When Passion Becomes Blind (Niah & Manofyourdream)

[Niah]

Myra Quereshi blew a stray hair out of her face, as she exited the kitchen belonging to the small cafe that she worked for. Her large, round black eyes glanced towards her watch in order to check the time. Ten forty at night, in twenty minutes she'd finally be able to turn the 'closed' sign around at the door and lock up. It had been a long day, first she was up at six for her morning run and shower, before heading to work at the local junior high school. It was booster day, nothing better than having to corral hundreds of tweens and teens into your office in order the jab them with a needle.

A few of them had been scared out of their minds, several cried and a few even refused to have the booster shot at all. Myra wasn't sure which was more stressful, this or flu season, when every other student seemed to skip class in order to see her. Although at times children could be a notorious handful, she still wouldn't give up her job for anything in the world. Myra enjoyed being a nurse and the fact that she was able to do so in a school was an added bonus. There was something about pediatrician nursing, an extra satisfaction you got from helping the next generation. Getting to watch them grow and develop and knowing that you played a part, no matter how small. It was hard to explain to people who didn't like children, but people who did automatically understood.

The twenty-six year old hailed from a city called Jaipur, situated in Rajasthan, Northern India. She came to this country nine years ago in order to study. A woman of good intelligence and decent upbringing, she found herself integrating very well. Always making sure never to forget how her parents raised her. They were stern and some might even say overbearing, however Myra knew that it came from a place of love. Without such a steady hand, she may not have even made it to nursing school. Now that she was done though and had been for a while, she became determined to find where she would be most fulfilled in her line of work.

When the job opportunity came in this town, it just called to her. So several months ago she upped sticks and moved. Settling down as the new junior high nurse was easy enough, however with some spare time on her hands and the desire to save a bit more money, Myra ended up getting a second job. Which is how she ended up here on a Friday night. After finishing at the school by three, she headed pretty much straight to Tom's Bistro, where she had a part time job as a waitress. So far things were going quite well and the owner; Tom, even trusted her enough to close up for him tonight. He was out celebrating his wedding anniversary with his wife.

Myra readjusted the apron on her uniform slightly, before pushing her long black locks out of her face. Her hair was pinned up, but throughout the day strands had become lose. She walked around the inside of the cafe a little aimlessly, it was a complete ghost town in here. What with closing time only being twenty minutes away, she had no customers. She was half tempted to close early, but her good nature compelled her to do otherwise. It wasn't her business and so she had no right changing the closing time simply because she was bored. Someone might pop in and you never know, she could even get a pleasant conversation out of it and end her day on a nice note. Majority of the regulars that came in here were lovely people, seeming happy enough to be served by her. Apart from one man in particular, who Myra couldn't quite get a read on. He was just... strange, one minute seeming pleasant enough, then another becoming cold and indifferent to her presence.

It was a behavior made all the more difficult by Myra's attraction to him. She didn't know why exactly, apart from the obvious that he was very good looking of course. However there were plenty of attractive men around, yet none of them quite caught her eye like he did. He was just the complete opposite of everything that she should want. His attitude, his age and even his race, as her parents would not doubt prefer that she settle down with a nice Indian boy. Still, she couldn't deny that she was drawn to him. Even so, she was kind of grateful that he hadn't come in today. After being rushed off her feet from school and then a busy shift here, she wasn't exactly in the mood to deal with his own personal brand of awkwardness and broody behavior. Myra gave a sigh, patting down her black pencil skirt and straightening the collar of her striking red uniform shirt. She then headed back towards the bar, hoping that if she concentrated hard enough on wiping it down, then eleven o'clock would arrive quicker and she could leave.

 

[manofyourdream]

The night was still young, but there was something off about it. It wasn’t pouring, but just drizzling, drops of rain landing on his windshield only warned him of the forecasted rain tonight. Having had a very long day, he had finally closed his garage a little after 10 p.m. Though the staff had left for the day as early as 6 in the evening, Derrick enjoyed some alone time by working on this car-a Pontiac. He had nowhere to be, no one to run to, nor any family to be with for that matter. And that is why, he's usually the last one to leave the garage. Well, that and for he's a boss, the owner of 'Wrench Kings Auto Repair.'

A mechanic by profession, Derrick loves cars and enjoys every moment of working on them. He’d picked up this old junk a few months back, so he’s been trying to piece it altogether so it can run again. It was a similar to a car, Pontiac GTO, his father used to drive. His interest in cars actually came from watching his father working on his Pontiac.

Derrick has never been afraid to get his hands dirty. Speaking of which, he wiped his hands with a tissue after he had parked his truck at the corner of the street. Passing by Tom's bistro, he was tempted to stop in for a cup of coffee. God knew he could use some. He had a small drive into the next town over where he actually lived, and being the night owl, he wouldn't mind having some caffeine in his system. It would keep him up for a few hours for sure. The bistro was his go-to spot for coffee runs and even some time for lunches on one too many occasions. This town sure had better business opportunities than the one he resided in, hence he owned a mechanic shop here and not in his hometown.

He wasn't fully convinced to go into the bistro just yet. Turing to look at it from his car and he saw her through the glassed window of the bistro, the girl! Instantly, his mind raced to the time when she had stopped by his garage the other day. Matter of fact, it was only a few days ago. All the other times, he’d watched her in her work outfit. But on that day, she was wearing something casual and boy…she sure had captured his attention. He watched her from far, stealing glances while one of his employees helped her with her deflated tyres. He couldn’t get a quite look at the car she may have been riding, for he was busy looking at her. It was that day, it felt as if she’d left quite an impression on him. She sure looked different that day, not just younger than usual, but there was something about looking at her when she was ‘not working’, donning that stupid red shirt and skirt. Not that she looked bad in it.

