The Beast

Chapter 30

A loud sneeze escaped me as I stepped into the cafe, my nose red from walking in the cold and I cursed myself for stubbornly denying the ride Xavier had persistently offered me. We had argued for twenty minutes before he had finally relented letting out a low huff, as I smiled triumphantly his eyes softening as he looked at me grinning like a mad child. He had pressed a kiss to my forehead before taking my phone out of my pocket and checking if it was charged, and wrapping a thick scarf around my neck, he had wrapped it to cover my nose and only after I had given him the stink eye had he tugged it down, before he finally let me go. Despite the fact that I enjoyed the alone time, the cold had me sneezing continuously, and I was twenty minutes late which I was blaming on Xavier.

"Cookie you're here." Cyrus called out to me spotting me from the back and I stumbled over to him, nearly falling onto him in my rush to give him a hug before I clocked in. He patted my head gently as I sniffled against his warm weak form.
"Honey why didn't you get a ride?" Cyrus questioned me softly, and I let out a huff before stomping over to the computer as Maggie and Cyrus watched me.
"It's like watching a bunny throw a tantrum." Maggie whispered to Cyrus and they snickered quietly to each other as I turned around glaring at them menacingly. But that only resulted in their snickers turning to full blown guffaws, which I blamed completely on the ridiculously large scarf Xavier had put on me, and my nose's inability to stay a normal human skin colour in the cold.

I stomped towards the front mocking anger as Cyrus and Maggie giggled in the back bringing a small smile to my face as I began to brew coffee for the day. I deeply inhaled, adoring the smell of fresh coffee, but smelled something far more intoxicating, Xavier. I whirled around half expecting him to be standing there, my shoulders slumped as I realized he wasn't. I looked down to he scarf, it must be his, no wonder it was so large. I bit my lip fighting the urge to dig my face in it, before finally giving in, I raised it up to my face revelling in his delicious cologne and most prominently that intoxicating scent that seemed to belong to Xavier alone. I nearly let out a yelp as a voice spoke behind me. Whirling around to see Maggie.

"How is that gorgeous silver eyed man doing?" Maggie asked me resting on the counter as I set the baked goods in plates, trying to calm my breathing while acting nonchalant as if I wasn't creepily sniffing a scarf.
"Xavier?" I asked giggling at her name for him.
"Yes him." She says and Cyrus wheels himself over to us, the couple looking at me a slight smirk on their faces and I shake my head at the two gossip queens.
"He's doing good." I say arranging the cookies and their faces drop.
"Just good, that's all we get after all this time we've spent with you?" They ask dramatically, and I sigh lightly turning towards them.

"He-he's fine, very comforting and easy to live with." I tell them but they raise their brows at me eagerly waiting for more.
"What's he really like?" Maggie asks.

"Well he's overprotective, he's a great cook, and did I mention protective he wrapped me in this huge scarf this morning and I had to argue with him for hours before he let me walk here on my own. He's considerate and just very intense, it's really intimidating, but then he does things like bake warm cookies, or make me hot cocoa." I say letting out a small laugh as I remember him making hot cocoa for me.

"He listens to everything I say as if it really matters to him, hangs on to my every word. He cares very deeply, he gave me a place in his own home because mine was broken into, and he ensures that I'm comfortable which reminds me, I need to start looking for an apartment." I finish off and they look at each other before turning towards me soft smiles on their faces.
"I knew it." Maggie whispers to Cyrus still unable to whisper without letting everyone in the room know what she's said, and he nods at his wife.

"Knew what?" I ask them suspiciously and they merely smirk before grabbing the cupcakes and beginning to set them in trays both slowly humming 'love is in the air.' My eyes widen as I look at them, the smell of all the sugar over the years was catching up to them, their minds were getting a bit chaotic. I shake my head at the crazy couple before walking away from them.