All or Nothing

9

What's your coffee order?

Lauren receives the text on Friday morning as she's rubbing at her temples, frustrated yet again by some of her employee's level of sheer incompetence – she smiles for the first time in what feels like hours when she sees Camila's name flashing across the screen of her phone.

She hasn't seen the other woman since the night at the gala, since the night she'd managed to convince Lauren to give this thing between them a chance. And Lauren still has her doubts – that whole long, damning list of them – but for Camila, she's willing to try, for the first time in a long, long time.

Why?

She sets down the red pen she's been using to scribble furiously over the latest proofs for Jauregui Inc's next issue in order to reply, waiting patiently for Camila's response to come through, smile still playing at the edges of her lips.

She glances up to see several of her employees eyeing her warily, and sets her mouth back into a thin line as she glares until they hastily look away and get back to work.

I'm bringing Normani lunch from Noonan's and I noticed you had a cup from there on your desk the last time I was in your office. And Normani might have told me that you're having a terrible day and I thought coffee might perk you up.

Lauren purses her lips at the mention of her mood – but smiles when she receives another message not two seconds later.

Please don't fire Normani for telling me that.

I'll consider it, she fires back. And the baristas should know my order by now. Make sure it's hot.

Anything for you.

Lauren's smile softens at the words on her screen, and she wonders what she's done to deserve the good fortune that is the brightness that Camila has managed to breathe into her life.

She works quietly for a while longer, finishing the proofs with much grumbling and cursing before yelling for one of her assistants to take them back to where they came from for the corrections, and she's just about to start on her next job for the day when she hears a soft knock on her office door.

"Come in," she calls when she sees Camila hovering in the doorway, and she slips into the room and sets a paper cup down on the edge of Lauren's desk with a little flourish. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Hopefully, it's up to your high standards."

"I'll forgive it, if not. Just for you." Camila's lips twitch and Lauren takes a moment to appraise her outfit – black slacks and a white blouse with three buttons undone to show off those sculpted collarbones that Lauren loves so much. "Did you dress up just for me?"

"No." Camila's eyes sparkle as Lauren lets a hint of a pout play around the edges of her lips. "I had a meeting with a client this morning. I undid an extra two buttons just for you, though." Lauren chuckles quietly, and Camila's smile makes her heart race.

"Well, I appreciate it." She lets her gaze linger at the expanse of smooth skin that's bare before her eyes, and feels a flash of regret that the walls of her office are glass – she'd love nothing more than to drag Camila closer and dart her tongue across the planes of her throat. "Don't you have a lunch date to get to?"

"Yeah." Camila doesn't move to leave, though she does tighten her hand slightly on the paper bag in her hand. "I just wanted to see you. Make sure we were still on for tomorrow." She's worrying at her bottom lip, a vulnerability in those brown eyes that make Lauren feel like she's drowning.

"Of course we are." Her smile is warm, and she hopes reassuring, and the dazzling grin that settles across Camila's lips makes her think that she's been successful. "Leo's looking forward to it."