“I don’t have access to that.”
I picked up Klaus’s badge. “I found this on your boss’s desk. I’m pretty sure he has access, doesn’t he?”
“I… I don’t think we should do that…”
Sell it, Templeton – sell it –
“Oh, come on, live a little. Besides, you’re supposed to give me anything I want, remember? And right now, I want a cappuccino, and I want your company.”
She looked at me, her eyes wide.
I could tell she wanted to.
I silently willed her to give in.
“…okay,” she reluctantly agreed.
YES.
Game ON.
14
I tried to make it fun – two kids sneaking out of the house, or raiding the family liquor cabinet. I wanted the good vibes to overwhelm her fear – and it worked. She laughed all the way up to the top floor.
Sure enough, Klaus’s badge got us into the boardroom. There was a nice view of downtown Los Angeles, with the lights of the traffic twinkling in the darkness. Up here, above the noise and the grime on the street, it was almost as pretty as you could get.
Perfect.
Just as I thought, the cappuccino machine was a La Marzocco GS/3. I remembered because I’ve got one at home.
Lily seemed lost as she inspected it, though. “I have no idea how to work this.”
“I’ll take it from here,” I said, and began prepping the machine.
“Did you work in Starbucks in college or something?”
I gave her a half-frown, half-smile. “What? Where did you get that?”
“You know how to work that machine.”
“I own one.”
She shook her head. “Must be nice.”
“Nothing but the best, Lily. You should try it sometime.”
She rolled her eyes at me. I grinned and fixed the drinks.
After I was finished, we took our cappuccinos back to the boardroom. I made sure the lights stayed off. Better to see the city lights, yes… but also way more romantic.
I took a sip as I looked her over.
“This was worth the whole trip,” I said.
She looked over at me. “The view?” she asked, though she was obviously fishing for a compliment.
“No, the coffee,” I said, and playfully lifted my cup.
She hit me lightly on the arm.
Ohhhhh, a hitter…
I wonder if that energy comes out in other ways, too…
I put on a deadpan face. “What? I make a damn good cappuccino.”
“I hear it’s pretty easy when you have a million dollar machine to make it for you.”
“Oh really? Is that why you did such a great job of preparing it for us?”
“Fine,” she said, though she really meant Smartass. “You make a damn good cappuccino.”
“Finally, credit where credit is due. But, I have to say, there is one other thing that makes the cappuccino absolutely amazing…”
“What?”
I stared into her big brown eyes.
She was holding her breath… which I liked.
“…the view,” I whispered.
She smacked me on the arm again.
I laughed. “Aaah! I’m going to report you to HR for that!”
“For what?”
“Physical abuse and intimidation.”
“You don’t even work here.”
“Okay, I’m going to report you to HR after I buy the company.”
“In that case, I don’t ever have to worry about it, then,” she said, then took a sip of cappuccino and smiled at me.
She had just the slightest bit of foam on her lip.
Immediately I thought, There’s my opening play.
I gestured to her. “You have a little, uh, foam on your lip.”
Her smile fell, and she tried to wipe it off.
“Here, I’ll – just hold still.”
I reached out and touched her mouth.
I could feel her body trembling beneath my touch.
GOD that turned me on.
I brushed my finger across her lip seductively. For the first time, I let her see my true feelings – no humor, no playful flirtation, just naked desire. That I wanted her.
And she moaned.
Softly – just barely – but she moaned.
She blushed furiously, as though ashamed of what she’d given away.
It was one of the biggest turn-ons I’d ever experienced in my life.
Just as I was about to lean forward and kiss her, she surprised the hell out of me.
She opened her lips and licked the tip of my finger.
Softly.
Slowly.
She seemed so innocent and conservative… and I guess I had let myself believe that, and only that.
I’d forgotten the part about still waters running deep.
My heart started beating faster as she began to suck, ever so lightly, playing her tongue over my fingertip.
I was getting hard – so hard – just feeling her mouth, her lips, her tongue.