Sweat dripped down her back and her button-up white shirt clung to every inch of her pale skin. Her dark auburn hair curled and frizzed just above her shoulders, flowing with the little breeze coming from her makeshift fan of menu cards.
"Thanks for doing double today, Cora!" Lou, the owner of the cafe, put his apron and hat on, whistling his way to the kitchen. He was not happy Allie called in sick, but since it's a quiet day and Cora offered to take the shift, he's oddly cheerful.
Cora washed her face with cold water, pat herself dry, and reapplied a hint of makeup to freshen up. Break time was over. Only two and a half hours to go before Julie can come and take over.
Lou's is a small beachside cafe, favoured by locals and tourists alike. Despite its humble size, the cafe had plenty of eclectic seating, enough to host large groups of people, and had open walls leading to a roofed patio facing the beach. This particular hour was often the calmer part of the day. The cafe was empty except for three tables -- a patio table with a sugary sweet couple, making goo-goo eyes over cups of foamy latte cocktails; a disheveled-looking man with eyebags dark enough to match his jet black hair, hunched over his laptop, madly typing and sipping his nitro brew at the same time; and an elder lady quietly reading her book by the window, content as the soft breeze touched her silver hair and loose pink kaftan dress.
Cora stood at the hostess booth to catch some of the salty sea breeze, thankful for the silence. Not for long, a tall, lean man with piercings all over his ears walked in the cafe. He didn't look like any of the locals.
"For one?" Cora approached him, holding a menu card which she almost dropped when she got a closer look of his chiseled face and turquoise eyes as he tried to wipe his sweat and his blonde hair away from his eyes. She noticed a scar and a silver ring piercing on his left brow. He tug at his white tee to free it from his light grey jogger, flapping the fabric to cool himself off. Without thinking, Cora handed him her handkerchief.
"Yes, please" he smiled softly, taking her handkerchief and finally getting a closer look of her. "Thank y--" he was transfixed by her golden, amber eyes that the beads of sweat running down his brow were no longer a bother. His eyes traveled the planes of her face, lingering long enough on her slightly parted rosy lips. An idea popped up in his mind, but he needed to be patient. Ashamed of his lewd thoughts, he wiped his brows and hid his face behind the handkerchief as blood rushed to his cheeks. "I'd like a booth, please. At that corner."
Cora felt a shiver down her spine. Why that booth? Most people would've picked a beach view, especially tourists. "Follow me," her voice quivered as she led the man to his seat at the farthest corner of the cafe.
The short walk to the booth gave him a chance to marvel at Cora's waist, the little swing of her hips, and the roundness of her ass. He imagined burying his face between her cushioned cheeks, a rush of blood filling up his cock at the thought. Just as he stopped his intrusive thoughts, he sat at the edge of the booth looking up in time as Cora leaned down to hand him the menu. His eyes landed on her perky, round breasts, her smooth skin giving off a light sheen from her sweat.
"Um... uh, please have a look," Cora stammered, feeling a thrill from the weight of his stare. He met her eyes and looked away quickly, more aroused. Realizing what she just said and noticing his slightly parted lips and flushed face made Cora feel equally embarrassed, ready to flee to the kitchen for some refuge. "I'll be back to get your order. Anything to drink to start?"
"Y-yes," he cleared his throat. "Some iced tea, please."
He watched her speed walk to the kitchen, leaving him in a daze. He wanted her and he thought maybe she wanted him, too.
___
With her back against the bathroom door, Cora let out a deep sigh. There's nothing much she can do about her sweaty, clingy shirt at this point but seeing herself in the mirror made her realize how the fabric is now almost see-through, exposing hints of her curves. Who is this lustful, wild-eyed girl? Maybe it's the hot weather messing with her head, but she could feel the wetness between her legs, and it wasn't from sweating.
'Am I... in heat?'
She turned on the faucet and let the water run to cool. Never had she experienced a sudden wave of desire. She soaked her hand in the cold, running water, dried them, and patted her cheeks with her cool hands.
'Alright, girl! You gotta stay professional and cool and calm and collected, and in no way will I be swayed by that pretty face.'
After regaining her composure, she walked back to his table with her touchpad and a poker face.
___
"A grilled chicken waffle sandwich, and a medium iced cappuccino with a shot of vodka," entering his order on her touchpad. "Anything else I can get for you?"
"Yes, I'd like one of your..." he paused, his face looking up at Cora but not quite looking at her eyes, blushing "...c-cream buns, please. With extra cream on it."
'Ah, he's so shy and cute. Is he embarrassed for liking sweet things? Or does he mean creaming my buns instead? Agh! Girl, Snap out of it!'
"Noted. Anything else?" she said with the brightest smile, pretending to ignore her thoughts to pounce on this poor, unsuspecting hottie.
"That's it for now. Thank you."
_
With over an hour left to the end of Cora's shift, the next girl is about to arrive to take her place.
She peeked through the kitchen's double doors. He seemed to have finished his meal and focused on his phone, probably texting someone.
Just when she thought she was being discreet, the man looked up and met her eyes. She immediately hid away, embarrassed he caught her. If only she had held her stare a second longer, she would have seen him look down and turn beet red.
Her heart was rushing. And so was his.
Still reeling from that awkward moment, Cora steeled herself to deliver his cream bun to his table. The man held her hand as she set the small spoon down the table. Looking straight into her eyes, he asked, "will you have this desert with me?"