I have a very strict policy about anyone working for me hooking up with clients. I put stringent policies in place because of my father. The law firm learned that lesson the hard way, and it’s something that will never be repeated.
When the elevator opens I'm on the move again, my blood pumping harder with every step that closes the distance between us. When I turn the corner, I push my way into the coffee shop. Samuel keeps his distance and waits outside as instructed. I glance down at my phone to see if I have a text about Dove’s ETA, but there’s nothing. I go ahead and order my coffee and then I get hers, which I've done the last few times.
Her cheeks always turn pink when I hand it to her. She keeps saying she's going to beat me here one day and get mine for me. I think that was her goal today because she's running early. Little does she know, I’m informed the second she steps out of her apartment.
I've thought about calling in a few favors and getting her phone hacked so I could always know where she is, but I changed my mind. It seemed like crossing a line. Besides, there’s really not a point in the day when I don’t know where she is.
I glance at my watch. She should be here by now. She doesn't live far from here.
They call my name and I go up and grab our cups. I pull a pen out and write on hers like I have for the past three days. She doesn't seem to notice. Or she's ignoring it. Either way it's driving me fucking nuts.
I'm used to taking what I want. I go at it with full force until I have it. With her, though, I worry it will scare her off. She's soft and delicate. Light pours from her and I don't want my brute force messing that up. I like her how she is. I don't want to dampen her bright spirit, so I put on my smiles and hold myself back from snatching her up and locking her away in my penthouse. It’s the single hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life, but she’s worth it. She’s worth everything.
I pull out my phone and text Quinn.
Me: Where is she?
Quinn: Sorry, sir, she got distracted by puppies in the pet store window.
I have to fight a smile at that. God, could she be more adorable? Maybe I should get a puppy? I make a mental note and read the next text.
Quinn: She's on the move. ETA 3 minutes.
My stomach clenches with anticipation, and my palms sweat. God, why do I lose all my sense with her? Need for her is burning in my chest, but that’s nothing compared to what’s happening in my slacks. Not only do I want to possess her soul, but I want to own her body. I’ve never felt this primal pull, but suddenly I need to stamp out my name inside her pussy. My cock starts to harden and I adjust myself the best I can without anyone noticing. I take a deep breath and try to get this wild beast in my body under control.
The bell to the door chimes and I look up. I freeze when I see her. Her bright blue eyes find me and the smile on her face stretches from ear to ear. As she walks over, her blonde hair flows around her like a halo, and I’m reminded of why she’s my little sunshine. My jaw clenches when I see her dress today. She's always in dresses, but today it’s shorter than normal.
"You beat me," she says playfully as she comes to a stop in front of me. She has to tilt her head back to look up at me, but I don’t mind. It gives me a view of her creamy skin down her neck and between her breasts. My eyes trail back up and all over her face, drinking her in. I take a deep breath, trying to catch the strawberry scent that’s always following her around.
“Good morning, Dove.” I give her a half smile while I hand her the coffee and watch those cheeks of hers go pink. My dirty mind starts whispering to me, wondering if her nipples are the same shade.
She lowers her lashes as she takes a sip and I wonder for the thousandth time, how the fuck am I going to leave here without her?
Chapter Three
Dove
I sip the coffee slowly, taking a moment to try and get myself under control. Every time I see him it's like a rush of adrenaline. I can feel his eyes on me the whole time. When I pull the cup away from my mouth I glance back at him, and the smile is gone. His face is unreadable, so I stare into his dark eyes wondering what he’s thinking, hoping he feels even a little bit of what I feel for him. He has to, right? He buys me coffee and goes out of his way to make small talk. There has to be something there, or otherwise why would he bother?
His hand comes up and he brushes his thumb across my lips. I inhale softly as the touch shoots through every vein of my body. He’s soft and tender, and when his thumb falls away, I lick the place he touched, wanting to taste him. But all I can taste is coffee. Then I glance at his thumb and see whip cream on it. He was wiping it away for me.
"Thank you," I mumble as embarrassment washes over me. The blush comes back and I feel like a dork.
Slowly, as if he’s deliberately trying to make my panties explode, he brings his thumb to his mouth and licks the cream from it. My heart pounds and I feel a tingle between my legs. How can something so simple make me react like this?
"Sweet." His voice is deep and rumbles from his chest. For some reason it feels as if he's not talking about the whip cream.
"Anything against that black coffee is going to be sweet." My eyes drop to his broad chest. Today he has on a deep blue tie and dark gray suit.
"Maybe I should taste more of what you have." He takes a step toward me, closing the small amount of space that’s between us. His warm scent surrounds me and I wonder if it's him or a cologne. He’s so close and he’s so big that I barely come up to the middle of his broad chest.
A wave of heat rolls down my own chest, past my stomach and between my thighs. I clench them together, trying to find relief, but all I can do is gasp for air as he towers over me. He leans down so slowly that I think he is going to kiss me, but he stops before his lips meet mine. My heart is pounding in my ears as everything around me fades away. Everything dulls except for awareness at how close Beau is to my body.
"Why haven't you called me?" His tone is stern and a little admonishing. I don't even notice I'm leaning up and trying to get my mouth closer to his. Something about his voice makes me want to be closer to him. I like it. I open my mouth to ask him what he means, but then I feel his hand on my hip. He stops me from getting closer to him, stops me from moving. His fingers dig into me as he grips me in a firm hold. "Not here."
"What?" I ask, lost in a lusty haze. I’m dying at the feel of his hand on me. He’s so close and everything in me is screaming at him to put his lips on mine. Kiss me, kiss me, kiss me.
"Jesus. I never imagined you could be so adorable and fuckable all at once," he growls. His fingers flex against me as if he doesn't want to let me go.
"You think I'm sexy?" It's the only part I’m able to process.
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?
Chapter 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.