Chapter Text
There was something about him—something in the way his eyes met yours, gentle in their regard for you; something in the way his boot tapped against the leg of the table, steady in its rhythm; and something in the way he held the book in his hand, like he was handling something rough, something wild. From your position across the coffee shop, you couldn’t see what he was reading, but with every slight jump of his eyebrows, with every rapid turn of the page, you were sure it held adventure.
Not only that, but you were sure he held adventure, with his smirk-slash-smile and the revving of his motorcycle: the never-failing announcement of his departures and arrivals. That day, he’d arrived 30 minutes after you had, and after an hour of sipping on his coffee—the only thing he ever ordered—you were sure he’d soon be ready to start the engine all over again.
You, however, were waist deep in assigned readings for your graduate program. The small coffee shop—By & By—was the only place you could focus. That is, when a certain golden-haired mystery man wasn’t around. The course material could have easily filled your day—as well as your night. A sigh of relief deflated your lungs as he stood from his seat, closing the book with a satisfied and thoughtful smile.
Waiting for the ding of the door, you craned your neck down toward your book, reading the same sentence over and over again… But after a minute, the familiar sound never came. You turned around to peer out the front windows. A black motorcycle was parked almost directly behind you. You furrowed your brows, turning back around—planning on gazing into your book once more before scanning the room—and instantly met the sight of a brown sweater underneath a black leather jacket.
The man wore his signature smirk, book cradled to his chest with one hand and helmet held in his other. Your mouth went dry, and you longed to down your tea. “Oh,” you started, brushing your hair behind your ear.
“An interesting read?” he asked. You opened your mouth, but no words came out. “I won’t ask if you’re reading it for fun.”
A shake of your head dislodged some awkwardness. “No,” you said, glancing down at the monster of a textbook, “I suppose that’s obvious.” Your eyes swept back up to meet his book. “What about you?”
“Oh, this?” He pulled it away from his body to briefly look at the cover. His eyes were warm, slight wrinkles forming at their edges, as they met yours. “Purely academic. But… I guess it is a bit of fun, too.”
You smiled. “May I ask what it’s about?”
“You may.” He pointed at the empty seat in front of you. “May I sit down?”
“You may,” you repeated, smiling wider, heart knock, knock, knocking on your chest.
As he settled, his knees knocked yours underneath the table, and you fought hard against the squeak rising in your throat. “Oh,” he said, cheeks reddening, a light chuckle spilling from his mouth. “That’s not awkward at all.” Finally, he stopped moving once he placed the book down in front of him, and his blue eyes met yours. “What is your name, my dear?”
He smiled as it left your mouth.
“What’s yours?”
“Obi-Wan.” One hand reached out across the table, and you slid yours easily into it. “Pleased to meet you.”
“Likewise,” you replied, eyes fluttering at the feel of his fingers sliding against yours, of his eyes peering shyly into yours.
Obi-Wan smiled. “So, you wanted to know about the book I’m reading?”
“Yes,” you said, glancing down at the book’s plain blue cover, “you said it was a fun read?”
With a nod, he replied, “I did, and it is.” Obi-Wan shifted a little in his chair, looking down at his lap. “Have you…ever read Emma by Jane Austen?”
You sat up straighter in your chair, bracing your elbows on the table and leaning closer to him. “I have! Is that what you’re reading? Are you enjoying it?”
Obi-Wan’s cheeks once again turned red as he nodded, smiling bashfully. “I am reading Emma, and I am enjoying it immensely.”
You stared at him with a wide smile, unable to help the slightly-agape form of your mouth. You loved Emma, loved Jane Austen, loved romance. Your fingers twitched and jumped in your lap. Obi-Wan shifted again, his sudden shyness so unexpected but so welcome, so inviting, so endearing.
“Do I have something in my teeth?” he asked.
“No,” you chuckled with a shake of your head. “No, it’s just… Emma is one of my favorite books, but no one in my life has read it, and I can’t seem to convince them to, so I’m very excited to discuss it with another human instead of…well, instead of geeking out on my own.”