She always seemed to capture his attention in ways he couldn’t explain. Derrick seemed to have relived the moment again just now and finding something stir in his loins, he cursed himself. He almost sat back in his car so he could drive off. Though, he couldn’t help but be the confident man he was, telling himself to ‘man up’. The girl had nothing on him. For all he knew, he had some hatred towards her. Yet, he appreciated her natural beauty. He didn't know what it was about her that he couldn’t decide if he liked her or hated her. There were mixture of feelings. It wasn’t his fault, but it’s his upbringing that was making him think the way he was thinking. About her, her race and how they, including she, was inferior to his. Besides that, he was a typical American and a few years older than her, your everyday Joe!

There she was, exiting from café’s kitchen, but not tending to any customer. It was indeed time to close so she must have been getting ready to leave. The last thing he wanted was for her to lock the door on his face; so after much debate, he found himself crossing the road. He told himself that he was going there to get a cup of coffee and nothing else. Deep down, he’d find himself drawn to her. The image from that day stuck to him for good and that was the day when he first imagined how she’d look like with those clothes off. The thought disturbed him a lot, not because it was erotic in nature but he told himself he couldn’t…shouldn’t be thinking of her like that.

His heart raced as he neared the entrance and finally entered the place. The bell on the door informed her of his presence as he looked around the place. It was empty. Even he wouldn’t have been here tonight if it wasn’t for his hobby to work on that junk car of his. The sight of her was calming….too calming for a man like Derrick. Actually, it was brooding this nasty storm inside him that the man was oblivious to. Every time he came here, there was always someone here, including Tom, the owner. And, of course, other customers. But tonight, the place was deserted and he found himself standing in front of the bar, “Is Tom not here tonight?” He asked before nodding towards the kitchen and added, “I’ll take a large cup of coffee. Quickly…” His voice was stern, as usual when speaking with her, and his affect was neutral if not conceited looking. He looked around to avoid looking at her, yet he found his gaze settling on her pretty face and her lithe frame. Standing there with his hands tucked into his rugged khakis, his V-neck Tee stretched around his broad chest and shoulders. He told himself to make this quick, not wanting to be around her for too long, for he knew of the effects she had on him.

 

[Niah]

Wiping down the bar had only taken ten minutes, hardly surprising since she had kept it pretty well cleaned throughout her shift. Now it was ten to eleven and the likelihood of anyone coming in was quite small, so she slowly began closing up. She kept the exterior lights and neon shining outside and also didn't touch the 'Open' sign as of yet, but she did place a hand over a button underneath the bar. Giving it a press, the automatic blinds on the windows descended and began to make the outside world disappear from view. It was literally just as her finger had pushed the button in, that the bell over the door sounded. Looking up, it was clear that she was slightly taken aback when Derrick sauntered on in.

Seriously?! Ten minutes before closing time?! Myra did her best not to allow an annoyed look to overtake her face. After all; she didn't want Tom's customers complaining about her having a bad attitude. So she attempted to swallow her pride as the male began asking after Tom. She shook her head, causing the stray black strands of her hair to gracefully whip back and forth. "It's his and Jeanie's anniversary, they've gone out for the evening." She replied. Her tone was an attempt at being professional as well as polite.

Myra tried to not let his chiseled face distract her as he spoke, determined to keep eye contact. Looking away might suggest that she was intimidated by the male and she certainly didn't want to give him the satisfaction of thinking so. There was a second reason though that she needed to focus on his face. She knew that if she allowed her eyes to wander, she would find herself staring at his strong frame, those muscular arms and rugged hands that caused her to think of him in ways that she shouldn't. You'd think with him living in another town, that it would be a problem she wouldn't have to face often. However this place was a regular stop of his and he also owned a business not too far away.

In fact Myra had found herself at his garage only a few days ago, needing air in her tyres. He hadn't actually spoken to her, allowing one of his employees to deal with the woman instead. Once in a while she had looked over and thought that she had noticed him glancing her way. She wasn't sure if this was because he had been annoyed with her being there or not. At one point she had even began to become paranoid about what she was wearing, wondering if it was a look of disapproval due to her lace vest and skinny jeans. Whatever the reason, he seemed to avoid Myra at the time and so she had simply gotten what she needed, before leaving as soon as possible.

As Derrick demanded a coffee, Myra found herself biting down on her lip slightly, trying to control her tongue from giving him a lashing. Did he really find it so difficult to make his voice sound even remotely pleasant when speaking to her? Sure she didn't want him complaining to Tom, but at the same time she really wasn't in the mood for this. Almost every day it was the same thing and after practically running this place alone all afternoon, on top of the exhausting day at school, Myra wasn't sure that she had the patience for him. She found herself muttering a comment underneath her breath, perhaps louder than intended, as she grabbed a metal jug and drifted over to the coffee machine. "Don't bother with a 'please'..."

This was an educated woman; fluent in three languages, university graduate, in a trusted position at a decent school. She was used to being spoken to in a well mannered way, not barked at like a servant. She pressed the appropriate buttons and grabbed a to-go cup, assuming that Derrick wasn't going to sit and drink it here. She knew how he liked it and so didn't bother asking about how much milk, sugar, cream and all that. Pouring the hot drink into the polystyrene container, she grabbed a lid and secured it on. Myra walked back over and placed it onto the bar, pushing it towards the male. "One large coffee... anything else?" Maybe it was from pure exhaustion or due to the fact that no one else was here, or maybe she just couldn't be bothered to tiptoe around him anymore. Whatever the cause, her tone had changed and she found herself coming over frosty.

