chapter warnings: none yet! just talking about sex 🫣
ITS FINALLY HERE!! i’ve had the worst writers block for a few weeks now, but i’ve been pushing through because i really want to share this story!! but because of that i don’t feel like this is the best it could be… i’ve rewritten this a few times and somehow i've ended up with 13k words... so if it doesn’t live up to expectations IM SORRY!! THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE BETTER <3
i also want to quickly add a few notes i have- 1, this story feels so similar to who are you for some reason, i think it's because tom is literally james 2.0 lmao (i guess i've missed him!) 2, i spend soo much of my time laughing at noah (affectionately, i promise) so it's been a little difficult to write this chatacter as i'm so used to our loveable loser hedonist noah, but i tried my best to take him more seriously for this!! 3, i've literally been listening to sace6 all day every day for weeks now, and so the title came from their song velvet! (you should totally listen to them btw! i just know they're going to blow up when they're on tour with dayseeker!) anyways i think that's it :)
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You didn’t think much of it the first time Noah walked through the doors. He was just any other customer, he stepped into the line just like everyone else… except you could tell he wasn't just anybody else.
He stood taller than most of the people in the room, broad shouldered under a long charcoal cashmere coat and khaki pants. His dark brown hair fell into his eyes, the ends flicked up a little in the back- maybe he was overdue a haircut, or maybe he was growing it out? He was also, as far as you could tell, covered in ink- his neck was tattooed, as were his hands, knuckles and wrists- fuck, every visible part of him apart from his face!
But the cologne. God, the cologne. It drifted across the counter before he even spoke, and it lingered long after he left.
“Morning.” He said as he stepped up to the counter.
You flashed him the standard polite smile you gave to all your customers, and tried to ignore the stupid way your tummy flipped when you met his soft, brown eyes.
“Morning,” you said back, “What can I get for you?”
“A flat white please. To go.”
“Name?”
“Noah.”
Yeah, of course it was. Something sexy and short.
With a nod, you turned to the machine and reached for a takeaway cup, quickly scribbling his name onto it. The whole time you were making his drink, you could feel his eyes on you, and you weren’t sure why it made you feel a little nervous. You’d never felt this way before at work...
Anyway, you finished it and slid the cup across the counter, then he reached for it- his coat sleeve rising up his arm a little, revealing an expensive looking silver watch on his wrist that caught the light. He then brought the cup up to his lips whilst you put his order through the register- which you were supposed to do before making his drink, yet you’d been so taken back your brain had malfunctioned. But since he was the last customer of the morning rush, it didn’t really matter.
But then Noah paused, and his brows lifted just the slightest. It wasn’t anything dramatic, nothing to purposely catch your attention, but you noticed anyway, and those brown eyes met yours again.
“That’s really good.” He said sincerely with a little nod.
You laughed before you could even stop yourself.
“Thanks?” You grinned a little nervously. Most people just grabbed their drinks and left, they didn’t comment on it, and they definitely didn’t look at you like you just made their whole day.
You watched Noah pull his card out of his wallet whilst you wiped down the steamer, and when you heard the sound of the machine beeping to say payment approved, you met his eyes again.
“Have a good day!” You said with another quick smile.
He nodded his head again.
“You too.” Then he was gone, the door swung shut behind him, leaving only that lingering trace of (rather sexy) cologne.
You didn’t even register the tip until Tom returned from collecting empty mugs and glanced at the screen.
“Oh, no fucking way.”
You were in the middle of stacking lids when you turned your head.
“What?”
He rotated the register screen towards you slowly…
Tip: $20
Your stomach dropped.
“No… Tom, that has to be a mistake.” You shook your head, “Maybe he was meant to press two? Or-”
“Or… maybe pretty boy’s loaded and thinks you’re cute.” Tom finished with a giddy little grin, propping an elbow up on the counter. “C’mon, twenty bucks for a flat white? Is this how rich guys shoot their shot?”
“Tom-”
“And it looks like it worked- I saw your face when he walked in, and look at you now, you’re blushing!!”
“I’m not!” You were. “Maybe he was just being nice.”
“Nice is a dollar, but twenty? He wants you to know he’s got money. He wants you to notice him- to remember him.” Tom laughed, rather delighted, “Whoever he is, I hope he comes back tomorrow. My car needs new tires.”
You rolled your eyes and turned the screen back around, and tried to forget about the whole ordeal. He was probably just passing through town, there’s no way he’d be back again. He was probably some rich guy on a business trip wanting to do a random act of kindness. You shouldn’t let yourself think about it too much…
But the next morning, he walked in again. At the same time, wearing the same coat and the same cologne.
“Morning.” He greeted you at the counter. You set down the rag you were using to wipe the spilled milk and gave him a smile as you greeted him back.
“A flat white to go, again?” You asked, already reaching for a cup when he froze.
His expression softened a little, the corners of his mouth curved a little into a smile, like he was pleased you remembered.
“Please.” He nodded as you put it through the register, and when you heard the payment go through, you got to making his drink.
“Ooh, your boyfriend’s back!” Tom whispered with an evil grin, in the middle of making a latte.
“He’s not my boyfriend!” You hissed, shooting him a glare.
“Mm, not yet.” He smirked, before turning around and calling out, “Latte for Michelle?”
You ignored him and his words and continued making Noah’s drink. Then when it was finished, you put the lid on and slid it across the counter. As he reached for it, his fingers brushed yours for the briefest moment, but it was enough to make your heart race.
“Thank you.” He said with a small smile, but then you noticed his eyes drop from your face to the small black name tag pinned to your apron. “...y/n,” he said slowly before taking a sip of his drink to hide his smirk. “Cute. Suits you.”
Your mouth went dry. Your lips parted as your brain scrambled for something to say back… something normal. But nothing came.
Pleased with the reaction he got, Noah slipped his free hand into his pocket, and left. And as you expected, Tom was by your side in seconds.
“Did he just-”
“Shut up.” You shook your head, your cheeks still burning.
“NO!! NOT WHEN HE JUST CALLED YOU CUTE!!”
“He didn’t-”
“HE DID-”
“Excuse me!” An old lady pointed at Tom, “Are you going to make my cappuccino?”
Tom immediately straightened up, like a kid who’d just been told off by his teacher.
“Yes! Sorry Mrs Morris, one cappuccino coming right up!” He said, suddenly all customer service smiles before he turned around, a smirk still plastered on his face as he mouthed to you, "He thinks you're cute!"
…
A few days passed, and Noah would still turn up at the same time everyday, and he would still tip you very generously. During your days off, you asked Tom if Noah had come in… and he said no. Again, you thought nothing of it, until your next shift.
It was a slow morning, you and Tom were both bored out of your minds, leaning against the counter and talking about anything you could think of to pass time. But then you saw him glance at the clock, then his gaze fixed on the door.
“What are you doing?” You asked.
But he didn’t answer, he just squinted at the door.
“...Tom?”
“Hm?”
“Why are you looking at the door like that?”
“I’m thinking.”
“...About what?”
He slowly, dramatically, turned his head to look at you.
“I have a theory…”
You groaned the moment those words left his mouth.
“Oh my god.”
“I’m serious!”
“You’re never serious-”
“No, listen!”
You let out a long sigh, and looked at him as if to say carry on.
“So, your boyfriend-”
“He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Your future boyfriend.” Tom corrected.
“Tom-”
“Noah…” Tom continued anyway, completely ignoring you, “Only ever comes in when you’re working. He’s not coming here for the coffee, he’s coming here for you.” He grinned. "I bet he watches through the windows or something.!
“...What?”
Tom folded his arms over his chest smugly.
“He didn’t come in over the weekend! I looked like an idiot when I told Riley about this hot mysterious guy that tips $20 for a flat white, so if he shows up today then I think my point is proved… and he owes me an apology.”
“Pfft,” you scoffed, “I’m sure it’s just a coincidence.”
That’s what you tried to tell yourself.
“A coincidence?” Tom raised his eyebrows as if to say really?
“Yeah! Maybe he was busy, maybe he works on those days.”
“Mhmm.”
“Or maybe he works nearby, and doesn’t work on those days.”
“Sure… well, I’m about to prove you wrong.”
“What?”
Tom checked the time on his phone and turned the screen toward you.
