Innocent cravings

One :T

t, the slowest hour of her shift, when the smell of burnt coffee lingered stronger than the customers. She had two

ill had a pile of assignments waiting at home

ed up in a conversation about stocks and something called "mergers" that she couldn't quite follow.

ve the diner

she felt it. The shift in the room, the way the air seemed to straighten its

y glanced up, h

ristwatch that gleamed under the fluorescent lights. Every detail screamed wealth. Authority. Untouchab

it belonged to him, his gaze cool a

iercing shade of gray, locked with hers. It wasn't curiosity. It wasn't k

man like that staring especially not that kind of man. Maybe he was looking past h

bled as she set the p

, commanding. The kind of voice that m

lose enough for her to see the faint shadow of stubble on his jaw, the cl

esn't taste like it's been sit

d. "Uh we ha

a smile, more like an acknowledgment. "Then I'

pen nearly slipped from her fingers when she glanced up again. He was still watching her, eyes

partly because he'd asked, partly because she suddenly cared whether the coffee was any good. Slidi

e said, placing i

glanced at her n

made her pulse trip. To

red, retreating a step, but

it

ked. "Ex

e most natural request in the world.

noticed her, except when they needed more napkins. She wanted to say no, wante

I'm on shift," sh

thly, lifting the cup to his l

quickly, fumbling for her order pad just to give her hands something to do. But even a

ing. He set his phone aside a sleek, top-of-the-line

lower. Softer. "Just fi

t something else the part of her that noticed the faint crinkle at the edge o

judgment, Alice s

se that only came from power. He studied her for a moment,

ying to ignore the way her pulse ra

ugh her answer amused hi

t even touch them. He just... looked at her, as if t

n her life, Alice felt l

tinct feeling that this

his gaze linger on her like a que

t through the diner as two more customers walked in. She jumped a

ork," she said quickly, pu

nce, that unreadable half smile playing on his

e in her ears. Like she had given him s

ack toward his booth more than once. He didn't touch his pie. Barely touched his coffee. H

ew minutes later with the

of coffee, and a hundred dollar bill

e fr

the door, but he