Tax Fraud at the Bean Nirvana

Previous: The Morning After the Night Before

Katie led him to the coffee shop, frowning as she saw it was closed. “They're so reckless and irresponsible…” She sighed, unlocking the door with her key and closing it behind them once they were inside. She looked around, concerned…and then went to the till. She unlocked that too and looked inside, frowning more. She flicked the lights on, then turned on the large multi-function coffee machine. “One moment, Master. Something isn't right…”

While she waited for the machine to warm up, she went into the back office and came out with a stack of opened mail, her face blanched white. “They closed and ran….” She breathed shakily. “Tax evasion….they owe the city almost a million dollars…” She put the one notice down…a notice of a warrant for arrest. “They ran…. Everything is here…except money…” She checked under the counters, then a supply closet.

Nate followed her inside, looking around, noticing how dark it was. In the middle of the day, that wasn't normal. It felt wrong, and a shiver ran up his spine, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. “I can tell…” His voice tailed off as he spoke, blinking as the lights came on, protecting himself from the sudden change of brightness until his pupils contracted enough to deal with it.

He watched her slip into the back, the coffee machine warming up. He could hear it with the eery silence in the store. When she returned and spoke, his head snapped back to her. That would explain his feeling. “Well… _Shit.” That was a bombshell. “What now, then?” He walked over to her, making sure he was close when she needed him, but allowing her time to process.

Katie didn't know what to think. She had no job now. Just an empty coffee shop with no customers. Her back straightened, this was the Katie who had to face things, was used to having to face things. “Well…” She put a mug under the spout and measured out the perfect amount for his cup. “We wait for your cup to brew while I look at how much inventory there is and crunch some numbers.” She pushed her glasses up and pulled out her tablet. The owners had been lying about sales, so there was actually more inventory than she expected. She went to the closet and double checked, then pulled out the budget book.

She came back to the counter and stood next to him. She was in 'go-getter' mode but she was His and she still needed him close, needed the comfort of his touch, his presence. “So…according to code, this place hasn't been shut down by the city. I have sixty days and then the city will sell off the shop and everything in it to recoup the loss.” She looked up at him. “What if I ran on the existing inventory? I bet I could sell enough to make a respectable bid on the licenses to placate the city and put the money towards making the studio cafe a reality. Right now I'm not on the hook for anything, not the bills or anything. The utilities are paid quarterly. The licenses are all up to date. There's nothing saying I can't.”

Nate watched her demeanor change with the circumstances. She got that look of someone needing to face a life that was less than perfect, nay, a life that threw hurdle after hurdle at her. He understood why she had that tattoo if this was the life she had thrust upon her. “Wait. Okay.” This was where he just stayed present for her, providing something of stability in her life. Even after only one day, he could tell how much of an influence he'd had on her. He just let her do what she needed, looking around for somewhere to sit, to take the weight off his feet.

He listened, waiting for her to finish her musing on a solution. “That… Could work.” He lifted his hand to place on her shoulder, giving it a little squeeze. “That would mean following up on your dream.” He knew how it made her feel. “That would be a good start.” He would support her, however he could.

Katie smiled and relaxed at his hand on her shoulder, lifting her hand to cover his own as she shifted back to just…Katie. His Kitten. “It's too late to have today make a profit if we open.” She held his hand even as she turned and used her free hand to begin to prepare his coffee, adding cream and sugar, then stirring it. She held it up for him, her lips pursing to blow lightly over the top of it. He'd find she'd had to add a touch more cream, but a little less sugar as the brewing machine provided the conditions to really let the flavor of the bean shine through. It was rich, bold, without being bitter or harsh.

“So let's just enjoy having the shop to ourselves for today. What do you think, Master?” She asked softly, tenderness in her eyes…and love.

Nate shifted his hand as she moved, keeping it in place under hers, even turning and taking a step as she made his coffee so he could keep it comfortably in place. “True.” He took the proffered coffee in his free hand, taking a sip, enjoying the rich texture beneath the added flavoring. “Mmm. You know your coffee.” He never quite managed to get the flavor exactly right. This was the nearest he'd ever come to heaven in a cup.

“I won't complain about spending time along with you, Kitten.”

Nate's eyes sparkled in return. He could tell from the affection in her eyes how she felt. Love. As he loved her.

Katie grinned. Broad, wide, radiant. She hummed a few notes and twirled under his arm, careful not to jostle the coffee. She saw it in his eyes, knew he saw it in her own. They were in love. It had happened hard and fast but they had forever to explore it. “Alexa, play Katie's Dreamy list.” She said softly, and on the counter, a round blue circle illuminated. “Okay, playing Katie's Dreamy List.” Came a robotic reply. Music began to play softly over the speakers and Katie turned to him, blushing.

_{“Would you…like to dance with me, Sir?”}

Nate tilted his head, taking in the way her grin tinged her visage. The way she was distracted by music, humming notes here, dancing to the music in her head there. She was gorgeous in everything she did. She was gorgeous in everything she was. His eyes turned to the circle on the counter, the sudden light catching his attention, then back to her. The music started to play and he set the coffee on the counter, half expecting her to ask him to dance. He'd forgotten when he last danced for a reason other than social requirement, but with her, he wanted to join her.

