Chapter 2: Coffee and Rambles

I was busy arranging books in the store when I heard the bell above the door. I turned around and my eyes met with the now familiar hazel color of Luke’s. I felt a warm flutter in my chest as he slowly approached me, a smile on his face. I was able to fully appreciate him in his suit.

It should be illegal for anyone to look that good in a suit. How was he that tall too? I had to bend my head back slightly to look at him properly. I’m not complaining though. I’ve always felt safer around guys who were bigger. My Dad was a tall man too. Luke must be around 6’3 because he seemed taller than my dad by a few inches.

“Hello Kiara,” he said, greeting me with a nod.

“Hi Luke,” I replied, trying to hide the excitement in my voice. What was it about this guy? He didn’t have to do anything and I would be happy in his company. I needed to get myself together, I barely knew him!

“I was wondering if you wanted to grab a cup of coffee with me?” he asked, his eyes sparkling.

I felt a rush of anticipation. I had been thinking about him nonstop since yesterday afternoon. Evidentially I wasn’t the only one.

“Sure, I’d love that,” I said. I felt the smile spreading across my face before I had time to control it.

Turning to grab my phone and the keys to the bookstore. He followed me out and waited quietly next to me as I turned the open sign around and locked the door. We walked down the street to a coffee shop, he held the door open for me and my cheeks burned as I passed by him with a small thank you.

We walked up to the girl standing behind the counter. She looked like she would rather be anywhere than there. I couldn’t relate, I thought as I looked over at Luke who towered over everyone in the store. Seriously, how was he this big?

“Welcome,” the girl said, sounding quite the opposite of welcoming. “How may I help you?”

“Two lattes,” Luke ordered.

The girl looked up and paused, and there it was, a desire to be behind the very counter she despised two seconds ago. But honestly, I couldn’t even blame her.

“Would that be all?” she asked, now leaning forward.

Okay, I could understand her actions. But I was standing right next to him. It wasn’t very customer friendly of her to just ignore me. I mean, I work in retail too. I wasn’t jealous… I just wanted her to improve her customer service.

“Yes,” I said firmly.

The girl looked at me, apparently only having noticed me then. I could feel Luke’s gaze on me. He probably thought I was rude now. I didn’t look at him, worried about what I’d see expressed on his face. But he only let out a small chuckle and shook his head.

“Coming right up,” she said, with a lot more force than I appreciated.

After we grabbed our coffees we moved to a table next to the window. It was another beautiful day. The flowers were blooming beautifully outside and the trees swayed with the light breeze. Spring came to hug the city and it was more than welcomed with open arms.

I couldn’t help but feel nervous. My heart was pounding in my chest. It really was strange, I felt completely at ease at the same time. None of this made sense, but maybe it wasn’t supposed to either.

“I haven’t seen you around here before. Are you new to the neighborhood?” I asked, trying to sound casual.

Luke looked at me and smiled, revealing a set of perfect teeth. Does this man have no flaws?

“No, I live on the other side of town,” he said, his voice deep and smooth. “I have a lot of meetings here this week.”

My heart fluttered in my chest. He must have a busy schedule, yet here he is having coffee with me.

“Can you tell me more about your company? How did you become a CEO at such a young age?" I asked, taking a sip of my latte.

Luke smiled and leaned back, "Well, it's a long story, but I'll try to keep it brief. My father started the company when he was young, and he taught me everything he knew. When he passed away, I took over and grew the company even further."

I nodded, feeling both impressed and slightly intimidated by his obvious success. "What exactly does your company do?"

"We're a trading company," he explained. "We buy and sell various commodities such as metals, agricultural products, and energy. It can be a tough industry, but I love it."

I listened intently, once again impressed by Luke's business acumen. I mean, I knew he was successful, but clearly I was way in over my head.

“How was work today?” I asked, unsure of how to continue without showing how flustered I had become.

Luke let out a deep sigh. “It has been pretty busy, as usual. Meetings, emails, phone calls, you name it. But it’s all worth it in the end.”

“I can imagine,” I said with a sympathetic smile. “I know what it’s like to have a busy day.”

Luke nodded. “Yeah, I can tell. You seem to have your hands full in the bookstore.”

I let out an unladylike like snort. “Yeah, running a bookstore can be pretty hectic too. But I love it. There’s something special about helping people find their next favorite book.”

Luke smiled warmly at me. There goes my stupid heart again.

“I can tell you’re passionate about what you do. It’s an admirable trait.”

I tried to fight the flush taking over my cheeks at his words. “Thank you,” I let out softly.

It might have been my imagination but as we continued our conversation, I felt like I was being watched. And I don’t mean by the hazel eyes staring straight at me. I noticed random people looking at as for a few seconds longer than I would consider normal. I ignored them and focused back on our conversation.

Luke had a strange sense of humor, I certainly wouldn’t have thought he was one to joke. His outward appearance is such a striking contrast to his actual personality.

“So, tell me, Kiara,” Luke said, a mischievous glint in his eye. “I noticed the big fantasy section you have in your bookstore.”

I laughed, feeling a little confused by the strange change of topic. “Fantasy books are a way for people to escape reality and enter a world where anything is possible. I guess,” I explained to him.

“They appeal to people's imagination and allows them to explore new worlds and possibilities. Contrary to popular belief, those books aren’t just for kids, but for anyone who wants to experience magic and adventure.”

He sat quietly for a second, contemplating what I said. My cheeks warmed after I realized how much I just rambled. Although, he didn’t look like he minded.

"You know, stories about werewolves and other shifters finding their true love and going on all sorts of adventures together," I hastily added, feeling my cheeks warm more.

“What do you think about shifters?” he suddenly asked.

I nearly choked on my coffee. “What do you mean?” I asked, my eyes wide with surprise.

“Well, you know, lycans,” Luke said, leaning in closer to me. His gaze steady on mine. “Those big, scary beasts that run around at night and howl at the moon.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Luke, you’re joking, right? Those aren’t real.”

Luke just grinned at me. “Are you sure about that?” he asked, his eyes twinkling.

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, I’m sure. There’s no such thing as shifters.”

Luke leaned back in his chair, still smiling. “Well, that’s what they want you to think,” he said, his voice low and conspiratorial.

I shook my head, unable to believe what I was hearing. “Luke, you’re ridiculous,” I said, laughing again.

Luke just shrugged. “Hey, you never know. Maybe I’m a shifter.”

I laughed even harder. “Yeah, and maybe I’m a unicorn.”

We both laughed, our conversation turning to other topics. I was surprised how easily we spoke, the conversation never died. In the back of my mind, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was something that Luke wasn’t telling me. I pushed the thought back, we just met. There were lots of things he hadn’t told me yet.

After all, there was no such thing as lycans… right?