Black Tea & Lavender [Closed]

"Nothing." He responded as he pulled her farther away from the crowd. A few moments of walking quickly, hin practically pulling her along after his display and he stopped in front of the confectionery window.

It was a cute establishment. Perhaps they were too liberal with the pastels in the decorating but they made their point: we're the cute shop where you buy the cute sweets.

The door chimed as it was opened and a woman exited with a cake box in tow. The saccharine shop air wafted to greet Owen and Julianna where they tarried before the window.

Owen picked a lingering wilted petal from her hair and dropped it to the ground. "I'm sorry." He said. "The ... culture here irks me. The people here abide con men on the streets selling lies and base illusions while my sons and I --"

He was getting angry and stopped himself mid sentence. "Nevermind. I'll adjust."

He glanced at the sugary treats in the display cabinet inside. "Let me buy you something sweet." He said to clear up the controversy, he swept her under his arm turning her towards the door.

Her heels clicked in double time to keep up with his long strides. Julianna held tight to Owen's hand as they left the performer and his bewildered audience behind.

Owen didn't stop until they returned to the sweets shop she had been admiring when they'd first arrived in Langford. They'd gone in a circle around the market district of the city. It was getting late, but the streets were still so busy. Buzzing with life and entertainment. Colorful lights cast decorative shadows over his furrowed brow as he looked down at her. So different from Cedgewick, which seemed like a ghost town after 10PM.

She had to tilt her head back slightly to hold his gaze when he stood so close. his grey eyes shifted colors behind his glasses as the shop display changed. He pulled a petal from her hair and she grabbed his hand before it returned to his side. Holding it in her own. Julianna suspected she was catching on to his implications.

She didn't get the chance to apologize for her terrible town before he was pulling her against his side and leading her inside. The sugary smell hit her full force. The heavy mood lifted under the bright displays of cakes and pastries. They browsed and she cooed over rows of handmade chocolate truffles in decorative pink tissue paper nestled next to cookies bigger than the palm of her hand.

"Oh, look at those," she said with a gasp. She had been enchanted by a variety of petit fours near the register. Bite-sized almond layer cakes covered in colored fondant and a dusting of sugar. They were topped with different edible flowers. Cornflower petals, colorful viola blossoms, and of course delicate lavender buds. "We should get some!"

Being a rather stoic man, Owen refused to let his emotions of disappointment and frustration with the Cedgewick attitude towards witches. He whisked Julianna into the shop, putting all that aside and setting himself instead towards the goal of ensuring she was treated to a proper date.

So he would buy her desserts. Whatever artisnal little treats she desired, he got for her. Gathered them in a little to-go bag for enjoyment somewhere with a view. For himself, he only got a couple pieces of salted caramel with dark chocolate fudge.

He escorted her from the shop and turned gesturing either way up the street. "Where to next?" He asked letting her decide the venue for dessert.

Julianna's fascination with the bakery didn't end at the floral petite fours. She convinced Owen to buy her an assortment of chocolate truffles and a small bag of caramel popcorn. It was not as if he took much convincing, as he was trying to put the brief unpleasantness behind them. She wouldn't forget the look she had seen on his face, but she was willing to drop the subject for now. She wanted to keep having a good time with him.

They left the shop with their haul, waving goodbye to the pleasant cashier. The late summer air, with it's hint-of-rain scent was chilling on her exposed arms. Julianna couldn't help a shiver that raised goosebumps on skin. He was asking her where to go next and she was already digging into her bag of goodies to retrieve the truffles. Balls of chewy chocolate dusted in cocoa powder. Bite-sized and easy enough to pop into her mouth after being plucked from the decorative tissue paper. Julianna moaned softly in delight as the treat melted over her tongue. Just one, and she tucked the box away again.

Green eyes peered up at him through dark lashes. She used her mouth being full of chocolate as an excuse to mull over where she would like to go next with him. Julianna was feeling emboldened, perhaps by the chocolate, or maybe it was the magic flowing between them that caused quince flowers to bloom in her hair.

"We could go back to my place," she suggested. "It's getting late. The view from the porch swing is lovely this time of night. With all the fireflies." She chose not to mention that she wanted to kiss him when he tasted like chocolate.