Sharing Steven - A Tale of Roles and Passion (The Education of Steven - Book 1) by Marilyn Owens Page A

smartly, a librarian-chic and perfectly intelligent woman. She wasn’t some throwaway tease, and Steven knew that. But Celeste was also insistent on Steven knowing that he was wrapped around her fingers.
                  He himself felt as though he was no match for his best customer. Curly brown locks swept over his forehead, wavy and having fallen into place—girls often liked it, calling him Caesar reminiscent of ancient Greek and Roman statues that his conventional curliness resembled. He had a strong jawline, a bit of an after-shaved look, ( mostly intentional) and striking green eyes framed by black, square glasses. He had olive skin and a strong build despite his puppyish, gentle facial features.
                  One day, I should just pretend that I forget what drink she wants. How can one pretty girl manipulate me with eight little words? I know she notices me—does she just think of me as candy? Is she waiting for me to make a move? I—
                  “Excuse me… is there a problem with ordering my mocha today?” an almost derisive chuckle.
                  Steven started, his head having snapped up from the register. He’d forgotten moving the order along, caught too busy contemplating his next move. Man, why do I trip up so much around her? And why…why the hell do I enjoy it? “Ma’am, I’m extremely sorry; it was just, ah, the program’s got a small virus and it freezes everything up.” Bullshit. I know nothing about the computer system here; I normally don’t play all of that macho-man stuff…she controls the way I want to act. I just want her to know I know something other than being some cute barista boy. Then maybe she’d give me a chance.
                  Celeste licked her lips, clearly suppressing a grin. “Right. I’m sorry.”
                  “That’ll be $3.22.”
                  “No problem, Steven. Thanks.” The smile had disappeared.
                  Steven began to panic upon witnessing how quickly Celeste had swiped her credit card. She’d done so without any kind of prompt, typical of a customer regular but violently opposing the physical chemistry the two had conjured. There was no Hollywood movie small-talk, no porno-video outbreak of the pair kissing wildly. She had her sense of dignity, and she had her expectations. It was almost as though she was telling him that she had no interest in toying with him, and that it wasn’t her who was going to make any kind of move. It was so sneaky, so conniving…it drove him to a nearly unbearable hunger.
                  A receipt popped from the register’s printer, a startling break in what was now silence between the two. Steven simply handed it to her and nodded, wincing a weak smile.
                  Celeste raised an eyebrow at him, and then rolled her eyes amusedly with that little smirk again. Steven clenched his fists as she strolled over to the “Pick-Up” counter. He almost wished he could have been the one to grab her coffee; he’d write her name on the cup with a little heart or something. No, no…maybe that’s too effeminate. I don’t think she’d like that.
                  Over the next few moments, Steven licked his lips forlornly as he, between customers, looked after Celeste. She waited for her drink patiently, staring down some sort of book on her tablet—she wasn’t giving anyone else “the eye” the way she had with him. When her drink was delivered, Celeste glanced once more at the main counter and left.
                  Tim, a younger coworker in-training, approached Steven’s register once she was gone. He cocked his head, in a bit of a hurry. “Hey, dude. Can I borrow a pen or something, if you have one?”
                  “Yeah, yeah…” Steven mumbled, attempting to snap his mind out of work especially now that she was