Chapter 2
Chandler
I opened the door to the coffee shop, the morning sun streaming in behind me as I halted momentarily at the line of business suits and skirts before me.
Fuck. The line was practically out the door, and I had no intention of waiting in it.
I side-stepped the first line and walked up the middle aisle, ignoring the few curious expressions sent my way.
I made my way around the white circular tables already covered in laptops, cellphones, and file folders, their occupants ready to take on the day now that they had their coffee in hand. I squeezed past a small gap in the second line.
Up ahead, I saw the counter was free. The barista called out “next” in a loud voice that didn’t seem to fit her gothic appearance of dyed jet-black hair and the look of slept-in eye makeup that really probably took her an hour to perfect its imperfectness.
I took the opportunity and quickly stepped forward to place my usual order.
I knew full well that I had just pissed a lot of people off, but I didn’t care. I had more important places to be than they did. I could guarantee it.
I ordered my usual. The barista tapped my order into the computer nervously, avoiding the irritated gazes I could feel seething into my back. I drummed my fingers on the counter, wondering what was taking so long.
“Shit,” she whispered under her breath as her eyes scanned the screen.
She tapped at the buttons on the keyboard, her long black nails click-clacking quickly. There was a problem. I checked the time on my watch. I could afford a few extra minutes here. She explained the system was down and she would need to reboot it. I waved her off, putting her slightly at ease.
Stretching my neck from side to side, I turned and leaned against the counter, well aware of the growing annoyance of all the people I had just cut who now had to deal with another wait.
I smiled slightly to myself. There wasn’t a damn thing anyone could do or would do about it.
I slipped out my phone and opened my emails, scrolling through the inbox that was already filling up for the day.
I went through and starred the ones that were most important and ignored the rest.
I slid my phone back in my jacket and looked up to see whose morning I had ruined, only to find a woman looking back at me.
I hadn’t noticed her before. Surprisingly.
She was good-looking. A knockout really.
Her light eyes peered up at me through her long, dark lashes.
Her heart-shaped face was framed by her long, light brown hair that fell in waves over one shoulder.
I smirked slightly at the way her eyes widened slightly, as if realizing our gazes had met.
Flustered, she quickly looked away and pulled her phone from her purse.
I chuckled to myself, watching as she talked on the phone and carefully avoided my gaze. It wasn’t anything new to me. I knew the effect I had on women, and I usually took advantage of it when I was in the mood for fun. And that’s all it was. Fun.
I wasn’t interested in anything other than fucking and forgetting.
I had a damn empire to run, and feelings and business didn’t mix.
Not that I had really ever given the two a try.
I didn’t have time to figure that out. Still, a man had needs.
And women were often eager to meet my needs. I wondered if she was…
While the woman was distracted on her phone, my eyes traveled past her face to the chic suit that stood out from everyone else with its light blue color and the way it hugged her curves like it was a second skin.
She was on the taller side with a tight body.
She knew how to dress it too, from the fit blazer down to the fuck-me heels she wore.
I shook my head.
Not now. Not today.
The barista cleared her throat behind me. I reluctantly turned to face her.
“It’s working now,” she said, handing me back my credit card, followed by my drink.
I thanked her and walked toward the door, getting one more glimpse of the woman on the phone. I heard a few muttered vulgar words under people’s breaths as I passed. Nothing I hadn’t heard before. I smiled smugly to myself and walked outside.
My phone buzzed as I stepped onto the sidewalk. I pulled it from my jacket pocket and read the screen before quickly answering.
“Hey, Mom,” I answered somewhat warily.
“Hi, Chandler honey,” she said warmly.
“Everything okay?” I asked. It wasn’t like her to call this early in the morning.
“Oh, yes. Yes. I just wanted to wish you luck on your big day,” she said.
I felt my nerves calm.
“Well, thanks, Mom. I’m heading to the meeting here in a moment.”
“Let me know how it goes, okay?”
“I will. Love you.”
“Love you, too, honey.”
I ended the call and smiled to myself. I took a sip of coffee and went to reach for the keys in my pocket. I heard the ring of the bell above the coffee shop door and the next thing I knew, someone walked right into me, drinks in hand, slamming into me.
“What the fucking fuck?” I said loudly as the cold coffee seeped quickly through my suit and settled uncomfortably against my skin. The sweet smell of sugar and cream guaranteeing a sticky mess.
I swiped at my suit, flicking the caramel droplets to the sidewalk below, as if somehow it would salvage my brand new suit I had picked up from my tailor last night.
I doubted Serge had this in mind for my first run in his latest creation.
This wasn’t what I had in mind when I woke up this morning. And today of all days.
