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You can do this. You’ve got nothing to lose.
Except my pride.
He stopped in front of the office door again and turned to face her. “What’s up? Is everything okay?”
She nodded. “I’ve been thinking about what you said yesterday and…” She took a breath. “I don’t accept it.”
His brow crinkled. “You don’t accept what?”
“I don’t care that you’re leaving.”
His brow crinkled even more. “Thanks?”
“I didn’t mean it like that. I care that you’re leaving, obviously.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“I’m saying, I’m not looking for long-term commitment. Maybe I just want to have some fun with no strings.”
He stared at her. “Are you serious?”
“Completely. One hundred percent.”
Footsteps plodded toward them as a customer headed into the men’s restroom.
She couldn’t do this in a hallway with people going in and out of the bathroom. Penny grabbed Caleb by the arm and dragged him into the office, pulling the door shut behind them.
She’d never been in there before. It was the size of a large closet, and the smell of coffee was overpowering but also deliciously comforting. Metal shelves covered two walls, packed with bulk supplies: napkins, cups, bags of coffee beans, dish soap. Next to a metal filing cabinet, a cheap particleboard desk held a laptop and a stack of invoices. Every available surface was cluttered, and Penny’s fingers itched with the urge to tidy and organize everything.
“What are we doing in here?” Caleb asked.
“Talking.” Her heart pounded in her chest. If she was wrong about this, she’d never recover from the humiliation. But she saw something in his eyes that gave her courage: longing. “Maybe more than talking.”
His gaze traveled down her body and he swallowed hard. She watched with a sense of triumph as his throat constricted. The way he was looking at her—she wasn’t wrong. He wanted her as much as she wanted him.
Okay, then.
She stepped into his personal space and felt a thrill when he didn’t step back. Another triumph. “Tell me you don’t want to kiss me again.”
He sucked in a sharp breath, but didn’t speak.
She smiled, gaining confidence. “Tell me you don’t want to kiss me, right now, and I’ll leave you alone forever.”
Still nothing.
She laid a hand on his chest. His pec was like granite. She slid her hand down his torso, to the abs she’d fantasized about. His breath hitched as her fingers traced the hard ridges. Talk about granite…
“Penelope.” He sounded tortured. Poor thing.
She looked up at him with her hand spread out on his stomach. A mere inch above the waistband of his jeans. “What? Tell me to stop if you want. Say it.”
He grabbed her and crushed his mouth against hers. Penny’s purse slid off her shoulder and hit the floor with a thunk.
Their last kiss had started out sweet and tentative, but there was nothing tentative about this one. It was rough and desperate and messy. His tongue explored her mouth with wanton determination as he pushed her up against the shelving unit. Some sort of paper product fell on them, glancing off her shoulder, but neither of them paid any attention. All their attention was consumed by each other.
Her hands gripped his shoulders, fingernails digging into the muscle for better purchase. One of his palms moved over her breast while the other cupped her ass. As their hips ground together something hard and heavy pressed into her stomach. Penny moaned, arching against him.
Caleb let go as abruptly as he’d grabbed her and took a step back. “This is a bad idea.” He ran a hand through his hair.
