1
Brianna
* * *
Triple grande oat milk caramel macchiato, upside down, extra caramel, sugar-free cinnamon dolce with whipped cream and cinnamon on top. I’d been told everyone took turns picking up coffee from Starbucks whenever there was a staff meeting. Today, the Starbucks closest to the office had been out of caramel, so I’d had to hoof it an extra eight blocks to the next closest one, in heels no less, and now I was going to be late. I’d wanted to impress my new boss, or I never would have walked so far out of my way, and now I was regretting that choice.
I hurried into the building and saw a guy in a leather jacket with a ponytail getting onto the elevator. I picked up speed, calling out, “Wait! Please hold the elevator.” I saw him put his hand on the door to stop it from closing just as the tip of one of my stiletto heels caught in the carpet and I lurched forward. The tray I was holding, complete with four coffee drinks, flew through the air. He reached out to catch me but wasn’t fast enough, so both me and an explosion of coffee landed all over him, sending us crashing to the elevator floor just as the doors closed behind us.
“Oh my god, I’m so sorry! Are you okay?” I could barely see through my hair, which was now draped all over us, but I wiggled free and attempted to stand up as I looked down at his coffee- and whipped-cream-drenched jacket and jeans in horror.
“Yeah, I think so. Other than the fact that I now get to sit in the dentist’s chair soaking wet and smelling like a vanilla venti organic something-or-other coffee drink.” He had pale blue eyes and the cutest dimples I’d seen on a man in a long time, but I couldn’t think about that now.
“I really am sorry. I can pay for your dry cleaning.”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s okay.” He got to his feet and held out a hand to help me.
“Thank you.” I stood up and attempted to slide my shoe back on, a litany of curses escaping me when I realized the heel had snapped off. “Son of a no-good-fucking whore. The heel is broken. What in hell am I supposed to do now? Motherfucker!”
“Uh, go home and get new shoes?”
I grimaced, squatting down to pick up the empty coffee cups. “I don’t have time. I have a staff meeting that starts in a few minutes. And it was my turn to get coffee.”
“I’m sorry. Is there anything I can do?”
I shook my head. “You’re sweet for offering, but I should be the one asking you what I can do because now you’re as much of a mess as I am.”
“Accidents happen.” He smiled and then winced, as if in pain.
“You okay?” I asked, frowning.
“Toothache,” he murmured. “I’m on my way to the dentist.”
“Dr. Morgan?”
He nodded. “Yeah.”
“Dr. Morgan has been my dentist since college and he’s amazing. He’ll take good care of you.”
“I found him a few years ago and like him a lot. I just hope he can make this tooth stop hurting.”
We were just standing there looking at each other when I realized the elevator car hadn’t gone anywhere.
“Did either of us pick a floor?” he asked, following my gaze to the panel, where none of the buttons were lit up.
I bit my lip for a second and then we both burst out laughing.
“By the way, I’m Declan,” he said, holding out a wet, sticky hand.
“Brianna.” I shook it anyway.
Our eyes met again and I was momentarily overwhelmed by how good-looking he was, though I didn’t usually go for guys with long hair and leather jackets. He had dark blond hair and a matching cropped beard that gave him an edgy look, but his features were classically handsome and there was no mistaking broad shoulders and a tapered waist.
Damn, I needed to get laid or something because no one had affected me like this in a very long time. Even covered in coffee and a baseball cap masking part of his face, he made my heart beat a little faster. Too bad I had to get to my stupid meeting.
“I’ll go up to Dr. Morgan’s with you,” I said after a minute. “My friend Chloe is the receptionist there and I might be able to squeeze into a pair of her flats. She usually keeps a pair under her desk.”
“Okay, great. And maybe they’ll let me clean up a little in the bathroom.”
I glanced down at his soaking wet crotch and grimaced. “I’m, uh, not sure there’s much you can do about that.”
“I know.” He looked down too and made a face. “You’ve got good aim.”
I tried not to laugh but couldn’t help it. “Not usually. I’m really sorry, though, and I’ll absolutely pay your dry-cleaning bill if you send it to me when you get home.”
“Not necessary. I’ll do laundry tonight.”
“Here we are.” I let him walk into the dentist’s office ahead of me and Chloe looked up in amusement.
“Why are you barefoot, B?” she asked. “Don’t you have a big meeting today?”
“Yeah, well, you know my luck. I fell, broke my heel, and proceeded to drench your nine-thirty appointment with four vanilla venti organic something-or-other macchiatos.” I winked at Declan as I chuckled.
“Oh, geez. Are you Mr. James?” Chloe got up.
Declan nodded. “Guilty.”
“Hang on. Let me get you a T-shirt. We do giveaways and I think there are a few bigger ones that would hang over your jeans and cover your, uh, wet spot.” She tried not to giggle but he made a motion with his hand.
“Go ahead,” he said. “I know I look ridiculous, but you can laugh all you want as long as you get this damn tooth to stop hurting.”
“Dr. Morgan will take good care of you. Be right back.” She disappeared in the back and I went behind the desk and dug around in search of Chloe’s backup flats.
“I’m in luck!” I said, standing up and holding out a pair of black shoes. They were pretty basic and boring compared to the high heels I’d been wearing, but definitely more professional than going barefoot.
“What kind of work do you do?” he asked, meeting my gaze curiously.
“I just started a new job working for a catering company.”
“Good luck.”
“Thanks.” I put the shoes on and looked up as Chloe came back in. “I took your flats,” I told her. “I’ll bring them back to you tomorrow, okay?”
Chloe nodded as she handed Declan a purple T-shirt that said “Morgan’s Molars are Molecular” and directed him to the restroom. “You can change and clean up in there. If you give me your insurance card, I’ll check you in while you do that.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
“I have to go.” I smiled at him as I headed for the door. “It was really nice meeting you, Declan, and I’m sorry I drenched you in overpriced macchiatos.”
“If I had to start my day drenched in overpriced organic venti whatchamacallits, I can’t think of anyone lovelier to deliver them.” His eyes twinkled as our eyes locked, and for a moment I couldn’t breathe. Holy shit, who was this guy?
My cheeks felt a little warm as I said, “Take care.”
“Bye, Brianna.”