Hidingmy smile, I took a seat at one of the square-style wooden stools tucked intohis island. “Gosh, you’re so bossy.”
Helooked up at me from beneath thick lashes, his eyes turning stormy andelectric. “Only because you like it that way.”
Isucked in my lip ring and let him see what I thought. My gaze heated, my cheeksflushed, my entire body screamed yes please! I took a breath and asked, “What’son the menu, chef?”
Usinghis knife as a second hand, he picked up the green onions and bacon and tossedthem into whisked eggs and then added sautéed spinach, mushrooms and peppers.“Quiche.”
Hisanswer surprised me for some reason. It was so… simple. “How French of you.”
Headded handfuls of cheese and milk to his mixture and laughed. “Shocking, Iknow.” Pulling out a pie crust that I had a feeling he hand rolled himself, headded. “It’s worth it. I promise.”
Icouldn’t help but ask, “Do you make quiche often?”
Heshrugged. “I don’t make an entire one for myself, if that’s what you’re asking.But if the opportunity arises, I like to. It’s one of the first things I everlearned to make well. One of those dishes that kickstarted the whole love ofcooking for me. You know, beyond my obnoxious need to keep up with Killian andEzra.”
“Mykickstart dish was a good roulade.” I confessed. “We learned how to make themin high school Home Ec and mine was exceptional. Ever since then, I always feellike a superstar when I pull off a good one.”
“That’sexactly it.” Adding more cheese to the top for good measure, he slid his secretsignature dish into the oven and set the timer. “I’m not going to lie, I’vebeen playing around with the idea of bringing one into the Lilou menu.”
“What’sstopping you?”
Hesplayed his hands across the island and leaned toward me, giving me his full,heart-stopping focus. “Because I know it would be totally gratuitous. Itwouldn’t add anything to that menu other than I would have added something personallynostalgic there.”
“Isn’tthat your right?” I asked him, leaning closer to meet him halfway. “If you’veearned executive, haven’t you also earned the right to put your adorablynostalgic dishes on there too?”
Someof the light dimmed from his eyes. “That’s the thing about the executive chef,it’s all an illusion. You assume there will be all this freedom and control.But the truth is, you’re a slave to the restaurant and what the restaurantwants. It’s an almost impossible question to answer by the way, because therestaurant is fickle and picky. There’s an owner to answer to and thelimitations of your staff. Not far behind are the thousand opinionated dinersand reviewers and critics.” He dropped his head, hiding his expression from me.“It’s going to suck out my soul before I ever figure out how to please thegreedy bitch.”
Asharp pain cut across my chest and it had nothing to do with me or myambitions. I ached for Wyatt, for the struggle to make his place in thisindustry. For the pressure he felt and the constant fear of disappointment hehad hanging over his head. “Is that why you took out your piercings?”
Henodded, still looking at the counter. “Yeah. I’m trying to be, uh, moreprofessional. Besides, it was time. I’m thirty-one now. I should probably takelife seriously. Not just this damn job.”
Ismiled at his levity. “I liked them.”
Hishead lifted slowly, his eyes sparking with challenge. “And now you find mehideous?”
Laughingbecause I couldn’t help it, I shook my head slowly. “Completely. I can barelylook at you.”
“Liar.”
Mybreath caught in my throat, trapped there by the butterflies swarming throughmy body like it was migration season. The look on his face was so adoring, socompletely enraptured. He stared at me like I had always yearned for, like Iwas his sun and moon and morning star. God, it did things to my insides. Itturned my hard edges soft and squishy. It melted my frozen heart and razed my impenetrablewalls.
“Proveit,” I dared him.
Hestalked his way around the island, his strides long and sure. I swiveled in mychair to keep him in my line of sight. Nerves fluttered inside me, dancing likewindchimes in the breeze. God, this man. He did something to me. Withoutconsciously deciding to, he made my nerve endings buzz and my blood rushthrough my veins.
Myentire body came to attention under his dominating gaze. Like a sunflowerreaching its face for the light, I stretched and preened and leaned toward himwhenever he was around. I used to assume that was because he was my boss, andbefore that, my superior. I wanted to impress him. I wanted him to notice me.Now I realized it was more than that. Since I’d met Wyatt, he’d pulled metoward him. I had always reached for him. I had always wanted him. And now, Iwas finally going to get him.
“Challengeaccepted, Swift.” His arms caged around me. His words were a rumble in hischest, a sweet temptation and wicked threat.
Hismouth descended on mine like a gasp of breath. We connected in an open-mouthedkiss, our tongues tangling as our hands grappled to get to each other.
Mylegs opened in an invitation, one that he gladly stepped into. His hands landedon my cheeks, while mine curled into his t-shirt, tugging him closer.
Iloved the taste of him, and the way he kissed around my lip ring and thenscraped it with his teeth just when I’d forgotten about it. I loved that histongue dominated mine, leading the kiss in every way. I loved that his handsheld me in a way that made me feel cherished and adored, but his mouth wasanything but soft. Greedy, hungry, all-consuming, he kissed with fire andpassion—the same way he cooked.
Ourmouths separated so we could explore the rest of each other’s skin. He kissedmy jawline and toward my ear. I nibbled his earlobe between my teeth andpressed a kiss to his temple. My hand slid beneath his shirt and when I touchedhis bare skin, he shivered.
“Fuck,Kaya,” he mumbled in my ear. “It’s been too long since I’ve touched you.”
