CHAPTER 15

Niles took his time getting to the kitchen. When he reached the swinging door, he slowly opened it and peeked inside to see if Babcock was still in there. She was.

CC hadn't yet poured her coffee and was standing near the sink, unbuttoning the first few buttons at her collar and dabbing at her décolletage and neck with a damp cloth. She tossed the cloth back into the sink in front of her and leaned her hands on the counter, dropping her head and letting out a slow and steady breath.

Niles decided it was safe to walk in - now that he was armed with an insult.

"Those symptoms of menopause can be quite bothersome, huh, Babs!" He taunted, pointing to the damp cloth she had used to cool herself.

Her head snapped in his direction.

"Oh, so now you admit that I'm a real woman - like you!" She jeered.

He couldn't hide the smile. "You know, there are pills to help control those hormones nowadays." He teased.

"Well! You should've taken a couple last night." She tossed as she reached for the coffee pot at the same moment he did.

"I should've?! You should trace your steps of what happened last night, Babs. Then you'll see who needed to control their hormones." He said, attempting to take the pot from her before she had used it.

She held onto it firmly and retorted in a low voice, "You'd love that, wouldn't you."

He just looked at her, speechless. It would be hard to deny he wanted a replay. Especially while images of the night before began flashing through his mind as he glanced at her lips.

She let out a slow, evil laugh and let him have the coffee pot. He poured a mug for Mr. Sheffield and turned to pour the remaining coffee into the mug CC was holding in front of her.

She took a sip of hers and moaned in delight. "Mmm...so good."

He took a long sip of his to mask his amusement and to pretend he wasn't focused on her.

"Isn't that Maxwell's mug?" She pointed out.

He looked down.

"Yes," he said. "But he doesn't know the half of what goes on in this house." He winked and it intrigued her.

He set down the coffee pot and left to return to the office, Mr. Sheffield's mug in hand.