Espresso in The Rain

Noah should have gone home.

Instead, he was back at The Roasted Heaven after closing hours, seated on the counter while Elias stood between his legs, fingers lazily tracing patterns on his thighs.

It was dangerous, the way Elias looked at him. Like he was something to be unraveled, like he wasn't just another customer who walked into his café.

Like he was his.

"You keep coming back," Elias murmured, voice laced with amusement.

Noah huffed, trying to ignore the warmth spreading through his chest. "Blame yourself. You make good coffee."

Elias smirked. "Right. That's the only reason."

Noah rolled his eyes, but before he could come up with a retort, Elias leaned in, pressing a slow, deliberate kiss to the corner of his mouth.

Noah sucked in a breath.

It wasn't like they hadn't kissed before. But tonight felt different. He could feel it in the way Elias' fingers dug into his hips, in the way he wasn't teasing or smirking—he was serious.

And when their lips met again, Noah felt himself slipping.

Elias' hands slid under his shirt, fingers grazing his bare skin, sending shivers down his spine. Noah gasped against his lips, his own hands fisting in Elias' hair as he pulled him closer, as if that could somehow lessen the aching pull between them.

They shouldn't be doing this.

Not here. Not now.

But when Elias lifted him effortlessly off the counter, carrying him towards the back room, Noah didn't stop him.

Didn't want to stop him.

Because for the first time in a long time, he wanted to let go.

To let himself fall.

And as Elias pressed him against the door, lips tracing down his neck, hands tugging at his clothes with barely restrained hunger—

Noah knew there was no turning back.