I had planned my morning to a T. Early wake up call. Morning workout. Cold shower. My usual breakfast of two eggs and wheat toast with avocado. Dress in suit, tie, wingbacks, Rolex. Call car from valet. Coffee shop. Arrive early for meeting.
A ruined suit and an outfit change was not on the agenda.
“Just my fucking luck,” I muttered as I continued swiping at my suit in a futile effort.
“I-I’m so sorry,” a voice stammered. “I wasn’t looking where I was going… and… and…”
My eyes snapped up to take a look at the idiot who caused this commotion to my otherwise perfect morning.
My furrowed brows softened slightly as I looked at the woman from the coffee shop who had caught my eye earlier.
Up close, I could see her light eyes were hazel as they played a game of ping pong, falling to my soaked suit to shooting back up to study my face.
She looked absolutely horrified. If I weren’t so annoyed, I might actually feel pity for her.
“Please, let me help you,” she said, taking a step forward.
She began wiping at my chest with her hands before rummaging through her purse and pulling out a pack of tissues.
She dabbed at my chest, working her way down to my abdomen, her hands shaking and moving frantically.
I watched her in slight amusement, trying not to get distracted by her hands venturing lower.
Her efforts were pointless, but I didn’t stop her. Not yet.
She seemed to notice how my body stilled as her hands dabbed just above my waistline. She withdrew her hands quickly and took a step back, clearing her throat nervously.
“Please, let me pay for your dry cleaning bill,” she said insistently, shoving the wet tissues into her purse.
I scoffed and she raised a brow.
“No offense, but I doubt you can afford it.” I shrugged.
Her mouth snapped shut. It was a pretty mouth. Full lips. Shiny with a clear gloss. I would have liked to run my thumb across them. Or my lips. Of my teeth. Or other things.
I could see that I offended her. I wasn’t trying to be rude, but this was a designer suit. The dry cleaning bill would be a nightmare if they even dared touching the $12,000 custom creation.
Her panic to remedy the situation seemingly turned to a look of defensiveness with a snap of a finger.
I’d seen it many times before. My impudence turned a lot of people off.
But it was also what had gotten me to where I am today.
Being cutthroat. Ruthless. Direct. Normally, I wouldn’t care how my words affected others, but the pretty face before me had me trying to backtrack.
“Really, the bill is pennies to me. I’ll take care of it,” I assured her, waving her off. “You should really worry about your own shirt.” I nodded to her own soaked outfit.
She quickly looked down, as if suddenly realizing she was sopping wet too.
My eyes followed hers, down her long neck to her collarbone to the cut of her suit.
Her pale blue blazer was now dyed a dull brown, as if it had been tie-dyed with an iced latte.
The white blouse beneath it was soaked, clinging to her tan skin.
I could make out the lace detail of her white bra that was now on display through the wet, thin fabric.
She had a nice rack that I could see myself burying my face in.
My eyes lingered longer than I should have dared to.
I could almost make out her areolas. A nice rosy pink…
She groaned as she observed the damage and the sound of it went straight to my dick. It twitched in my pants, but I snapped my eyes back up to her face just in time to meet her gaze. I couldn’t be horny right now. Not when I was supposed to be at a meeting in an hour. A big one.
As if sensing the heat coming from my crotch, her cheeks turned the same rosy pink of her nipples. She quickly gripped the lapels of her blazer and pulled them together with one hand to cover herself. The other hand ran through her hair nervously.
As if remembering what the morning held, I glanced at my watch.
I had to go. I had already spent enough time with this woman who unintentionally threw a wrench in my morning and given me a nice peep show in the process.
As much as I would like to spend a few more minutes seeing what else her damp blouse would reveal, I couldn’t afford the distraction right now.
“Well, good luck with that,” I said, nodding to her ruined skirt suit.
Her gaze narrowed. A blaze forming behind her eyes. Not the turned on kind, but the kind that said I want to murder you right now.
I ignored it and turned to walk to my car that was parked illegally at the curb. I clicked the fob and pulled open the driver’s door, sliding into the camel leather seat that was warm from the sun.
I could have sworn she muttered something foul under her breath, but her voice was drowned out from the purr of the engine coming to life as I turned the key.
I pulled my seatbelt on, and adjusted the rearview mirror.
I spotted my dry cleaning draped over the backseat.
I breathed a slight sigh of relief. At least I had a change of clothes for the meeting, since I didn’t have time to go home and change.
I put the car in drive and peeled away from the curb, leaving the drenched, seething woman on the sidewalk.
A few minutes later, her and her see-through top were out of my mind completely.
Thank God. I needed to focus.