Coffee and Pistols

Three

The night crowd was wearing thin and he'd sent the other staff home. He couldn't help but glance at the door every time the bell rang. He wouldn't admit he'd used his last break to shower and change. Zach pointed it out all the same before he pushed him out the door. His eyes fell back to the table he was wiping down, big bag of donuts waiting for a blonde someone to claim them as her own. A grin tugged at the corner of his lips as he internally lectured himself. Free donuts were eating into his profits.

Cat ran down the street, the dim light in the coffee shop loosened the knot in her stomach as she jogged up to the coffee shop door. She rapped her knuckles thrice against the window, spying Ace behind the counter, and hoped that she didn't offend him with the fact that she had only dressed herself in a pair of loose-fitting track pants and a shirt that didn't quite fit as well as it had a year or two ago. As Ace headed for the door, she pulled her hair up into a ponytail.

Ace's eyes took in the blonde standing outside of his shop. She stretched like a cat and lowered her arms. She looked more relaxed and younger than he'd seen her. He blamed it on the ponytail and light in her eyes. He went to the door and opened it a crack, teasing lilt to his voice, "We're just about to close. You look like a donut thief. Can I trust you?"

"Not at all," she closed her fist into the shape of a gun and pointed it at his chest. "This is a hold up. Hand over the donuts and no one gets hurt," she laughed. His expression changed to one of mock horror and she couldn't help herself as she nearly dropped her imaginary gun. It was a good thing he didn't know about the one stuck in the waistband of her pants.

Chuckling, Ace tugged her inside, locking the door behind her. "No shadow with you. How did you manage to shake him? He didn't look like the nightlife type. Too uptight." He didn't want to think about her bringing the donuts home to Phil.

Cat scowled, "He's a business partner." At least, she thought, that's what I think he is. Or do I call him a partner in crime or something? Gun buddy? Pistol Partner? Firing Friend? Cat hopped up onto one of the tables and swung her legs, "Are we sharing the donuts, then? Or are you planning to murder me since you locked the door?"

"Smart girl." Ace did his best to sound serious and give a mischievous look. "Maybe both. Death by chocolate with a side of conversation?" He plopped the brown bag with the donuts down on the table and pulled out a chair, sitting on it backwards, straddling it. "You don't look scared."

Grinning childishly, she pulled out the gun from the back of her waistband and set it on her lap. "I'm not scared." Innocently, she looked to the brown bag and snagged it up and unrolled it before pulling out a donut. She looked over at him, "You can have one if you want," she said, setting the bag back down. I won't shoot him if he takes one. But if he tries to take all of them then no holds barred.

Ace was tempted to snatch the bag but caught sight of the gun. Not just a pretty face with a sweet tooth, she packed heat. Something told him she knew how to use it well. His own gun was on the top of his dresser upstairs. Tipping the chair he leaned closer to her. "Wow, willing to share tonight. Have a change of heart from this morning? I knew I was growing on you, Cat. No firearms needed."

Cat stared curiously before she glanced down at the gun. Realization sank in and she shoved it back where she'd taken it. Oh no, he probably thinks I'm going to kill him just to steal all of his donuts! Worry etched itself in her expression and she hopped off the table, "Sorry!" she exclaimed. "I won't kill you!"

Ace sighed, watching carefully as she exposed her bare side to tuck the gun back in and laughed as she tried to pull the too small shirt back down to cover it. Any normal man would be worried, he wasn't. "Good to know. Because if I go there will be no more donuts." He nudged the bag closer to her. "What do I get for being your late night supplier?"

Thinking for a moment, Cat clapped her hands together as an idea came to mind. "How about a kiss?" Cat watched him, assessing whether or not that was a good thank you gift for someone who supplied her with free donuts. "Or is that not okay?"

Rising to his feet, Ace tossed the idea around in his head. Tempting and she came off all innocent, well as innocent as someone could with a gun tucked into her track pants. "Would muscle man Phil be okay with that?" He didn't want to show how okay that idea would be. He stopped directly in front of her.

Cat frowned. "Phil? I don't know." She looked around before gesturing to the back counter, "Do you have a phone? I can call him if you want?" Confused, Cat couldn't help but wonder what Phil had to do with her offering a thank you to her donut supplier.

Ace shook his head at her idea. "Never mind. It's better this way. Just you, me and donuts." He wondered if she would taste like chocolate. "Thank me all you want, Cat. No complaints here."

She stepped forward, holding her hands behind her back, before she leaned forward. "Thank you," she said, pressing her lips to his.

Ace grinned into the kiss, she did taste sweet. His arms snaked around her waist on reflex. It had been too long since he'd had a woman alone, let alone in his arms. He pulled her closer, tentatively, waiting for her response.

I... her thoughts trailed off as he deepened the kiss, and her hands reached up to his shoulders as she sank into him like water on sand.

Despite his male instinct to pull her closer he pulled back, pressing his forehead against hers. "You are welcome, Cat." Shit he needed that but she was clueless to why. It was just a thank you - for donuts. What kind of thank yous did she give everyone else? He cursed under his breath and turned away, muttering to himself, grabbing a jelly filled donut and biting into it.

Cat grabbed another donut, though she made sure to keep an eye on him to see whether or not he would take more than the silently permitted single donut. She took a bite and chewed thoughtfully. "Betsy would like you," she said as she watched a crumb of donut fall to the floor unnoticed. "She likes donuts, too."

Ace raised his eyebrow. "Do I look like a donut?" He licked his lips and met her eyes. He wanted to be mad at her for how he felt but it was his own fault. He needed to listen to his head. "It's getting late?"

Her explanation vanished from her thoughts like a wisp of smoke. Cat focused on his last words and glanced outside where the streetlights bled ugly orange light onto the street. "Did you want me to leave?" she asked.

He wasn't sure what he wanted. "You just wanted donuts, right?" He ran a hand through his hair and breathed in deep. Boring. He was supposed to be boring now. Cat was intrigue, possibly excitement. And she had chocolate on her lips. And a broody partner. Damn.

Cat watched him carefully before she nodded, "You're right. I only wanted donuts. I shouldn'ta stayed. I would've grabbed 'em and ran but I'm a sucker for eatin' them all in one go!" Grabbing the bag of leftover donuts, Cat headed to the door and pulled it open. The bells above jangled noisily. "See ya 'round!"