My Grumpy Alpha

Eli

They messed it up again.

My coffee order.

How fucking hard was it to make a three cinnamon, coconut milk heated to exactly a hundred and twenty-five degrees, no foam, shaken not stirred, with a quarter of vanilla equalized to a quarter of caramel latte?!

Do they not understand that the pressure in the atmosphere can unheat by a single degree, ruining my LATTE!

My. Latte.

Really, these things are the only bonuses you have in life after going to another anger management course at ten am only to be told you’re “Impossible.”

Only to be followed by being hit on by a sixty-year-old woman who said she identified as YOUNG!

“You know,” Gabe starts using his inside voice, he even has his hands out in front of himself like he’s ready to fight me because clearly, he knows I’m pissed. I stare at my already splintered desk and I know he can see me ready to throw this one too, and that’s the last thing we need. What the hell is wrong with me? “It could be that um… it could be, okay sorry I need to pause here, the look you’re giving me makes me feel like you aren’t wanting me to speak but if I don’t, then you’re just going to get in your own head and throw something through a window again which is exactly what we’re trying to avoid so if you could just use your words that would be extremely helpful to all humanity not just me and—”

“—Here.” Ava waltzes in my office without even knocking wearing the sexiest black pantsuit I’ve ever seen and smelling like heaven. “I picked up your coffee order on my way here, so dumb… they laughed at me when I told them the exact temperature. It’s like they don’t even realize how pressure from the weather can alter the taste and heat!”

I am no longer my own.

I am hers.

Forever hers.

I stand up.

I grip the table to keep myself from launching over said table and demolishing both coffee, her mouth, and other things I should not mention.

“Thank you.” I say it like it’s a blessing. Like I’m blessing her. I say it like I’m a priest when every single thought in my head is the complete opposite. I want to reward her with sex. I want to drive into her so hard she see’s stars and screams my name.

I have no control.

Nothing is left.

I look toward Gabe.

His eyebrows shoot up. “Yes, yes, quite lovely of you to get him his perfect coffee order; should we go learn how the copier works?”

“What?” She leans forward, her breasts press against her suit jacket, giving some amazing cleavage I want to lick through for the entire year and maybe more. “Is everything okay? I hope I didn’t overstep?”

Fuck me. Please step on me.

“No.” I get out. “It’s just been a busy morning and I’ve been dying for caffeine.” I grab the cup and lift it. “Thank you for this.”

She winks. “All part of the job, boss.”

Swear if she ever said that naked, I would be on my knees in a heartbeat.

“Great,” I rasp, barely getting the word out.

Gabe snorts under his breath. “So about that copier.”

“Oh yeah.” She grins. “Let’s go check it out. Bye boss, thank you for the job. Again, I hope to really give you exactly what you need.”

I swear I can hear Gabe’s internal laughter as they leave the office. The door closes with a silent click and I’m ready to explode.

Don’t think about her.

It.

Any of it.

I stare at the perfect coffee and take a sip.

It truly is my perfect drink order.

And she’s perfect.

Not that she’s mine.

Employee, employee, employee.

If I say it enough, I’ll believe it and I won’t maul her like the animal I am.

I don’t know how long I sit at my desk and watch the door like she’s going to come back in, like I can’t smell her. Like I can’t feel my own need.

I need.

I want.

I dig my hands into my desk and finally sit, knowing full well that my entire body is on fire for the one person it should be ignoring.

I take a deep breath. The door cracks open and she pokes her head in, immediately I smell her.

I want her.

She smiles and I want to both fuck her and kill her.

“Yes?” I barely get out.

Her smile gets wider. “What did you want me to order you for lunch? And also, I have the documents you need to sign from the overseas contracts in Germany. I’ll email you a DocuSign in a minute. Let me know if you want more coffee or anything else. I’m here at your disposal. I’m here.” I stop breathing. “To serve you.”

Shit.

I clench my teeth.

I stare her down.

I try not to break.

But know, one day.

One. Day.

I will.