Page 27 of Saved By the CEO

I make a face. “Who even says that anymore?”

“You’ve been holding out on me.” She points an accusing finger at me. “If I’d known he looked like that, I would have stopped nagging you about dating other people a long time ago. Poor Joshy boy doesn’t stand a chance.”

I needto try to date Josh again.

The realization hit me on Monday morning when I caught myself staring at Mr. Bennett’s hands in a meeting. I was practically salivating. It was the kind of creepy stare that should have put me on a watch list.

I desperately need to find someone else to focus on.

Carly Michaels: Hey :)

Josh Stanton: Hey!

Carly Michaels: Wanna swing by my desk real quick?

Josh Stanton: Omw

A few minutes later, Josh steps out of the elevator, carrying two cups of coffee. “Here you go, madam.” He hands one to me. “I got it just how you like it. Splash of cream.”

I accept the coffee, notice it’s practically black, and quickly school my expression.

He tried.

“Thank you. That’s so sweet.”

Unlike the coffee.

He leans against my desk and takes a sip from his own cup. “So, did you want to talk about something specific, or did you just want company?”

“A little bit of both,” I say, flashing him a smile. “I wanted to apologize for canceling on you last week.”

He waves me off. “You don’t have to apologize. Something came up. I get it.”

I lift the cup to my lips and take the smallest possible sip. It’s disgusting. I fight back the grimace trying to take over my face.

Mr. Bennett’s door opens just as I set the cup on my desk. His gaze lands on Josh, then on me, then back on Josh. A tiny furrow appears between his brows.

“Another social call?” he says. “I don’t remember writing that into either of your job descriptions.”

Josh shakes his head. “I was just dropping off coffee.”

“Coffee?” Mr. Bennett glances at the cup on my desk. His eyebrows lift. Then the corners of his mouth start to twitch.

No.

“Miss Michaels,” he says. “I’ll be damned.”

Don’t.

“Have you started drinking adult coffee now?” The rat is full-on grinning.

Josh looks between us. “Adult coffee?”

Mr. Bennett gives a low laugh. “Oh, you’ve never seen Miss Michaels drink coffee?”I will commit violent crimes.“It’s mostly cream and sugar,” he says. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her drink anything as dark as what’s in that cup.”

“Oh,” Josh says, deflating a little.

I bring the cup to my mouth again and take a big gulp. Tar. Straight-uptar.How do people drink this?