Aurelia's POV:

The shop is buzzing with activity today, and the stress is starting to get to me. It's one of those days when customers seem more indecisive than usual, making everything feel twice as difficult. I glance at the clock, knowing it's usually around the time Lucian comes in, but before I can check if he's come in yet, I'm called over to help another customer. After what feels like an endless stream of about 30 customers, I finally catch sight of Lucian standing just behind the next guy in line. My mood instantly lifts at the sight of him, and I try to hurry through the current order.

As I finish ringing up the customer, I expect him to leave, but he lingers in front of me. Before I can ask if he needs anything else, he interrupts with a bold, "You're very beautiful, miss." Curious about Lucian's reaction, I glance over at him. He's glaring at the guy with a look that sends shivers down my spine. I can't deny it—something is so attractive about the way he looks right now. I turn back to the customer, forcing a polite smile. "Thank you," I reply, hoping that would be the end of it. But instead of moving on, he scribbles something on his receipt and hands it to me. Confused, I take the receipt and see that he's written down his number. He casually tells me to text him and walks away, as if it's a given that I'll reach out. I don't even have time to respond before he's gone. Sure, he's not bad-looking, but I can already tell he's one of those cocky frat boy types. Definitely not my type. Lucian steps up to the counter, and just seeing him makes me forget all about the previous interaction.

"Hi, Lucian," I greet him, maybe a little too enthusiastically.

"So, are you going to text him?" he asks, his voice colder than I've ever heard it.

The sudden shift in his tone makes my smile falter. "What are you talking about?" I ask, confused by his demeanor. He reaches across the counter, grabs the receipt I had absentmindedly set aside, and holds it up in front of my face. "This," he says in a low, almost growling voice. Is he jealous? He sounds mad, which is so sexy. "No, I wasn't planning to," I reply honestly. "Then why'd you keep it?" His voice is still cold, his eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that sends my heart racing. I want to record the way he sounds right now because it's the hottest thing I've ever heard, but that would definitely be creepy. "Lucian, I didn't want to throw it away in front of him. That would have been rude," I explain, trying to keep my voice calm.

He doesn't respond right away. Instead, he stares past me, his jaw clenched as he crushes the piece of paper in his hand. I have no idea what he's looking at—I'm certain there's no one behind me. After what feels like an eternity, he tosses the crumpled receipt into the trash. "My usual coffee, please," he says, his tone making it clear he's not in the mood for small talk. His attitude stings a little, and I can't help but feel like I've done something wrong, but I just might be overthinking it. I quickly nod and prepare his coffee, handing it over without another word.

I expect him to leave, but instead, he lingers, his eyes fixed on me. Then, as if he's made a decision, he says, "I'll take you out." His voice is firm, like there's no question about it. "We can talk about it more at lunch." I'm too shocked to respond, so I just stand there, staring at him like an idiot. He softens his gaze just a little and adds, "And you look very pretty today." My heart skips a beat, and I can feel the heat rushing to my cheeks. I'm definitely blushing. Before I can gather my thoughts, Lucian reaches over and tucks a stray lock of hair behind my ear. My breath hitches at the intimate gesture, and before I can say anything, he leans in closer, his lips pressing against my cheek then he whispers, "I'll see you later, Aurelia." My hands instinctively grip the counter as my knees weaken and butterflies flutter wildly in my stomach. When I snap back to reality, he's already walking out of the store. Embarrassed, I turn to help the next customer, noticing that a line has formed behind Lucian. The elderly lady next in line is smirking at me like she's just uncovered a juicy secret.

---

I glance up from handing a customer their receipt and catch sight of Lucian walking in. My heart skips a beat, and my eyes dart to the clock on the wall—it's already time for our lunch. There’s still a line of five customers, but I try to hurry through them, eager to be with him. He’s caught me stealing glances at him more times than I can count, and each time, it feels like he’s seeing right through me.

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Finally, the last customer is taken care of, and I practically sprint to the back. I need Jake to cover the counter. “Jake,” I call out, finding him at the sink, his hands deep in soapy water. “I’m taking my break, can you watch the counter?”

