I slid down the kitchen cupboards and sat on the floor. Why had that guy jumped into my mind? And why was he enough to push me into such delight? Was I that desperate for the attention of a man? The way he had so much confidence in speaking to me was definitely sexy. And he was cute. Okay, not cute, he was exceedingly hot. The hottest man who has ever spoken to me. Perhaps I was stupid to be cold to him. Perhaps Jenny was right, I needed a good fuck. But how would I ever get coffee-shop man into a one-night stand? Would I ever even see him again?
Chapter 3
I spent the weekend sulking and cleaning. Then washing my clothes. While putting my clothes away, I ended up digging out those old jeans from the back of my closet. After debating what to do with them, I duct taped them to the wall in my kitchen. Right beside the snack cupboard. Shortly afterwards I reasoned I couldn’t waste the food already in my cupboard, and sat down to watch an old romance starring a man my mother probably lusted after while stuffing my face with Oreos.
I don’t understand why I was crying since romance was only found in movies and not real life. I huffed, blew my nose and jogged to the bedroom, undoing my pants as I went. By the time I hit the bed, they were down around my thighs and my trusty vibrator was on and buzzing to go.
I thought about the movie, the kiss, the man’s movie-star body, everything. But before long coffee shop guy was front and center in my mind. He backed my naked body against the wall and lifted me, but before I even got to run my fingers through his glorious mane, I climaxed.
After my body calmed, I decided message received, loud and clear. It was time to take a risk. I would somehow get him home and wrap my legs around his waist. He would be my first one-night stand. I just had to find him.
Before I knew it, Monday morning was upon me and the countdown to Calvin was in full swing. I dreaded the morning a little less than other Mondays, now I’d given myself the mission of finding coffee-shop man.
* * *
“Good morning,” Sam said with her usual chirpiness.
“Morning!”
“Well, that’s an unusual smile for a Monday. What’s up?” I’d only known her six months and already her ability to read me was uncanny.
“Come get a coffee with me and I’ll tell you.”
“Ooo, coffee? That’s usually reserved for Fridays.”
“Is that a no? Because I’m going.”
“As if I’m going to pass up the opportunity to find out what’s going on.”
We entered the coffee shop, my eyes flitting over the place, but there was no sign of coffee-shop man.
After she’d fixed her chocolate mocha and I’d skipped the sugar on my skinny Americano I said, “Let’s sit down.” I led her to a table where I could keep an eye on the door.
“Sitting down? We never stay. This must be good!”
“It is. At least for me. Over the weekend I had an epiphany. I need a man.”
Her face dropped for a second before she broke into a wide grin and started clapping, “Yippee!”
“Stop it. People are staring.”
“I don’t care. This is a momentous occasion.”
“No, it’s not. I’m not talking about a relationship, just a one-night stand.” I paused, “Or maybe a fuck buddy, but nothing more.”
“Is it the blond?”
“Huh?”
“Jenny texted me about the blond. Don’t worry, she got his phone number for you.”
“No, it’s not the blond!”
“She told me how cute his ass was.”
“What? How would she know?”
“She doubled back after you left and found him.”
“The traitor! Anyway, like I said, it’s nothing to do with the blond.”
The door opened and a group of suited men walked in. I couldn’t see all of them straight away, so I stared as they made their way to the counter.
Sam looked to me, and then looked to them and back to me again. Her mouth opened wider with each turn of her head.
“Close your mouth, you’re about to catch flies.”
“Don’t try to change the subject, I’m onto you. It’s the guy who was here on Friday, isn’t it?”
“Maybe.” I couldn’t keep the smile from my face.
“How are we going to find him again?”
“I’m going to blow a lot of money on coffee until I do.”
It wasn’t a good plan, granted. And I didn’t have the money to spend on coffee. When I’d come up with the plan, coffee-shop guy was already waiting in the coffee shop for me Monday morning and treated me to the first coffee.
“Well, hopefully he’ll be here in a minute.”
“Unlikely, but a girl can dream.”
The door opened again and my heart crashed against my ribcage. My cheeks burned.
“What? Is it him?” Sam asked, whipping her head around to see. “It’s him!”
“So what do I do now?”
“Go talk to him!”
“But what if it isn’t interested in me?”
“Sweetie, I was here Friday. Trust me, he’s definitely interested in you.”
I didn’t know whether to believe her, but I wanted to. I had to. Otherwise I knew damn well she’d go up to him on my behalf. I should have thought of that before I’d told her. I patted my cheeks, willing the red to go down, cleared my throat and stood. Sam’s smile gave me the last bit of confidence I’d get. At least she’d be there to pick me up after he rejected me.
I walked to the prep area. Yes, I would wait there the way he’d waited for me on Friday. It was all coming together. Except as I walked to the little counter, I was looking at him and not where I was going. I stumbled into a chair and sent both myself and the chair toppling to the floor, accompanied with a deafening screech.
