Working for Love

"Hey. You've got your own cookie Mr. Cupcake." I say putting a hand on my hip. A key jingles in the lock and I swear under my breath as I scramble off of James' lap and back into my chair. James quickly grabs a jacket on the back of my chair and throws it across his lap. Someone walks in and grabs the trash by the door and looks at us.

"Sorry guys, just grabbing the trash." She says quickly before moving back towards the door. James looks at her and smiles.

"Thank you Janet!" He calls after her. She waves as she leaves the room and the door shuts behind her. We hear the key back in the lock re-locking the door.

"Well. I think we've been distracted from work long enough." I say standing and grabbing my cup of coffee.

"You may be right. Let's go shut ourselves in our office and work." James says winking.

"I mean it. We need to get those files done, and I'm sure we both still have homework that needs to get done." I say as James stands and grabs the rest of our stuff from the table after putting the jacket on the back of the chair I had been sitting in. I note that it was a Cubs jacket and look at Cupcake.

"I can't help it if you stole my normal chair." He says shrugging. I grab the remote and shut off the TV and put the remote on the table. James walks to the door and opens it for me. I walk through and note that Brandon was walking down the hall.

"Shit." I say softly. James offers me his arm and we walk down the hall away from Brandon. "Where the hell are we going?" I ask as he walks us around under the hospital taking halls that I had never known existed.

"Avoiding asshole, and back to our office." James says softly looking down at me. James stops by an elevator and presses the button. I silently try to not panic as the doors open. "We have to take the elevator?" I ask, pulling my arm out of James' as James enters the elevator.

"If we want to avoid him, then yes." James says extending a hand towards me. "I'll keep you safe, come on." I take a deep breath and grab James' hand. He pulls me into him and presses the button for the door and then presses the button for the floor that our office is located on. The elevator shudders to life and I bury my head into James' chest. "I sense that someone doesn't like elevators." James says rubbing my back. The elevator stops and I pull away from James as the elevator evens out with our floor. The doors open and we proceed back to our office. James unlocks the door and we step into our extremely small office. I move my chair back over to my desk and steal half of the pile that we had left to work on.

I start typing in information and pause looking at the i Home above James on a shelf. I stand up and walk behind him, pulling my iPod out of my pocket and plugging it into the port and turning both on. My iPod flares to life and the music that I had been listening to comes pouring out the speakers. I grab the nearby remote and turn it down. I dance back to my seat and James looks at me.

"What?" I ask looking into his mischievous eyes.

"That was sexy." He says before returning to typing.

I'm pretty sure I turned about seven different shades of red as I returned to typing in information. My iPod hits the country music that I have and I start to sing along as I work. James stops typing and I look up. He's smiling at me, with a very mischievous look in his brilliant blue eyes. I shake my head and return to typing. I scan the rest of the folder in and save the file on the computer. I place to done folder to the side and pick up another. We continue in much the same fashion for several hours. Me singing to songs that come on, and James stopping every once in a while to look at me. I stand up and stretch after my umpteenth file and I sigh as a new song comes floating out over the speakers.

"What?" James asks from his desk. I shrug, as I drift around the office, humming the opening under my breath. James stands up and walks over to me. "Hon. What's wrong?" He asks as I look off in the distance.

"Just a kiss in the moonlight." I sing as the chorus comes on. James stops me by putting a finger to my lips and pulling me into a bone crushing hug. I breathe in his scent and wonder what the hell is wrong with me. Why am I so attracted to someone that I barely know? Why is he so attracted to me? What the hell am I supposed to do about working with someone that I can't go fifteen minutes without thinking about sexually.

"Holl, talk to me please." James asks pulling away, looking down at me.

"Nothing to talk about, just thinking really." I say before giving him a hug again. He wraps his arms back around me and starts to rock me in time with the song.

We stand like this for what seems like forever when the lights go out again in the room. "Stupid sensors." I mutter under my breath. James chuckles. The song changes to a Miranda Lambert song and James pulls away.

"Come on." He says holding out a hand.

"Come where?" I ask looking at him. I'm thinking that if I'm lucky it'll be all over him. I mentally shake myself for that thought and scold myself for thinking like that.