9:57 am.
“Noah usually comes in around ten.” He said.
“Tom-”
“So,” he continued, ignoring you completely, “If my theory is correct…”
You sighed and leaned against the counter again.
“This is ridiculous.”
But despite yourself, you glanced at the clock on the wall, and Tom followed your gaze. Then both of you looked toward the door.
9:59…
Tom slowly leaned closer to the counter, his eyes focused on the door like he was watching the final seconds of an intense sports match.
“This is so stupid.” You sighed, glancing back at the clock to see it had just passed 10. You smirked immediately and turned to Tom. “See?”
But before Tom could answer-
ding!
The bell above the door chimed, and both of your heads snapped toward it at the exact same time.
There he was, Noah, walking through the door like he always did, dark hair slightly messy, black jacket hanging open over a black hoodie with matching black sweatpants. He glanced around the cafe, noticing it was pretty much empty, so he claimed a table by the window. He set down his bag and shrugged off his jacket.
Tom’s jaw dropped, but you just blinked like you couldn't believe your eyes. Then Noah looked up, and his eyes landed on you, he smiled as he stepped up to the counter.
“Good morning.” He said simply, and that word alone was enough to make you blush.
You ignored the look Tom was giving you, and smiled back at him.
“Morning… uh, the usual?”
He nodded his head.
“Please.”
You put it through the register and as he paid, you reached for a takeaway cup out of habit, before stopping yourself and asking,
“Are you sitting in today?”
“Yeah. I’ve got work to do, thought a change of scenery might help me focus.”
You nodded your head, reaching for a coffee mug.
“What do you do?” You asked, “For work?”
“A bit of everything, really.” He chuckled, “I work in music.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. Well- that’s the short answer. I’d be here all day if I explained it all.”
You smiled at that, and started to make his drink.
You wouldn’t have guessed he worked in music, but it explained a lot- the tattoos and the whole look he had going on. But he must do well in his job, given his tipping habits.
When it was ready, you slid Noah’s mug over the counter towards him.
“Here.”
“Thank you.” He said with a grateful smile, then headed back to the table.
You watched him sit down and open his bag, pulling out a laptop… then, Tom cleared his throat beside you.
“I told you!” He grinned, “He definitely only comes here for you, I’d give it two days until he asks you on a date.”
“Tom.” You groaned, leaning against the counter, your back to Noah. “Maybe he just likes the way I make his coffee?”
“A flat white?” He scoffed, “C’mon, you seriously think he only comes here for that? I think he comes here for the view.”
“Just leave it, Tom.”
“No! I can’t just leave it when a sexy, rich guy is in love with my best friend!”
You rolled your eyes and spun back around… only for your eyes to drift towards him.
Across the cafe, Noah typed something on his laptop, then paused again. He reached for his drink, took a sip, then stared at the screen like he was trying to solve a puzzle. Tom was right about one thing, he was sexy.
“You’re staring at him…” Tom smirked.
“No I’m not, I’m just… checking to see if he needs another drink.”
“He literally just sat down.”
You swatted Tom with the rag.
“Go do your job, Thomas. We’re almost out of pastries.”
Tom grinned as he pushed himself off the counter.
“Fine, but I’m not letting this go. Not until you two get married.”
You groaned so loud that Noah looked up, and if you had been looking at him, you would’ve seen the way he smiled behind his coffee mug.
…
After twenty or minutes or so, Noah stood up from his chair, picking up his mug and walking back to the counter. Your tummy did another stupid flip as he handed it over.
“Was everything okay?” You asked as you took the cup.
“It was perfect,” he said, “Could I get another?”
“Sure.” You smiled, putting it through the register. “So… you getting any work done over there?” You asked casually.
“Trying to.” He said, before he met your eyes with a small smirk. “But I keep getting distracted.”
Oh, you forced yourself to ignore that.
You swallowed hard, quickly glancing away… but thankfully the machine beeped, so you reached for another mug and busied yourself with making his drink.
“I’ll bring it over to you if you want?” You called out over the sound of the coffee machine, to which Noah gave a nod of his head.
He stepped away from the counter then, heading back to his table by the window while you forced all your attention on to the coffee machine. But of course, Tom had heard the whole exchange. You didn’t see him crouched down, restocking the pastries, until he got up, the most devilish grin on his face.
“I don’t know why you keep denying it-”
“Don’t even start.” You shook your head, not even looking at him.
“You’re distracting him. You heard him! You saw the way he looked at you!”
“Shut the fuck up.” You carefully set the mug onto a saucer, and just as Tom opened his mouth to speak again, you walked away.
You took the drink over to Noah’s table, trying not to overthink the very normal task of delivering coffee to a customer… something you usually only did for your elderly or disabled customers.
“Here you go.”
“Thank you.” He said, glancing up from his laptop.
Up close, you noticed the slight stubble on his jaw, and the tattoos on his arms. After taking off his jacket and hoodie, he was left wearing a fitted plain black t-shirt, which made him look unfairly good. For a moment, your brain malfunctioned, and all you could do was stare, before you caught yourself.
“No problem!” You said quickly, “What are you working on?”
Why the fuck would he want to tell you?
“I’m actually writing a story for a comic.” He said proudly, like he was happy you asked.
“A comic?” Your brows drew together as you huffed a laugh, “I thought you said you worked in music?”
“I do,” he said simply, “It’s for my band… I won’t bore you with the nerdy shit, but the story basically goes along with our latest album. I thought it’d be pretty cool.”
“It sounds it,” you nodded your head, “Well, enjoy your coffee. I’ll let you get back to work.”
He nodded his head.
“Thanks again, for the refill.”
“No problem.” You smiled before turning and heading back to the counter, where Tom was already waiting for you.
“WHAT DID HE SAY?” He whisper-yelled.
“Nothing.”
“Nuh-uh, you’re lying.”
You grabbed the rag again and wiped the counter where you’d accidentally spilt a little milk.
“He just said thank you. He told me about his work. That was it!”
“Did he ask you out?”
“No.”
“Did you ask him out?”
“No!” You raised your voice, burying your face in your hands.
That was when Tom stopped playing about, and instead he took one of your hands in his, inspecting your nails.
“Oh, what are these?!”
“Don't.” You groaned.
“Girl, you’re missing two nails, one of them looks chipped… and your thumb is hanging on for dear life.”
You snatched your hand back.
“I work in a coffee shop, Tom. I’m not exactly able to get manicures every week.” You huffed, “I was going to get them done this weekend, but I had to get my brakes fixed.”
“Oh, was the hot mechanic working?” Tom wiggled his eyebrows.
“No, not this time,” you sighed, “But it cost more than I was expecting.”
What you didn’t notice, was that across the cafe, Noah sat very still with his coffee in his hands. His laptop was still open in front of him, but his eyes weren’t on the screen anymore
Because he was listening in on your conversation, his eyes drifting to your hands when you reached to hand a frappe over to a customer. He thought something over in his head as he pretended to read something on his laptop… but his hand was already reaching for his wallet.
…
Eventually, Noah shut his laptop. You didn’t notice, but of course Tom did.
“Oh,” he whispered under his breath, “He’s leaving.”
“What?” You asked distractedly while stacking cups.
“Your man.”
You rolled your eyes.
“He is not my-”
But Noah was already walking over. You quickly straightened up, and watched as he set the empty mug gently on the counter.
“Was it okay?” You asked automatically.
“Oh yeah,” he said, “It was perfect. Thank you.”
You picked up the mug to rinse it.
“No problem.”
For a second, it felt like he might say something else. He stood there, hesitating for a second, before he gave you a small nod.
“Have a good rest of your day.”
“You too,” you smiled, “Good luck with your story.”
He gave you a toothy smile at that, then you turned to rinse off the mug. Whilst you were stood by the sink, you heard the bell above the door jingle as it closed behind him.
You didn’t think anything of it, you stacked the mug to be washed before turning back to the counter… then you noticed the napkin. It was folded, you assumed Noah must’ve left it, it was probably rubbish anyway.
So you picked it up, and as you were about to toss it in the bin, Tom practically lunged across the counter to grab your wrist.
“WAIT!”
You froze, panic and confusion washing over you.
“What are you doing?”.
“Open it.” He said.