* * *
I lay on the floor, half under a table. A used Kleenex was far too close to my face, but I still contemplated pulling it apart and using it to shield my face as I fled the coffee shop.
“Abbie, are you okay?”
Oh no. Please no. This was the worst thing possible. Coffee-shop man crouched beside me. I closed my eyes, willing to see Sam when I opened them again. She stood halfway between me and our table, as if she had rushed over, and then hung back when the man got to me first.
I can’t believe he used my name. I can’t believe he remembered my name! Too bad he’d wipe it from his memory now.
“I’m fine, thanks,” I said sitting up, conscious of every single person in the shop watching me.
“Here, let me help you,” he said, grabbing my hands.
My face burned red, but at least he would think it was from my fall and not from talking to him. The next moments were a blur but somehow I ended up sitting at a table with him and a glass of water. Over his shoulder I saw Sam hightail it out the door.
“Are you hurt?” he asked.
“Only my pride,” I tried to smile, though my insides were a clash of emotions, fighting between embarrassment over the fall and excitement over finding him so easily.
“Don’t worry, I’ve done things a hundred times worse.”
“You have? Like what?”
“Um,” he hesitated.
I jumped in, “Liar!”
His eyes widened at my accusation and we both laughed.
“I have,” he protested. “When I was a kid I got to ride my horse in a town parade. And I fell off.”
I burst out laughing. Not knowing whether to believe him. “I appreciate you trying to make me feel better,” I said with a smile beaming across my face.
“Sir, your coffee,” the barista called.
He stood and took a step to the counter before turning back to me, “Don’t go anywhere.”
My heart swelled, Sam was right, he was interested in me. I watched as he fixed his coffee, then he retrieved my coffee from my original table. “Here,” he said as he set it in front of me.
Chapter 4
“So… you remembered my name.” That sounded awkward, why did I say
that?
“I never forget a pretty girl’s name.”
He certainly didn’t lack for confidence but his comment had my heart dancing.
“Do I get to know your name?” I asked, fiddling with my stir stick.
“Of course. It’s Jay…”
Was he done? He didn’t sound done. Did he forget his name?
“Jay?” I repeated.
“Yes,” he said, sounding surprised.
“Nice to meet you, Jay. I’m Abbie White.”
“Yes, I’m Jay, Jay Mc…”
“Jay Mickle?”
“Yes, Jay Mickle.” This was a strange conversation.
“I feel like Judy Garland in The Clock,” I said.
“Except you tripped over a chair, not me. And you didn’t break your heel.”
“I…” I was speechless. How did he know that movie? No one knew that movie.
He smiled at me, holding my eyes in his.
“You’re a fan of old movies?” I finally said.
“My mother watched them endlessly when I was growing up.”
I sucked on the rim of my coffee cup, looking at him. Pondering.
Normally people look at me with blank faces when I make a reference to one.
* * *
I glanced at my watch. Holy cow, we’d been talking for an hour. Calvin would freak. Fingers crossed, Sam came up with a convincing story to cover for me.
“Is everything okay?” Jay asked.
“Yes, it’s just I have a real hard ass for a boss, and he’s going to freak on me for being late.”
Jay shook his head, “Don’t worry about him.” How could he say that? I had a mortgage to try to keep up with. I was sure Calvin would put this on my record. I was convinced he was building a case against me to get me fired.
“You sure must have a nice boss with a comment like that.”
He laughed. “I don’t have a boss.”
“What do you mean you don’t have a boss?” My comment seemed to surprise him, and he sat up straighter.
“No, I don’t have a job.”
“You don’t have a job?” What kind of person doesn’t have a job? It wasn’t like he was old enough to be retired. But it did explain his lax attitude about my job. He probably got fired from his last job for laziness. But it didn’t matter what he did for a one-night stand, as long as he satisfied me.
“No, I’m, um, between jobs right now.”
“Oh, then why are you hanging out downtown?”
“You know, job interviews.”
“What time is your interview? I don’t want you to be late because of me.”
“Don’t worry, I have time. I like to come good and early.”
“What’s the interview for?”
“IT stuff. Nothing exciting.”
“Good luck. I’m sorry, I really have to get to work.” I really, really didn’t want to go to work.
“I hate to lose your company while I wait. Are you doing anything Friday?”
“No.”
“How about dinner? My treat?” He just asked me out. I had to pinch myself under the table to make sure I wasn’t in my bed masturbating.
“I’d love to. What time and where?”
“Meet me at Dish at eight on Friday.” Wow, he must not have been out of work long if he was going to spring for Dish.
“Sounds perfect.”
I stood, my face beaming with excitement. He stood beside me, so close it caused butterflies to flutter around in my chest. He smelled incredible, of crisp white sheets that made me want to bury my face in him and drink in his scent all day long.
“We should exchange phone numbers, in case anything comes up.”
“Good idea.” My thumbs flew over my phone to open my ‘create new contact’ screen, and I typed in Jay Mickle, waiting for him to tell me his number.
