Close to You

“You know that’s
not why I come here.”
    She blushed adorably. “You haven’t
asked for anything more than that.”
    “ It’s time to rectify that.
Do you have a moment?”
    She nodded. Taking off her apron, she
motioned to her barista and stepped out from behind the counter.
“Come with me.”
    Treat followed her into the
kitchen.
    Bracing her hands behind her on the
counter, she faced him. “Tell me what you want.”
    His body responded instantly to that,
but he reined in his need to take her. Forcing himself to slow
down, he walked up to her, put his hands on her waist, and lifted
her onto the counter. “First, I want this.”
    Before she could say anything, he
speared his fingers through her hair, tilted her head back, and
pressed his mouth to hers.
    He kissed her slowly. Deeply—the way
he’d been imagining since the first day he set eyes on her. Her
lips were warm and soft, falling open to let him in. She tasted of
coffee and sweetness, and he knew it was a taste he’d never get
tired of.
    She braced her hands on his shoulders,
holding firmly, not pushing him away. He didn’t think she would—he
could tell she wanted him as badly as he needed her.
    He savored the kiss. He wanted to
touch her all over, but he kept his hand in her hair, his other one
at her waist.
    She surprised him by wrapping her legs
around his waist and pulling him into her.
    They both gasped—him because he hadn’t
expected her to take that kind of initiative. He figured she was
shocked by his hardness.
    Did she like it? He wanted to ask. He
wondered how bold she was, if she liked to play, and how much. He
could tell she was sensual—you couldn’t bake the way she did
without because a bit of a hedonist. But sex was another
thing.
    He wanted her hands all over him so
badly he was tempted to take them and put them on him.
    She leaned back, her eyes dazed and
her lips glistening. “Okay, that was what you wanted first. And
next?”
    “ A date.” Never breaking
their gaze, he said, “Go out with me, Eve.”
    She nodded slowly. “I’d like
that.”
    A strange sort of triumph surged
inside him, strange because he’d never felt it before. Women had
said yes to him plenty of times, but this was different.
    That wasn’t something to think about
right now. “Friday night?”
    “ I close at seven, so
seven-thirty?”
    “ Seven-thirty. Wear your
usual shoes.”
    She looked down at her feet. “My usual
shoes? Which ones?”
    “ Any of them.” He kissed
her again, only because he could.
    “ Treat, do you have a foot
fetish?”
    “ It’s a very recent thing.”
He returned her grin and stepped back before he was tempted to push
her onto the counter and kiss her more
thoroughly—everywhere.
    Swinging her legs, she tapped her
mouth with a finger as though she was in deep contemplation. “I
have lots of shoes.”
    He didn’t know whether to groan or be
elated. “I didn’t figure you for a cruel woman.”
    She hopped off the counter and tugged
her top back into place. “You don’t know me.”
    “ Not yet, but I’m looking
forward to it,” he said with all honesty.
    She blinked. “Really?”
    “ Yes.” He pushed her hair
behind her ear. “I really am.”
     
     
     

Chapter Eleven
     
    Friday morning, at exactly 10:57am,
Eve took her apron off and turned to Allison. “Can you handle
things for a little bit? I have an errand to run.”
    Her barista nodded at the to-go cup on
the counter. “Based on the Nutella latte you just made, I imagine
you’re off to prepare for tonight’s big event.”
    “ There’s no big event,” she
lied, putting a sweater on.
    “ Uh-huh.” Allison shooed
her off. “Take as long as you need. I’m fine here.”
    “ Thanks.” Smiling, she
picked up the cup and headed to Olivia’s lingerie shop. There was a
bustier waiting for her there.
    Romantic Notions was a block and a
half away, and she timed it so she arrived right at eleven when
Olivia was opening.
    Sure enough, Olivia was in
the window, changing over her sign to read open . Smiling, she opened the door
for Eve. “This is a surprise.”
    “ I come bearing a
latte.”
    Olivia reached for it with both hands.
“You are a goddess. I knew that the moment I met you, but it’s now
been confirmed.”
    “ Actually, I’m a friend in
need.” At her friend’s questioning look, Eve said, “Do you still
have that bustier you were talking about?”
    Olivia’s expression went sly. “What’s
his name?”
    Her cheeks