Beau takes a step back from me, releasing my hip. I miss his touch immediately and want to follow his retreat. He glances around, then suddenly I blink, remembering we are in a public place. I look around to see that the coffee shop is busy and some people are staring at us.
He runs his hand through his wavy black hair, making it messy. I bite my lip, wondering what I’ve done to make him so agitated. He’s clearly upset and I’m beginning to wonder if I’ve just made a fool of myself.
"You haven't called me," he says again, his tone accusatory.
"Call you?" How on earth could I call him? I don't have his number.
"I've given you my number multiple times now."
I shake my head, but he sighs and points to my cup. I glance down at it, and I gasp in shock. On the side of it is his name in bold with a phone number underneath it. I’m such an idiot.
"Oh," is what tumbles out of my mouth and I wish I could have thought of something better to say.
He runs his hand through his hair again, and I have the biggest urge to step toward him and fix it.
"I'll pick you up after work."
"Pick me up after work?" My mind is racing, and I can’t keep up with his train of thought.
"Yes." He steps forward again, like he can’t stand the space he put between us. He brings his hand up and grazes it across my jaw with a feather-light touch. "Wait inside and I'll come in and get you."
He leans down and brushes his nose along my neck. I swear I feel him inhale and breathe me in. His lips press against the soft skin below my ear, and I close my eyes. I have to be dreaming.
Suddenly, he’s gone and I’m standing there stunned. What just happened, and more importantly, how does he know where I work?
Four
BEAU
"I want the Steele, Twin and Johnson files," I bark as I exit the elevator. Carrie jumps up from her desk and does as I ask.
I toss my full cup of coffee into the trashcan next to Katie's desk. She hands me a mug of coffee she made me. "I don't know how that place stays in business. The coffee is disgusting."
"Maybe because you stopped their eviction?"
I grunt at the reminder. The Heart law firm takes up the top three floors of the building. The other floors are rented out to different business. The bottom lobby is where the coffee shop is. They were months behind in rent so I started the eviction process. That was until the day I saw Dove in there. Instantly everything was put on hold, and I began drinking shitty coffee every day just to get close to my ray of sunshine.
"How is she?" Katie asks, breaking through my thoughts. I cut her with a hard look that does nothing. Anyone else around here would be running, but she just smiles at me and waits.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I clench my jaw. I don't like the idea of everyone knowing about her. Not yet anyway. I'm not ready to share her. I barely keep it together knowing security is aware of her, but I needed to have eyes on her at all times in order to keep my sanity.
I’m taking it slow with her and I don’t want to chance some little fuck trying to steal her out from under me. I don't know if she was single when I first met her, but thank god she is. One less thing to have to deal with, because I don’t like to imagine what I would have done to make her single. She’s been the breath of air I didn’t know I needed. The first spark of light I've seen in…I can’t remember, and I’m not letting her go. Ever.
Today's outfit didn't help. What was she thinking wearing that dress? The sight of her shapely curves being hugged and on display. The short length giving view to creamy thighs and every man’s fantasy in between them. A tight little pussy that may or may not have been covered. I think about her pink lips and if they were wet while she was talking to me, and I have to hold on to the edge of my desk to keep my knees from buckling. It wouldn't be so bad if I was with her all day, but I can't be. The thought of her being on her own and the edge of her dress showing more and more skin as she bends over throughout the day…
I don't want her ass leaving that flower shop today. A gust of wind could show off what belongs to me. The thought has me banging my head on the desk. What if she has deliveries? I sit up and grab my phone and shoot a text to Quinn.
Me: Have lunch delivered to the flower shop.
Quinn: Got it.
Me: That delivery boy there today?
Quinn: Yes.
That's bittersweet. He’ll do the deliveries for the day, but I know the worm has a crush on her. Hopefully the deliveries will keep him busy and away from her.
There’s a double knock on my office door and then Carrie is shuffling in. She hands me the folders I asked for and waits. "Is there anything else, sir?"
I shake my head. She scurries out. Half a second later, Katie comes strolling in.
"You have court in an hour, and Mrs. Barton is already here to prep."
I let out a deep breath. Mrs. Barton is a blood sucker. Her soon-to-be ex-husband was too dumb to see it. Now he's going to pay the price. I'm pretty sure she's been cheating on him, too. Spending years working as a divorce lawyer wears down your view of marriage. Not that mine was great to start with after having a father like mine.
He's working on wife number six at the moment. I hope this one sticks. I actually like her. She's only fifteen years younger than him and doesn't seem to be after his money since she has her own. I'm not really sure how he even landed her to begin with, but they seem to be in love.
That reminds me I'm supposed to have dinner with them tonight. "Cancel dinner with my father," I tell Katie.
"It's your father, you should cancel yourself," she says back in her motherly tone.
"You do it, or I'll have Carrie do it." I don't have to look up from the file I'm going over to know she’s giving me a death glare. A beat passes and I hear my office door shut.
I make a few changes to the files before telling Katie to send in Mrs. Barton. I really don't feel like going to court today. My head isn't in the game. Instead it's on a little blonde with bright blue eyes, soft pink lips, and hair that smells like strawberries.
God, I wanted to kiss her this morning, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to control myself. The first touch would have had her pinned to the floor with me on top of her. All this control I've been holding back would have snapped, and I wouldn't have been able to let her go. I’ve never felt so possessive of someone before, and it’s driving me mad.
I know she would have let me kiss her. It was in her eyes and the way she was trying to press her body against mine. Her mouth was begging for it, and her breathing was heavy with lust. As much as I loved that look on her face and how hard she made me, I had to find my control. I can’t stand the idea of people around us seeing her horny. I was already dripping cum and I wasn’t about to let everyone in that place see her doing the same. It took everything in me to step away from her.
I glance at the clock and remind myself in a few hours I'll be with her again. And this time I’m not letting her get away. There isn't another option or I'll lose my fucking mind. I need to mark her as mine or I’m going to come out of my skin. Every thought I have is filled with her, and this beastly desire is driving me to ravage her.