Dylan strummed the strings of the guitar and his deep voice was as smooth as butter as he sang out:

🎶 "When you came into my life I didn't know something had been missing, but now I do. It was you and you've got me sitting here reminiscing. When your eyes looked into mine you instantly stopped my breath and my heart from beating. It's not fair how anyone could be as perfect as you. In the game of life it feels like you're cheating. You turned my whole world upside down with the touch of your hand and for you Brenley, you make me want to be a better man."🎶

As he continued to sing my eyes filled with tears and the entire crowd went wild, cheering and turning to look at me.

People were filming my reaction with their phones and I was sure it was going to go up on Youtube or TMZ and I might have paparazzi on my lawn tomorrow. Fame was never something I wanted, but right then I didn't care. I wasn't even thinking about any of that. All that mattered to me in that moment was that Dylan had written me a song and was singing it to me.

He wasn't ashamed of me even though he should be. I was a nobody and he was a rich, famous movie star but here he was singing a song to me, putting his feelings for me out there for the whole world to judge him for it. It was the sweetest thing a guy had ever done for me. As I watched him pouring his heart out to me on that little stage in my little coffee shop in Iowa, my heart melted and tears rolled down my cheeks. I wiped them away with a sniffle but more came right behind..

Dylan finished his song and stepped down off the stage, walking over in my direction through the crowd while everyone watched and waited to see what would happen. As he got closer and came around behind the counter, my heart started pounding faster with adrenaline. He stopped in front of me, looking more handsome than he ever had, his shaggy sandy blonde surfer hair covering his forehead, his bright green eyes shining and his smooth, tan skin looking like it was kissed by the California sun.

He shot me his bright white smile and my heart melted. In that moment I wanted him more than I wanted anonymity, more than I wanted my privacy. I realized I wanted him more than I had ever wanted anything in my life and I would do anything to be with him, even put up with the media circus that would descend upon us if I did what I wanted to do right then. I stood there looking at him, thinking.

"Fuck it," I finally said, stepping forward and grabbing a handful of his t-shirt, pulling him down and crashing my lips against his.

Dylan didn't even hesitate to pull me against him and kiss me back hard and deep, with so much passion that it made my brain feel like it was exploding and fireworks were going off in my heart. I could vaguely hear the cheers and claps of the crowd behind us but I was too lost in his kiss to care at that moment. In that moment we were the only two people in the room and nothing and no one else mattered.

I finally pulled back and looked up into his eyes, panting with my heart pounding a mile a minute with a smile on my face. I stood there appreciating how unrealistically handsome and perfect this man was. He was looking at me, studying my eyes and there was something behind his gaze that I could feel, a longing. I recognized it because I felt it too.

I cleared my throat and looked around at all of the eyes on us and I was suddenly self conscious and my face blushed red.

"Well," I said, laughing awkwardly. "I guess we should get back to work."

"Yeah," he nodded, giving me a smile that made my insides flutter. "I guess so," he said, stepping back slowly, keeping his eyes locked on mine.

He reached over and slipped the black apron on again, tying it behind him. I watched his every move, captivated by him. It was so crazy that this man could even make an apron look hot. It was going to be really hard to focus on making coffees after that kiss. As I turned and started wiping the counter I looked back over at him and when I saw he was looking at me too, I smiled shyly and my face blushed before I looked away.

We were busy the whole rest of the night, the busiest I had ever seen the coffee shop. It seemed like every person from college that I had ever had a class with came in that night. Even the guy from the basketball team that had asked me to come watch his game came in, but he didn't flirt with me this time. Word must have spread about Dylan's song to me and the kiss.

At closing time we had to shoo the customers out to get them to leave after Dylan had signed about a million autographs and taken selfies with every single person in there.

Dave locked the door and let out an exhale. "What a crazy night huh?"

"Yeah, we've never been that busy," I laughed. "I think we made more tips in one night than we usually do in a year. We might just have to keep you around," I said jokingly to Dylan with a smile.

Dylan was busy helping me wipe off tables and stacking the chairs on top of them so we could mop.

"Yeah, maybe," he said with a smile and a wink in my direction.

I looked over and noticed the unhappy look on Dave's face as he grumbled something under his breath about inventory and went into the kitchen, leaving the door swinging back and forth behind him from how hard he hit it. That wasn't like him at all.

It made an awkward tension fill the room and Dylan and I finished up by ourselves.

