Read Online The Coffee Shop by Lauren Hunter - Free Book Online Page A

grasp.
    She was lying back across the couch, and he was on top of her. She looked up at him, laughing as he tried to take the glass from her. But then he stopped and looked down at her beneath him. His gaze moved down from her eyes to her mouth, and he licked his lips.
    “Mr. Sloane?”
    “Yes.”
    “Was there something you wanted to say?”
    He slowly shook his head. “No,” he whispered, his mouth softly kissing hers. He reached up with his hand and gently brushed her hair from her face, drawing his fingers through the silken locks.
    Annie looked up at him, but then the glass tipped, its ice cold contents spilling out over her hand and arm and onto the white cloth of the couch. “Oh!”
    She yanked her hand back looking at her arm. “Your couch! I don’t believe I just did that. I am so clumsy.” She jumped up, brushing the drink from her and onto the white carpet. Annie stared down at her feet. “I’m sorry. I…” She ran to the kitchen, and grabbing the roll of paper towels, she came back and dabbed at the liquid on the couch, and then on the carpet. Standing, she took a step back. “Send me the cleaning bill. Better yet, get a new couch and carpet, and send me that bill.”
    “Annie, I don’t care about the couch, or the carpet. They are just things. They don’t matter. I care about you.”
    His words took her aback, and she stared up at him, uncertain as to how she should respond. He reached for her, and she moved back. “I…uh…perhaps…” She pointed toward the door. “I should be going.”
    “You don’t have to. This is nothing. You should see the day after some of the parties I’ve thrown.”
    The image of what that would look like came to mind, and she looked away. “Nice to know.”
    “Don’t let this ruin an otherwise perfect evening. I don’t care about any of this. You are what I care about,” Derrick begged.
    “I’m sorry, but this is all too fast for me. Um, maybe we just need to slow down a bit.”
    “Sure, if that’s what you want.”
    “Okay then.” Again, she pointed in the direction of the door. “Well, I’ll just be going then.” She walked over to the door, and taking her purse from the glass table, she slung it over her shoulder. Grabbing the doorknob, she opened it and stepped out. “Oh, your key.” She thrust it out at him, holding it before him.
    “Like I said, you can hold on to it.”
    “That’s okay.” She smiled, but kept looking at the key. He didn’t take it, and she tossed it into the apartment. Seeing the elevator was no longer on his floor, she turned, walking toward the door marked stairs.
    “Annie, what are you doing?”
    “I’ll take the stairs. I usually always take the stairs.”
    “But it’s forty-five floors.”
    “That’s okay.”
    “Annie?”
    “Thanks for the dinner, it was delicious.”
    When she got to the door, she stepped through it. Derrick stared after her, his expression one of disbelief.

Chapter Six
    “Angela, what is going on with Annie?”
    “Good morning, Derrick.”
    “I’m sorry. I’m just worried. She’s had her cell phone off since she left my place and…”
    “You’d like to talk to her?”
    He laughed self-consciously. “Sorry. I guess I sound a little upset.”
    “How about a lot.”
    “Is she working today?”
    “No, she asked for the day off.”
    “She did?”
    “Yes, Derrick, she did.”
    “Has she ever done that before?” There was silence on the phone, and he wondered if he should say what he was thinking. “May I ask when that other time was?” She sighed, and he knew he was pushing it, but by not asking he was left wondering what was going on.
    “I really shouldn’t.”
    “Okay, I’m just going to say it. You can tell me to shut up and hang up, but what is it you are trying to say?” There was a pause, and he tensed.
    “Just let me take the phone in the back,” she replied.
    He heard footsteps followed by a door closing.
    “Since I’ve known Annie she’s had this problem.