"Back to work sweet heart." He says looking at me apologetically. "Let's finish the last of these and we can go take another break." He says before glancing at the clock. "Or our shift could be over in an hour. Damn." I shake my head.

"Don't forget Cupcake, I have to go help Sandy after we get off work. I'll also need more coffee and some breakfast before going home and collapsing for a few hours of sleep." I say rubbing the back of my neck.

"Well I can take you to breakfast, my treat." He says as he moves back to the desk.

I shake my head no, "Thanks but no thanks. I've got a breakfast date with a friend." I say walking back to my desk. I grab the second to last file that I had and start typing.

"Date?" James asks looking me over. "As in I'm seeing this friend regularly on a romantic basis?" He asks starting to sound pissed off. I quickly realize what I had said and stand up, moving around the desks to wrap him in my arms.

"No, no, no. Shh. James. Not that kind of date. My friend Liz has to go in to work when I'm getting off work so we get breakfast together." James head is laying on my chest and I have a hand wrapped around the back of his head and across his shoulders. I feel him breathe in and I lean my head down to kiss him on the top of the head. He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into him.

"I'm sorry Cupcake. I'm so sorry." I mutter against the top of his head. He pulls away and motions for me to sit in his lap. I do so and snuggle up against his chest. "I didn't mean to make you think that I was leading you on." I say looking up towards his face.

James starts to type again, remaining silent. I squirm trying to get out of his lap so I can finish my work, but every time I try to pull away he puts an arm around me and keeps me against him. "Honey. I need to go finish the two files I have left." I whisper in his ear stretching up to be able to reach it. He sighs and tilts his head so it's laying against my face. I kiss his cheek and then nuzzle him.

We hear the sound of keys in the lock and I squirm trying to get out of his lap. He holds me tight against him and I growl slightly. The door opens revealing Jessica. "Am I interrupting something Senor Cupycake?" She asks looking at James.

"No." He responds glancing over at Jessica before resuming typing. Jessica looks at me and raises an eyebrow. I shrug slightly.

"It's not like you to keep one of our coworkers in your lap." Jessica comments grabbing a travel mug from the shelf and walking towards my desk.

"You have a point." He says stonily. I sigh exasperatedly and he looks at me before shaking his head.

"How is she supposed to finish work if you have her trapped?" Jessica asks pointing at the two remaining files I have on my desk.

"She'll figure it out." James says re-adjusting his arms around me.

"Okay. Someone is in a bad mood. I'm going for coffee and breakfast. Have fun finishing your shift Gold." Jessica says before walking away, and opening the office door again.

James lets out a deep sigh and releases me. Instead of getting up and going back to work I pull his jaw so that he's looking at me and I stretch upwards and kiss him hard. His eyes widen with shock before drifting closed as mine do. He runs his tongue along my lower lip and I open my mouth, allowing him to explore my mouth with his tongue. I wrap my arms around his neck and run a hand through his hair. He pulls away gasping for air.

"I swear you are going to be the death of me Holl." He says as I smile at him.

"So about breakfast?" I ask looking at him. He nods, not saying anything.

"If you still want to buy me coffee and breakfast, then you can come with me for breakfast with Liz. In fact, I would be very happy if you came with me." I say before kissing him lightly again and then climbing out of his lap. As I walk back to my desk I notice a rather large bulge in his pants, and attempt to not blush.

"You sure?" He asks before starting to type again.

I smile. "Positive." I say sitting in my chair and typing in the last of the face sheet before scanning in the file.

Jessica comes back as James and I are finishing our last files and smirks. "I see you let the poor thing go. Good, her mom wouldn't have been too happy to hear about her daughter being held at work by another co-worker." I shrug and James looks at Jessica like she's grown another head.

"My mom is a part of the IT department, in fact she's the one who put in the new documentation software." I say looking at James. "That isn't how I got this job I swear, in face George didn't want to give me a job in the hospital because of who my mom is. Just like Jessica's mom is the Nursing Director, and she's always had a secure job within the hospital because Mommy says so." I say glancing at Jessica.

