We're going to need more than five minutes

Wanna come in?

The garage door closed with an audible thud, and just like that it was done. She raised her hands in disbelief. „That was it? We're done?"

„That was it", he confirmed, smiling with relief a bit of pride while finalizing their work with a cordial high five. They had done a good job.

„Oh my, I can't believe it...", unladylike she wiped the sweat off her forehead with her sleeve. How many pounds of flowers and gifts had they both been carrying around over the past few hours? Then she reciprocated his smile, „I can't thank you enough, Jordane. You really are my knight in shining armor tonight."

He blushed and waved her compliment aside. „Oh please, I didn't do much. I was just helping out a friend."

„You sure were", she nodded, then added, „Come on, the least I can offer you is a cup of coffee to wake you up for the ride home, it's past midnight!"

Lola yelped as her owner was finally unlocking the door way too slowly for her taste, more and more impatient with the entire situation, and squeezed past the two humans into the hallway first.

„Come in! You can leave your shoes on, no worries. Why don't you take a seat on the couch? It's through there. I'll go make the coffee, be right with you."

He entered the open living area and sat down on the couch. Lola was lying on the floor next to him, eyeing him wearily. He gave the old lady a belly rub and looked around. An illuminated sign hung on the wall behind him spelling „LP".

He shook his head to himself. Was this for real? He was sitting on Lana Parrilla's couch while she was making him coffee. He cleared his throat at the thought and nervously scratched his neck. All of a sudden he was way too aware of the significance of this situation.

Sure, she was his colleague, they had spent almost every day together for the past few months and had become good friends. And still... her smile made him weak in the knees, the sound of her voice made his heart beat faster, and whenever he looked into her deep brown eyes, he was in serious danger of losing himself in her gaze. She was one of the most beautiful, sexy and sensual women he had ever met, her aura was filling up every corner of the room, and just for completeness' sake, she was a ridiculously talented actress with hundreds of devoted fans around the globe who loved her enough to shower her with flowers and gifts on a daily basis. Even though she had surprised him from the very first time they met by how kind, sweet, caring, funny, sometimes even goofy she was, there was still something intimidating about her. She surely wasn't cast as the Evil Queen – or Rita Castillo for that matter – for nothing...

He felt honored just to be allowed to exist in her presence and breathe the same air. And he was just praying that he wouldn't make too much of a fool of himself over coffee.

„There you go", she came back carrying two steaming coffee mugs, then she paused and looked towards the door that apparently led to the porch. „Or, you know what? It's such a nice evening, let's sit outside."

She walked past him and stood in front of the closed door, her hands full.

„Would you mind?", she asked with a coy smile, he immediately jumped to his feet, rushed over to her and held the door open.

„Of course, I'm sorry... After you, Milady."

She stepped outside and put both mugs down on the table, then lolled on the comfy outdoor sofa and patted the spot next to her on the cushion. „Come on, sit! Don't be shy."

He complied, commenting: „A true dog owner, I see."

She had to laugh, then raised her mug.. „Guilty as charged... cheers to that!"