《Affogato》 The Crema Dulcia hadn''t taken anytime to herself since moving city. She''d only just finished unpacking her boxes, with less than a day before starting her new job, and all she wanted to do was sit down and enjoy a drink. She''d seen a cute cafe tucked away down a side street between two glass skyscrapers, and since seeing it she''d wanted nothing more then to try it out. The cafe was a stark contrast to the corporate buildings surrounding it. It was covered in dark wood panelling and frosted glass etched with ''The Longeared Owl and Ass'' in cursive script. Dulcia pushed open the cafe door. A bell rang out her entrance to the cafe. She was greeted by the smell of fresh coffee and leather. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dim lights illuminating the cafe. It was quiet, with only a couple of patrons scattered among the tables. Two elderly gentlemen sat at a table sipping coffee from large mugs, perusing over a crossword puzzle together. A woman sat in a red leather chair, that dwarfed her by comparison, with her legs tucked up underneath herself. Dulcia struggled to pull her eyes away from her, soaking up every detail. Her dark hair tumbled down her shoulders almost blending in with her navy sun dress. The elegance in how she held the dainty cup. Finally, the soft curl to her lips after taking a sip. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. She looked up catching Dulcia''s gaze. Dulcia snapped her head away, her heart beating fast, having been caught admiring the woman. She moved over to the counter, busying herself with looking over the handwritten menu. It was all Italian words she hardly recognised. Dulcia searched the board for anything that she was familiar with; tea, hot chocolate, anything that wasn''t coffee. ¡°Can I take your order please?¡± the barista asked. Dulcia looked between the barista and the board, picking the first thing her eyes landed on. ¡°Could I have an espresso?¡± The Body Mia caught the woman staring at her, but she more than paid her back in kind. She watched her gazing up at the menu, seemingly lost, before making a snap order of an espresso. This woman wasn''t one of those corporate types getting their usual before rushing out. Nor was she one of the regular. In fact, this was the first time Mia had seen this woman and it seemed like her first time in the cafe altogether. The woman settled down at a table in the corner, giving Mia full view to keep an eye on her. Since Mia noticed her staring the other woman hadn''t given her another glance. She had fully engrossed herself in ordering and settling down with her espresso. Now was the moment she''d been waiting for, the moment of truth. The woman lifted the cup, blowing gentle on the surface, before taking a sip. A grimace. Mia smiled at the cute reaction to the bitter coffee. The woman placed the cup back down on the table, looking at it with sad eyes. She looked back up to the menu but an air of hopelessness had surrounded the woman. She looked lost and Mia felt draw towards her. She wanted to get to know her rather than simply watching her from across room. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Mia ran a finger around the rim of her cup, thinking, debating if it was worth the risk of rebuttal. She stood up, walking across the cafe, and slid into the seat across from the woman. ¡°You don''t like your coffee?¡± Mia asked. The woman laughed casually, running a hand through her short blonde hair, but the blush on her cheeks told Mia she was a little embarrassed. ¡°It''s much more bitter than I thought it would be,¡± she admitted. ¡°What do you like in a drink then?¡± The woman glanced away, fiddling with the silver stud in her ear lobe. ¡°I enjoy sweet drinks. I was hoping they would have a hot chocolate or maybe even tea. I''ve never been a massive fan of coffee.¡± Mia rested her chin in her hand, relaxing in the other woman''s company. ¡°An espresso was definitely a bad choice then,¡± Mia said, nodding to the discarded beverage. ¡°How about I buy you a drink? My treat.¡± The Heart Dulcia was struck speechless. A beautiful woman had come over and offered to buy her a drink. She didn''t want to let this opportunity slip her by. She''d already uprooted her entire life to move to a new city with no friends or family for miles. ¡°I''d love your help,¡± she said, ¡°but please I can pay you back.¡± ¡°You don''t need to worry about that,¡± she said. The woman was already making her way over to counter before Dulcia could argue otherwise. She moved with purpose. Every nuance of her actions were filled with a confidence that Dulcia found equal parts admirable and mesmerising. Dulcia watched her ordering. It was a far cry from what happened when she had attempted to order. The woman told the barista to wait while she examined the menu. Satisfied, she leaned over the counter and whispered the order to the barista. Dulcia couldn''t help but grin to herself, watching the woman put so much thought into the drink she was getting her. Dulcia was entirely in the dark as to what the woman ordered for her. She returned carrying a drink in a tall glass. She lowered it down onto the table in front of Dulcia with the grace of a dancer. Dulcia cast a glance between the woman, now sat across from her, and the drink. It was paler than the espresso she''d ordered and topped with a generous helping of whipped cream. A golden syrup swirled around the inside of the glass and on top of the cream. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Dulcia dipped a finger in the cream, lifting it to her lips she gave it a lick. Her mouth was filled with sweet caramel. A smile pulled at her lips. Dulcia took a sip from the glass, letting the velvety flavours flow through her. She could taste the coffee but it wasn''t the overwhelming taste that the espresso had been. It was perfect for her. ¡°Do you like it?¡± the woman asked, leaning in a little closer. Her eyes were a rich chestnut and Dulcia found herself getting lost in their lustre. Dulcia pulled her attention back to the coffee. ¡°It''s lovely.¡± She could feel the heat on her cheeks and hoped the woman wouldn''t notice. ¡°That''s good to hear,¡± she said. She smiled and it was the same smile as when she''d sipped her coffee. The same smile that had captivated Dulcia, but now it was directed at her. ¡°It''s called a caramel latte and my name is Mia.¡± ¡°Dulcia.¡± The Affogato The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.