“Why? It’s-”
“JUST OPEN IT!!”
You frowned, but unfolded the napkin… and suddenly, your breath caught.
Because money dropped down onto the counter. Three twenties.
“What the fuck…”
“Wait, is that writing?” Tom pointed at the napkin, and your eyes darted back down to it.
For the nails, get yourself something pretty.
-N
You stared at it, and suddenly your mouth felt dry. You glanced back at the money, then stared at the door again.
“Tom...?”
“Yeah?”
“...I think you might’ve been right.”
…
You got your nails done after work that night, telling yourself it was just because you were meaning to fix them, not because of Noah. It had nothing to do with Noah! But you did think of him when you handed the money over, and you caught yourself smiling, wondering if he’d notice tomorrow.
The next morning, you had just tied your apron when Tom spotted your hands.
“Oh my god.”
“What?”
He grabbed your hands, positioning them so he could see them better.
“You did it…”
“Of course I did.” You chuckled, “You saw the state they were in.”
“They look so cute!” Tom smiled, before a mischievous smirk spread across his face, “...y’know, I bet they’d look so good wrapped around Noah’s di-”
“TOM!!” You smacked his arm.
“Hey, I’m just saying! Isn’t that the reason guys pay for their girlfriends nails?!”
You narrowed your eyes on him.
“First of all, he is not my boyfriend. And second… you’re disgusting!”
“But am I wrong?”
You rolled your eyes, and reached for the box of pastries to put out.
…
Noah was right on time, as usual, walking through the door just after 10am. You were busy serving another customer when you spotted him, and you caught yourself smiling while you tried to focus on the lady in front of you.
“That’ll be 5.50.” You said, turning the card reader toward her.
Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Noah stepping up to the counter. He waited patiently off to the side like he always did, hands resting casually in the pockets of his jacket whilst he glanced over at the pastries.
Your heart raced when the lady took her coffee and left, knowing Noah was up next. You glanced down at your hands, your nails that he paid for, and wondered what he would think.
“He’s here!” Tom whispered in a sing song tone, a smirk spread across his face.
“I can see that.”
“Your man!”
“He’s not my man.” You hissed quietly, then you looked up.
“Good morning.” Noah said, a smile on his face.
“Morning.” You replied, trying to sound normal, forcing a friendly smile.
Tom whistled beside you, and you kicked his ankle under the counter.
“The usual?” You asked Noah.
“Yes please. To take away.” He nodded.
“Coming right up.”
You tapped it into the register while Noah pulled his card out. As you handed the machine over, his eyes dropped to your hands. To your freshly done nails.
You tried to act like you didn’t notice the way his face lit up, you tried to force the heat away from your cheeks, but you couldn’t.
“Nice nails, by the way.” He said casually.
Your brain immediately stopped working.
“Oh- uh… thanks.”
“They look good.” Noah added casually, tapping his card against the reader until it beeped.
“Yeah, I, um… finally got them done.”
“Glad you did. They suit you.” He said.
Oh yeah, if your brain hadn’t turned to mush before, it has now.
You pretended not to hear that, and instead, grabbed a takeaway cup and began making his drink. Usually, you felt like you could make a flat white with your eyes closed, but you could feel Noah watching you, and it made you overthink every little movement. Suddenly, it felt like it was your first day on the job again, and you had completely forgotten how the espresso machine worked.
Still, you made it just like you usually did, and you even risked a glance over your shoulder, only to find Noah was already looking at you, and when he met your eyes, he gave you a quick smile.
You turned away immediately, putting the lid on the cup before walking over.
“Here you go.” You said, setting it on the counter.
“Thanks.” He said, reaching out to pick it up.
You expected him to leave straight after, like he usually does when he doesn’t sit in, but instead he just… lingered. It was as if he wanted to say something, but you got there first.
“Are you working today?” You asked casually.
“Yeah, I’m actually on the way to the studio,” he nodded, lifting his cup up a little, “I just needed this first.”
Then he took a sip, before nodding again.
“Perfect as always. Thank you.”
“No problem,” you smiled, “And thank you. For… the money.”
You caught the way his eyes sparkled, like he was waiting to see if you’d bring it up.
“Of course. Can’t let a pretty girl walk around with chipped nails.”
Pretty girl.
God, he was going to be the death of you…
"Anyways, have a good day." He said with a quick nod before turning around, leaving you frozen in place with butterflies in your stomach.
…
A week later, Noah was late. He didn’t come at his usual time, and you had been watching the clock all morning, waiting to see him. Because you needed something good today, given your current situation with your landlord…
But before you knew it, you were on your lunch break, and he still hadn’t shown. Maybe he was just busy? You tried not to overthink anything, and instead you took your lunch (a latte and a sandwich) to one of the small tables by the window, far away enough from the rest of the customers so they wouldn’t be disturbed by you making a call.
“Hi, it’s y/n again,” you said quietly, your voice blending in with the rest of the chatter in the room, “From 3B, yeah. That’s me.”
Across the room, Tom was working behind the counter, making up a couple drinks for the customers in the line.
“Yeah, I know.” You continued, speaking into the phone, rubbing your temple with your fingers. “I know I said I’d have it by this week, but I just-”
The door jingled, but you had your back to it, so you didn’t see him walk in, but Tom did. And his eyebrows shot straight up when Noah walked in. Then he noticed the way he scanned the room, until his eyes landed on you.
You were leaning forward a little in your chair, your elbow resting on the table while you spoke into your phone. He noticed how from your body language alone you looked stressed, and you sounded exhausted.
“Please- I’m trying…” you said, “I just need a little more time.”
Noah slowed as he walked toward the counter, but Tom was already stood there with a big wide grin on his face.
“Hey!”
“...hey?” Noah replied, a little scared confused at Tom’s eagerness.
“The usual again, right? Flat white?”
“Uh…” Noah glanced towards you again, before reaching for his wallet, “Yes please.”
“I know that’s what the lease says,” you were saying, your voice a little smaller now, but they could both hear you from the counter, “But I’ve been car problems this month, and- no, I’m not ignoring it! I’m just behind on everything right now!”
Tom made Noah’s drink, sliding it across the counter when it was done. And the disappointment was evident on his face when he realised Noah hadn’t tipped him nearly as much as he does with you.
“Thanks.” Noah said as he took the cup… but instead of leaving with it, he glanced at your table again.
“I know. Look, I promise I’ll figure something out.” You said, softer this time. “I just need a little more time… just a few days? How much do I owe exactly?”
There was a short pause, then you sighed.
“Only 200? Okay… thank you.”
You hung up and dropped your phone onto the table with a frustrated exhale, your appetite for the sandwich completely gone.
“Everything okay?”
Your head lifted, you weren’t expecting to see Noah standing beside the table when you looked up.
“Oh- hi.”
He gave you a small smile.
“Hi…” he nodded toward the empty chair across from you, “Do you mind if I join you?”
Your stomach did that silly flip again.
“No, of course.”
He pulled the chair out and sat down across from you, setting his coffee down on the table. For a moment, neither of you spoke, and you suddenly felt a little embarrassed.
“I’m guessing you heard that.”
“Some of it.”
You nodded your head, leaning back in your chair.
“Sorry… I’m just not my landlord’s favourite person right now.”
“It’s fine,” he said gently, “You behind on rent?”
“Yeah.” You confessed, glancing down at the latte in your hands, “I’m a little behind on everything right now.”
There was a small pause between the two of you, because Noah didn’t say anything. He just rested his forearms carefully on the table, his fingers wrapped around his coffee cup, mirroring you while he watched you for a moment.
And god, you could feel his eyes on you, and it suddenly made you hyperaware of every little thing about yourself. The way your hair was messy from your shift, your makeup smudged from the way you were sweating on your way to work- since you had no fuel in your car you had to walk- the cheap sandwich that you hadn’t touched sitting in front of you, and the way you probably sounded on the phone two minutes ago.
“You wanna talk about it?” He asked after a moment. “I’ve got all afternoon free…”
“I’ve got to get back to work in 15 minutes,” you frowned, “Thanks though.”
“When do you finish?”
“7.” You answered. “Then I’m babysitting my neighbours kid until 11…”
Noah’s eyes widened.
“After a full shift here?”
