First Love

MAX’S POV

” Uh… Welcome s-sir…” A brunette offered a little smile as I walked into the café named “Coffee and Chats “.

I gave her a curt node and helped myself to sit on the corner table near the glass window. Removing my sunglasses, I let my eyes catch the picture of the surrounding.

It was small, well furnished and comfortable more like home which I often don’t find in all the elite restaurants. The lightning was dim and soft smell of coffee was waving in the air. Most of the tables were full and thanks to the busy evening environment that no one has noticed me till now.

I blinked, shifting my attention back to that brunette girl who by now was sweating. I scurried my eyebrows and searched her face to know the reason behind her scared state.

” What?” I snapped.

She flinched but soon licked her lips and shook her head. ” S… Sir… You’re here? I-In this small café? Uh… I mean-”

I pointed at her mouth and gestured her to shut up before she could say anything.

” This café belongs to you?” I asked.

She nodded, hesitatingly.

” Erica white works here?”

She held a confuse face at my question and waited few minutes for me to elaborate further but when she didn’t received any other word for me, she again nodded.

” Good. Now go and call Erica white to take my order.” I added.

Her face for a second twisted in a hint of jealousy before she mumbled something in acceptance and then rushed away.

I released the serious look away from my face and loosen my tie. Damn! Acting intimidating is a though job though.

My lips curled up at the purpose of my visit to this small café which was meeting Erica White.

Rehan had stole enough informations about her from Mayra’s patient record. So here I am to meet that woman who’s being the constant reason for my two continuous sleep deprived nights.

I ran finger through my hairs and inhaled a deep breath at the sight of her.

She was taking baby steps in my direction with a note pad and a pen in her hand. The free bangs of her hairs were sticking to her neck from her messy bun and her eyes were fixed on the ground. To say that her body language reflected her nervousness would be an understatement.

A smirk appeared on the corner of my lips when she stood just an arm distance from me.

” Can I take your order?” She whispered in a hoarse voice with her eyes still on the floor.

I have an urge to laugh at the confidence she was faking. I agree that her voice didn’t shuttered but she wasn’t comfortable too.

Her cheeks were burning when she bit her bottom lips and released a shaky breath.

” What would you prefer?” I asked, trying to sound as casual as I can but couldn’t control my excitement.

This woman do intrigues me. There’s something, something about her which was attracting me which is forcing me to remove the frown from her face and replace it with a smile.

” Uh… coffee and lemon cupcake?” She replied, unsure.

I chuckled and stared at her cute face for few good seconds before saying- “Two coffee and two lemon cupcakes.”

She quickly scribbled on her note pad and walked back as if she was impatiently waiting to rush away from me.

My iPhone vibrated and when I unlocked the screen, Rehan’s message popped up.

How’s your date going?

Date? Where did that came from? Max Costello doesn’t date women either they are Sluts like Cassie or a cute mystery like Erica.

This isn’t a ‘date’.

I replied and pushed my iPhone back on my pocket when I saw Erica coming back with a tray on her hand. She clumsily placed the coffee mugs on the table and then cupcakes.

” Have a good evening ahead, sir.” She mumbled which came out in barely a whisper.

” Have a seat.”

” Excuse me but what?” And that moment, her eyes snapped in my direction.

Our eyes held a contact and for a second, everything around me stilled. Her eyes were heavy with moisture in them and somewhere in between there resides a familiar pain which I’ve been experiencing.

” I’ve ordered coffee for two now since-”

” I am sorry sir but I can’t.” She cut my words and turned to leave.

I blinked not wanting to believe that me, Max Costello just got rejected by some woman but strangely it only made me more interested in her.

” Erica.” I called out her name and she stilled.

” Now we don’t want you to loose your job, do we?”

She tilted her head in my direction and automatically her eyes narrowed with a little fire burning in them. Ah, so my little Angel is feisty too.

My little Angel? What the f-ck is wrong with me?

I quickly shake off that Angel thing and noticed her throwing draggers at me. I suppressed a laugh and pointed her to sit on the chair across me.

She muttered something under her breath but did as I said not before removing her pink apron and putting it aside.

I shifted the coffee and cupcake near her. After that for not even once, she glanced in my direction. Her fingers played nervously around the coffee mug’s handle.

” I am not beautiful, you know.” She whispered.

I arched up my eyebrows in confusion and took a sip of delighted coffee.

” So I wouldn’t be a good f-ck.” She added, bluntly.

