The Hotshot Chef: A Billionaire Holiday Romance (International Bad Boys Set Book 3)

by JA Low

  “Love it. It tastes like home but a little better.”

  Sebastien grins and then shoves another plate in front of me. “We don’t do toasted sandwiches much in Spain, but I thought I would upgrade the humble ham sandwich. This is a Manchego cheese, jamón serrano, and truffle sandwich.”

  I give him an ‘are you serious’ look, which makes him chuckle as he pushes the interesting sandwich toward me. I take a bite, and it’s absolutely incredible and not at all what I was expecting. The earthy tones of the truffle and the salty Spanish ham comes through first. Then the cheese. It’s perfect. Oh, so perfect.

  “Love it. Love it.”

  Sebastien disappears into the kitchen. There’s some more banging around, and then he brings out a side of steak for me to try.

  “It’s smoked paprika rubbed steak with Valdeón cheese, which is a Spanish blue cheese.”

  Mmm, I am not the biggest fan of stinky blue cheese, but as it’s currently melted all over my steak and the smell is out of this world, I’m going to take a chance. He’s sliced the steak for me already, and it’s cooked to perfection. I take my fork and skewer the slice, then pop it into my mouth—oh my, it practically dissolves. Wow! Just wow. I give him another thumbs up.

  “Amazing. A… maz… ing,” I tell him.

  “Thank you for helping with the inspiration today.” He smiles as he begins to dig into the leftover food.

  “This was all you,” I remind him because I haven’t done a thing.

  “You made me rethink things today. See my vision from a different angle… perspective. So, no, thank you.”

  I wave his praise away, I don’t deserve it.

  “If you keep feeding me like this, then that’s all the thanks I need,” I answer, then pop some more of the delicious steak into my mouth.

  We finish up our dinner, and after we’ve cleaned the kitchen, we grab a bottle of wine and retire to the terrace to talk more about the design elements of the project. This time, Sebastien joins me on the same daybed, where I have my computer ready and waiting to explain some ideas to him.

  “So, after being at the vineyard today, I’ve played around with some ideas for the extension.” I open my AutoCAD software and show him the three-dimensional plans for the add-ons. “I found the architect's plans and tweaked them a little,” I explain.

  We spent the next couple of hours drinking wine and talking design until we are both way too tipsy, and our eyes are unable to stay open. I must have fallen asleep at some point because I woke to Sebastien carrying me to bed. Only this time, it’s to his bed.

  “What are you doing?” I groggily ask as he lays me down.

  “Putting you to bed. What do you think I am doing?” As he pulls the sheets up over me, I watch as he rounds the bed and slides in beside me. I turn over and look at him. “Why your bed?” I question.

  “Because I wanted you in it,” he replies. His hand reaches out and pulls me closer to him.

  “I’m slightly confused, that’s all. I mean about today, and now this?” The words tumble out of my mouth before I can stop them.

  “I see.” He grins. His hand pushes the hair away from my eyes as he caresses my face. “I’ve decided that I don’t want to stop sleeping with you.”

  My eyes blink slowly at his words. “You’ve decided?” My voice raises just a little.

  “Yes,” he answers as if it makes a load of sense.

  “But what about me? Do I not get a say?”

  Those dark chocolate eyes narrow onto my face as his thumb strokes my cheek. “I simply assumed you wanted this, too.”

  Well, of course, what happened today was fantastic, but I don’t quite understand what has changed since leaving the villa and arriving back in Barcelona that now he wants more.

  “I’m going to be a real girl in this moment and really overthink whatever this is.” Moving my hand between the two of us. “But I have to ask for my own sanity.” Sebastien frowns. “What is this? What is happening between us? I don’t want to be confused. I don’t want to think it’s something more than it is. I don’t want to be hurt,” I confess to him.

  Sebastien stills and is quiet for a couple of moments. “Your points are valid,” he tells me, which, if I’m honest, is utterly shocking. “I think each of us deserves honesty. It is something that neither one of us has had before.”

  This is very true. As long as you are honest with your intentions, no matter what they are, then I can deal with that.

  “I like you, Quinn. Somehow you have crept into my life, and now I’m not sure what it would be like without you in it.” Well, damn, that’s the sweetest thing. “But I’m not looking for a relationship.”

  Oh. My stomach sinks a little.

