‘What keeps you awake?’
He didn’t need to know why, so she sidestepped the question by saying, ‘Thanks for breakfast. That was thoughtful.’
‘You’re welcome. You need to keep your strength up.’
‘For?’
‘Thinking up amazing ways I can promote my restaurant.’
Of course. What did she expect him to say, that she needed to fuel her body for another rousing bout of sex?
‘Have you decided on a space?’
He nodded. ‘One of the sheds. I can show you later, after I meet with Kyle to discuss farm matters.’
‘Great.’
He leaned against the wall, channelling ‘hot farmer’ in his faded denim, grey T-shirt and steel-capped work boots. ‘And if you’re interested, once you’ve seen the space and heard my plans for it, you might be up for doing some brainstorming with me?’
She’d be up for anything if he kept looking at her with that glint in his eyes.
‘Absolutely. I was planning on making notes about a few ideas and doing some mock-ups.’
‘Thanks.’
Cruz didn’t smile as much as she’d like but when he did, it warmed her better than the Rosevale Grove sun.
He stepped aside so she could leave the bathroom, but as she passed, he snagged her arm and murmured in her ear, ‘Last night was unforgettable. Thank you.’
Elora should give him a flippant response like ‘my pleasure’ but she couldn’t get her brain to work in sync with her mouth because when he touched her, the sensual memories of last night flooded back and it took every ounce of self-control not to drag him back to the bedroom for a repeat.
She settled for a sedate, ‘Thankyou,’ before forcing her feet to move.
Getting the gig to promote his new restaurant would be a dream come true. Not only would the money mean she’d be debt free, but she could also look into hiring a small office space and maybe expanding. Her goal had always been to be the boss of a vibrant, thriving advertising business, and with a little luck—and a healthy cash injection from Cruz—she could see it coming to fruition.
But as his stare bored into her back as she walked down the hallway, she knew sticking to business while around Cruz would be easier said than done.
CHAPTER
22
Kyle raised his hand in a wave as Cruz arrived at the first orchard.
‘I come bearing gifts.’ Cruz held out a small container of leftover mini quiches he’d cooked this morning.
After the mind-boggling night he’d spent with El, Cruz had needed to ground himself and cooking always did that. It had been peaceful in the kitchen, listening to the warble of magpies as dawn broke and he diced sun-dried tomatoes, whipped eggs and cut frozen pastry. Methodical, repetitive actions he’d done a thousand times before, but it had been different because he’d done it with a smile, remembering the feel of El in his arms, the smoothness of her skin, the sounds she made as he pleasured her repeatedly …
‘Wow, those must be some quiches by the goofy expression on your face.’ Kyle ripped the lid off the container and stuffed two into his mouth before Cruz could think up a comeback. ‘Mmm, good.’ He demolished the other four quiches in record time and patted his stomach. ‘Man, you are every bit as good as your dad said you were.’
Cruz must’ve heard wrong. Maybe thinking about El had addled his brain, because no way in hell had his father ever praised his food.
‘He talked about your food all the time,’ Kyle continued, oblivious to Cruz’s shock. ‘Raved about it, is more accurate. Said he ordered takeaway from your restaurant every time he was in Melbourne. Couldn’t get enough of it.’
Cruz wanted to say,You must be mistaken, but Kyle had no reason to make up crap like that. And it explained why he’d previously mentioned Cruz’s parents raving about his food, when Cruz assumed Kyle had meant Ferne.
‘You look surprised,’ Kyle said. ‘He never mentioned it to you?’
‘No.’
