John came down the stairs wearing clothing that Sophia had picked out for him and a smile appeared on her face.
He wore a navy blue v-neck shirt that clung to his broad chest and biceps. Even the grey joggers she had picked out for him clung to his muscular legs. She wondered further who Mr. Morelli was to have a body like that.
When he sat down to put on the white sneakers she had bought the day before, Sophia approached him and looked at his staples. It seemed that he had avoided washing them in the shower somehow.
His black hair was brushed back and had a pleasing natural curve to the front side of it. It was thick and shiny. He must have had good genes.
"I used your hairbrush," John said, thinking that's what she was paying attention to. "Sorry, I forgot to ask in advance."
It felt strangely intimate to share something like that, but Sophia shrugged it off.
"It's alright," she responded. "I don't mind."
She was still feeling a little bit on edge after the dream she had about him when he had his mouth and nose against her neck. It was strange to have a sensual dream when her body wouldn't even respond to a man if she begged it to.
John stood up, showing her that he was ready and they walked together to the front door.
"Ready for your first day, John?" she asked. However, her eyes widened when she realized what she was saying. "I guess I should call you Mr. Morelli, shouldn't I?"
It felt like she was insistent on putting space between them.
"You shouldn't," John insisted. "It sounds too formal."
Soon, the two of them left and were headed down the street toward the end of Sophia's neighborhood. To her surprise, John began speaking to her.
"You make this walk every day?" he asked.
Her eyebrows raised in curiosity. There was no reason he should try to get to know her but she didn't mind.
"Every day except for Mondays and Tuesdays when the bakery is closed," she explained. "Sometimes I end up going in though just to catch up on things."
"You must like it," he observed.
"I love it," she admitted with a smile.
John decided to keep quiet from that point forward. Her smile was too much for him to bear while the night before was fresh in his thoughts.
They rounded the corner and arrived on 6th Street where Prince's Pastries was located.
To Sophia's surprise, there wasn't a soul anywhere in sight. Even so early in the morning, there were usually at least a few others on the street.
They passed the alleyway and found it unusually empty. Even the old men who normally sat in the chairs of the bistro a few buildings down were nowhere to be found.
Stopping at the front door so Sophia could unlock it and turn off the alarm, John stood behind her protectively, having a bad feeling that someone was watching him with ill intent. His eyes went to the left and he saw an old man in a suit smoking a cigarette outside. The moment they made eye contact, the man dropped his cigarette, squished it under his leather shoe, and went inside.
With the door unlocked and the alarm finally off, Sophia looked at her watch and sighed in relief.
"Well, it's just the two of us until one when my part-time worker gets here," Sophia explained to John who had only just stepped into the bakery. "I'll take down the chairs and get to making coffee. I like having a cup before I see any customers."
John was distracted as he walked into the building. The smell of the bakery hit him all at once and he realized that it was similar to the sweet smell he experienced of Sophia, though it was less concentrated. His theory that she smelled like a sweet dessert was only confirmed. It was dizzying.
Knocking him away from his strange thoughts, he realized Sophia had already put herself to work while he was just standing there.
She started taking chairs off of tables and organizing the succulent plants in small pots so they were centered on the tables. John followed her lead and started doing the same.
Sophia stopped and straightened out when she saw him working.
"Y-you don't have to do that," she said. "I don't want you to overexert yourself. You have a few days until my next shipment so you can relax for now."
"I thought you were a tough boss," he reminded her. "I'm here to help you, not sit around."
"Suit yourself," Sophia responded. "I'll make us some coffee and bagels. I guess we'll find out if you like it sweet or plain."
Sophia had started walking away but his eyes followed her.
"I think I'll like it sweet," he muttered under his breath.
He was referring to her. She was overwhelming all of his senses.
"Excuse me?" she asked, turning back to him before she could walk into the back room and get her apron and hair tied up.
"I'll take my coffee however you like yours," he said, quickly dismissing his thoughts.
John completed the task of taking down the chairs and putting them around the tables.
Not knowing what else he could do, he stood by the windows in contemplation. There was nothing he recognized from her world. His disappointment that they weren't familiar with one another before she found him was immeasurable.
His eyes continued raking through the bakery, taking in all of the decor. There wasn't a corner of the bakery not touched by Sophia's charm. He was surrounded by something he couldn't have.
He wondered who he was to be this greedy.
Along the windows at the front of the store, there were all sorts of plants thriving in the partial sunlight of the windows. On the back, some paintings looked both old-fashioned and contemporary. The tables and chairs were made out of light wood and the cushions were cream colored leather.
It was a peaceful haven she had created and he realized he was attracted to the gentleness that came so naturally to her. Many were probably comfortable in her presence while many more would take advantage of someone as pure as her. He had no desire to return to his previous life. He wanted to protect her from the bad in the world.
Breaking him from his thoughts, he heard footsteps and turned to see Sophia walking out with a tray of food. There were three bagel halves toasted and covered in cream cheese. Two iced americanos were on the tray as well.
Her hair was in a ponytail on top of her head and she wore a green apron. He noticed she had a pleased smile on her face.
She walked to a table in the center of the room and placed everything down for the two of them to eat.
"You're staring," she observed. "Do the bagels remind you of anything?"
They reminded him of a gentle life he knew he was incompatible with.
"Don't hold out hope," he responded, his voice quiet.
He noticed the sweet smell of the bakery got sweeter when she was in the same room as him.
Sophia decided to ignore his tone. In the past couple of days, she had learned that she couldn't take his tone to heart. He was confused and angry and he had every right to be.
She placed the tray down and hoped to lighten the mood.
"Dig in," she said. "I've never had anyone say anything bad about my bagels."
She was so pleased with herself, that he couldn't keep a small smile from appearing on his lips.
"Smiling suits you," she said.
His smile was more of a smirk. It caused his chiseled jaw and sharp cheekbones to be even more pronounced. He looked devious and inviting like a sexy villain from a TV show that you weren't supposed to like but couldn't help falling for anyway.
His eyes widened the moment he took a bite of one of the bagels. It seemed she wasn't exaggerating her abilities.