 

[manofyourdream]

Derrick knew it was almost closing time for the bistro, yet he found himself barging in like he just did. Matter of fact, he could have enjoyed a chat with the man himself, if he were here. Many times, Tom would let his employees take care of things whilst he pleased his customers with a random conversation. Derrick had found himself in his company without realizing he’d used more than his share of lunch break. However, it was always pleasant because the man obviously had seen a lot given his age.

The man was obviously in no rush and had Tom been here, he would have stayed back and chatted with the owner himself. It would have been his preferred way to end the night. Now, Derrick was not a loner. He had family and friends, with whom he keeps in touch very frequently. He had a good business and was content with his life overall. Walking towards the Bistro, he was starting to realize that Tom wasn’t at the birstro tonight, or else it would be him behind the bar, not this girl. Despite having been coming here for a while, he never made an effort to learn her name. Besides, he had other things to worry about, such as ignoring her so he wouldn’t lash out at her in front of everyone. One of these days, he knew he’s going to have to try really hard not to…little did he knew, it might very well be tonight.

Tonight was the night, not because he’d come in here with a mission, but he was already getting mixed signals from her. The woman always seems to carry this cute smile on her innocent looking face, not that it ever melted him. But, not tonight. There was something in her demeanor tonight that didn’t quite settle with her bubbly personality. Deep down, he may have been envious of her, for being this perfect woman that she was, and he couldn’t get himself to appreciate the fact. It was in this moment, he felt the feelings were mutual. Derrick’s gaze settled on her face, taking notice more than just her pretty face, the twitches and unpleasant look she was donning.

It was almost to a similar one he usually carries about himself when a customer enters his garage five minutes before the closing time. He could understand her pain but couldn’t help but take pleasure in it, seeing her in such a form. It was surely a delight. He couldn’t help but inquire about Tom, scoffing at the end, “And what? Left you in charge?” He went quiet after that, being not able to hold his thought inside him, he had said something that she may not like. Derrick didn’t mean to say it all loud like that, and it was a little too late to take that back. He’d told himself that he’ll go in, grab a cup of coffee and be on his way if it was going to be her serving him and not Tom.

There was a moment when he couldn’t help but stare at her, noticing the way her strands grazed her soft cheeks. She was different tonight, he wasn’t sure what exactly but he could sense it. After seeing her at his garage the other day, he’d taken notice of such details that he’d failed to do so before that time. With an image of her from that day, he clearly remembers what she was wearing and how she looked because it haunted him. The lacey, strappy vest that displayed a bit of her cleavage and them skinny jeans, clearly displaying her slender frame, and it was that day, he saw her as a normal person, not some waitress that works at bistro. He knew nothing about her, and yet there was a strong pull. He can’t have her, he shouldn’t…that’s what he told himself, hence the reason why he seemed mad at her. It was as if he was putting her down and could tell that she knew it.

Derrick had always noticed her, may not have led on, but he did notice the way she was quiet, respective of others and the perfect employee Tom would want around. And yet, Derrick never liked her. Perhaps, it was the opposite- that he did like her and was afraid of how he’d explain to himself that he was attracted towards an Indian woman out of all the ones that are out there that he could go for. Anger and disappointed was the perfect displacement of his fondness for her! Always seeking for that something….and she’d give him that today when she muttered under her breath. He’d heard it loud and clear because he wasn’t too far. Maybe, she wanted him to hear her comment, raising his brow at her as he leaned over the counter a bit, “Did you say something?” He interrogated, almost sure the meek Indian would not dare repeat it.

He had no idea of her history or what else she did when not working at the café. Perhaps, he would treat her differently if he knew that she was an educated woman, a nurse at a school, not just a waitress at this bistro. How knows, she’s probably making more money than him and that would certainly piss him off more. He expected her to make him a good cup of coffee, knowing how much of what he liked in his coffee by now. He could sense her being cold to him and he couldn’t help but smirk. This was something new to see, he thought to himself and couldn’t help but bother her more, seeing it was almost 11 p.m. He quickly took a sip, making an awful face shortly after, placing his cup down and pushed towards her, “This tastes stale to me…I don’t expect Tom to like when he learns his bistro serves stale, leftover from the day.” He tilt his head to the side, “It’s not even warm.” He looked right at her to see how she would react to this. His decision of grabbing a cup of coffee and leave soon as possible seemed to be going down the drain. He couldn’t help but entertain himself with her, knowing she was not in mood and using that to poke at her more…it was fun.

 

[Niah]

Myra had ignored his initial snide remark, in which he clearly thought it comical that she had been left with the responsibility of looking after the Bistro whilst Tom was gone. Instead she simply told herself to rise above it. She had been doing so just fine up until this point, no need to tarnish her perfect record by biting back. The male certainly made it hard though, especially when his actions were unprovoked. Myra was always polite and kind, even to him, she would understand his attitude if she were unpleasant towards the male, but that simply wasn't the case.

Funnily enough, for a well traveled and relatively street smart woman, the fact that her Indian heritage may have something to do with it never stayed in her mind for too long. She really wasn't one of these die hard, social justice warriors that thought racism lurked everywhere. Sure, once or twice she had found herself questioning if it was due to the colour of her skin, since he always seemed friendly enough to white people. However it wasn't like there was an abundance of ethnic minorities in this town. The vast majority of the population were white and so Myra had never really seen enough of Derrick around other people of colour to assume that his behavior was racist. It was a term that she didn't use lightly and so wasn't about to go brandishing it around simply because someone was mean to her. He had never used any racial slurs or made any sort of outward comments that could be construed as hate speech. So maybe he just didn't like her and that was that?