You gave a small shrug, like it wasn’t a big deal.
“It’s easy money, he usually falls asleep by 9. And it’s helping me get my car fixed, so I can’t complain.”
Noah nodded his head, before his eyes fell on the sandwich in front of you.
“Not hungry?”
You looked down at it.
“Not really. I thought I’d make a change and get one of these instead of reheating leftover lasagne for the third time this week.”
Noah chuckled, a little smile on his lips before he straightened up a little, looking more serious now.
“You know…” he said carefully, “If you need help with money-”
“Noah.” You said his name gently, but firmly, your eyes meeting his as you continued, “I can’t. You can’t.”
“Why not?” He asked casually, like it meant nothing.
“Because,” you said, shifting a little nervously in your seat, “You already tip way too much.”
He nodded his head.
“That’s my choice.”
“And you paid for my nails.”
“Also my choice.”
“I can’t let you pay for my rent. It’s… weird.”
He tilted his head slightly, studying your face.
“Weird?”
“Yes,” you said, “I mean, you’re a customer-”
“Is that all I am to you?” He smirked.
Your expression fell.
“I didn’t mean it like-”
“I know,” he chuckled, “I’m kidding.”
Your shoulders relaxed again, then you glanced at the clock on the wall behind the counter.
“I’ve got ten minutes left of my break.”
“Better enjoy them.”
You took a sip of your latte before looking back up at him.
“How’s your day been?”
“...Busy.” He said, “I’ve been in the studio since 7 this morning, I needed to clear my head before I go back this evening.”
“And you came here?” You said a little softer than you had meant to, and Noah just shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal, taking another sip of his drink.
“Yep.”
“Why?” You asked gently.
He gave you a look over the rim of his cup.
“Good coffee.”
You raised an eyebrow playfully.
“You sure that’s the only reason?”
He huffed a quiet laugh, smiling as he put his cup back down on the table.
“So what’s the real reason then?” He asked, leaning back in his chair, a smug smile on his face that made your tummy fuzzy. But you swallowed hard, and forced a casual shrug.
“You tell me.”
For a second he just looked at you, amused. Then he folded his arms over his chest.
“You want the truth?” He asked, looking away for a second, glancing out the window, “I don’t think a pretty thing like you should be stressing over rent, working 15 hours a day just to scrape by.” He met your eyes again, “What kind of life is that?”
You blinked at him, so taken back that you didn’t know how to respond to that. And Noah, clearly pleased with your reaction, smirked, picked up his cup and stood.
“I’ll leave you to enjoy the rest of your break in peace, but before I go, can I ask you one thing?”
You nodded your head.
“Okay...”
“Let me take you out one night, when you’re not working. We could go out for drinks, or get dinner. Whatever you prefer… you deserve it.”
You hesitated, staring down into your mug.
“I don’t really go out much.”
“Which is exactly why I’m offering. You deserve a break, even if it’s just for one night.”
“Is this your way of asking me on a date?” You smirked, finally meeting his eyes, “Because if so, then I guess I can find the time.”
Noah grinned, before patting down his pockets, pulling out his phone.
“Can I get your number?” He asked, handing it over to you, “I’ll text you, and if you let me know when you’re free, we can plan something.”
You smiled as you typed your number in, before catching the time on the top of the screen.
“Sounds good,” you nodded, “But I’ve uh… gotta get back to work now.”
You handed his phone back and Noah took it, glancing down as your contact appeared on the screen. A small, satisfied smile tugged at his mouth before he slipped the phone back into his pocket.
“Guess I’ll have to wait for that free night then.” He said.
“Mm, don’t hold your breath.” You teased, standing up and grabbing your sandwhich and empty mug.
“Oh, don’t worry. I’m a very patient man.”
“Oh yeah? I guess we’ll see.”
He chuckled quietly at that, pushing his chair back in, waiting for you so you could both walk up to the counter together.
“Well look who remembered she has a job!” Tom said dramatically as you stepped behind the counter.
“You survived the rush without me?” You asked, tying your apron back around your waist.
“Barely, I think I fucked up at least five orders.”
You chuckled, waving a quick goodbye to Noah before disappearing into the back room.
And that’s when Noah waved Tom over, and pulled out his wallet.
“...What are you doing?” Tom asked, confusion painted on his features.
“Give this to her later.” Noah said, sliding cash over the counter.
Tom looked down at it, then back up at Noah.
“…Dude.”
“She doesn’t want it. She’s not gonna take it from me,” Noah said simply. “But I heard her on the phone to her landlord. She said she owes two hundred.”
Tom’s eyes widened as he counted… Noah had handed over 10 twenty dollar bills.
“Jesus… why didn’t I serve you the first time you came in?”
…
The rest of the day passed pretty quickly, to your surprise. The afternoon rush came and went, and you’d been so busy that you barely had time to think about your conversation with Noah- about the way he looked at you, how he asked for your number, how you tried not to react when he called you pretty.
Every now and then, your phone buzzed in your apron pocket and you’d get hopeful… but every time you checked, you saw it was just a delivery notification, or your neighbour asking if you could babysit next week too.
But finally, the day came to an end, and the cafe was now empty. Tom flipped the sign on the door from OPEN to CLOSED, and he locked it with a heavy sigh.
“God,” he groaned, stretching his arms above his head, “I swear people purposely wait until five minutes before closing to suddenly need eight hot chocolates.”
You laughed tiredly as you started sweeping the floor, and Tom moved to stacking chairs- until he suddenly snapped his head up.
“You and your boyfriend had a nice little chat today.”
You froze mid-sweep.
“My what?”
Tom grinned, leaning his elbows on the counter, his hands framing his face.
“What were you and Noah talking about?”
You stayed silent for a moment, and only once you had finished sweeping, you told him.
“He asked me out.” You said it so quietly he barely heard you, but his eyebrows shot up, his jaw dropping to the floor.
“HE DID WHAT?”
You winced.
“It’s not a big deal.”
“Yes it is!” He insisted, “You’re going on a date with the hottest guy that’s ever stepped foot in this place- besides me obviously.”
You rolled your eyes, but before you could say anything back, he had disappeared into the back room.
“What are you doing?” You called out with a frown.
“Wait a sec!”
You started to wipe down the tables while he rustled around in the back, and then a few moments later he came back out with something in his hand.
“Okay…” He started carefully.
“What?”
He held his hand out to you.
“Don’t yell at me.”
Your brows knitted together.
“...Why would I yell at you?”
“Just take it, and don’t argue.”
“What is it?”
“Just-”
“Tom. What is in your hand?”
He sighed, bracing himself.
“It’s two hundred dollars.”
Your stomach dropped.
“...And why do you have two hundred dollars?”
Tom held it out again, taking your wrist and slipping the money into your hand.
“Noah gave it to me, to give to you.”
Your eyes widened.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No. Tom… I’m not taking that.”
“Yeah, that’s why he told me to give it to you…”
You swallowed hard, looking down at the money in your hand.
“I can’t just take his money, Tom. This is just insane.”
"Hey, don't shoot the messenger! Take that up with him, not me!” Tom said, holding his hands up, “If you don’t want it, I’ll have it-”
“No you won’t!”
“So you will?” He grinned.
“...I guess I’ll just look after it until I see him again.“
…
Later that night, you were curled up on your neighbour's couch with a blanket pulled over your legs. The glow of the TV was the only light in the living room, you had put on some random channel since you weren’t paying any attention to it anyway. You were too busy checking your phone every few minutes.
True to what you had told Noah earlier, the kid you were babysitting had been asleep since nine, and now it was almost ten thirty. And Noah still hadn't texted you.
With a sigh, you leaned your head back against the couch whilst your brain replayed the moment between you and Tom earlier, and the two hundred dollars you were given… for no reason.
You wondered what to say to Noah when you next saw him, since you now had two days off work you had plenty of time to plan how you’d give the money back to him.
Then, as if he had read your mind from across the city, your phone buzzed.
Unknown number: Hey, it’s Noah
Unknown number: Did you survive the rest of your shift?
You couldn’t help the smile that spread across your face. You quickly saved his number before replying.
You: I did
You: Until Tom gave me something
Noah: Uh oh
You: Why the fuck did you give me $200?
There was a pause before Noah replied, as if he was unsure what to say.
