Her lips formed an adorable pout. ‘But the club sandwich here is the best I’ve ever tasted, and I’m something of a connoisseur. I’ve tried them all over Melbourne and surrounding suburbs, and the chef here is number one. Along with the pumpkin miso soup, the Japanese-inspired salmon fried rice, the chai-roasted cauliflower and the Balinese lamb chops.’ She rubbed her stomach, drawing his attention to the way the silk clung to it, and moaned a little. ‘As for the strawberry and matcha panna cotta …’ She made a heart shape with her fingers before kissing the tips of her thumb and index finger. ‘Chef’s kiss.’
He almost said, ‘That can be arranged,’ as he stared at the beautiful woman who’d given him a rave review without realising it. And made him hard in the process. He hadn’t had a date in months, what with the restaurant taking up all his time; he sourced the freshest ingredients at dawn, trialled new dishes during the day and ran the kitchen in the evenings.
Then the woman sashayed towards him and all rational thought fled, replaced by a ridiculous urge to haul her into his arms and kiss her senseless.
She slipped onto the bar stool next to him. ‘So, what are my chances?’
He gaped at her like an idiot, and she laughed.
‘Reckon I could get one of those club sandwiches to go?’
He should refuse. Those three double-shot bourbons had addled his brain and who knew what he’d serve?
But with her praise still ringing in his ears, Cruz made a snap decision. If the last thing he made in this kitchen was a humble club sandwich for a gorgeous woman, he could live with that.
‘Sure. Give me a minute.’
Cruz could’ve sworn he heard her murmur, ‘Happy to wait all night for you, handsome,’ as he pushed through the swinging doors between the restaurant and the kitchen.
Despite his befuddled head, he assembled the club sandwich quickly, wrapped it and added a matcha panna cotta to the takeaway bag. Anyone who loved his food as much as this woman deserved a treat.
‘Here you go,’ he said, as he re-entered the restaurant, the bag swinging by his side. ‘Enjoy.’
‘Are you the chef?’
He nodded, and her answering smile lit up the room.
‘You are incredibly talented,’ she said, practically bouncing up and down on the bar stool. ‘Don’t you dare leave this place. Ever.’
‘Actually, this is my last night.’ He placed her takeaway bag on the bar and folded his arms.
‘No way.’ Her face fell. ‘Where are you going?’
‘I’m leaving Melbourne.’ Saying it out loud made his stomach gripe.
‘Just my luck.’ That cute pout made another appearance, the fullness of her lips tempting him as much as her overt enthusiasm. ‘I’m probably going to starve. I hope you’re happy.’
‘I’m not.’ He hadn’t been since he’d received the phone call from his mother, demanding he return to the family business. One of the reasons he’d maintained a manic pace in the kitchen all these years had been because he expected his dream to be ripped away from him at any time, and that’s exactly what had happened.
‘Are you okay?’ A tiny groove furrowed her brow as she laid a hand on his arm.
Her gentle touch unleashed something unexpected: a yearning. When was the last time someone, anyone, touched him out of concern, let alone anything else? But burying himself in work wasn’t conducive to relationships, and if the simple touch of a stranger made him this discombobulated, he was in trouble.
Clearing his throat, he came up with an excuse, anything to quell the crazy urge to haul her into his arms. ‘I don’t usually drink, and I had those in quick succession just before you came in.’ He pointed to the three empty glasses on the bar.
‘Alcohol is supposed to cheer you up.’
‘It didn’t.’ He glanced at her hand still resting on his bicep and when she removed it, he murmured, ‘Don’t.’
Confusion clouded her eyes as he placed his hand over hers, this time returning it to his chest.
‘Don’t stop touching you?’ she asked, her tongue darting out to moisten her lower lip.
‘Yeah. It feels nice.’
‘Isn’t there some unspoken rule that chefs can’t fraternise with their restaurant patrons?’
The teasing sparkle in her eyes made him laugh for the first time in a long time.