Her patience was tested further as he inquired about her comment, which she knew at the time had been non too subtle. She had allowed her tiredness to overcome with questioning his manners and at this point she could just ride it out or try and pull back. Deciding that it was probably best not to antagonize him, she once again didn't rise to the bait. "No, just reminding myself of something." She replied after handing over the coffee, a fake stepford wife-esque smile donning her face. Her expression was at best sarcastic and insincere, but it was all that she could muster tonight.

He gave a wry smirk, the bastard was enjoying this! Myra was half furious at him and half furious at herself, because even when he was being a complete jerk, she still found that smile sexy. What the hell was wrong with her? By all rights she should find him as appealing as gum on the bottom of her shoe. Instead; whenever those dark eyes of his looked over her, she could feel a shift within herself. From the outside it may have easily been mistaken for awkwardness or tension, well she supposed the latter was correct, just not in the way that most might think.

Then came the kicker, she observed him wincing as if she had passed him arsenic to drink. Soon he quickly began berating her coffee, before ending with a veiled threat about Tom being informed. Myra bit the inside of her cheek and her nails dug into the palm of her hands slightly, she was doing her best to control her temper. It was a lie and he damn well knew it! Myra bet that if she poured the coffee onto his lap, it would soon feel hot enough for him. It was impossible for the coffee to be stale, as every cup was made fresh. He had just literally watched her prepare it from scratch, using the coffee machine. Honestly at this point she just wanted to scream at him, but something told her that, that's exactly what he wanted. For her to make a scene and embarrass herself by becoming hysterical.

She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. Instead she leaned forward slightly, placing her hands upon the bar. "And I don't expect your customers would be impressed to know a supposed engineer can't tell the difference between an at home coffee machine and a bistro coffee machine. It's basic engineering, in fact..." Myra stood back and walked over to the machine, placing her hand upon it. "You don't even have to know anything about technology. Turns out even Luddites should be able to tell them apart due to the fact that they look nothing alike."

At this point Myra became sarcastic and patronizing, but to be honest she really was past caring. "Would you like me to explain? You see an at home coffee machine produces a lot of coffee into a glass jar, which you then pour several cups out of. If left for hours, it does indeed go stale. Whereas a bistro machine, produces one cup of coffee which is first poured into a metal jug. The bistro operator than adds to the jug milk, cream, sugar, flavouring... whatever the customer wants. Before pouring the finished product into a cup. Like I just did, thirty seconds ago. Which means your coffee is physically incapable of being cold, unlike you. Now I could stand here and explain to you exactly what I mean when I say the word 'Luddite', as I can tell the term drifted right over your pretty head. But as it is now eleven at night, I'm afraid the bistro is closed. So I'm going to have to ask you to leave and take your unappetizing coffee with you."

Myra let out a breath that she seemed to have been keeping in from the moment that she had arrived in this town. The young woman had effectively told Derrick where to shove his attitude without once raising her voice, swearing or crying. A classy and dignified way to be bitchy, if ever there was one. There was every likelihood that her cheek could land her in hot water though. She would just have to hope that her past months of hard work and many happy customers, would outweigh the complaint of one when Tom found out.

 

[manofyourdream]

Derrick hadn’t pre-planned this trip. He happened to be so in the mood for a hot cup of coffee for on the roads. Part of him figured that the owner might be here, with whom he gets along just fine. But, part of him, deep down, hoped that the Asian Indian girl to be around. He didn’t know why but he always had mixed feeling when it came to her. Thinking about her, he couldn’t help but wanting to catch a glimpse and when in front of her, he feels this rage coming on. What was the origin of it all, he wasn’t really sure. He even knew that the girl hadn’t even done anything to him. Instead, she’d been polite- too polite, that too, despite his snide comment.

That is exactly what he found himself doing right this moment. When he found out she’d been left with the responsibility of the Bistro, he couldn’t help but share his opinion. In a way, he wanted to push her….until her bubble bursts, quite curious to see how she’d react, for she’s so perfect and bubby all the time. Some part of him knew that his attitude towards her was unwarranted for, yet he can’t help be a dick when in close proximity to her. He didn’t know a thing about her, yet he judged her. Having no idea how she comes from a good family and background, culturally rich heritage, street smart person as well as someone who was well respected at her work. The work he didn’t know about, that she was actually a full time nurse for high school in the next town over. She’d earned the respect and he couldn’t help but see past his thick skull.

It wasn’t that he was a racist, no. He had other employees under him, and they weren’t all American either. So what really was the problem, he wasn’t sure. It’s as if some part of his mind just shuts down when around her and only driven by some hatred toward her, with no proper validation. The fact that she still smiled and be the perfect host to him, even when he’s been nothing but mean to her, that’s what ached him the most. How can someone be so calm! So he pushed her harder, as usual. Besides, since there weren’t any other employees or customers, he seemed to have a free pass tonight. He was sure she’d said something, so he inquired and all he got was how she was just reminding herself of something. Along with that, she had this sly smile about her face, her expression a slight sarcastic and he may be reading it all wrong but it’s exactly what he needed.

“So what? You don’t want to share what this something is? Perhaps, you realized how right I am, about Tom entrusting you with his business?” he pushed her buttons and her smart and sarcastic expression was to blame. This is something he enjoyed with her, no doubt he was enjoying this. Intimidating her. There was this pull between them, opposites attract sort of, yet hidden under the hatred he showed toward her. Maybe that’s exactly what he was trying to hide not just from her but himself- that he found her attractive. Maybe it’s because he thought he wasn’t even in her league so doing what he does best, push people away. He ran his hand through his long hair as he looked down at her, his dark gaze peering right at her. He couldn’t help but notice her pretty features. She did have pretty eyes and that simple and natural looking beauty.