Noah: Are you mad?
You: Yes.
You: You can’t just pay someone else’s rent. I can handle that
Noah: I didn’t pay your rent
Noah: I gave your friend money
You scoffed, rolling your eyes.
You: Same thing Noah
You: But why?
Noah: Because…
Noah: :)
You: I’m paying you back
The typing bubble appeared immediately.
Noah: You absolutely are not
You snorted.
You: Yes I am
Noah: Nuh uh
You: Watch me
Noah: Fine…
Noah: Pay me back by letting me take you to dinner. Do you know when you’re free yet?
A smile spread across your face.
You: I had plans tomorrow, but my friends cancelled so...
Noah: Oh that’s perfect, I’ll book a table
You: Where?
Noah: Leave that up to me, just send me your address and make sure you’re ready for 7
…
And so you did exactly that. You spent most of the day trying to convince yourself that you weren’t anxious, but that was a lie, because you hadn’t gone on a date in… years! So you tried to keep yourself distracted all day, whether it was cleaning your apartment or doing laundry or paying that money into your bank so you could pay your rent. You just did anything you could to keep your mind off the fact Noah was picking you up at 7.
But by 6:30 you were panicking over what to wear. Do you go casual? Formal? In between?
In the end, you decided to just dress up, because when do you ever go out?
Your stomach fluttered every time you checked the time, because 7pm was creeping up on you. And before you knew it-
Knock knock!
You froze for a second before grabbing your bag and heading to the door. When you opened it, Noah was standing there with his hands tucked into the pockets of his pants.
For a second, neither of you said anything. Because somehow, he looked even better than he had when you’ve seen him at work, and you hoped he was thinking the same about you.
Fuck, he was wearing a loose black tshirt, tucked into a pair of black pants, a belt holding them in place, a chain around his neck catching the light by the door. His hair was slightly messy too, like he’d been running his hand through it while he walked up the stairs. And when you met his eyes, his expression softened.
“Hey.” He said, his voice dropping an octave.
You could feel the butterflies fluttering around in your stomach, and heat creeping into your cheeks.
“Hi.”
“You look…” his eyes moved over you, not in a creepy way, but just taking you in, “Gorgeous.”
You laughed softly, unsure how to take the compliment.
“You ready?”
He nodded his head.
“Yeah... whenever you are.”
You stepped outside and locked your door, turning to follow him down the stairs, and then down toward the street.
And that was when you noticed his car.
You stopped walking, freezing on the spot.
“...Noah.”
He glanced back at you, confused.
“What?”
“That’s your car?”
He followed your gaze to the sleek black car parked by the curb.
“Yeah…” He replied with a chuckle.
“You drive that?”
He shrugged.
“It gets me places.”
You narrowed your eyes, but before you could say anymore, he had opened the passenger door for you. Something nobody has ever done before…
What a gentleman.
When you were in, he closed the door and walked around to the driver's side.
He got in and started the car, then as he pulled away from the curb, you looked at him, a playful smirk spreading across your face.
“So…” You said.
“So?” He glanced over at you.
“I still plan on paying you back.”
He groaned softly.
“We’re really doing this tonight?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Slowly, he turned his head to look at you for a aplit second before his focus returned to the road.
“Are you always this stubborn?”
You chuckled, crossing your arms over your chest like it might hide the way his voice alone made you feel dizzy.
“What if I am?”
Fuck, Noah's mind suddenly went somewhere it shouldn't have. He thought about how quick he could make you drop that attitude, how he would make you melt in his hands until the only word left on your tongue was please. He could picture it so clearly, your wrists pinned in one of his hands, your back arching off the sheets- but he wouldn't let you know that. So instead, he just smirked, and didn't say a word.
…
When he finally pulled up to the restaurant, Noah parked the car up effortlessly, swerving into an empty space outside the front. You looked up, and caught a glimpse of the building. It looked fancy, but still warm and cozy- golden light spilled from the windows, and inside you could see people smiling, laughing, talking over candlelit tables.
“Oh wow,” you gasped before you could stop yourself, “This looks nice…”
He turned his head, huffing a soft laugh.
“Wait until you see the inside.” He said as he got out of the car.
You reached down for your clutch bag by your feet, and before you could even open the door, Noah was there. He held the door open with one hand, and offered the other to you.
“Your chariot awaits, m’lady.” He teased.
You rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t help but smile as you took his hand and swung your legs out of the car. When you stood up, he instinctively stepped back just a little to give you space, letting the door close behind you with a soft thud.
The two of you walked towards the door, and Noah’s hand hesitated just a couple inches away from you, like he was deciding whether or not he should… but then his palm settled lightly on the small of your back. The touch was gentle, there was barely any pressure at all, but the warmth of his hand and the subtle guidance of it as he walked beside you sent a spark up your spine that you hadn’t expected.
“Is this okay?” He asked quietly, almost carefully.
“Yeah,” you said softly, “It’s okay.”
He gave a nod, before gently guiding you toward the entrance. And the moment the door opened, the warmth hit you. The place was beautiful inside, it was softly lit by golden wall lamps and candles, quiet music played in the background, and the chatter of conversations drifted between tables.
Your eyes looked everywhere at once, like you couldn’t believe it was real. You felt like you just stepped onto a movie set, not into a date. Everything was beautiful, and it was all so fascinating. You noticed the tiny details, the crystal candle holders, folded napkins, the pretty flowers in small vases on every table.
You slowed ever so slightly, taking it all in- and Noah noticed.
“You okay?” He asked, glancing down at you.
You nodded quickly, still looking around, curiosity lighting your eyes.
“Yeah, yeah. I just-” You laughed softly under your breath, “I’ve never been somewhere like this before.”
“It’s just a restaurant.”
“Yeah, but it’s a nice restaurant. Nothing like the ones I’ve been to.”
He smiled at that, but before he could respond, a hostess approached the two of you with a warm, professional smile.
“Good evening,” she began, “Do you two have a reservation.”
“Yeah, for Noah Sebastian?”
She checked the list on her tablet before nodding.
“Of course. Right this way.”
You followed her further into the restaurant, your gaze drifting over everything- the tables tucked into cozy corners, the bar lit up along one wall- you couldn’t help but lean closer to Noah as you walked.
“This place doesn’t feel real.”
“No?” He chuckled.
You shook your head.
“I keep waiting for a camera crew to jump out and tell me it’s all been a prank for a TV show,” you laughed, “It’s so beautiful.”
The hostess stopped at a small table tucked in the corner of the room, a candle lit in the center, casting warm light over the polished silverware.
“This will be your table tonight.”
“Thank you.” Noah said with an appreciative nod, then she placed two menus down carefully before stepping away.
You were just reaching for your chair when Noah pulled it back for you, making you blink in surprise before smiling.
“Thank you.”
You sat down and smoothed down your dress slightly as he pushed the chair in for you, before taking his own seat across the table.
For a moment, you picked up the menu and simply just stared at it, your eyes scanning the items- then they widened slightly.
“...Noah.”
“Hm?”
You lowered the menu just enough to look at him over the top od it.
“These prices.”
He leaned back in his chair, a smug grin on his face as he crossed his arms over his chest, clearly amused.
“Yeah? What about them?”
You stared at him.
“You’re joking.”
“I’m not…”
You glanced back down at the menu again, shaking your head in disbelief.
“This is not what I was expecting when you asked me to come to dinner with you.”
Noah smiled, clearly entertained by your reaction.
“Then you better start setting your standards higher, sweetheart,” he said simply, “This should be the bare minimum.”
You scoffed.
“Seriously? Most people’s idea of bare minimum is a pizza and a movie.”
“I like pizza…” He said calmly, with a small shrug, and the look on his face told you he had more to say.
“But…?”
“But if I’m taking someone out,” he continued, his eyes finding yours, “I’m going to take them somewhere nice.”
With a soft chuckle, your eyes dropped back to the menu again, and the prices still made your brain short circuit a little. Still, you flipped through it slowly before the drinks menu caught your eye.
“You know what drink you want?” He asked.
“No.” You answered bluntly, tapping the page, “These drinks have ingredients I’m not convinced are even real.”
He leaned forward slightly, reaching for the drink menu in your hands.
“Let me see.”
You slid it across the table.
