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“I’d bet my 1969 Dodge Charger on that,” she says, giving my body a slow perusal.
“Let me get the kitchen cleaned, and I will walk you out to your car,” I need to get this conversation on a safe topic before I do something I won’t regret, but she might. I have been attracted to Parker since I first saw her, and I think I felt that if I stayed away from her, I would be. The classic out-of-sight, out-of-mind tactic, but obviously, she did not feel the same way. But I know if she keeps teasing like she was just doing, I’ll throw caution to the wind, put her on one of these tables, and eat her like she is my last meal, and I am on death row. I will be methodical with her body, making sure to explore every mouthwatering inch of her. The water is filling the sink while I scrape the plates into the garbage in preparation for washing them. I catch the movement out of the corner of my eye, turning my head to watch her walk where I am standing. She takes her blazer off, revealing the orange sleeveless dress underneath, walks to the sink, and begins washing the dishes I had piled up on the counter to wash.My god, her body is a work of art, I think as I take in her luxurious bountiful curves. She is a mix betweenJill Scott, Meg the Stallion, and Cardi B,with an ass women around the world have paid thousands trying to achieve.
“Parker, you do not have to help me clean up. I’ve cleaned up worse most nights,”
“It’s okay, I don’t mind getting wet,” she says, and I am behind her before she can move away.
I cage her in with a hand on the sink on either side of her plastering my front to her back, and I lean down so I can whisper in her ear, “It’s going to be more than just your hands that end up wet if you don’t keep that sharp tongue of yours on a tight leash.”
“Promises, promises,” no fear in her voice at all.
Moving away from her while I still can, I start the music, andAri Lennox’s Whipped Creambegins to play, spurring me to begin cleaning.
“Chicken,” she mumbles as she begins washing the pile of dishes.
Four
My students have all arrived, and we will finally be cooking the rest of the Wagyu steaks. We have already prepared everything; all we are waiting for is the families to show up. Josh and Savvy are out of town, so Joseph and Joyce agreed to step in for Praise. Tonight will still be their final exam, and they still do not know it, but I have full confidence in each of them. They already have internships lined up that they can choose from, either at the restaurant or with a few well-known chefs, all depending on their performance here tonight.
“Are you sure your family is okay with stepping in for me? Thinking about them eating what I cook is making me nauseous from my nerves.”
“Praise, you are one of the best chefs I have ever seen; you have nothing to be worried about.”
“If you say so,” she says under her breath as she turns to walk away. There is more going on with Praise than just nerves; she is too young to have such dark circles under her eyes. She filters through the same few pants and tops and does a good job of switching things up, but not enough for me not to notice. I start after her to ask her a question, but hearing my name being called pulls my attention.
“Joseph, Joyce, you both are in for a treat tonight. Thank you both for doing this for Praise. Come with me so you can meet her.” We walk over to the station where she will be cooking, “Praise, this is my brother and sister-in-law Joseph and Joyce. Guys, this is Praise.”
“Nice to meet you, Praise,” they both say.
“Nice meeting you too, and thank you so much for stepping in for me. I hope I don’t disappoint you guys tonight,” she says, looking at the floor like it holds the meaning of life.
“I am sure if you couldn’t cook, Jaasiel would not be trusting you to. You’ll do just fine, I am sure of it,” Joyce assures her as she and Joseph take their seats.
“Alright, we are happy to have the family of our students here today, we have a very special cut of meat tonight the students will be preparing. You will not know who cooked what steak, and after trying all three, rate them according to the questions on the cards next to your settings. Please enjoy tonight. There are hors d’oeuvres, wine, other spirited drinks, and with non-alcoholic selections. We also have a live band to play while we wait, and they have agreed to take requests. And on that note, we will begin, enjoy!”
I made sure to walk around to all the tables and get to know the families. The music was amazing and kept a fun atmosphere, but I expect nothing less from Bree’s house band. They played low enough for conversation but lively enough that a few guests were forced to break out dancing at times. I also liked that everyone didn’t stay solely among their own groups but mingled with the other families present.
“How are you guys doing back here,” I ask Praise, Quin, and Adrian.
“Good, Chef!” they say in unison. I walk around the kitchen, watching them cook. I will not be stepping in or offering advice unless they feel like they are in over their heads and need real help. Once they finish cooking, they will place their food on identical plates, and I will put the plates on color-coded chargers to differentiate who cooked what. They will go to the smaller kitchen to eat and relax until the cards are filled out, then they can come in and be with everyone else. I also will taste what is cooked and rate them as well.
“Make sure you keep an eye on the time. If you run out of time before you have everything cooked, you will have to plate what is done,”
“Yes, Chef!”
“This is amazing, Jaasiel. I want to get more involved with the things Asher has going on in his industrial park. We were discussing opening a swimming school which is right up my alley. I think we are supposed to meet next week to talk specifics so he can begin designing the space,” Joseph tells me as soon as my ass touches the seat.
“And my new boutique will be opening in a few weeks! I can’t wait to sell my products and other black-owned items that wouldn’t normally be available in mainstream stores.”
“I know that store is going to be sold out on the regular,” I say, thinking about how Jabarri had to redesign her site after it crashed from too many sales.
“I certainly hope so. I am trying to get on y’all level.”
“You already are, baby. Your last name is Gideon.”
“You know what I mean,” she says, leaning over to kiss the lips he offered.
I think back on last night and my pseudo date with Parker and all the sexual tension undercurrent that was a constant companion with us. When I walked her to her car, the desire to take her lips was so intense I almost gave in, but knowing I wouldn’t have stopped with a kiss was the only thing that kept me from doing it. “And on that note,” I say as they get lost in the kiss, completely forgetting that I am at the table, “I am going to check on the chefs; it’s time to serve dinner.” I am honestly not even sure they heard me or noticed when I left the table.