He snapped out of it before a compliment would slip out. How bad it would be for his image, one he’s worked so hard to build around her, that he didn’t like her. When she did fix him a cup of coffee, he found he had no business here anymore. Yet, he didn’t want to leave so he fished for a fight. Just to throw her off her game. Derrick maybe challenging her, for the meek little girl she was, wanting to see different shades of her, if there were any. With the coffee in his hand and having taken a sip, it felt warm, yet he told her it wasn’t fresh. However, it worked. He got a reply out of her, more than just ‘thank you’ and ‘sorry Sir’. This was exactly what he wanted to see, for her to speak up. And boy, she caught him by surprise. Not only she explained that she knew what she was doing, she even questioned his skills as a mechanic, an engineer.

He had to calculate his response, one that would make him look strong. She really outdid him, comparing him with luddites. Sure, he liked vintage cars, who doesn’t? And the fact that he was old, well, not as young as her. That didn’t mean he didn’t know technology. “Would you like me to explain?” she said and he knew better to seize this opportunity to intimidate her even more. He didn’t need her explanation, all this was to just mess with her. So he decided to walk from front of the counter to the back, where she was standing, explaining to him about the machine and he barely could keep his eyes on the machine. Instead, he managed to even steal a glance at her cute little rear. Looking back and forth between her face and the machine, he even noticed how slender her neck was, with her hair pinned up with loose strands grazing the sides of her face.

Most of her words coming out of her mouth went over his head as he found himself in awe of her beauty. Yet, when she talked about the word ‘Luddite’, he couldn’t help but cock his brows at her, looking lost yet again. Sure, he didn’t know what it meant, but he could understand in which context it was mentioned. That only told him how smart she was, perhaps well-educated! She’d just called him an airhead without actually spelling it out and now he could feel the tension. This was new side of her and it was the one that had him spellbound in that moment, standing there like a dumb deer on the side of the road, ready to be hit by a car. She was trying to kick him out and he knew she was trying to get out of here because it was past 11 now. He could feel her paid, having to serve a customer after hours. So that’s what he went for when she told him to leave. “I have no interest in staying, here with you,” he held his hand forward, “I will leave. As soon as you make me another cup of coffee. It tastes too bitter, like you.” He added yet another snide remark, comparing her bitter tongue and commenting on it.

However, that wasn’t his only intention. After hearing her banter, he wanted to get on her nerves even more. So if and when she’d reach for his cup of coffee, he’d release it just before she could have a full grasp on the cup of coffee. Of course, it would ruin the recently mopped floor, but he didn’t care. He also didn’t want her to get burnt because the coffee was indeed warm, so he kept it at an arm’s distance from her frame. A classy way she bitched at him and he almost found it hot…tempting even to just pushed her against the counter and…he shunned away malicious thoughts of his mind. He told himself that would teach her a lesson, but deep down, it was his desire to maybe do something to her. But then he thought how he hated her, so the war went on inside his head, wondering why he found her attractive.

 

[Niah]

Myra was less than impressed when Derrick sauntered over from the customer side of the bar and onto hers. Just another way that the arrogant male was displaying how entitled he was. He thought that he had the right to judge her? Her work ethic, her skills? Whether or not she could be trusted with a business that, quite frankly, had absolutely nothing to do with him?! It wasn't his concern and he had no right to question or critique her, not in her place of work. How would he like it if she came into his garage? Questioning his credentials, doubting his staff? It was just disrespectful and bad manners, where did this guy get off?!

What made it worse was that Derrick clearly knew what he was doing. Myra wasn't stupid, he was playing a game. Trying to assert some kind of dominance or authority over her. Attempting to make her feel small and angry, whilst the latter might be true, as the dark haired beauty was swiftly become riled up, the first was never going to happen! The young woman had confidence in herself. She felt no shame about her life or her choices, this man wasn't about to come in and change any of that.

For a moment it seemed that her quick witted lashing had left him somewhat dumbfounded. As he simply stood there looking at her, and there were a few seconds when the woman was actually able to enjoy the silence. That was until the male spoke up again, trying once more to chip away at her. It was somewhat of a poor attempt though, causing the woman to roll her eyes. She's the one whose bitter? "Coming from the man who has nothing better to do than bother waitresses at eleven at night?" In a way it was almost pathetic. Did he have no one at home waiting for him? No family, pets, lovers... anybody else that he could be bothering instead of her? Was his life so empty that this was how he achieved his late night thrills, verbally tormenting women that he barely knew?

Regardless of her opinion and even knowing that there was damn well nothing wrong with the coffee, Myra reached over anyway. It would take her five minutes to make him a fresh one, whereas this argument could continue into the wee hours and he just wasn't worth her time. She outstretched her soft hand, however before she even had chance to get a grip upon the cup, Derrick dropped it onto the floor. Myra took a step back in shock, letting out an astonished gasp. At first she just looked at the awful mess of the dark liquid seeping across the floor. However her eyes soon glided upwards, full of fury as her nostrils flared and her jaw clenched. He had done that on purpose! His behavior was appalling! The teenage boys at her school had better manners than him!

The male had her blood boiling and her pulse racing. Her fists beginning to clench as she looked upon his handsome yet aggravating face. She had never met a man who rattled her as much as Derrick did. He was rude, obnoxious, stubborn and she hated herself for finding him attractive. Even now as she wanted so much to smack him around the face, she still had those urges and his eyes still peirced through her unlike any other man that she had met. Pushing that to one side though, the female couldn't help but finally say what she had been wanting to for a while now. "What the hell is your problem?!" Her Indian accent sounding even thicker due to her fury. "You have been nothing but horrid and difficult from the first time that we met! Why? What is it about me that you can't stand so much? You barely know me! Have you even bothered to learn my name?!"