“Please translate for me.”
He skimmed over the list, the candlelight catching in his dark hair as he tilted his head down to read. For someone who could look a little intimidating when he was quiet, he was really beautiful.
After a moment, he nodded to himself.
“Alright.”
You watched him, raising an eyebrow suspiciously.
“You sound like you just made the decision for me.”
“I did.”
“Uh oh...”
He set the menu down softly, meeting your eyes again.
“You’re having a pornstar.”
You blinked.
What?
“…I’m sorry?”
“A pornstar martini.”
You stared at him.
“That cannot possibly be the real name.”
“It is.”
You leaned forward slightly, narrowing your eyes.
“You’re messing with me.”
“I promise I’m not.”
“People order that without laughing?”
“All the time… have you never tried one before.”
“No!” You laughed, “What even is it?”
“It’s passionfruit, vanilla vodka- it’s a little sweet but they make them good here. I’m sure you’ll like it.”
You hesitated.
That did sound good.
“…Okay but if I order that I’m blaming you when the waiter laughs at me.”
“They won’t.” Noah couldn’t help but grin.
“How do you know?”
“Because everyone orders it.”
You shook your head, smiling despite yourself.
“Alright, fine. A pornstar martini it is.”
“There we go.”
“And what are you having?” You asked.
“I’m not sure… something non-alcoholic.”
That made you pause.
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
You tilted your head a little.
“You’re not drinking?”
“Someone has to drive you home.” He said simply.
Your stomach suddenly felt fuzzy, but you tried not to think about it. Instead, you looked at the menu again.
…
After ordering drinks, you and Noah easily fell into conversation. You started to get to really know each other over drinks, and then the waiter came back to take your food orders. Again, you let Noah choose for you, since you couldn’t decipher what anything on the menu meant.
Then, after the waiter left and the ordering part was over, you felt yourself relax, leaning back in your chair a little. You took another sip of your drink, then you had a thought…
“Y’know, this is probably the best- and most normal- date I’ve ever been on.” You said casually before taking another sip.
“Oh yeah?” Noah’s eyebrows lifted, “Now I’m curious about the competition. Tell me about these other dates.”
You laughed softly.
“You really want to hear about them?”
“Absolutely.” He smirked.
You took another small sip of your drink whilst you thought back on them all.
“Well… there was one guy who’s idea of a first date was inviting me to his friend's place to watch a football game.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad.” Noah chuckled.
“Of course you wouldn’t think so,” you snorted, “He spent the entire night yelling at the TV while I sat with his friend’s dog. I don’t think the guy looked at me once after the first five minutes.”
“Did he at least buy you dinner?”
You shook your head.
“He bought himself wings. Then he told me to make a sandwich if I was hungry.”
“...You’re joking.”
“I wish.”
Noah shook his head slowly, reaching for his virgin mojito.
“That guy fumbled.” He said.
“Oh yeah, massively.” You chuckled, before another one came to mind, “And there was this other guy who took me to the cinema.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad.”
“Except he picked a horror movie. And he didn’t realise it was a horror movie.”
“What happened,” Noah asked, “Did he not like it?”
You sighed, shaking your head.
“He left. He went home and left me by myself with no way home, I had to call Tom.”
Noah shook his head with a smile.
“So you’re telling me I’m winning just by paying attention to you?”
“Yes.” You said immediately.
“Wow,” he said, leaning back in his chair, “The bar is dangerously low.”
“Welcome to modern dating, Noah.” You smirked.
You couldn’t believe how nice the night was, at first you were nervous to be going out with Noah, but he was easy to talk to, he listened, and he didn’t judge. You felt all the tension you’d been building inside you over the weeks start to melt away- you weren’t thinking about how you needed to get your car fixed, or how you were still behind on rent, or anything like that. Noah’s plan to give you a break really worked.
Across the table, he was watching you quietly. Then causally, he asked,
“What about your last relationship? I mean- assuming you are single now, right?”
The question wasn’t pushy, he was just curious, but the thought of telling him about that made you hesitate.
“I’m single, yeah…” you admitted, “But my last relationship…”
“You don’t have to tell me.” He said quickly, quietly, noticing the shift.
“No, it’s okay,” you said, shaking your head, “It isn’t a secret or anything… it just wasn’t a great relationship.”
Noah didn’t interrupt you at all, he just sat there and simply listened. And that alone was unlike anything your past partners had done.
“He was one of those guys who was really great in the beginning- gifts every week, good morning texts, the kind of guy who makes you feel like you’re the most important person in the world… but after a while, I began to realise that was just an act. Because he became controlling, I guess. Not in a scary way or anything, just…” you searched for the word, “It was exhausting.”
Noah’s expression remained calm, but his eyes began to soften, and his attention never left you.
“Everything was always my fault, somehow. If he had a bad day at work, it was because I texted him that morning and ‘distracted him’. If I went out with my friends, suddenly I didn’t care about him. Stuff like that, y’know…”
Noah swallowed hard, nodding his head softly.
“But you got out of it.”
“Yeah,” you nodded your head, “About eight months ago.”
“Good,” he said, the word coming out firm, “I’m glad you could. Not a lot of people can.”
You looked up at him, offering a small smile like you had suddenly just gone shy.
“I’m still kind of recovering from the whole thing though, if I’m being honest.” You said, your shoulders lifting in a small, almost apologetic shrug, “Which reminds me, I probably should’ve told you this before tonight…”
His eyebrows lifted.
“Told me what?”
You let out a soft, nervous laugh as you ran your finger over the cool metal of your fork.
“I don’t really know if I’m ready for a relationship right now,” you confessed, and then the words started to fall out too quickly, your mouth almost couldn’t keep up with your brain, “And now I feel really bad because technically this is a date and I didn’t mean to lead you on or anything- I’d never do that- and I know I should’ve told you this before you took me somewhere this nice and-”
“Hey.” His voice cut in gently, making you look up again.
He was watching you with that same calm, almost slighlty amused expression. He reached one hand out over the table, gently resting it over the top of yours- and fuck, you never realised just how big they were.
“It’s okay.”
“Are you sure?” You asked quickly, “Because I really didn’t mean-”
“I promise. It’s fine.”
The tension in your shoulders eased a little when his thumb stroked the back of your palm.
“I’m not really looking for a relationship either, actually.”
“Oh.” That took you by surprise.
For some reason, that hadn’t been the answer you were expecting. Then his expression changed, like he realised how that might’ve sounded.
“And I don’t mean that in a weird way,” he quickly added, “Like, don’t think I’m expecting something from you tonight or anything.”
Your lips twitched into a little smile at that.
“Okay.”
“I just mean,” he leaned back in his chair again, choosing his words more carefully now, “My life’s a little complicated right now.”
“Work?” You guessed.
“Yeah,” he nodded his head, “I never know when I’ll be home or if I’ll be on the other side of the world. It’s hard to commit to anything when you live that way.”
You nodded your head slowly, reaching for your glass again.
“So… if neither of us are really looking for a relationship…”
Noah tilted his head a little.
“Yeah?”
“What exactly are we doing here?” You asked.
Noah didn’t answer that straight away. Your question hung in the air whilst he watched the flame of the candle flicker between you, trying to choose his next words carefully.
Finally, he met your eyes again, still leaning back in his chair, spreading his legs a little, adjusting himself.
“Well,” he said slowly, “If neither of us are looking for a relationship… it doesn’t necessarily have to be one- in the traditional sense.”
Your brows drew together a little, clearly confused.
“What do you mean?”
He shrugged lightly, like the idea itself wasn’t all that complicated to him.
“I mean… we could just spend time together,” he said. “When I’m home, at least.”
You watched him over your glass as you took another sip of your drink.
“Spend time together how?”
“Dinners- like this,” he said simply, gesturing subtly to the restaurant around you, “Maybe getting drinks sometimes, hanging out when we feel like it.”
“So…” your brain was still trying to put all the pieces together, to understand what this was, “We’d just go out together sometimes?”
“If you want to.”
“And that’s it?”
Noah’s smile grew a little, like he could see the gears turning in your head.
“Well,” he admitted, “There’s a little more to it than that.”
Aha!
You raised an eyebrow.
“Like what?”
He shifted a little in his seat, leaning forwards and resting his forearms on the table.
