Page 48 of Cuffed By Love

Mira rolls her eyes in exasperation, “Oh, silly me. It didn’t occur to me that you may have become quite the coffee connoisseur. But of course your choice of coffee would be just as pretentious as you.”

“You call it pretentious, I consider it having good taste.”

Mira snorts, “Good taste? Is this coming from the man greedily slurping away at my ‘sub-standard’, locally brewed, Hazelnut Latte as though his life were dependent on it.”

I smile and take a step closer to her, “I suppose my taste in coffee has improved significantly over the years.” I declare and hold up the cup in my hand. “But I think you’ll find this delightful treasure was our coffee. Dream Bean’s Hazelnut Latte with a double shot of espresso and low fat cream instead of milk.” The haughty look drains away from Mira’s pretty face and she looks at me stunned. “The first thing I did the moment I was back was head to Dream’s and get myself a large cup of our favourite drink and a custard cream filled doughnut—another favourite of ours.” I tell her with a smile. “It’s not me being pretentious at all, while I still have a weak spot for this drink, I occasionally prefer my coffee without milk, no sugar and stronger in taste.”

Mira watches me, seemingly intrigued before she straightens, “Great, if you could stick to your drain water and keep your grubby fingers off my coffee moving forward, it would be highly appreciated.”

“But it’s just so good.” I snigger when she mutters profanities under her breath when I take a soundly slurp while we walk into my office. Mira spins on her heel and scowls at me with eyes ablaze. Ah yes, one of my favourite pass times has always been and forever will be annoying her, and it never gets old. I could piss her off all day, every day tirelessly for the rest of my life and never get bored.

“Fucking slurp louder, won’t you?” One of Mira’s biggest pet peeves is loud eaters. She can’t stand it.

“Okay.” I shrug and slurp my coffee noisily with a satisfied ‘ahhh’ after I swallow. I almost choke mid-swallow when I caught a glimpse of the look on her face and almost burst out laughing. I truthfully can’t even find the words to describe it, she looked simultaneously peeved and horrified.

“God! You’re such an ogre.”

I laugh and pull her toward my desk after she sets her purse down on the cream leather chair opposite my luxury solid mahogany, akatio wood desk. “And yet you still adore me, Tinks.”

Mira halts while pulling a leather chair upto my desk to sit and frowns, “Let me take a look a you.” I lift my gaze to look up at her when she shifts closer to me and places her hands on either side of my face, her eyes flitting from my eyes, slowly down to my lips. Holy crap in a sack, what is happening? Is she going to kiss me?

I want to ask what she’s doing, but it feels like my trap is glued shut. I couldn’t form two fucking words together nor think straight.

“Devin, I think we should get you checked.” She tells me fretfully, and tilts my head back when I give her a quizzical look in return. “I think you may be a little delirious from when you passed out earlier.”

I roll my eyes when her lips curl into a bright smile. She’s taking the piss. “That’s cute, Tinks. Real freaking cute.” I utter with a smile and shake my head when she steps away and takes her seat beside mine.

“I know, I’m just so darn adorable.” She retorts with a shrugs and fires up her laptop.

You have no idea.

* * *

After our squabblingsession we actually managed to settle down and get some work done. Mira’s assistant Molly brought us another two cups of coffee—the right ones this time—with some delicious pastries from the bakery down the street from our office. While she was going through her agenda with Molly, I was going through mine with my assistant Mark. He’s not as proficient as Molly, but in all fairness he was only just assigned to me after the last CEO. I’m confident that in time he will adapt to my routine. Thus far, he seems to be competent and passionate about the job. Though, I must admit, watching Molly and Mira made me miss my assistant Angela back home in Singapore. Angie’s like my right hand and much like Molly and Mira I’d be lost without her—I do feel lost without her. She knows and runs my schedule and day to day routine adeptly. If she didn’t have a husband and kids I would have brought her over here with me. Alas, for now Mark will just have to suffice.

“Also, at three o’clock this afternoon your father would like to catch up with you and Mr King regarding the hold up with the author he’s assigned to you. Mark, could you block out fifteen minutes for Mr King to attend the meeting?”

Mark nods and types away on his Ipad. “Done.”

Mira takes a sip of her coffee and nods while she reads an email on her laptop. “I’m still waiting on that manuscript for C.J Rohld. Any update?”

Molly puts out a large brown envelope and holds it up. “Arrived this morning.”

“Perfect. Can you please get it to Tatiana and mark it as urgent. I want that proof read and edited by Friday next week along with notes. I have a meeting with the author the following Monday and I want to take the weekend to read through it myself.” Mira explains and Molly nods in understanding, her fingers flying across her Ipad.

“All done. Do you need anything else from me? Any thoughts on what you’d like for lunch today?”

I lean back in my chair, my eyes on Mira while she thoughtfully chews on her bottom lip. “I’m actually full on these pastries, but would you mind getting me a—”

“Green juice? Already made and chilling in the fridge, just shout when you need it.” Mira smiles gratefully and Molly rises to her feet, nods curtly at me before she walks out of the office. I notice Mark’s eyes follow Molly as she walks out, momentarily losing focus until she disappears and he turns his attention to me again.

“I’ve arranged your lunch already, Mr King. Will you be eating it here or in the executives lounge?”

I smile knowingly and he scratches his clean shaven jaw, his blue eyes darting back and forth from me and the window behind me. “I’ll let you know and for the millionth time Mark, call me Devin.”

Mark nods and swiftly stands up, “Yes Mr K—uh, Devin.” I dismiss him and watch with a grin as he scampers off out of my office.

“What you grinning at?” Mira questions curiously, briefly lifting her gaze from the laptop screen.

---