Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 24043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
I lean in, dropping my voice so only she can hear. “Only the special ones. And before you ask, there’s only one special one. You.” No use beating around the bush. It’s time my little coffee girl knows where things stand.
Her cheeks go fucking scarlet. God, she’s adorable. I want to take her right here against the marble wall, make her forget where she is, who she is, everything except my name.
She clears her throat, muttering, “Right.” Then she throws her hands up in the air, clutching her coffee cup in one hand and her phone in the other. “I don’t even know how to respond to that.”
“You can try to figure it out on the ride over to The Mercer Building.” I place my hand on the small of her back and lead her to the black limo idling on the corner. My cock grows even harder, which I didn’t think was possible. Damn. I’m going to be fucking bowlegged soon.
I open the limo door and motion for Alice to get in first. She hesitates for a second before carefully sliding in. Her skirt just barely brushes the backs of her thighs as she settles onto the buttery leather seat. I follow her in and stretch out, making damn sure she can’t escape unless she crawls right over me.
Armand hops into the front passenger seat before the driver pulls away from the curb. I ignore everything except her. I don’t take my eyes off Alice the whole time.
She fidgets with her phone. Her legs bounce. So damn cute. Every now and then, she darts a glance at me, then away. “I’ve never been in a limousine before.” She glances out the window.
I fucking love that she admits it. So honest, so damn cute, my chest aches. I lean in, letting my thigh brush hers. “Get used to it, Coffee Girl. You’re going to be riding with me every morning from now on.”
She gives me this what-the-hell look and lets out a half-laugh, half-snort. “Why?”
“Because I want you.” I don’t bother pretending. “When I want something, I make it happen.”
She starts to mumble something, looking down at her coffee cup, but her hands are shaking just the tiniest bit, and I catch it. She’s nervous, but not scared. She’s curious. Excited. I can smell it on her, like the floral perfume she wears. Goddamnit, I want to drown in that scent. “Wow. Like I’m going to make it that easy for you.” Fuck she’s adorable. She turns to me. “Look, Mr. Mercer.”
“Call me Gabe.” I need to hear my name coming from her lips.
She shakes her head. “I can’t call you Gabe.”
“Why not?”
She grumbles something about obtuse men under her breath before glaring at me and huffing out, “Because you’re my boss. Actually, you’re my boss’s boss’s boss. Duh. And I’m not falling for your caveman ‘I want you so that automatically makes you mine’ act.”
Oh, this is going to be so much fun. I haven’t felt this alive in… years. If ever. “It isn’t an act, coffee girl.” I lift her hand to my lips for a light kiss. “I’m one hundred percent dead serious. You’re mine, and I’m going to keep you.”
“Uh-huh.” She drags her hand back against her chest. “If you,” she makes quote marks with her fingers, “want me,” oh, I want her alright, so badly I have to order my cock to behave as I listen to her, “you’ll have to work for it, and don’t expect me to make it easy for you.”
I watch the vein pounding at the base of her throat and realize I haven’t looked forward to anything more.
“Let the games begin,” I mutter as a plan begins to form in my mind.
CHAPTER FIVE
ALICE
We ride the rest of the way to work in total silence. The air is full of static, and every time I open my mouth to say something, I think of all the ways I could embarrass myself, so I don’t say anything at all. I’m not sure where my bravery came from, and now I have to figure out how to make good on my promise to resist him.
Gabe’s giant body is all but dominating his side of the limo. He’s scrolling his phone, probably plotting mergers and hostile takeovers, but every so often, I swear I catch him glancing at me. Not directly, just reflected in the glass. I see the tiniest twitch of his stubbled jaw. The smirk that equally irritates and turns me on.
I try to focus on the changing scenery out the window. It’s a lovely morning. Spring in Texas means the air is heavy with the scent of blooming wildflowers, and the sidewalks are lined with people walking dogs and jogging and pretending not to stare at the millionaires riding to work in their limos. Every second we get closer to the office, my heart rate doubles. I am absolutely, one hundred percent certain that if anyone sees me get out of this car with Gabe, my life will explode.