“Well… I like taking care of the people I spend time with.”
“What does that mean, exactly?” You asked, confused again.
He glanced around the restaurant briefly before looking back at you.
“Things like this,” he said, nodding slightly toward the table. “Nice dinners. Good places. Making sure you’re not worrying about the bill… or your rent, or your nails.”
Your lips pressed together in a small, uncertain smile.
“That’s… very generous.”
He shrugged in that casual way he does best.
“Look, I do pretty well for myself.” The way he said it didn’t sound like bragging. It was more like an acknowledgment of a fact that had long stopped feeling impressive to him. “And honestly, what fun is money if you can’t spoil other people with it?”
Your gaze dropped to the candle for a moment as you really thought about that. Because now, you were starting to understand.
“And I mean that,” he added gently. “I hate the idea of you struggling when I know I’ve got more money than I know what to do with half the time.”
“You barely know me.” You pointed out, “And you’re already offering to… what, fix my life?” You asked with a small laugh.
He shook his head immediately.
“No, not fix your life,” he said, smiling softly. “Just make things easier, maybe. A little more exciting.”
You leaned back slightly in your chair, trying to figure out how serious he was being, because the whole idea felt surreal.
“And what do you want in return?” You asked carefully.
Noah blinked at the question, his eyebrows drawing together.
“What do you mean?”
You hesitated for a moment before deciding there wasn’t really a delicate way to ask it.
“I mean… is this all in exchange for sex?” You said plainly.
For a second he just stared at you, then he laughed. Not awkwardly, or defensively, but like he was genuinely amused.
“No,” he said quickly, shaking his head. “Not at all.”
Your eyebrows lifted.
“Really?”
“Really,” he repeated, still smiling as he leaned forward slightly again. “I’m not trying to buy you.”
The blunt honesty of that made the feeling in your chest settle a little.
“Then what’s the catch? What do you want from me?” You asked.
He thought about it for a moment before answering.
“Honestly? I just want someone to keep me company.”
You studied his face, surely not.
“Company?”
“Yeah. Someone I like spending time with,” he clarified. “Someone I can take out to dinner when I’m back in town. Someone I can actually talk to, but without the expectations and responsibilities of a real relationship, y’know.”
Your fingers drifted back to your glass as you listened.
“I get lonely sometimes when I’m on the road,” he admitted. “You’re constantly surrounded by people, but none of them really know you. It gets… depressing after a while.” That part you understood more than you expected. “And I’m definitely not looking for groupies,” he added with a quiet laugh. “Trust me, I’ve been there, and that’s not the kind of company I’m interested in.”
You couldn’t help but smile at that.
“I’d rather spend time with someone I genuinely like,” he continued, meeting your eyes again. “Someone interesting, someone funny, someone pretty…”
The sincerity in his voice made your stomach flutter. You leaned back in your chair again, still trying to wrap your head around the whole thing.
“So let me get this straight,” you said slowly. “You take me out to dinner when you’re home. You want to ‘spoil’ me, make my life ‘more exciting’..."
“If you want.” He nodded once.
“And in return… I just spend time with you?”
Noah’s smile returned.
“Yeah, that’s pretty much it.”
You stared at him for a moment longer before letting out a quiet laugh.
“Y’know, Noah, it sounds suspiciously like you’re trying to make me your sugar baby.”
He chuckled softly, completely unfazed.
“I was trying my best to phrase it a little more politely than that.” His shoulders lifted in a small shrug, amusement still lingering in his expression. “But if that’s the label you want to put on it…”
You shook your head, still laughing under your breath as you reached for your glass again.
“This is easily the strangest conversation I’ve ever had on a first date.”
He chuckled at that.
“So what do you say?”
You thought for a moment, turning the stem of your glass slowly between your fingers while the candlelight flickered across the table. The idea wasn’t bad, it wasn’t offensive. If anything, it was oddly honest- there was no pretending, no weird games or expectations.. He had simply told you what he wanted, and he’d done it in a way that made it feel less like a transaction and more like a possibility to you…
Still, it was a lot to process. Because what if it went wrong? What if one of you got too attached?
You looked back up at him, a small, thoughtful smile tugging at your lips.
“I think…” you said slowly, “I might need to think about that one.”
Noah nodded, like he’d expected that answer.
“That’s fine.” He smiled. “Take your time.”
You appreciated how relaxed he was about it, how there was no pressure in his voice, no sense that he expected an answer tonight.
When the waiter brought the plates over, the conversation was lighter again, the two of you returning to the easy back and forth that you had going on all evening so naturally. It was like you two had known each other for years- you couldn’t remember the last time you got on so well with somebody.
By the time the waiter cleared your plates, you noticed you’d been sitting there for nearly two hours without even releasing, but when the dessert menu appeared, you picked it up instinctively- and wished you hadn't.
“Oh no…” You shook your head.
“What?” Noah asked, amused.
“There are too many good options.”
He leaned over slightly closer so he could see the menu in your hands.
“Let me guess. You want ten different things?”
“Maybe…” You admitted.
He laughed softly.
“We could always get a few to share? I don’t mind.”
You glanced up at him with a smile.
“Now that sounds dangerous.”
“Live a little.” He smirked.
You scanned the menu again, biting your lip thoughtfully.
“There’s chocolate brownie,” you said slowly, “And some kind of caramel cheesecake...”
“Then get both.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
So you did…
By the time the desserts arrived, the two of you had gone back to that comfortable conversation again- talking about small things, laughing over random stories, occasionally stealing bites from each other’s plates.
The chocolate brownie was rich and warm, the center melting perfectly when you cut into it.
You closed your eyes after the first bite.
“Oh my god.”
“Good, huh?”
You nodded, already reaching for another bite from his plate.
“This might be the best thing I’ve ever eaten.”
He shook his head with a smile as you pushed the other plate toward him.
“Try the cheesecake.”
He did, then raised his eyebrows slightly.
“Okay, that one’s good too.”
You ended up passing the plates back and forth between you until both were almost gone, neither of you bothering to pretend you weren’t enjoying it far too much.
Eventually, though, the plates were cleared, the check came and went without you even seeing it, and the candle on your table had burned low enough that the wax had begun pooling around the base.
You couldn’t believe how long you had been here for, but you found yourself glancing around the restaurant with a strange little reluctance settling in your chest.
You weren’t quite ready for it to end.
And across the table, Noah seemed to notice.
“You okay over there?” He asked gently.
You laughed under your breath.
“Yeah, I just don’t want tonight to end.”
“It was a good dinner.”
“It was a really good dinner.” You corrected him.
You followed Noah out to the car, then glanced down the street before looking back at him.
“So… what now?”
He studied you for a second.
“I could take you home.”
“Or…?”
“Or… we could keep hanging out, maybe have another drink. I live nearby- only if you want to, though.”
There was no pressure in the way he said it, it was just a simple suggestion…
You thought about it for a moment- your brain immediately tried to be responsible. You barely knew this guy, he seemed nice but anyone can act. This was impulsive, you should probably go home. It was getting late…
But another part of you- the part that had been laughing with him all night, the part that felt happier and more carefree than it had in months- didn’t want the night to end.
So you looked back at him.
“…Okay.”
A smile slowly spread across his face.
“Okay?”
“Let’s go back to yours.”
…
On the drive home, you couldn’t help but notice Noah sneaking glances at you when he thought you weren’t looking. God, you watched the way he held the wheel with one hand, the way his rings on his fingers caught the moonlight- but then before you knew it, he was pulling up into a driveway.
“Do you live here?” You asked, your eyes widening when you really took in the sight of his house.
“Yep.” He said casually as he parked up.
You stepped out of the car, looking up at his home.
“Shit… you’re doing very well for someone who ‘just works in music.’”
He chuckled quietly as he locked the car.
“Come on.”
Inside, his home looked just how you imagined it. Modern, minimalist, but still very homely- light walls and dark furniture, a large couch in the living room, the coffee table scattered with a few random things he probably forgot to tidy away.
You slowly stepped further inside, looking around.
“…Okay this is very cool.”
He tossed his keys onto the counter.
“It’s alright.”
“You would say that.”
He smiled.
“You want a drink?”
“Sure.”