When we were done I walked over to him and said, "So, ummmm. It looks like we're all done. I'm gonna head back home."

"Yeah. I'm gonna head to my hotel," he said, lifting a hand and running it through his sandy blonde hair before slipping the black apron off and hanging it on the rack behind the counter. "Are you busy tomorrow? I was wondering if you wanted to hang out with me for a bit?"

"Ummmm. Yeah. What time?"

"Just text me your address and I'll pick you up at noon. Does that work?"

"Yeah, that works," I nodded. It was so weird that we had been talking so confidently to each other over the phone for the last couple months but when we were in person it felt brand new and nerve wracking all over again, even more than when we met as strangers because now there were these awkward, unspoken feelings and this sexual tension between us.

I stood there in front of him, looking down and wringing my black apron in my hands and wondering what to do now. Should I hug him? Kiss him? Just wave goodbye?

I slowly lifted my eyes up and looked into his and he whispered, "I'll see you tomorrow Brenley," before glancing down at my lips and taking a step closer to close the gap between us. My breath caught in my throat and I suddenly forgot how to breath as he leaned down slowly, hovering over my mouth for a second before pressing his lips firmly against mine.

I closed my eyes and felt butterflies, sending a shiver across my skin as his hands cupped the sides of my face, turning his head to the side to deepen the kiss. His tongue pushed past my lips and collided against mine as he covered my mouth completely, making my insides ignite as I clung to his shoulders and kissed him back desperately.

"Hhhmmmmmhhhhmmmmm," I heard someone clear their throat and I hesitated before reluctantly stepping back and looking over to see Dave standing there behind the counter. My face instantly flushed red from being caught making out.

Dylan looked at me and then back at Dave and back to me again. Dave had his hands on his hips and his jaw locked like an overprotective Dad or something.

"Well, ummmm. I guess I'm gonna go. I'll pick you up tomorrow at noon."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow," I exhaled, feeling disappointed that he didn't ask me to hang out more tonight. I hated the thought of him being in town so close and not sleeping in his bed with him. He walked to the door and gave me one more backwards glance before stepping through it and disappearing into the darkness of the night.

Dave stood there in silence for a minute before he said, "Brenley. That guy's a smoothie. He uses his good looks and money and fame and charm to get naive women like you that are after a fairy tale to sleep with him. I bet he's written songs for lots of women to make them feel special just so he can get in their pants."

"You're wrong about him. He really likes me."

"Ha!" he scoffed. "That guy could literally get any woman in the world he wants, supermodels and actresses and athletes and you honestly think he really likes you? Brenley Jensen from Sioux City, Iowa? Seriously? He's a womanizer Brenley and he's using you and you're falling right into his trap!" he shouted, getting worked up.

He looked down and let out an exhale before raising his eyes to look into mine. "I'm just trying to be a good friend and help you out here. I don't want to see you get hurt. I guarantee once you sleep with him you'll never see that guy again."

I felt my cheeks flushing red and I looked down at the washcloth in my hands and hesitated before saying, "Yeah, well ........ about that."

I lifted my eyes and saw hurt and jealousy flash across his face. He stood there in silence, thinking for a few seconds before saying. "Please tell me you didn't sleep with him."

I looked down and didn't answer.

He stepped towards me again so that he was standing right in front of me and I could feel the burn of his penetrating stare judging me.

"Brenley. You're fooling yourself if you really think it meant anything to him. Can't you see you're just another notch on his belt? Don't be naive enough to think that just because he flew to Iowa for a booty call means that he's in love and you're going to live happily ever after. He's just here to get another round and then he'll be gone back to his mansion in L.A. and I'll be the one that's still here for you, like I always am."

He took a deep breath in and let it out, giving me one last look before turning and walking back into the kitchen. His words cut deep, mostly because I wasn't sure if he was right or not. Was I being naive and stupid?

I was done for the night so I hung up my apron, pulled on my jacket and headed outside into the chilly night air.

I heard someone yell "It's her!" and I was stunned to see news reporters camped out on the sidewalk and bright flashes of light suddenly started going off blinding me. They surrounded me and started loudly shouting out questions.

"How long have you been dating Dylan Chase? Are you two serious? Are you moving to California to be with him?"

I ignored their questions and pushed through the mob, finally getting to my car and locking myself inside, trying to catch my breath.