Coffee spluttered out from my mouth which only made the matter worse by staining her T-shirt. Her jaw dropped and she quickly started wiping away the coffee stains. I swallowed a thick lump down my throat and replayed her words again in my mind.

” What’s wrong with you?” She asked in irritation.

” Why you said such words?” I countered, ignoring the blasting amount of anger which was reflecting from her expressions.

” Isn’t it obvious? You’re Max Costello-the player. Off course you only want to get into my pants but I am confused that why do you want to bed an ugly looking woman like me?” She ranted in one breath.

I blinked in an attempt to register her words and when I did, a dry chuckle escaped past my lips. Why haven’t I thought this, earlier? Why blame this innocent when media is full of my scandals?

” Clear me one thing that who is ugly here because all I can see is a cute waitress who is sharing a coffee with me.” I passed one of the best flirty smile which soon turned into the poker face since instead of getting affected by my lines, all she did was to stare out of the window.

F-ck? Are my charms really fading?

Most of the- Every women either blush at such words or throw themselves at me but here she is acting as if I am nonexistent?

” What do you want from me?” She asked, now looking straight in to my eyes.

If only I have any idea that what I want from you, Erica, if only.

” Frankly, I don’t know.” I replied.

She rolled her eyes and cast a look at her wrist watch before looking again out of the window.

Her eyebrows were frowned in confusion yet something in me told that she was trying her best to not throw some sarcastic remarks on me.

I smirked. I don’t know what I want from her but what I know is spending some time with her wouldn’t be a bad idea.

” Why are you staring at me?”

” Why? Do you have any problem with that?”

” It is really creepy, if you don’t know.” She hissed.

I laughed at her antiques and decided to irritate her, a little more.

” You’re cute.”

” Goodbye.” She faked a sarcastic smile and then after gathering her apron and tray, she left the table.

I chuckled and took a mouthful bite of the cupcake. This shit is delicious.

I wonder if Erica has made this? No, she couldn’t. After all Miss bitter couldn’t make something this sweet.

But Jesus! Her bitterness is also entertaining.

” Your bill.” Erica returned with the bill.

” I am not going anywhere if that’s what you want.” I took another bite of cupcake and smiled.

She almost, almost stomped on her feet and clenched her fist. ” Sir, you-”

” Max, call me Max.”

” Mr. Costello, you’re disturbing me on my working hours so I would better ask you to leave.” She spoke in calm tone and held a poker face.

This woman. Is she really this straightforward or there’s some undeniable hate for me?

But Erica, maybe you don’t know but if Max Costello wants something then definitely he gets that and this time I want Erica White.

It will be the first time that I am finding any woman way more worth than being just my bedmate. Now there’s no need to deny that I am having this attraction to her in more than just physical level despite of the fact that am completely oblivious to the reason behind all this.

Let’s see, in which way my curiosity for her takes me.

” I am dropping you home.” I stated.

” Are you insane?” She countered.

I shook my head and stood up.

” I am waiting outside in my car. Just come when your shift ends.” I said and left the café.

***

It’s been an hour and still there’s no sight of her. She will come right? Off course she has to after all who can neglect the offer of Max Costello?

Yeah, right. Like she had neglected you in the café.

I scoffed at my consciousness and just waited impatiently for her to step out of the café.

The sun had already settled down leaving behind the darkness. The street was already vacant with only few people passing by.

Hold the f-ck up. A sudden thought crossed my mind which made me to clench my fist in flaring temper. Erica walks every night from this dangerous street and that too alone?

I pushed my saliva down my throat and purposely shut my eyes for few seconds to calm myself down.

How she can be this careless?

I quickly took out my phone from the pocket and dialed the number of my trusted head of bodyguards.

” Sir.” He greeted as soon as my call ringed.

” I am sending you the details of Erica White. Her safety is your responsibility and make sure that she won’t catch a hint that your bodyguards are following her whenever she’s out of her house.”

” You won’t regret, sir.” He replied.

Again time started speeding off but like past two hours there was no hint of her. My patience started falling off and then I couldn’t help but walk to the café, once again.

That little brunette once again came into my sight but by paying her no attention, my eyes started searching for Erica.

” Where the f-ck is she?” I mumbled to myself when I found the whole café, empty.

” You! Whatever the f-ck your name is-” I was about to complete my sentence before that brunette cut me in middle with her words.

” She left few minutes ago, s-sir from the back door.” She whispered.

My temper flared and next without wasting any single second, I rush to my car.

Erica white. You shouldn’t have done this. You shouldn’t.