Myra took a step around the spilled coffee, advancing towards him. "Hm? What is it? Is it my accent? My face? The fact that I'm a waitress? You think anyone working in the service industry is below you or something? I'm actually a nurse as well, did you know that? Of course not! Because the only thing you care about is the sound of your own voice! What did I do that was so terrible to you? Breathe too loudly, look at you funny? Or is simply my very existence impeding so much on your life, that you have no other choice but to come in here day after day and act like an entitled, rude ignoramus with all the manners of a philistine!" By this point the woman was dangerously close to Derrick. Her dark eyes boring into him in a powerful stare that demanded answers.

 

[manofyourdream]

Derrick usually did not behave in such a manner. But tonight, he was on roll. The effect this woman have been having on him, it had all piled up and given the circumstances where it was only them two, it was starting to surface. The fact that they were closing, or closed now, and it was raining, he knew that no other customers would walk through that door at this hour of the night. He was a fool enough to do so when he should have continued to drive straight home, into other town where he lived. Instead, he had to make a quick stop. To find Myra working.

In a way, he did think he was entitled. Why not! He was an owner of his garage and a good mechanic. She was merely a waitress at this café. Though that’s not how he sees everyone, when it came to her, he couldn’t help but see it as such. Why though? Even he didn’t have an answer for it. He was driven like a madman, driven by something dark inside him, driven to act like a Viking when it came to Myra. Truthfully, she did not deserve this. He knew it, yet he couldn’t help but be an ass to her.

Derrick got her when it hurt her, questioning her integrity and critiquing her skills, even though he had no say in it. Well, she must have been well enough of an employee to convince Tom to keep her around. But, he just had to. And if she came into his garage, questioning his authority, he would slam the door on her because he can. He knew the girl couldn’t possibly do that even if she wanted to, he was much stronger and bigger than her. She was like a tiny doll, a pretty one at that - he thought in the back of his head, wondering if he just called her a pretty doll. No denying in that, so long he kept his thoughts to himself.

The man was not a child. Matter of fact, he was probably a few years older than her, wiser even, but it didn’t mean he needed to show it. He clearly knew what he was doing and it was hurting the poor girl. There was this awkward sense of satisfaction in doing this to her, watching her feel all riled up and wanting to do something to him. He chuckled to himself, wondering what she might do and if he’d see it coming. Just a few moments longer and he would see her burst with anger. There would be quite a fireworks!

For a while, he found himself speechless, trying to find a way back in to get back at her. “Waitresses?” he said to her, looking to his right, left and over his shoulder, “I don’t see anyone else here. Just you, and I don’t think you’re good at waitressing either. Had you been working for me, I would have fired you the very first day. Heck, I probably would have never hired you…not even because of your pretty little face.” He said in rush, losing track of the words he wanted to say, instead he slipped out a compliment, something that he was thinking in the back of his mind.

When she began to work up another cup of coffee for him, he felt as if she was slipping out of his grip. She thought it was best to give him what he wanted so he would leave. The thing was that he didn’t want a cup of coffee. He wasn’t sure what he wanted. When he was outside and in his truck, he wasn’t really craving a cup of coffee. But he’d seen her cleaning the counter from outside and that’s when he decided that he wanted a cup of coffee. It was circumstantial, the need for it became evident because of her presence. Subconscious mind of his felt that it was a good excuse so he can see her close-up, especially since no one else was here.

Watching her make another cup of coffee for him, he noticed how slender her frame was, noticing from the sideways she stood from him, letting her taut tummy rest against the counter. He didn’t quite move behind the counter but hovered over her as if he was making sure she was doing her ‘job right’. Thinking of a way to get back at her, he decided to run with it, not quite grasping the cup when she handed it over to him, he let it slip away. He didn’t flinch back because he knew that was going to happen, feeling the coffee get splattered onto the floor and even on his shoes. Though, she did step back and gasped. And there it was, the rage she’d managed to keep at bay. If he didn’t know any better, she could even try to swing a fist at his face. The question was what she would do now? How she was going to react?

A slight smirk was evident on his face, “What MY problem? What’s YOUR problem?” he managed to mock the accent a bit, “What? I’ve been nothing but a good customer here. Patiently waiting while you goof up anything that you do…” he managed to say in between what she was saying, overlapping even. “Since the first time we met?...Sorry I failed to notice your mistakes back then. I am only talking about today!” He scoffed at her a bit, leaning in and down a bit, “Never needed to. Why would I care what your name is?” he waved his hand across his front in dismissal. When she stepped around the spilled coffee and came at him, he really thought she was going to get physical with him. Some part of him even wanted her to do that, just so he can in return. He did wonder what it would be like to lay his hands on her.

“What? I never said that,” he cocked his brows, mocking her when she said something about people beneath him. He even shrugged his shoulders at her as if it meant nothing to him, like a little child he was. And there it was, with her standing so near to him, his eyes followed whatever she was mentioning. ‘My accent,’ she said and his gaze lowered to her lips, watching her pert red lips move in sync, occasionally displaying her pearly white teeth before his gaze zoomed out to capture her face. Then he managed to look her up and down, looking at her apron that she has to wear as a waitress. His face contorted a bit when she told him her real occupation. Her words were full of anger, yet they sounded like a melody to him for some reason. Instead of mocking her now, he was taken back not just by her newfound attitude, but how she shed that meek personality of hers, almost admiring the way she stood up to him.