“Just a second, Abbie. I never remember my number and it always takes me a minute to figure out how to see my number.”
Was this guy serious? Who didn’t know how to see their own number? And what kind of IT guy didn’t know to look under ‘me’ in the contacts? Oh well, he was hot and fun to talk to and that was all that matters.
“Why don’t I tell you mine, Jay, and you can text me, then I’ll have yours?”
“Good idea.”
My phone beeped with his text, and I added him to my contacts.
“Great, it’s been lovely meeting you, Jay. I’ll see you Friday.”
“I look forward to it,” he said, his smile so broad and genuine my insides melted.
He held the door open for me. We went to go our separate ways and after a few steps I turned to him and called, “Good luck in your job interview.”
His brow furrowed for a second before he said, “Thanks.”
Chapter 5
I hurried to my desk, praying Sam had come up with a good cover story for me. Maybe I could say I was at a meeting, talking up the merits of his WeeksEnd reports to the powers that be? Ha! Fat fucking chance.
“How did it go?” Sam pounced on me before I’d even had the chance to sit down.
“Really good.”
“I can tell, judging by the smile on your face. Are you seeing him again?”
“Friday. At Dish!”
“Dish? I hope he’s paying.”
“He said it was his treat. So I’ll be having an amazing meal before I get a little nookie.”
“What’s he like?”
“So much fun to talk to,” I said remembering his old movies comments. “But really, really confident. Except when it came to his name, he seemed to forget that.”
“Why? What’s his name?”
“Jay Mickle.”
“That’s weird, don’t you think?”
I shrugged. “I don’t care what his name is, as long as he gives me something to call out in the throes of passion.”
Sam burst out laughing.
“Abbie, how good of you to come to work this week.” Calvin’s voice was like nails on a chalkboard.
“Calvin, I just got out of a meeting. How was your weekend?”
“What meeting?” he pressed.
“With Jay Mickle.”
“Who’s that?”
“You must have heard of him, he does all that stuff on the most effective way to present data in reports. I learned a lot from him in such a short time, it was a really beneficial use of my time that I think will help our little department.”
Calvin gave me a puzzled look. I hoped he believed me. No, I didn’t care if he believed me, I wanted him to stop talking to me about my tardiness. I bite the insides of my cheek to stop myself from laughing. Judging by Sam’s face, she was doing the same thing. Calvin nodded and walked into his office.
Sam and I sat down, laughing quietly at Calvin’s reaction to my story.
“You’re too funny,” she said.
“He’s just a slow-witted idiot,” I said, and we laughed all over again.
My phone bleeped.
Hi Abbie. Looking forward to seeing you again. Can we change restaurant from Dish to D’Angelo’s? J
My face fell.
“What? Who is it?” Sam pried.
“It’s Jay.” I held my phone out for her to see.
“He must’ve looked at the prices.” She laughed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh.”
“What do you think it means?”
“It means he doesn’t want to pay Dish prices.”
“But…”
“No but. Who cares?”
“You’re right,” I said. It didn’t matter, I only wanted him to fuck me, not wine me and dine me.
Sure, no problem
“At least I can walk there from my apartment,” I said, disappointed.
Chapter 6
“Thanks for helping me get ready,” I said as I stood in my bedroom.
“Of course. Mostly I’m here to make sure you don’t back out,” Jenny said.
“I’m so nervous.”
“Don’t be.
He’ll be throwing himself at you in that dress. Hell, even I want to throw myself at you.”
I twirled back to the mirror, my tits almost popping out of my strapless dress as I spun.
“On second thought, I don’t feel comfortable enough to wear this.” I pushed it down and wiggled until the fuchsia dress ended up at my feet.
“How about this one?” Jenny rummaged through my closet and held up a little black dress with a halter top.
“Oh my God, I forgot I owned that.”
She zipped me into it and tied the tails of the halter behind my neck.
“Wow, how could you forget you own this?”
“Is it too much cleavage?” Holy cow, it was a lot of cleavage.
“There’s no such thing as too much cleavage!”
“Is it classy enough?’
“Classy enough for D’Angelo’s?”
“Right. Will I stick out?”
“Yes. But for the right reasons! Come on, let’s do your nails.”
My heart was fluttering with nerves. I hadn’t been on a date in so long and I was on the verge of vomiting.
“I don’t know if I can do this.”
“Don’t be silly. It’s like you said, it isn’t a date, it’s a one-night stand with dinner first.”
“Okay, I can do this.” I forced myself to breathe.
* * *
My crimson nails flashed in the light as I pulled open the door to D’Angelo’s. I stepped in and scanned through the dim light for Jay. He was sitting at a table near the back, and stood when he saw me.
Jay was wearing the same expensive suit he’d had on at the coffee shop. At least it might have been the same, but admittedly I couldn’t tell one expensive suit from the other. Instead of a crisp shirt and tie, he wore a stylish gray dress shirt that hinted at the muscles underneath.
Billionaire's Secret: The Complete Series Page 2
