Page 100 of Taeja

The woman saw Taeja and Zain first, and her smile brightened. “Zain!” she exclaimed. “I haven’t seen you in forever!”

The man raised a finger. “Forever is immeasurable. You saw him approximately five weeks ago, which does not equate to forever—”

The woman rolled her eyes as Taeja and Zain stopped before them.

“Good to see you too, Cav,” Zain said, then looked at the man. “Gavin.”

Cav smiled as her gaze darted back and forth between Zain and Taeja. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

“I was going to, but you’re impatient as always.”

“I concur—” Gavin said, groaning as Cav poked him with her elbow.

Amused by their playfulness — which was something she didn’t expect to see in such a prestigious building full of people who not only sounded smart, but looked the part, too — Taeja smiled.

Zain said, “This is Taeja, our girlfriend.”

‘Our’. That word always did something to Taeja. Especially whenever she got introduced to new people in her boyfriends’ lives and no one judged their relationship. It made her somewhat jealous that she wasn’t the first girlfriend they shared and introduced to their close friends, but she didn’t let the bad thoughts fester what was good.

She was theirs now. That was all that mattered.

She pulled herself out of her thoughts in time to hear Zain finish, “And this is Cavaughn and Gavin. Damon is their boss.”

Cavaughn extended a hand toward Taeja, which Taeja shook. “It’s nice to finally meet the woman who’s had Damon’s head in a twist these days. The way he describes you does you no justice.”

Taeja smiled. “Thank you. You’re pretty, too.”

“Pretty? You’re not pretty, you’re gorgeous,” Cavaughn said as they released their hands. She looked at Zain and motioned her hand with the coffee toward Taeja. “You guys better hold on to her.”

Gavin nodded. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Taeja.”

“Likewise.” Taeja extended a hand toward Gavin.

Gavin held a hand up. “I do not shake hands. Hands carry over three thousandgerms, and—”

Cavaughn rolled her eyes as she grabbed Gavin’s arm. “Let’s go, Gavin. Not everyone wants you to bore them with your big brain.” She smiled at Zain and Taeja while dragging Gavin away.

Taeja chuckled as she and Zain walked away. “They’re… something else.”

Zain nodded as they arrived outside Damon’s office. Taeja entered first, and Zain shut the door behind her. She skimmed past Damon, who sat at the desk, to familiarize herself with the office.

The desk was in the middle of the room. Large cabinets lined the right wall while a sofa, potted plant, and mini coffee machine lined the left. Three intricate frames hosting abstract art were diagonally lined above the sofa that Zain was now sitting on.

Clearing her throat, she looked at Damon with a smile. “I brought you lunch!”

Damon licked his lips. “You or the food?”

Taeja chuckled as she walked toward him. Placing the items on the desk before him, she said, “Depends.”, while throwing a leg over his thighs, then sitting on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he wrapped his around her waist. “What do you wanna eat first?”

“You.”

Taeja smirked, then placed her lips on his. He kissed her with raw passion, making her smile into the kiss as she pressed her breasts against his chest. Damon tasted like dark coffee, and it surprised her that she liked the trace of bitterness. She wasn’t much of a coffee lover, but anything this man had to offer, she’d always willingly accept.

They kissed for a moment more — their tongues tangling and their heads moving in sync — before they pulled away for air.

Her eyes were hazy as they fluttered open to settle on him. Using her thumb to graze the light stubble of his jawline, she said, “You should eat. I’m dessert.”

“How can I say no to that?”

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