"You’re riding with me today," he announces.
"I am?"
He nods.
"Oh."
His grin broadens, the flash of his perfectly white teeth between those lips that look so hard, but are actually quite soft, seems more than a little predatory. A frisson of uncertainty crawls up my spine. Why is he looking so happy with himself? What’s going on in that head of his?
"Hmm." I raise my cup and take a sip of the brew which is now the correct temperature. The scent of rich dark soil, the feel of green moss weaving through my fingers, and the sound of thunder as water pours onto rocks far below sweeps through me.
"Wow," I breathe. "This coffee is amazing."
"It should be, it’s made from the poop of Thai elephants."
I choke on the mouthful I’ve barely swallowed. "You’re shitting me."
"It’s the shit of the elephants, actually," he drawls.
"You’re kidding." I scoff. When he doesn’t reply, I blink. "Right?" I ask.
"Right." He smirks.
"Oh, thank God." I glance at the coffee then place it back.
"It’s actually extracted from Indonesian cat poop."
"Excuse me?" I whip my head back in his direction. "Now you really are joking."
"'Afraid not. It’s the second most expensive coffee in the world."
"O-kay." I place my hands in my lap and stare at the remainder of the dark liquid in my cup. "I… I’m not sure I want to drink the rest of it."
"You just said you loved it."
"That was before you gave me the lowdown on what it’s made from."
"Relax, it’s rich Colombian coffee from a private plantation." His eyes gleam.
"Why don’t I believe you?" I scoff.
The machine runs again, I glance over my shoulder to find he’s filling another cup with the dark liquid.
"Thought you didn’t drink coffee?"
"I don’t."
Huh. Does he mean that he bought the coffee machine for me?
Miriam plates out the food, then slides it onto the table. "If that’ll be all?"
JJ nods. "Thanks, M."
She smiles at me, then leaves by the back door. JJ fills the cup and prowls over to stand next to me. He blows into the cup and the steam rises. The bittersweet scent of coffee intensifies. Mixed with the spicy scent of his aftershave, it’s a potent combination that sinks into my blood and arrows straight for my core. I cross my legs and his gaze sharpens. "You seem restless this morning."
"I’m fine," I snap back.
"Where’s Isaac?"