Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 66184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66184 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 331(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
As soon as Owen’s out of the room, Derek’s deep voice cuts through the silence. “What problem?”
If he thought my helping Evelyn with a stolen lunch was trivial, there’s no way he’ll want to hear about me spending time trying to track down the source of mystery gifts. “No problem,” I say brightly, and he turns, narrowing his eyes on me, as if trying to figure out what I’m not saying.
He looks like he might press the issue, so before he can say more, I ask, “Any chance you and Jansen might have a few minutes to talk around five? I’d like to go over my goals for the month with you both.”
He continues to stare at me, his eyes dropping down my body briefly, though more in an appreciative way, than an “I want to rip your clothes off” kind of way.
Speaking of clothes, he’s in a pale blue shirt that looks new and makes his skin glow with warmth. Maybe he got some sun during the holidays, because he looks especially vibrant, and my fingers tingle with the urge to touch him.
Energy seems to vibrate between us, but maybe that’s my imagination, or all the caffeine pumping through both of our bodies. No doubt the very air in the room is filled with caffeine particles.
With me still trapped in his gaze, he finally says, “Come by when you’re ready.” He turns and strides out, though he doesn’t take a cup of coffee with him, so what was he even doing in here?
CHAPTER 33
JANSEN
The last hour of the day moves like a glacier. Derek told me that Ana wanted to meet with us, but she hasn’t come around yet.
When she does finally appear at my door, I’m on the phone, so she simply nods at me and continues on toward Derek’s office.
“I need to go,” I tell the compostable packaging vendor, cutting the woman off mid-sentence as I click off the call.
Ana’s just inside Derek’s door when I arrive. I close the door, turn the lock, cup Ana’s jaw in my palm, and kiss her pretty pink lips, which are delicious.
I’ve taken her by surprise, and she doesn’t respond for a beat, but then she kisses me back with the same passion. The two of us taste each other as I angle her head for a deeper connection. My fingers dig into her skin with more force than I intend, but that’s what happens when I don’t see her for a week.
I pull back to the sight of Ana, flushed and dazed, her chest rising and falling as she tries to catch her breath. Her beautiful eyes are open wide, shining brightly and blinking in surprise. “How many cups of coffee did you have today?” she asks, making me smile.
“You taste like coffee.”
Still seeming stunned, she continues to look at me like she’s never seen me before. Her hand goes to her lips, her fingers lightly brushing over them. “I do?”
She tastes fucking incredible, and not from the hint of coffee that’s there, but from the taste that’s hers alone. It’s like warm caramel, vanilla, and sunshine at the golden hour.
“Um … I … came in to talk about my … goals.” I’ve never seen her so speechless, and though I love to hear her voice, I also like putting her so off balance that she can’t find her words.
Derek materializes at her side, sliding his hand across her cheek and up into her hair. She’s wearing it down in soft waves today, and I can’t wait to see it draped over her shoulders and bare breasts very soon.
With great effort, I move back one step to give the two of them space, but I keep hold of her upper arm, right at the spot where the sleeve of her silky blouse meets her skin.
“We’re taking you to dinner,” Derek says, his thumb caressing her cheek.
“You are?”
He leans in to kiss her, and unable to stand by just watching, I move in behind her, brushing her dark hair to one side so that I can taste the warm skin on her neck. She moans when I make contact, and my cock starts to tingle as blood rushes south.
I step in closer, so I can feel the soft curves of her ass against me as I slide my hand down along her hip.
“I can’t,” she tells Derek when they break from their kiss.
He and I both go still. “Why not?”
“I can’t risk someone seeing us out together. It would be obvious it wasn’t a business meeting.” She steps to the side, distancing herself from both of us. “I shouldn’t be doing this anymore. I’ve been so unprofessional.”
She mutters the last part mostly to herself, and while it bothers me that she’s still conflicted, her words only register deep in the back of my mind, because I have overriding priorities right now, and all of them have to do with making her cry out my name while my head is buried between her legs.