James closes his eyes and sighs. "Holl, I'll meet you downstairs after you're done helping Sandy." He says before leaving the office. I grab my jacket and my iPod before moving towards the door.

"A word of advice." Jessica says looking at me, glaring. "He's mine. Back off." Jessica snarls. I laugh and walk out the door closing it behind me.

James looks at me funny as I laugh while I walk towards the stairs. "What's so funny dear?" He asks opening the door for me. "Jessica seems to think that you're hers." I say, before laughing again. He looks at me raising an eyebrow before joining me in laughing.

I enter the lobby as Sandy is opening to cafe, James trailing behind me. "James I'm not going to be open for at least a half an hour." She calls out. He nods at her before going to the chairs outside the cafe and next to the main desk. "Hey Sandy." I say approaching her. She hugs me and hands me the keys, letting me unlock the door of the shop so that she can push the boxes stacked outside into the small area behind the bar. I enter and pull the box behind me, opening it and starting to stock the fridge.

"I'll be right back Holl." Sandy calls as she steps out into the lobby. I raise my hand in a thumbs up that she can see. The sound system for the Cafe kicks on and the music starts to play. I shake my head at the song that is playing and continue stocking the cooler. I hear James' low voice softly mixing with Sandy's and look out through the front of the display cooler. Sandy and James are sitting and talking. Khaki's walk up and obstruct my view.

"Even when you're moved somewhere else you can't avoid the lobby can you?" A male voice asks.

"Sandy asked for me to help her, so here I am. I just worked eight hours overnight Rob, I don't really have time for your crap." I say, making the last part sarcastic. "Where's Nan?" I ask looking at the doctor that has always made time to talk with me.

"She's on her way in, I left her in the truck." Doc says winking. "What do you guys have today?" He asks looking down at the cooler. I stand and dust my knees off.

"Well that depends on what you want, Doc." I say smiling at him. "We've got the normals for coffee, and I just finished stocking the cooler." He looks in the cooler as his wife walks up behind him. She gooses him and Doc jumps about a foot in the air. "Hey Nan." I say smiling at her.

"Morning Holls. I want the regular." She says as Doc stands. "And he'll take the regular too." I hand them both the bagels they normally get and then make two cups of black coffee and put lids on. I hand them to Nan and Rob and ring them up. Rob pays for both of them and they say goodbye before heading towards their respective offices.

I open the next box and stock the back shelves, kneeling down behind to counter to do so. I wish that I knew what James and Sandy were talking about, but I know that the sooner I can get the cafe stocked the sooner I can steal him away and we can go get food.

I hear someone approach the counter, as I hear Sandy walk back into the space behind the bar. The person out front clears their throat and I stand, wiping my hands off before turning to face them.

"What would you like James?" I ask sweetly as Sandy walks up behind me and pulls an apron over my head and ties it in the back.

"I don't know. What do you think is good?" He asks innocently looking at the menu. I glance at Sandy who has occupied herself by looking around guiltily at nothing in particular.

"I myself prefer a nice Butter-bear, or a double chocolate mocha. Depends on the mood I'm in." I say honestly looking at the very tasty looking male specimen standing in front of me. I can't help but thinking that I'd prefer to drink him instead. I slam the door on that thought before it can continue and James continues to look at the menu.

"I think I'll take two of your largest size. Make the one a double chocolate mocha, and make the other a plain black house roast." James says before looking down at me and smiling. Sandy elbows me in the side as she moves to ring up James. I quickly work on getting his cup of coffee over to him, and then work on the double mocha, which I was willing to bet my next paycheck was for me.

I get both drinks to him and he thanks me before paying Sandy. He walks back to the spot he'd just been sitting at and smiles at me quickly before taking a sip of his coffee. I turn and go back to the task of putting things away. Sandy joins me and starts talking with me.

"That guy was pretty cute right?" She asks looking at me. I nod and try to suppress a giggle. "What's so funny Holly Mae?" Sandy asks grabbing the bag of coffee from me to put on a shelf.

"We figured you out." I say simply grabbing more things to put away.

"How on earth did you meet him on your own?" Sandy asks grabbing more coffee.

"I work with him in filing now." I say glancing over my shoulder to make sure we weren't getting any other customers.

