does that bother you?"

"No. I like it", he says blankly, "I like that I'll forever be the one who took your innocence"