“Yeah, I gotchu. You going with that guy again?” he asks, his tone teasing.

“Yeah, his name’s Lucian,” I reply, unable to stop the smile spreading across my face.

“You gotta tell me all about it,” Jake grins, giving me a knowing look.

“You know I will,” I laugh, slipping off my apron and heading out.

Jake is like an older brother to me, someone who’s always had my back. What he thinks matters, and I really hope he likes Lucian because, well, I’m starting to like him a lot.

I grab the lunch I made for us from the back and start walking towards the table where Lucian is sitting. He’s just staring at me, and I suddenly become hyper-aware of everything—how I’m walking, how I’m breathing. God, I hope I’m not walking weird. Sometimes, it feels like I forget how to walk and I have to manual it.

“Hi,” I greet him, feeling a flutter in my chest. “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.”

Lucian stands up, and suddenly, he’s right there in front of me, close enough that I have to tilt my head back to meet his eyes. He’s so tall, towering over me in a way that makes my pulse race. But I don’t mind, not one bit.

He reaches out, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear, his touch lingering just a second longer than necessary. Then, his hand glides down my arm, sending shivers across my skin, before he takes the lunch from me. “Aurelia,” he breathes my name, his voice low and soft, almost reverent. He entwines his fingers with mine, his hand warm and firm, and leads us out of the coffee shop. His hand feels so big around mine, and I love it.

“We’re driving today, okay?” he says.

“Why?” I ask, curious since we’ve never driven to the park before.

He hesitates, glancing at me like he’s weighing whether to say something, but then just shrugs and looks away, leading me to his car. I can feel my palms start to sweat, and I hope he doesn’t notice. He opens the car door for me, setting the food at my feet, and my heart stutters when he leans in to buckle my seatbelt for me. The intimacy of the moment, his closeness, makes me squeeze my thighs together, trying to stay composed.

He closes the door, walks around to the driver’s side, and starts the car. When he hands me his phone to pick the music, I almost squeal. Of course, I’m going to play some Lana—her voice is so ethereal.

As we drive, I notice we pass the park, and my curiosity deepens. Where is he taking me? What if this is some kind of abduction scenario? Though, honestly, if Lucian was the one kidnapping me, I wouldn’t mind... just kidding... sort of.

We pull up to a beautiful clearing, and my breath catches. It’s stunning, with a blanket spread out on the grass, surrounded by delicate pink and white flowers and a small cake.

“Is this for us?” I ask, unable to hide my surprise.

“Yeah,” he replies, looking a bit shy. “I just wanted to do something special for you…”

Before he can finish, I launch myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck. My fingers stretch as far as they can, given our height difference, and he chuckles softly, placing his hands on my waist to hold me close. After a moment, he gently sets me down.

“So, I guess you like it?” he asks, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

“Like it? I love it, Lucian,” I say, my voice filled with emotion. “This is so freaking cute!”

Lucian sits down on the blanket, and as I move to sit across from him, he pulls me down beside him instead. My face heats up at our closeness, but I don’t mind. We start eating the pasta I made, and Lucian finishes his portion before I’m even halfway through.

I eye the strawberry cake, debating whether to wait for him or not. As if reading my mind, Lucian hands me a fork, urging me to try the cake with him. I happily oblige, thrilled that he picked strawberry—it’s my favorite.

I take a bite, and it’s delicious. But when I dip a fresh strawberry into the frosting and pop it into my mouth, I hear Lucian groan beside me. I glance over and see him looking up at the sky, dragging his hands down his face as if he’s struggling with something.

“Lucian, what’s wrong?” I ask, concerned. Did he not like the cake?

“Yeah, I’m good,” he replies, but his voice sounds strained, and his smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes.

Before I can press him further, he asks, “You like everything?” “Yeah, I love it. Thank you, Lucian,” I say sincerely, my heart swelling with affection. “This is so nice.”

“It’s nothing,” he mumbles, his ears turning a cute shade of red.

We finish the cake, and I start talking a mile a minute, jumping from one topic to the next, while he listens with that soft smile of his that makes me fall a little more.