"When did this happen?" Sandy asks confused.

"They moved me from front desk and to filing because of all the new volunteers that Shelley has coming in. So no Rich is my boss, and I work on getting the old files into the system. I work the overnight shift with James. Rich basically implied that I'm his gopher." I say shaking my head.

"You like him." She states looking at the shelves in front of her and counting quickly.

"Is it that obvious? I mean I've been admiring him from afar for a while, and then we worked together last night." I say before pushing the now empty box aside.

"You kissed him." She states again.

"Get out of my head would you, that's really annoying sometimes." I say sticking my tongue out at her.

"Honey, I've known you for years, I can read through everything." She says standing up.

"Fine. I kissed him. In fact I kissed him several times, and sometimes he kissed me. And it made it practically impossible to get my work done because I can't stop thinking about him." I say standing and walking into the back room.

"Honey." Sandy says following me. "I've been trying to set you two up for years. About time you finally did it on your own." She says before laughing.

"I'm just scared Sandy." I admit shrugging.

"Why?" She asks looking at me.

"Because all we've done is kissed and it feels so right, but I don't know what to do about it. And he hasn't asked me out, and I don't do casual hook ups, you know that. But I want to jump him more than anything." I admit before blushing.

"Give him a chance, he's hurting too you know. The last bitch he was with left scars that are going to take someone with serious patience and understanding to heal. She cheated on him and left him for the other guy. He hasn't really trusted anyone since." Sandy says looking at me.

I nod and she walks out of the back room. "Okay. I'm done with your slave labor for the day." I say jokingly before removing the apron and hanging it on the hook. I open the door and walk out into the lobby. I walk over to James and he looks up and smiles at me. "Is this seat taken?" I ask pointing to the seat across the table from him.

"Only by this one lady, I think her name is Holly?" He asks glancing at Sandy.

"What a coincidence, my name is Holly." I say sitting down and shaking my head.

"I would have never guessed! I guess that means that this is for you." James says passing me the double chocolate mocha that I had made a few minutes ago. I take a sip and sigh.

"Why thank you." I say winking at him.

"What time is your breakfast meeting?" He asks looking down at his watch.

"Seven. At the Muffin Top." I say before taking another drink of my coffee. "With how much coffee and caffeine I've had in the last eight hours I might not be able to sleep this morning." I say watching his facial expression. His eyes widen slightly as he picks up on the sexual connotation of what I had just said.

"Well we have an hour, shall we just sit here and enjoy our coffee?" He asks before taking another drink from the cup sitting in front of him.

"Sounds like a plan to me Cupcake." I say winking.

"I hate that you make that sound so good." He says softly, a hint of lust in his voice.

"I can't help it. I love being able to call you a delicious sweet dessert." I respond keeping my voice as light as possible.

"If you don't stop we're going to have to go somewhere else before we go to meet Liz." James says placing one of his hands on top of mine. I run my thumb over the outside of his thumb and decide to play innocent.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I say blinking, while continuing to rub my thumb over his.

"Sure you don't." He says before shaking his head.

"Nope. I don't want to climb on top of your lap and kiss you until you can't breathe, and then go from there." I say shaking my head. "Nope not at all."

He sucks in a breath and groans. "Tease." He whispers.

"You make that sound like it's a bad thing." I say looking at him. I take a drink from my coffee and pull my foot out of my shoe under the table and caress his calf with it.

"It's an awful thing. You should never strive to be a tease." He says before reaching down and grabbing my leg. He pulls it up into his lap and runs a finger up the length of my foot. I shudder as he does so, and he starts to massage my foot.

"You're going to make me melt into a puddle of joy." I say looking at him.

"I'd love to make you melt into a puddle. Maybe later?" He asks winking.

"Now who is being the tease?" I ask grimacing as he finds a knot in the bottom of my foot.

"Don't know what you're talking about Holl." He says pressing into the knot.

"Ow." I say softly. He rubs the knot in a circular motion and I wince.

"Breathe, I'm trying to make it feel better." He says as the muscle lets go. I relax into the back of my chair and he runs his hands up under my slacks feeling up my calves. "All this just from wearing heels?" He asks rubbing my calves.