AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her expression was all business. “You will pay me double, and you’ll let me cook here sometimes, during the day when you’re at the farm. My kitchen is not even close to this nice, and I have to cook for myself somewhere.”
“Done.”
Her eyes widened before her shoulders relaxed on a sigh. “Fine. You messed up, Lucas. That was not okay. It’s not how people in the real world behave.” She gestured between us. “This is work. My personal life, my apartment, mycar, those aremybusiness, not yours. Got it?”
I nodded. I probably should’ve been more contrite, but all I felt was relief. “So, you’ll still let me cook with you?”
“I guess I’d better. I need someone to double-check I don’t poison you. I couldn’t do hard time.”
“I don’t know, Jo. The deal you just made, I think you’d be running the place inside a week.” That earned a slight smile before back to all business.
10
JO
I couldn’t believethe nerve of that guy sabotaging my Sheila, thinking he knew what was best for me. Classic bro. Leave the girl out of the decision, especially if it impacts her. So, I hit him where it helps me the most, the wallet. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to hurt him at all, but it would help me a lot, and that mattered more at the moment.
A few nights of sleep and a review of my finances had eased my indignation considerably. My budget needed a transfusion of money, and Lucas was the guy to do it. I disapproved of his tactics, but my new car and its price had worked out well for me. Plus, a billing rate of two-hundred bucks an hour for a few months and some new gigs would give me a little financial cushion, something I desperately needed.
He wasn’t awful. In an unexpected show of decency, he chose to confess his actions when he was already free and clear.
I was cooking for him, teaching him to cook, and getting paid well to do it. By the time the gloomy clouds parted for spring, I could focus on the influx of tourists and building my personal chef business for the summer months. In the end, I’d be better off, but he didn’t need to know that.
I knocked on the door, but no one answered, so I used the code he gave me. It was early afternoon, and he was probably still at the farm. Some shopping bags sat on the kitchen counter. The grocery delivery from this morning. I checked he hadn’t left perishable items out all day. Thankfully, it was only a bottle of shampoo, some T-shirts, seltzer water, and coffee.
I collected ingredients from the pantry and fridge. The cold and dreary weather inspired me to make hearty vegetable soup and beef stroganoff easy style, two of my favorite comfort dishes. I was teaching him cooking basics and how to prep simple meals he could cook himself. No special techniques or exotic spices.
Using the large plastic cutting board, I laid out the piece of marinated flank steak. I would show him how to slice it against the grain, making it tender for sautéing. I set out an onion on a wooden board and glanced around the kitchen.
I decided to sharpen the rest of his knives until he arrived for our second lesson. I unboxed my whetstone then searched the drawers for what he had.
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t know you were here already.” His deep voice created a buzz in my blood.
I turned to see Lucas, dripping and wearing only a white towel around his waist. My breath caught, and I didn’t blink. A water droplet sluiced down his neck. My eyes followed as it rolled over his collarbone and across his defined pec. He was solid. Everywhere I looked, I saw something I liked, broad shoulders, arm muscles, stubble. He had a tattoo on his bare chest near his heart. A bird in flight. And a light dusting of hair stretched a soft path toward the edge of the low-slung towel barely clinging to the deep man V at his hips.
I willed myself to breathe before I blacked out. He sifted through the bags and pulled out the shampoo bottle, then glanced at me. I turned back to my task. Why did he have to be so good-looking?
“Jo? Everything okay?” There was a little tease in his tone.
“Sure.” I rummaged through the drawer, selected another knife, and started sharpening again, keeping my eyes on the blade while my mind ran through images of me touching that chest. “Are you planning to cook dressed like that? It may get a little tricky, but you’re the boss.”
He stepped closer, and I glanced up to see the start of a smile at the edge of his deep red lips. “No, not dressed like this. Unless you prefer it?”
“Doesn’t matter to me either way.” I lied, still sharpening like it was my life.
“I’ll finish my shower and be back for the lesson then.” I watched as he strolled back toward the hallway. “Don’t get too far without me.” He glanced around and winked before he left the room. Winked! He was flirting with the swooning woman, me, giving her a little thrill. Shit.
I hated how pretty he was and how much I wanted to lick him. What was wrong with me? This guy was bossy and entitled like every other bro, and now he knew I thought he was hot. The drool on the side of my mouth was an unmistakable sign.
He probably thought it was funny. A girl like me. He’d flirt and tease, thinking I would swoon more, all to feed his enormous ego. No way. I was keeping it professional. So what if he looked like sex on a stick? Not for the likes of me. I was done being a quickie for an egomaniac. I could take care of myself in that department, thank you very much.
He returned a few minutes later as I finished sharpening the utility knives and a larger knife to cut the steak. His clean and sultry scent flowed into the room behind him. It was intoxicating. I needed to get some food smells going in here and fast.
He was barefoot and wearing dark jeans with a button-down flannel shirt. He rolled up his sleeves, the muscles in his forearms flexing and shifting as he did. Damn.
“Where do I start?” he asked.
“Wash your hands, then grab one of these knives to chop that onion. These are sharper now, so they’ll cut differently. Be careful. Have you ever diced an onion?”