He poured you both something simple, whiskey for him, a glass of wine for you, before handing you the glass, then you followed him back into the living room.
The room was dim, lit by a couple of tall floor lamps rather than the overhead lights, which made the room feel softer. Outside the large windows, the night sky was pitch black, and the glass reflected the room back at you.
You sat down on one end of the couch, while Noah dropped down on the other, leaning back comfortably, his legs spreading a little as he took a sip of his whiskey. For a moment, neither of you said anything… until you chuckled softly to yourself.
“What?” He asked, a smile tugging at his lips.
“I’m just…” you gestured to the room around you with your glass, “Still processing the fact that this is your house! Like, look at this place… you live here?!”
He shrugged.
“It’s just a house. A house I worked very hard for.”
“It’s a very nice house.” You corrected, making him smile.
You turned slightly towards him, tucking one leg under you as the conversation picked back up again, easy and natural like it had been all evening. You talked about random things, anything that came to mind. Every now and then he’d say something that made you laugh harder than you expected, and slowly, without either of you really noticing, the space between you got smaller.
At some point, he moved closer so he could set his glass down on the coffee table, and when he leaned back again, your knees were almost touching. But you just kept talking… and after another few minutes, you suddenly became aware of the way he was looking at you- or specifically, the way he was looking at your mouth.
At first, you tried to ignore it. You kept talking, finishing the story you were half way through telling- but when you glanced back up at him again, his eyes dropped to your lips again.
“...What?” You asked suddenly.
His gaze lifted back to your eyes again.
“Hm?”
“You’re staring.”
“No I’m not.”
“Yes you are.”
He huffed a small laugh into his glass as he finished his whiskey, and you narrowed your eyes.
“What is it?” You asked, suddenly becoming a little self conscious, “Do I have something on my face?”
“No.” He chuckled.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
You squinted at him, a little suspicious.
“Because we did have dessert and, and now I’m wondering if I have chocolate sauce all over my-”
He didn’t let you finish. Instead, he leaned forward and kissed you.
It caught you completely off guard. One second you were nervously rambling about chocolate on your face, embarrassing yourself, and the next his mouth was on yours- warm and soft and god, it made your mind go completely blank. All you could think about was the taste of whiskey on his lips.
For a second, you froze, your eyes widening… but then you kissed him back. Your hand came up to his chest, steadying yourself as the kiss lingered a little longer than either of you probably intended. It wasn’t rushed or clumsy, if anything, it felt like he'd been thinking about doing it for the last ten minutes and finally let himself give in.
When he pulled back a little, your heart was pounding so loud in your chest you wouldn't be surprised if he could hear it.
“Oh…” You whispered with a little breathy chuckle.
“Yeah,” he smirked, “You were talking too much.”
You laughed softly, your hand still on his chest.
“You could’ve just said that.”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
Fuck, your eyes fell to his lips again without meaning too. He was a really good kisser, and apparently he knew it too.
The smug little curve at the corner of his mouth didn’t help either.
Before you realised it, your fingers moved, they slid from his chest to the chain necklace around his neck. You hooked a finger through it, curling it a little before giving it a tug. It wasn’t hard, it was just enough to pull him forward and close the inches of space between you again.
This time the kiss wasn’t tentative at all. The moment your lips met, he kissed you back immediately, deeper than before. Your fingers stayed looped in the chain as you leaned closer, your other hand sliding up the side of his neck, until your fingers ran through his hair.
His hands then moved, one of them settling on your waist, and you moved even closer towards him- and the next thing you knew he was pulling you fully into his lap.
You barely had time to register the movement before you were straddling him, your balance instinctively settling as your hands moved to his big, broad shoulders.
The kiss broke for a second when you both adjusted.
You looked down at him through your lashes, slightly breathless.
“…Hi.” You panted.
He huffed a quiet laugh, his eyes dark and hungry.
“Hi.”
But neither of you stayed still for long.
You closed the space again, kissing him before he could say anything else. The kiss turned hungry and desperate almost immediately now that you were this close, his hands sliding from your waist to your hips to steady you.
Then lower… until his palms settled on your ass, gripping lightly through the fabric of your dress. The contact made your breath hitch against his mouth.
“This okay?” He asked quietly against your lips, though his hands didn’t move.
“Yeah,” you breathed. “More than okay.”
Your arms slipped around his neck, pulling him closer again as you kissed him even deeper this time. His thumbs brushed against the curve of your hips as he held you there, and you caught yourself smiling into the kiss.
But then you had a thought.
You pulled back just enough to look at him, running your fingers through his hair again while you caught your breath.
“So… about that whole sugar daddy thing…”
That earned a quiet laugh from him.
“Really?” he said, clearly amused. “Right now?”
You shrugged a little, though the movement was small with the way you were sitting.
“Seemed like as good a time as any.”
He leaned back slightly into the couch, looking at you like he was trying to figure out whether you were serious or just teasing him again.
“You don’t have to make a decision about that tonight,” he said gently. “You’ve had a few drinks, it’s late-”
You shook your head almost immediately.
“No, I know…” you paused, searching for the right words, “I’m just curious.”
His eyebrows lifted.
“About?”
You shifted a little in his lap, still looking at him.
“What my life would actually look like if I said yes.”
For a second he didn’t answer, his thumbs continued brushing slowly against your hips as he thought about it.
“Well…” he started, “You wouldn't worry about rent ever again. I’d cover it, all of it- your place, utilities, internet, everything. Even if you wanted to move somewhere nicer, tell me what you’re looking for and we’d make it happen- all in your name, don't worry.”
You swallowed, the reality of it slowly sinking in, but he kept going.
“Groceries too. No more living off whatever leftovers you have until your next paycheck.” His hand slowly slid back up to your waist, “And your car, it doesn’t sound too reliable from what I’ve heard… I’d get you something better. It doesn’t have to be flashy if you don’t want flashy, but I’d handle it all- maintenance, insurance, gas...”
You let out a soft laugh, but still, he continued.
“Clothes, nails, hair, whatever makes you feel pretty. You’d have a card, no limit on it that you need to worry about. If you want to go into a store and try things on without checking tags first, do it. If you want to book a spa day, book it. I’d like to see you in things that make you feel good, that make you feel confident- but it’s not about me dressing you up like a doll… not unless you ask me to.” He added with a little chuckle.
He relaxed further back into the couch, looking up at you on his lap. Then he moved his hands, crossing his arms over his chest as he carried on talking.
“Then there’s the travel side of things too, the fun part,” he smiled, “When I’m on the road I’d like you to come with me- only when you want to, though. Only when it fits. I’d fly you out, book us a nice hotel- even when I’m not on tour, if there’s somewhere you wanna go, a city you want to explore, a country you’ve never been to, just tell me and we’ll do it. Whether it’s a weekend in Paris or a vacation in Greece, if I’m not working then we’ll do it. If I am, then we’ll just have to wait and do it when I'm about. If you can’t get the time off work, just cut back hours at the shop. I’ll take care of you. I’d make sure you were covered.”
You swallowed hard, still struggling to understand why he was offering all this to you.
“And all you want in return… is for me to spend time with you?”
“Yeah.” He said simply.
“...No sex?”
He chuckled.
“No. I’m not buying access to your body, angel. This isn’t a transaction where you pay me back with sex."
Slowly, you nodded your head.
"...Say I did want to have sex with you," you said quietly, a shy little grin on your face, "What then?"
He chuckled.
"You trying to get in my pants, huh?"
"No!" You scoffed almost sarcastically, but then his hands came back to your body, carefully settling on your hips again.
"If anything physical ever does happen between us, it’s because it feels right and we both want it. Not because I paid a bill or bought you a dress, that stays completely separate. You say yes to the rest of it, and the only thing I expect is for you to let me take care of you. That’s it.”
You nodded your head slowly again, thinking it all over.
“Y’know… I don’t know why I was hesitant about it. I think I want this.”
“Yeah?” He smiled.
“Yeah.” You said, more confidently this time. “I’m sitting in the lap of the hottest guy I have ever met, in his ridiculously nice house, after he just took me out for what was definitely a three-figure dinner, and he’s offering to take me around the world, spoil me…"
You grinned as you leaned forwards until your chest was almost touching his, taking his face in your hand again as you met his eyes.
