Chapter 24
24
LINCOLN
“ D amn this stupid fucking coffee machine,” I curse to myself as I try to grind the fresh beans, but they keep coming out only half ground up.
This machine is a piece of crap. It’s supposed to grind the beans for you automatically, then brew your coffee immediately. Well, that’s pretty hard to do when it won’t even do the first process correctly.
I open cabinets and drawers and find a separate coffee bean grinder. It’s a manual grinder so I am literally spinning the knob and grinding these things by hand like I’m a barista before there was electricity. Good thing I come into work at seven, before most people in the office do, so no one is here to witness this train wreck.
This morning, I came in twenty minutes earlier than my regular time because I wanted to do something nice for Kylie. I can’t stop thinking about everything she has on her plate and what she has been through. I started to feel like an ass, having her make me my coffee every morning, so I thought I’d make it for both of us.
After I get the beans ground up properly, I place them in the coffee machine and hit Brew, then lean against the counter and wait.
I’m glad I did this because it showed me that I needed to buy a better coffee machine for the break room. This thing is crap. I can’t believe Kylie’s put up with it for as long as she has, as well as everybody else on this floor. I wonder if they’ve all just switched to using the new espresso machine we got a while back.
As I wait, I remember that I wanted to ask Walker about a legal question. I pull out my phone to text him.
Me: Hey. You know anything about life insurance policies and NY regulations surrounding them?
I don’t expect to hear back from him so quickly.
Walker: Random question at this hour. I know a little bit. Obviously, it’s not my specialty. You need me to get you a contact?
Me: Yes. A good one. Someone who holds a lot of power and intimidation over life insurance companies.
Walker: Noted. I’m not even going to ask.
I tuck my phone away. Satisfied with that.
I know Kylie has already made it through the worst of her times without that life insurance money, but if I can help her get access to it sooner rather than later, I’m sure as hell going to try. I know I pay my assistants well, but it’s still not a life-changing amount of money when living in this city. It still means budgeting your ass off and being very mindful of what you spend.
I want her to feel like she is set for life. I just hope the insurance plan her parents had was sufficient enough to give her a big cushion. Shit, if it’s not, I’d be willing to supplement with my own money, but that’s just complicated as fuck and something I bet she’d smack me for even offering. Just another thing that makes her so irresistible to me.
When the coffee is done, I head toward my office with two hot cups in my hands. Kylie is just setting her stuff down on her desk when she spots me.
What are the signs of someone having a stroke? Because I think that’s what’s happening to her right now. She is frozen and looks like she might fall over.
“What the hell is going on?” she says as I approach and place her cup next to her purse.
At least I know she isn’t having a stroke.
“I decided to make the coffee this morning,” I tell her.
I lean against her desk as she takes a seat, and I take a sip of my own coffee.
She looks at me like I have two heads. “Whyyy? Did I make it wrong yesterday or something?”
I chuckle. “No, you pessimist. I just wanted to do something nice for you. I figured it was about time I started making my own coffee. You don’t need to be doing that for me. That coffee machine is crap, by the way. How come you never told me?”
“I don’t know. I figured you’d just think I was complaining about something trivial and scream at me to get back to work. It’s mainly the grinder. That’s why I bought the manual grinder.”
“You bought that?” I ask as my temper begins to flare.
“Of course I bought it. There was no way to make your precious animal-poop coffee without it. I think everybody else just uses the already-ground coffee beans, like normal humans.”
“I’m a dick, aren’t I?”
She shrugs her shoulders. “It’s not like you didn’t know that. You have some redeeming qualities.”
I smile. “Maybe to you. Well, I’m ordering a new coffee machine immediately, and you are no longer in charge of getting my coffee. Now go ahead and get settled in.” I get up and start to head to my office. “Let me know what you think of my animal-poop coffee,” I shout over my shoulder.
I hear a gagging sound as I walk into my office, which makes me laugh to myself. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever laughed at work before. It’s the strangest thing to walk around, feeling a bit lighter and not so angry. I guess good sex does that to you.
The rest of the day, we manage to work well together as we check meetings and tasks off my never-ending to-do list. I find we work well together despite our personal relationship. I meant what I told her yesterday. She’s a very intelligent person, and she has an incredible work ethic.
At five o’clock, I walk out to her desk. She’s busy typing away on her computer as she bobs her head to whatever she’s listening to on her earbuds.
When she notices me, she rips off her earbuds. “What do you need?”
“What makes you think I need something?” I ask.
She seems a bit taken aback by my question. “Because that’s how our business relationship works.”
“True. But I’m here to tell you to get out of here. Go home and have dinner with Ben at a normal time. In fact, I want you out of here at five the rest of the week.”
Her eyebrows lift. “Seriously? I don’t have to do that. It’s part of my job to be here when you are.”
I roll my eyes. “Just get out of here. If that’s your argument, then I guess I’m leaving now too.”
She seems to ponder my words. “Okay. Thank you. That’s really nice of you.”
“It is, isn’t it?” I say smugly.
“Well, you ruined it. Now you just seem like someone who’s fishing for a compliment,” she quips, but I see her smirk as she grabs her purse and jacket.
“Before you leave, is there any possibility that I can see you this weekend? I understand if you need that time with your brother.”
Gosh, listen to me. I don’t even recognize myself anymore. I might as well get on my knees and beg, admitting that I miss her. Although, if I were down on my knees, I could taste that sweet pussy of hers, which keeps me semi-hard every second of the day.
That night with her—it was the most intense experience of my entire life. I’ve never felt so connected to someone. It made one thing clear to me: she’s mine. There is not a damn thing I wouldn’t do for her. I don’t get possessive or territorial over anything, but if anyone tries to touch her or hurt her in any way, I’d take them down, even if I lost everything of mine in the process.
Is that love? Fuck, maybe. I’ve never been in love. I didn’t think I was capable of it, but this feels like the closest I’ve ever been to it.
“Actually, Ben was going to hang out at a buddy’s house for a few hours, but it’s turned into a sleepover.”
“Is this his first sleepover?” I ask.
She makes a pouty face. “Yes. I’m so happy for him that he’s making friends, but I’m kind of sad.”
“If you come over, I think I can cheer you up,” I say, my voice reflecting my intentions.
I notice her squeeze her legs together. Fuck, I wish I could take her into my office right now and slide my dick into her slick pussy. It’s pure torture, being a foot away from her and knowing I can’t touch her.
“I don’t doubt it,” she whispers as she bites her bottom lip—something I know she does when she’s turned on.
“Is that a yes?” I ask desperately.
“Yes.” She smiles up at me.
“Good. Now get out of here before I lose control and the entire office sees me take you on my desk.”
She walks away with a blush on her cheeks, leaving me behind to try and figure out whether this is the best thing to ever happen to me or something that is going to ruin me even more than life already has.