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“If you wouldn’t mind. I need an espresso in order to be awake enough to figure out how to make it.”
I smiled. “It’s quite easy, really.” I turned it on. “See? Just press the button.”
“Seriously? That’s it?”
“Well, put a cup under the nozzle.”
He glanced over his shoulder. “You’re a little minx, aren’t you?” He took a deep breath. “Who smells so bloody good I could eat you up.”
My cheeks flamed at the same time the kettle chirped.
“I didn’t mean, you know,that.”
I poured cream into my tea, stirred it, then returned to the sofa. “Tell me more about why you believe Puck has Z.”
Zeppelin joined with his espresso. Part of me wished he’d put on a shirt. The other part of me enjoyed ogling his muscles.
“You really have a machine just like that one?”
“Exactly like it.”
“I’m impressed.”
“It doesn’t take great skill to order something online, Zep.”
“Jack. And I need another one of these.”
“Zep, Jack, whatever your name is, will youpleasetell me what made you say Puck has Z?” I hollered after him when he returned to the kitchen.
“Hang on. As you know, this only takes a minute.”
“Argh!” I fell against the sofa and brought my hands to my head.
“Okay, okay. Calm down. I’ll just put on a shirt and…”
I moved my hand and opened one eye when he didn’t finish his sentence. “And what?”
“I should’ve said unless…”
“Whatever you’re about to suggest, my answer is a resoundingno. My God, how do youeverget any work done?”
“It’s quality, not quantity. I focus on what’s important more than?—”
I didn’t interrupt; he stopped mid-sentence. “More than what? Were you about to say I don’t focus on what’s important?”
“No…” He drew the word out to two syllables.
“You’re a liar. That’s exactly what you intended to say.” I picked up my laptop and stormed over to the bed. “The deal is off. We’ll both work on our own.”
“Why do you get the bed?”
I groaned again and got up. “You take it. I don’t care where I sit.” I plopped on the sofa. “You are maddening,” I muttered.
“Right back at you.”
I peeked over and saw him pull a shirt over his head, then returned to the brief on my screen.
“When we left off last night, I said that after locating the IP address for the scheduled auction website at the villa owned by AMPS, we theorized the acronym represented code names. M for Mithras. P for Pharaoh,” he began.