If Derrick hadn’t noticed her beauty before, he sure did in that moment. Watching her stand dangerously close to him while she scolded him, he actually was enjoying it. A soft smile played on his face while his eyes twinkled from the way hers bored into his. He wanted her to continue to scold him, though some part of him wanted to shut her up. ‘Philistine’ was the last word that came out of her mouth, though he was an American, he didn’t know the meaning of the word. She was definitely more educated than him, that much was obvious, especially after her admission of higher education in nursing. He hold himself that he’d wait until another word starting to slip out of her mouth…and he couldn’t recall if she was about to say more to him or she was just taking a deep breath to catch her breath through those pursed lips, he leaned down. His right hand came to her waist before it moved around to the small of her back, pulling her towards him without thinking of consequences. What he was about to do may be seen as an act of him forcing himself on her, but he couldn’t help. He wanted to taste those lips of her. And finally, his lips moved quickly between her parted one, tasting her for the very first time. His lips tugged hard at her lower lip into his mouth as he held her in that kiss. His eyes were wide open as he watched her, mainly to look at her beautiful eyes but also to see if she would swing her hand at him. Heck, a slap would be worth it and he wouldn’t get offended.

It was after a good few seconds, he slowly peeled his lips away, “You talk too much.” It felt as if the time has come to a stop for him in that moment, everything was phased out as he only could notice her pretty face, eagerly watching for a reaction from her. He was expecting more rage. “S…sorry,” he said with a soft tone of voice, not really sure what he was sorry about. For bothering her? Kissing her? Well, he wasn’t sorry that he kissed her. It was so tempting in that moment. His heart raced, finding him quite intrigued by her, even more than before, especially after she told him what she did when not waitressing here.

 

[Niah]

Myra didn't even entertain his responses. The bashing of her capabilities as a waitress, the quip about how she'd be fired if it were up to him, not even the unintended mention of her 'pretty face' seemed to perforate the harsh exterior that she was now exhibiting. The young woman no longer cared what he had to say, not that she really had in the first place. If the truth be known, she didn't necessarily care about Derrick's opinion of her. Her family, friends, work associates; those were the people whose opinions mattered to her.

Myra wasn't mad about him disliking her per-say, after all; you couldn't be liked by everyone, it was more how he went about it. His attitude, demeanor and simply the way that he felt entitled to belittle and disrespect her so publicly, that was what was riling the young woman up. He didn't like her, fine, he should just stay away from her and keep his unpleasant thoughts to himself. Why did he have to go out of his way to be such a pain in the ass?

His words continued to wash over her like white noise and it wasn't until he attempted a mock Indian accent that she finally began to pay attention. "You're disgusting!" Was her being Indian the problem? Or was he just trying to make her feel insecure about her voice? Once again he began jumping into her being inept at being a waitress. This must have been about the fifth time or something that he had brought this up. The arrogant smirk on his face may have suggested that he thought himself very big and clever, yet he really only had one move; mocking her about her job. Not very big, clever or original for that matter. It was beginning to lose it's effectiveness, especially when Myra knew that it wasn't true; he was literally the only unhappy customer she had.

It was most likely impossible for anybody else to understand the argument that was going on right now in its entirety. As Derrick's insistence of always trying to get a clever remark in, meant that he continued to talk over her and so at one point it simply sounded like a cacophony of raised voices. It wasn't until Myra began advancing on him, that Derrick seemed to lose his nerve a little. Maybe he hadn't been expecting it, but for whatever reason he fell silent as she began demanding which of her options was it that bothered him so much.

After her last sentence, her breathing was heavy and she waited for his response, but it didn't come. Full of pent up energy, Myra wasn't about to let the silence stand. Derrick had finally shut his mouth, she needed to take full advantage and make herself be heard. "And another thing! You..." She began to scold him again, except she didn't have chance to finish her sentence as Derrick wrapped a strong arm around her waist. His biceps constricting slightly against his t-shirt as he pulled her into him and kissed her harshly. Holding her close, Myra's hands landed upon his chest and she could feel his rapid heartbeat against her palms.

Taken by complete shock, his scent began to wash over her. It was a mixture of his natural body odor, aftershave and the oily smell associated with a mechanic. Which might not have sounded like a pleasant mix, but to the female it was quite intoxicating. Their dark eyes met as he sucked on her lower lip. Although the kiss itself was hard, his own lips were soft and he tasted like the coffee that he had taken a sip from moments before.

For a moment she gripped onto the fabric covering his torso, almost kissing him back slightly. Seeming to get a grip on herself though, the young woman began pushing against Derrick's powerful chest as he pulled himself away from her. His next words came out in almost a whisper compared to how they had been speaking to one another before. Myra pushed him away and as she took a step back, her left hand came swinging up and struck him across the face.

There was a moment of silence as her chest rose and fell sharply. Her own pulse going at quite a pace now, she looked upon the male confused. Her deep, large eyes scanned his face, trying to read what the hell was going on here! Was this a some sort of trick? Did he know about her attraction towards him? She had never mentioned it to anyone. Perhaps he could tell by the way she looked at him though? Or maybe his ego was so huge that he simply just assumed she would be?

He once again began to speak, surprisingly enough this time to apologize. Myra began shaking her head though, "stop... just stop." She didn't want to hear from him anymore, even if it was to say sorry. Her face was flushed and it was obvious to anybody with eyes that she was clearly flustered. "You need to leave!" Myra was stuck in a state of ambivalence. On the one hand she was so livid that if Derrick stayed, there was every chance that he'd have scolding hot coffee poured all over him. However on the other, as she looked upon his handsome face with the feeling of his strong touch still fresh upon her skin, there was also a very strong sense that she just didn't trust herself alone with him. That deep down she hadn't wanted to push him away, in actuality; she craved him, wanted him. Yearned for him to grab her, shove her against the counter and...

