It all started with Earl Gray

From the moment he walked through the door - soaked from head to toe - I was smitten with him.
I couldn’t take my eyes off of him as he shook the rain from his chocolate waves and shuddered against the cold.
My eyes wandered to his large hands as he brushed back the clumps of hair that stuck to his cheeks with long, slender fingers. I looked away quickly when our eyes met. I felt my cheeks flush. It wasn’t right for me to be eyeing him like a hunk of prime rib, but he was beautiful.
I glanced again; watching him from the corner of my eye as he sauntered past me. I noticed a faint scent dancing around him, like rain and something sweeter. My eyes closed and I inhaled deeply, opening them again to see him shrugging his coat off as he took a seat at the table furthest from the door. Slowly he glanced around the room, taking a few seconds to eye each person before catching the eye of the bar keeper. With a nod and a smile the bar keeper reached under the counter and produced a small silver tea set before vanishing into the back room; walking out a few minutes later with the pot steaming and taking it to the man’s table.

I have watched this happen every Friday for three months now. And for three months I made sure to come back just so I could gaze again at the only man to ever make me breathless.
Once again I focused on the cup in front of me and sucked down the last of it as the bar keeper and the man exchanged words. As I watched the foam in my glass slowly slip down the sides, I remembered the first night I saw him… He had been sitting at the same table, drinking tea with his nose in a rather large and boring-looking book. I felt a smile spread across my face as the memories came back.
Tonight was no different. The keeper walked around the bar and filled my cup for the fifth time that night as the man pulled a book from his coat pocket and poured some tea. Afterwards, he sat back and opened it to begin reading. He was reading a new book tonight, I saw. He seemed to have a new book almost every week.
I never was much of a reader…until him, that is. I soon found myself reading the same book I saw him with just to learn more about him - and remembered to take note of the book he was reading tonight. I would have to go to the library tomorrow.
I turned to look at him again. He was a beautiful man, tall and slender, with slightly feminine features. His eyes were jade green and always expertly lined in kohl; it made them stand out against his equally pale skin. His hair was shoulder length and wavy - it always framed his face, giving him a very angelic look. Why someone like him was always alone mystified me… I had noticed time and time again that there was no ring on his finger, so I guessed he was single or at least not married. I hoped he was single.
For a month now I had been trying to get up the courage to talk to him, but I always drank too much and backed out. Though maybe tonight would be different…
Maybe tonight I could at least say ‘hi.’

**Ville’s POV**

He was here again.

I noticed him the moment I walked through the door. He sat at the bar; same place every time, drinking the same dark beer and avoiding everyone.
Since the first night I saw him I knew I would keep coming back; and I did until finding out he only came every Friday.
I would always walk in and try to make eye contact with him before moving past him and taking the same seat. I always sat at the back of the bar, furthest from the door, just so I could watch him over the books I pretended to read; hoping he wouldn’t notice me staring at him that way.
He was a striking fellow with eyes the color of the sky. Thick dark curls always stuck out under the cap he wore, curling over the cubby cheeks that gave him a very boyish look. And the goatee on his chin made him even more adorable.
I would watch quietly from my dark corner having to remind myself to turn the page every so often. I would get so into looking at him that I found myself accidentally pretending to read a book upside down a time or two. Thank goodness he never noticed.
I often wondered if he was single. I had seen him a few time with some friends; seen him hug and kiss guys and girls, but never like they were a couple.
Oh how I hope he was single.
I caught him looking again.
As always he would blink and look away, or move on quickly to look at someone else.
It always made me smile.
I just wish I knew if he looked at me because he liked me or because he thought I was strange.
I think I just read the same line in this book a few times…I should turn the page now.

Over the top of my book I gazed longingly at him. I had long ago memorized every mark on his face; every curve and line.
I found it incredibly cute when he chewed on his lip.
The way his jaw muscles would move…
How he would stare at his cup and let his fingers slip down the sides over and over as he thought about……. Well, whatever it was that he thought about.
I hoped it was me.

Tonight would be the night. Tonight I would stop staring and start talking; though I had to think about what I would say first. Right now all I could think about was how amazing he looked, and, of course, I couldn’t just say that…
Could I?