“I… May be a little rusty.” He looked down at her. “Remind me?”

Katie smiled as she looked up at him, her eyes sparkling. She nodded. “It would be my pleasure…though this is not a typical…planned dance…” She began. “Alright, Master, if you would, hold me however you're comfortable doing so.” She said as she stepped close. _{“With you, I never wonder, you're the right one for me…”} She crooned softly to him, harmonizing with the song playing. “And then….just…let it flow…it doesn't have to be perfect, it already it, because it's You. And me.” She softly assured him.

Nate stepped up to her trying to feel what was natural. It wasn't formal, so… He placed his hands on her hips, lightly at first, then firmer, feeling how she swayed. Then tried to follow it. He was a tad behind, a little out of sync with the music and her. Then he stopped trying, and just let himself be. As he had brought her into his world, he settled into her world, the world of music that was a part of her. He let the music flow through him.

Katie swayed in his arms, her face lighting up the moment she felt his body let go and just…go with it. Her hands rested on his chest and then slid down, moving out to his waist and around to his back. No fancy moves. Just a Kitten and her Master, two lovers dancing together in a recently abandoned cafe with the scent of roasted beans, his cologne and her light floral perfume in the air between them, what little space there was. “You're doing wonderful, Sir.” She whispered, then lifted up on tiptoes to kiss his chin since she couldn't quite reach his lips.

Nate followed her motions, enjoying the aroma of the coffee as it spread through the space, spending time with his Kitten. He no longer followed, and they moved as if one. Two bodies of one mind. She spoke, startling him as he was starting to get into the rhythm, making his body tense for a moment, bringing him out of that reverie. It didn't take much to get back into the groove, then to lean down and place his lips against hers for a tender kiss. The music faded in the background, focused as he was on her, taking pleasure in how close she was, pleasure in their loving kiss.

Katie felt his momentary tensing and let out a little giggle. It'd be second nature to Him in time. And he fell back into it so easily. Her lips were met by his own and she was delighted to know that He knew she wanted one. Fingers rested against his cheek a moment and then she slid her hands to his shoulders. A light pressure and then she jumped, legs wrapping around his waist, one hand in his hair, the other caressing his stubbled jawline again. _{“I love you.”}

Nate instinctively slid his arms from her hips one going down under the curve of her buttocks to catch her, the other around her waist to hold her against him, his torso leaning slightly back to give her purchase, something to lean against. Despite the surprise in his eyes, but he kept her safely held up in his arms. Those wide steely grey eyes. That stared into her gold-flecked blue eyes. Never wavering.

He continued to sway to the music, a little harder without his muse guiding his actions. Once or twice he felt like he was going to lose it. _{“I love you too Kitten.”} Never once did he stop. He enjoyed the moment. He enjoyed being in the moment. Even more, he was the moment.

Katie was in motion even as he held her like this. Granted, he'd yet to see her actually dance but it was clear in the way she swayed with him her body still song in motion in his arms, dance was as much a part of her as music was. And then, the song changed and she smiled as it was the one she'd been singing and playing when they met. It felt like so long ago, but it was only a day. _{“Found me when my heart was broke…”} She sang softly to him as she gazed into his eyes, changing the lyrics slightly to fit them. She leaned in to smell his cologne at his neck. _{“Said you'd catch me if I fall…and if they laugh then fuck 'em all…”} She sang quietly, her lips brushing against his neck as she sang for Him and only Him.

Nate paused between the tracks, then his motion shifted. His arms squeezed her close to his body as he realized it was the song they had first met with her playing. He'd been swaying to the previous, but this? His heart beat quicker, harder, his body buzzed with feelings he couldn't put into words, and his dancing took on a new feeling, even while carrying her. He couldn't use his arms, they were busy, but his feet did everything for him. The subtle differences in the words that he heard her singing in his ears, compared to the words of the song in the air… The meaning was not lost on him. Even carrying her, he felt like he could fly.

He laid his head on her shoulder, tilting to allow her to place any kisses she might against his neck, the sinew and muscle stretching and showing the definition within.

_{“Tell me how's it feel, sittin' up there, feeling so high but too far away to hold me….”} She sang. Some lyrics she could change to fit so quickly but the melody of the song, of her notes spoke more than the parts of lyric that didn't really apply to them. _{“You know I'm the one who put You up there, name in the sky, does it ever get lonely thinkin' you could live without me?”} She crooned against his neck as he laid his head on her shoulder. “I don't ever want to live without you…” She whispered, even that soft declaration harmonized with the music he swayed them to, held her in, he was moving so beautifully and she didn't want to actually speak, in case it made him tense again.

Nate couldn't do what she could with the music. He just listened. And danced. At least, he danced as well as his feet would let him. This time he was startled slightly by the words that didn't quite match the song, spoken slightly differently, despite the harmonization with the music. This time he didn't let it affect his flow. Only his head twitched. The rest of his body kept moving to the music.

His lips quirked up in a smile, but he didn't answer her. It wasn't a question, it was a statement. One he found himself agreeing with wholeheartedly. He felt the same, but if he spoke, he would be distracted, and it was taking most of his attention to move in time to the music. He wasn't as practiced as she, and her weight set him a little unbalanced. Not that he would tell her, nor would he set her down.