Myra shook such thoughts from her head, re-positioning her apron as it had become skewed slightly from the embrace. She patted herself down and tried to steady her breathing. "Get out!" Myra repeated sharply, motioning towards the door and even attempting to give him a shove in the right direction. Though it was almost a pointless gesture, the man's height and stature compared to hers meant that she had pretty much just nudged an immovable wall of muscle. She needed to get away from him, from those stony eyes and their gaze. Myra pushed past him, marching towards the door and pulling it open in order to kick his ass out of there! She held it open and looked back to the male, "now!"

 

[manofyourdream]

This is quite a night as it seemed to be turning out to be. He didn’t come in here thinking he would make her life a living hell, no. He may not accept it but he wanted to catch a glimpse of her and what better way than to walk through those doors, demanding what he did. There were things that didn’t make sense to him, yet he did them.

He was oblivious to his own deep dark desires and opinions. Maybe it was his way of coping with things, things that raised a question of ‘what if’. Hence, it was natural for him to not tend to those thoughts and build a guarding shield that would protect him from exactly those thought.

Amidst it all, the crack in the wall did occur and a deepest thoughts from his mind slipped past his lips when he actually told her she was pretty. Well, it was a compliment but it wouldn’t be seen as one, just because it was setup as a needle in haystack. Besides, she wasn’t even expecting or looking for nice words from him, so the compliment would go unnoticed. Having troubled her enough, he could see that she’d reached that level where she couldn’t and wouldn’t want to take more of it.

And then she burst. Watching her step up like she did, he almost admired her. Yet, he failed to recognize that. Especially after he understood that this was her part-time work, a side job and not her main one. He couldn’t help but feel stupid for chuckling at her when she called him disgusting for mocking her. He did feel it was a bad move but it was done. And to back away from it all meant accepting his defeat. He had too much ego to do that.

Watching her moved closer to him, he found Myra invade his privacy. That was for the first time had tasted his own medicine. He felt threatened as he blanked out. Besides her presence, her words didn’t seem to stop and in that moment, he couldn’t help but notice her feature in more detail. Way more detailed than ever before. The first thing he noticed was how flawless her skin was. Absolutely amazing! He wondered what it would be like to cup her cheeks with his palms.

His gaze moved to her pretty hair and how they were done, wondering where on her back would her hair reach if he were to reach behind her head and unpin them. To be running his thick fingers through those silky tresses and even smell the shampoo from them. Speaking of which, she was so close that he could actually smell her distinct smell that she has about her, not the smell of coffee beans, but her feminine aroma. In a moment of bonding, he would actually place a soft kiss on her forehead, it was that tempting.

His gaze lowered to her eyes, taking notice of how perfect arched her eyebrows were and how dark her gaze was. It almost made him want to sink into its depth. And then the perfectly bridged nose and her pert lips, watching them move and occasionally displaying her pearl white teeth. He would kiss her passionately, for they looked so fragile and soft. The chin and the neck, it was all too alluring. And he didn’t even get down to the best part. While she may have let his words wash over her like white noise, he couldn’t do the same with what he was experiencing in that moment.

He stood there like a dumb deer in the middle of the road about to get struck by a car. And then he reacted, something he may regret later, but it’s all he could think of in that moment. From what he recalled, she was about to say something more, something about you, but he moved as if something else, someone else was driving him in that moment. Grabbing her at her waist, he pulled her into him and a swift move down allowed him to plant his lips onto her. The kiss was unwarranted for and out of place. They were in middle of an argument and he pulls this stunt, not to get back at her, but it was needed. To taste her had become a need for him and he was ready to pay its price.

For now, he suckled on her pert lips, pulling them into his mouth and making sure to kiss her hard because he knew it wouldn’t last long. Though, those few moments were plenty enough to process how she was responding. The way his hands clenched at his t-shit, it was enough to tell him that she was at least enjoying it. Or else, she would have pushed him away the very moment he pulled her into him. He even noticed how there was a moment when she actually suckled back. Maybe he read it all wrong. But it was enough for him to move forward because it was something he wanted to do. For all he cared, he wouldn’t get another chance with her if he’s to come another evening because there’s always someone working with her.

He knew it wouldn’t last long, the kiss, so when she pushed him away, he barely nudged a step back and next he found himself doing was feeling the way her hand felt against his face as she struck him. He was much stronger than her but it did sting a little, not caring about it as he smirked softly. All that anger he had towards her, the hatred, it all washed over him in that moment. He managed to speak a few words and even apologized. Though, he wanted to make sure of one thing, cocking his brows at her, “However, I am not apologizing for that kiss.” He said while caressing his own cheek for just a moment.

Her words where she was telling him to leave fell upon deaf ears as he continued to stare at her. “You know, you look prettier when you are angry,” he said to her as she began shove him towards the door. He wasn’t fighting it but was definitely making it hard, Myra having to add extra efforts to move his heavy frame away from the counter and towards the door. “I don’t know about you…” he said with a light chuckle, looking over his shoulders at the tiny framed girl, “I liked that kiss, I am not going to lie, Myra,” he said pronouncing her name correctly. He’d knew it all along but never made an effort to address her with respect. He nodded as he stepped aside so she could unlock the door and kick his ass out of there, “But you shouldn’t lie to yourself either. I get that feeling that you were also kissing me back…and actually liked me kissing you. But then again, I might be wrong..!” he said lifting his hands up in air as if in a ‘no offense’ gesture. He stood with calmness, no sign of hostility towards her but with a look of admiration now, even appreciation. It was only a matter of few seconds, when she’d open the door and he’d be on his way out of there. Could the circumstances change? Heck, if she wouldn’t open the door, he might as well do it himself since he wasn’t wanted here. It is then he moved his hand to reach for the lock so he can get out of there. But with no regrets!