Obi-Wan’s eyes shone brightly. “Well, I am very happy to discuss it with you.” His smile was a garden in bloom, a radiant, fragrant, colorful, display of beauty.
It was your turn to turn red. “Um, what… What part are you at?”
“Well, Mr. Knightley has left for London—which I assume is on account of his feeling for her and being unsure she will feel the same… And, let’s see…” Obi-Wan ran his fingers through his beard, lips slightly puckered and eyes trained on a single spot on the table. Your heart raced, imagining a world where that was your hand, where you had permission to cup his cheek and stroke his face. His extremely handsome face. Adventure and mystery had been painted on it from a distance, but up close…his features, his gaze held a wonderful softness.
He was breathtaking.
You leaned in closer as he continued, “Harriet has just confessed her feelings for Mr. Knightley to Emma, and… Well, that’s basically where I’m at.”
“Oh, I love that part!” you replied, smiling widely. “I love that Emma is finally learning that her support of her friend has been in all the wrong ways, and now she and Harriet are in love with the same man. And now she feels somewhat guilty for loving him because she does not want to cause her friend any more unhappiness. But Harriet is her friend, and so she desperately wants to tell her, and–”
You paused, noticing Obi-Wan’s awestruck stare, your heart erupting into a million fireworks, filling your body with heat that flooded your face.
“Sorry,” you said, as you shrunk a little in your chair. “I tend to rattle on when I get excited.”
“No,” said Obi-Wan, shaking his head and chuckling. “No, don’t be sorry. It’s a wonderful thing to see someone so excited about something they love.”
Heart in your throat, you dared not speak, only offering him a smile in gratitude.
Obi-Wan glanced at his watch. “Listen, I would love to continue talking with you—about Emma and about, well…” He glanced down briefly and then met your eyes. “Anything, really.” You wrung your hands together in your lap to keep him from seeing how his words made them shake. “I have to head out; I have plans to meet a friend, but… Can I see you again?”
“Yes,” you blurted. “Yes, I’d love to talk with you again.” Obi-Wan’s smile grew. “I’m here Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, usually from one to three.” You paused, boldness suddenly leaping within you. You reached out your hand. “I’ll put my number in your phone, that way we can be sure to not miss each other.”
Obi-Wan reached into the pocket of his jacket and handed you his phone. Once you had typed your number in, you handed it back to him with the screen still showing your contact information.
“Y/F/N Y/L/N. A lovely name.” He stood then, cradling his helmet in the crook of his arm. “It’s been a pleasure, Y/N. I can’t wait to chat with you again.” He then reached for your hand, brought it to his mouth, and brushed a kiss atop it.
“Likewise,” you said breathlessly, chest heating pleasantly. Swallowing, you bid him goodbye. “See you soon.”
Obi-Wan let go of your hand and smiled. “See you soon. Good luck on your reading.”
He was all smiles as he left the coffee shop. You stared at the book in front of you, no longer seeing words, but images that flashed in your mind: a handsome face, a brilliant smile. The roaring of a motorcycle’s engine, though, had you turning around. Meeting Obi-Wan’s eye (or what you assumed was his eye through his helmet), you gave a little wave. Obi-Wan waved back before pulling out of the parking space and disappearing into the city.
The roar of the motorcycle grew fainter and fainter, and as the last of the sound faded away, you turned your attention back to the reading in front of you. You sighed. Usually, when he left, you could concentrate, but now all you could think about was those soft hands, those lips, and how they had felt upon your skin.
It was twenty minutes before you were able to read two sentences at once, and another ten before you were back to your normal pace. Five pages in, however, your phone dinged, a text from an unknown number flashing on your screen.
Hello there, it read, it’s Obi-Wan Kenobi. Lovely meeting you today. Can’t wait to chat soon. See you on Monday?
Heart hammering, you were unable to control the giddy smile blooming on your face. Your thumbs tapped at the screen.
Hi, Obi-Wan. I loved chatting with you too! See you on Monday :)
You set your phone down, glancing back at your book. “Shit,” you whispered, eyes glazing over the words, not comprehending one of them. Chuckling and shaking your head, you said, “I’m in trouble.”