Life, Love & A Little Coffee

Deleted/Rewritten Scenes (Part Five)

A bloom of color appeared on Ada's cheek and she gave him an affectionate, shy smile. It was incredible how all she risked was being a social outcast, which she already sort of was, and being the black sheep of the family, which she had to admit was turned her stomach at the thought of it. But Tom was willing to risk his career, his reputation, the well being of his body and even his coffee supply.

She wanted to tell him not to bother, that she wasn't worth all of that. But she loved the way he touched her, looked at her, wanted her and did not want to lose the feeling he gave her. It was selfish, but she wanted Tom, enough that if he was willing to risk it all, so would she.

"So you kind of want me, huh?" Ada asked coyly.

Tom ran his fingers through a new strand. "More than kind of."

"Enough to risk a one way ticket to Hell?"

Tom's eyebrows squished together and he frowned before realization caught up to him and his features rested back into place. "If you asked me to kiss you right now, I would."

"As much as I want to, I won't ask."

"I appreciate that," Tom said after giving her a closed-lipped smile.

Ada rested her head back on her pillow on the couch and looked over at the fireplace mantel. They'd let the fire more or less die down, the room now mostly relying on the three vanilla scented candles on each table. She could still see Tom, but not the family photos that rest atop the mantel. But Ada didn't need the light as she knew them all by heart. They were mostly taken in their early childhood. Her favorite was a photo of her dad trying to explain to her how to change a tire at age four.

It was difficult for Ada to imagine that bright eyed little girl with her frizzy blonde hair and cute princess dress, carrying a wand with a blue star at the end that she brought to help her magically fix the tire was now falling head over Minie Mouse heels for her handsome teacher who fifteen years her senior.

It was even more difficult to imagine sensible teenage Ada who weighed every pro and con and never did anything spontaneous falling for Tom Bennet. He was perfect for her in most every way that really mattered to her, but completely wrong in every way that would matter to the outside world. Yet knowing the cons probably outweighed the pros in this case, and knowing the cons had major consequences, Ada was still wanted this.

As much of a relief as it would be if they kissed and neither of them felt a thing, she was hoping for the fireworks that would most likely blow up her world.

"The rumor..." Ada's voice trailed off, unsure if she should bring any of it up or not. She felt everytime she did, her words only gave it more power.

Tom was still sitting up and his fingers moved to her chin to turn her head toward him. "What about it?"

"Did you have feelings for me before the rumor started?"

Ada felt his hot breath on her shoulder as he took a few moments to think. Maybe not think so much as contemplate his response. His fingers moved back to her hair and Ada had to force her eyes to stay open at the feel of his touch.

"Yeah."

"Before our road trip?" she continued to question.

His eyes moved from her to the couch cushion she was laying on. "Yup."

"Before I went over to your place?"

This time Tom nodded in a sort of rueful acknowledgement.

"How long?"

After a moment or two, Tom's fingers left her hair and moved to his own, rubbing at it until it became disheveled then dropping himself back to his pillow. "When I first started having problems with my wife and started going to the coffee shop more and more. One night I was in this crazy bad mood; it was the night she told me she had feelings for a guy in her class and I just walked out of the house and drove to the shop, needing to get the hell away from her." Tom shook his head and rubbed at his eyes before continuing. "Anyhow, I was doing my best not to drag you down with the mood I was in and when you dropped off my mocha and I took my first drink-"