Blurb:

After being relentlessly flirted with by the dark skinned, pony tailed, tatted up, older male waiter at her new work, the young new chef Gabby, is just about ready to jump Xander's bones.

****

I've just walked into the kitchen, putting on my apron and cap.

"Good morning Gabby" I give a slight jump as I didn't see Xander standing behind me.

That same handsome smile on his lips which always turns to him biting his lip at me. My cheeks are instantly flushed.

"Good morning" I say back after a second of composing myself.

He grins and winks before walking away towards his section for the day. Trying my hardest not to stare at his ass for too long.

I walk away and to my own section. I see my good friend and co worker Chef Tim, he grins and hugs me.

"How was your days off?" I shrug.

"Nothing special." He gives me his sad smile.

"You know I wish you'd leave him." I half smile at his words and nod my head.

"I love you for it." I say softly. He sighs but drops the conversation.

It's about five minutes later when Xander comes over with a coffee for me. I blush and take the coffee thankfully from him, as I do, he places his hand over mine as I cup the coffee.

"Thank you." I manage to squeak out with my cheeks flaring a pink colour.

"Anything for you." He says smoothly with a wink. I bite my lip and look away with my coffee now in my hands. I hear his chuckle as he walks away.

Looking up, I see Tim standing there with a smirk on his face. I roll my eyes at him.

"So the hottie still has his eyes on you?" I roll my eyes and give a snort at Tim's remark.

"I'm pretty sure he's like twenty years older thank me." I remind him.

"True, but he's hot, and you could do with some fun." I shake my head.

"You know I'm with John." I say softly.

"Unfortunately." I roll my eyes at his mumbling.

After an hour of prep work we open the kitchen for breakfast. With five other chefs on besides me, and it being a Monday, the kitchen is pretty quiet, which leaves too much time for me to let my eyes wonder to Xander who is currently wiping down the empty tables and clearing any plates left from customers.

I can't help but watch the way his muscles move in his arm as he moves around.

"You might want to wipe the corner of your mouth the way you're drooling for him." I blush and turn my attention to a smirking Tim.

"You're going to give me a heart attack." He gives a soft laugh at my remark.

"Why don't you just take the chance?" I sigh.

"I'm not having this conversation again." I say softly before walking away. I walk out and to the lift, needing to escape the kitchen and have a smoke.

I walk out of the lift and to the exit, walking behind the building to have a cigarette. Leaning against the wall I sigh, this isn't how I wanted today.

My weekend involved enough stress I didn't want this as well. I know he's only joking but he makes it hard for me to stay away from Xander. Especially since the weekends events have lead to John and I separating.

But Xander is something else. He makes me nervous and lost for words. He makes me weak to the knees and that could be dangerous. Especially when I've just split from a destructive relationship.

"Are you okay?" I turn slightly startled, to find Xander looking at me concerned.

"I'm fine." I say softly.

"Then why are you crying?" I'm confused until I feel his warm hands cup my cheeks and his thumbs wipe away what appear to be my tears.

"Oh..." at a loss for words I just look down.

"What's wrong?" He asks again, this time softer.

"Nothing, honestly I'm fine. Maybe I'm getting some hay fever." He purses his lips but doesn't push me for me. He just stands beside me in the silence as we both smoke.

"Would you like to have coffee with me sometime?" I blush as he asks me for coffee while we're walking back to the lift to the kitchen.

"Can I think about it?" I ask, I see that smile I adore grow smaller from my answer.

"Of course. You know I would never do anything to pressure you. Even if it has to be just as friends... for now." He gives his cheeky smirk and a wink I blush and shake my head at his attempt to joke.

"See that's the smile I've wanted to see all day." I bite my lip to stop my smile getting any bigger.

I get into the lift with Xander following behind me. We don't say a word but it's a comfortable silence between us. He's managed to lift my mood.

My shift comes to an end, which is time to close the kitchen. Being a chef means hard long hours and today was no exception. As I grab my coat and keys, I see a text from John.

'Can we talk please?'

I sigh and don't even bother texting him back. I walk out and towards the exit. The sky is dark, it's about 9:30 at night and it's freezing too. I walk out the exit and kick myself for it checking before exiting.

"Gabby you can't just ignore me forever." I rub my head and sigh.

"Obviously. But I wish I could." I say back to him, keeping my distance from him.

"I deserve -"

"You deserve to get hit!" The next thing I know, Tim is punching on with John.

I find myself backing away, I don't know how to handle this. I'm terrified Tim will get hurt and I'm also terrified that John will come after me next. I nearly scream when I feel hands on my arms.

"It's okay, it's just me." I relax at the sound of Xander's voice and allow him to lean me against his chest before turning around and leading me away from the scene unfolding in front of me.

He walks me in silence towards one of the other exits and across the road. We stop in front of a modest looking Terrace house. It's got a small front garden and a nice wooden door.

He gets his keys out and unlocks the door, neither of us say anything, I just walk in when he gestures for me to, with him following behind.

As soon as you walk in there is the living room to your left with an open kitchen right behind that, and a set of stairs to your right, leading to the bedrooms I suppose.

"Coffee?" He asks as he leads me to the kitchen.

"Water if that's okay?" He gives a soft smile.

"Of course." He walks to the fridge and grabs out a bottle of cold water, handing it to me.

"So, I'm going to guess that's the reason you have to think about whether you want coffee with me." I give a half hearted laugh at his attempt to bring up the topic.

"Yes." I end with.

"An ex?" I nod my head and sip my water.

"He seems quite heavy handed..." the tension in the air thickens straight away with that one comment.

After a few moments of silence, Xander walks the short distance to me, he cups my cheek with one of his strong hands.

"You deserve to be treated like a queen. Not like a welcome Matt." I can't seem to take my eyes off his, they're so full of concern and care.

"When you've been treated this way your whole life it's hard to break patterns..." he sighs and rests his forehead against mine.

"All I want to do is protect you from all of this shit." I'm taken back by how much sincerity is in his voice. My heart is beating like crazy and my knees are going weak from how close he is to me right now.

"The world has never shied away from showing me how tough it can be." I say truthfully.

There's a couple of moments of silence before I feel his warm smooth lips press against my soft ones. Just like that, all resistance to him and to this goes out the window. My arms wrapping to the back of his neck as his hands on my hips pull me closer to him.

He deepens the kiss and picks me up, sitting me on the kitchen island and stepping between my legs while he kisses me.

His lips trail down my neck with his hands holding my thighs. I wrap my fingers in his hair and arch my neck for him.

He kisses my lips again sweetly. Moving up he then kisses my forehead.

"So, coffee, tomorrow at 6?" I blush and laugh at his comment, he grins at me, letting out a soft laugh himself.