He waits for me to invite him in, but I don’t, seizing the opportunity to study him instead.
He’s dressed casually, in a pair of black jeans and boots, and a faded leather jacket over a dark gray henley. His hair is darker than usual, the dirty blonde locks tamed down, still wet from a shower. The scent of his body wash begins to permeate the apartment along with…
“Is that coffee?”
Some people are addicted to drugs, but me… I’m addicted to coffee, and Koen’s holding a tray of two cups from my favorite coffee shop two streets over.
He pulls the tray back toward him, and I track it with my eyes.
“Depends… Can I come in?”
I pretend to think about it, but who am I kidding? There’s little I won’t do to get my caffeine fix. “Fine.” I retreat back into my apartment, leaving the door open behind me.
Koen steps inside, shutting the door behind him.
Rubbing my eyes, I slide my ass onto one of the island stools and watch as he makes himself at home in my kitchen. Setting down the tray of drinks and a plain brown bag, I hadn’t noticed in his other hand.
Without a word, he slides one of the cups to me before claiming the other for himself.
My need for caffeine is at war with my sense of self-preservation, and I eye the drink I was so desperate for just a second ago suspiciously.
What if he put something in it?
Not that he’d need to. Between his height, his muscles, and what I’m guessing is a morally grey compass, he could very easily overpower me.He already has.
Koen sips from his own coffee cup before catching me staring down at mine with a look of apprehension.
“It’s not going to bite you.”
“It might.” I eye both him and the cup with newfound suspicion. My brain slow from lack of sleep and caffeine.
He lets out a sigh that sounds an awful lot like exasperation before reaching for my drink, and taking a sip out of it before placing it back down in front of me.
Crisis averted. I reach for the cup, finally getting my fix, while his dark eyes assess me.
“I think you and I both know, I don’t need to drug you to fuck you.”
I nearly choke on the coffee in my mouth, and he shoots me a wicked little grin and a wink before pushing the paper bag my way.
Feigning interest in the bag, I ignore the way my body heats. That look he gave me awakens something deep down in my core. His words, thatwink…
Koen clears his throat, leaning on my counter on his elbows, confirming he’s still hot as sin. He’s quiet, watching me from the other side of the island as I take another sip of my coffee.
“Wait,” I pause, pulling the rim of the cup away from my face. “This is a caramel latte,” I say, stunned, looking back in Koen’s direction. His expression remains unchanged. “How did you?—?”
“I remembered.” He drains the rest of the coffee from his own cup, tossing it into the trash by the edge of the island before changing the subject. “I thought we’d start by going over what you know that may be of interest.”
He keeps talking but I’m no longer paying attention.
Heremembered? That I liked caramel lattes? I don’t even remember telling him that…
“Briar.”
“Yeah?” My name snaps me from my thoughts.
Koen gives me a look when he has to repeat the question I ignored. “How long have you worked at Wonderland?”
“Uhm.” I think back. “About one year. As a waitress.”Since Remi’s first asthma attack—but I withhold that last bit. Need to know.
