Coffee Buds

2. Mocha Latte

"Look, at that moment in time, I would have sold my body for a mocha latte." - Darynda Jones

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It took Amanda a week to have the courage to go back to the coffee shop. This time it was in the middle of the afternoon and she just got out of class when she visited it. It wasn't as packed as it was that first day in the morning and only Clark was manning the counter. She wondered where Cube was.

Clark's head shot up when he heard the bell chime and a small welcoming smile formed on his lips. Amanda wondered if he remembered her, or like the many times before, was forgotten the second she walked out the door.

There was no line this time and Amanda immediately reached the counter.

"Hi," Amanda said, her voice sounding timid even to her own ears.

Clark's smile widened. "I didn't think I'd see you again."

Amanda's eyes widened. He remembers me.

Clark chuckled. "Of course, I do. I never forget my firsts."

Amanda could feel her cheeks heating up and she looked down to the floor. Firsts.

"Customers," Clark added as an afterthought, but you could tell he was teasing her by the smile still playing on his lips.

"You know what you want today?" Clark asked after a few beats of silence.

Amanda shook her head.

Clark nodded in understanding. "Thought so."

Clark turned from her and walked to the espresso machine. He looked over his shoulder at the assortment of cups. "To go or you're staying?"

"staying," Amanda answered and Clark nodded with a 'good.'

Amanda found a place to sit closer to the counter and waited for Clark to finish whatever he was making her. She watched him as he moved effortlessly through the machine, adding whatever needed to be added to the mug in his hand until he produced what he needed and brought it to her.

She looked at the foam that formed on the top of the cup and tried to figure out what drink he had made her. She had looked up on the internet for different types of coffee so she would be prepared and not freeze like the last time.

She looked up at Clark. "what is it?"

Clark smiled and motioned to the beverage. "That is a mocha latte. I figured you'd want something sweet after you didn't like the espresso."

"what's in it?" Amanda asked. The drink looked amazing and she wondered if it tasted just as much.

"chocolate, sugar, a drop of espresso," he said nonchalantly. "Try it and tell me what you think."

Amanda tentatively brought the mug to her lips and tasted the drink. Like Clark had said, it was sweet, but too sweet for her taste. She screwed her features not to show her reaction to the drink and placed it back on the table.

Clark looked to her expectantly, amusement clear in his eyes. "so?"

Amanda bit the inside of her mouth and looked at the drink on the table and gave her answer. "It's too sweet."

Silence followed and she looked up to see Clark's reaction. His lips were kissing his teeth as he nodded. He leaned down on the counter and produced a napkin and a notepad and a pen. Amanda looked to him in question when he handed her the napkin.

"what's this for?" she asked, taking it from him.

"You have a little something there," he pointed just above his lips and Amanda tried to look at it, which only made him laugh at her expression.

Embarrassed at the white foam left from the drink, she wiped the spot. "It's not funny."

"It kinda is funny," Clark said and she threw the napkin at his chest, regretting it a second later as her brazenness.

"Sorry," she said.

Clark picked up the napkin, a smile forming on his lips, and threw it somewhere where Amanda assumed was a trash can. "It's okay."

Amanda focused on the notepad and pen. "what's that for?"

"well I am trying to figure out your taste," Clark said, clicking the pen and opening the notepad to start writing.

"what do you mean?" Amanda asked, bringing the warm cup closer to her. She wanted another taste before she finally gave it up.

"well, now I am determined to find out what your coffee preferences are. I don't think it's fair to live your life and not know your taste buds," Clark said, writing something else on the notepad.

"I'm not much of a coffee girl," Amanda pointed to.

"Everyone says that, then they find that magical taste and boom, it is all they think about," Clark said, done writing. "here's what I wrote, Espresso is too bitter for you and Mocha Latte too sweet. I can work with that. I'm sure we will find your taste."

"You have so much faith in this," Amanda observed.

Clark looked up and grinned. "I do."

"what if I'm a tea girl?" she asked, it almost sounded like she was teasing him.

"well that's another experiment we would do after this one," Clark said, his eyes gleaming. "You willing to try it?"

Amanda decided to focus on her cup again, bringing it to her lips and this time not holding out her grimace.

Clark laughed. "I'd take that as a yes."

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CheekSally