Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 48567 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 48567 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 243(@200wpm)___ 194(@250wpm)___ 162(@300wpm)
“I-I think I’ll just tell Gabe my measurements so we can get right to work.”
He frowns, cocking his head to the side before putting his card back in his wallet.
“Gotta say, I’ve never had anyone turn down an unlimited shopping excursion.”
“I’m not everyone, and I want to prove myself.”
His face goes still as he grips the granite countertop, his fingers dig in.
“What did you do when you got in here?”
“Took a self tour, why?”
He sniffs the air again.
“You didn’t put on perfume or anything?”
I frown.
“I don’t exactly carry that sort of thing in my purse for times like this.”
His eyes roll back and then he squeezes them shut.
“The bags, you should get the bags.”
“Oh, right!” I grab another twenty bags from the hallway and set them on the counter. I have basically everything I need, not just for a starter apartment, but to cook basically anything I could imagine. I even have paper towels! I almost dance when I see all of the cans of food and fresh vegetables. Not only that, but I have a pillow, my very first real pillow in two years, along with sheets, a down comforter, towels. They went all out, and I love it.
Meat!
“Thank you!” I nearly collide into his chest, then stumble forward and do exactly that.
He catches me by the arms.
I grip his biceps back.
I’m so close I can smell him, really smell him… he’s like the outdoors, but warm. His grip intensifies on my body until it’s nearly painful.
Slowly, I look up into his eyes and gulp.
They’re flashing so blue that it looks unworldly, his lips part but nothing comes out. Is he sniffing the air again?
He looks like he’s losing a battle I’m not aware of when he releases me and steps back, hands slightly shaking.
“Sorry, I don’t like being touched. It’s not your fault.” He sidesteps me and bolts toward the door.
“See you at six am!”
What the hell was that?
Chapter 5
Perfect Coffee Order
ELI
They messed it up again.
My coffee order.
How fucking hard was it to make a three cinnamon, coconut milk heated to exactly a hundred and twenty-five degrees, no foam, shaken not stirred, with a quarter of vanilla equalized to a quarter of caramel latte?!
Do they not understand that the pressure in the atmosphere can unheat by a single degree, ruining my LATTE!
My. Latte.
Really, these things are the only bonuses you have in life after going to another anger management course at ten am only to be told you’re “Impossible.”
Only to be followed by being hit on by a sixty-year-old woman who said she identified as YOUNG!
“You know,” Gabe starts using his inside voice, he even has his hands out in front of himself like he’s ready to fight me because clearly, he knows I’m pissed. I stare at my already splintered desk and I know he can see me ready to throw this one too, and that’s the last thing we need. What the hell is wrong with me?
“It could be that um… it could be, okay sorry I need to pause here, the look you’re giving me makes me feel like you aren’t wanting me to speak but if I don’t, then you’re just going to get in your own head and throw something through a window again which is exactly what we’re trying to avoid so if you could just use your words that would be extremely helpful to all humanity not just me and—”
“—Here.” Ava waltzes in my office without even knocking wearing the sexiest black pantsuit I’ve ever seen and smelling like heaven.
“I picked up your coffee order on my way here, so dumb… they laughed at me when I told them the exact temperature. It’s like they don’t even realize how pressure from the weather can alter the taste and heat!”
I am no longer my own.
I am hers.
Forever hers.
I stand up.
I grip the table to keep myself from launching over said table and demolishing both coffee, her mouth, and other things I should not mention.
“Thank you.” I say it like it’s a blessing. Like I’m blessing her. I say it like I’m a priest when every single thought in my head is the complete opposite. I want to reward her with sex. I want to drive into her so hard she see’s stars and screams my name.
I have no control.
Nothing is left.
I look toward Gabe.
His eyebrows shoot up.
“Yes, yes, quite lovely of you to get him his perfect coffee order; should we go learn how the copier works?”
“What?” She leans forward, her breasts press against her suit jacket, giving some amazing cleavage I want to lick through for the entire year and maybe more.
“Is everything okay? I hope I didn’t overstep?”
Fuck me. Please step on me.
“No.” I get out.
“It’s just been a busy morning and I’ve been dying for caffeine.” I grab the cup and lift it.