  No. He’s being honest with you, Quinn, you can’t get upset over that. And if you are really honest with yourself, you’re not looking for anything serious either.

  “My life is about to be the busiest it has ever been. Once the show is finished, my life won’t stop, it will just be getting started. I have a business and a farm to get off the ground. Every waking moment is going to be taken up with this project. I can’t offer you more than I have to give,” he explains. And I get that. What he’s planning is the start of a legacy, a family business that will be passed down through the generations.

  “I understand.”

  “Call me selfish, but I also don’t want to stop whatever this is going on between us,” he tells me honestly.

  “I don’t either.” If I’m being truly honest with myself, but I add, “Your life is in Spain, and mine is in America.”

  He nods his head in agreement.

  “This could only ever be a summer thing.”

  “I agree.” He gives me a small smile.

  “If we do this…” moving my hand between us, “… there’s an expiry date, is what you are saying.” Sebastien nods his head in agreement. “Also, if we do this, I don’t want to share you with others, especially not Sabine.”

  He chuckles. “I do not want to share you with someone like Tyler.” His dark eyes narrow on me, and I think, Okay, fair enough.

  “So, a monogamous summer fling,” I reiterate the deal. “Oh, and no one on the show can know,” I add.

  “Agreed,” he replies fervently.

  “You know, if the network sniffs out any idea of a romance between the two of us, then we are done for, and this turns into something neither one of us wants.” Sebastien keeps nodding his head. “Right, well, I’m glad we have that sorted, then.”

  “I think we should seal this deal with a kiss, don’t you?” Sebastien grins.

  “I mean, it makes sense.”

  Both of us chuckle as he pulls me to him, and our lips meet again.

  33

  Quinn

  “My parents have invited you over for lunch today.” Sebastien makes a face as we lazily lay in bed together after another orgasm-filled night. Not only is this man’s hand magic, so is his tongue.

  “That sounds great.” I snuggle into his side.

  “You don’t have to come,” he adds.

  I turn and look up at him with a frown on my face. “Do you not want me to come?” Not going to lie. There’s a little bit of disappointment that falls across me.

  “Oh, Quinn, no. Not at all,” he tries to reassure me. “I just didn’t want to put pressure on what this is. And I think meeting the family might be a bit of pressure.”

  “Sebastien, I can tell the difference between meeting the family as a girlfriend versus as friends,” I reassure him, leaning in and kissing him. “Plus, we are co-workers, too,” I remind him.

  “Okay, then. We better get ready. My mama hates people being late.” Sebastien throws the covers off the bed and jumps up naked from the sheets. I watch his tanned firm ass walk into his ensuite.

  “You coming?” he calls out from the bathroom.

  Hastily, I stand and join him in the shower.

  After another round of orgasms, we’re ready to go.

  We ju
mp into the car and begin to drive through the busy streets to the Pedralbes area of Barcelona, which isn’t too far from where Sebastien lives. Apparently, once all his siblings were earning enough, they all pitched in and purchased their parents a gorgeous dream home in the elite suburb for them to retire to, which I think is incredibly sweet. He explained that they sacrificed for them to pursue their dreams, so they wanted to say thank you and give them something lovely in return.

  Moments later, we’re pulling into the underground parking garage of a large villa. Sebastien helps me from the car, takes my hand in his, and walks me through the garage and up the stairs, which brings you inside the home.

  We take a couple of steps, and Joaquin is there, his eyes zero in on our hands clasped together. I try and break free, but Sebastien keeps a tight rein on them.

  “I knew it,” Joaquin says in Spanish. “I knew you would screw her. You lucky bastard.” He goes to give his brother a high-five, but he doesn’t.

  Sebastien glares at him.

  “In your dreams, Joaquin. As if you would have ever stood a chance,” I reply in perfect Spanish.

  Both of them still.

  Joaquin’s face pales as he realizes I heard what he said to Sebastien.

  “You speak Spanish?” Sebastien stares at me, dumbfounded.

  “Si.” I give him a shoulder shrug as if it’s no big deal.

  “Have you always been able to?” he asks. Clearly, he’s shocked because he doesn’t understand what he’s just said.

  “I didn’t wake up today and became fluent in Spanish. I’ve spoken it for most of my life. I am from Texas.” As if that explains everything. “Spanish is widely spoken down there. But there are certain words that are a little different than your dialect because we lean toward Mexican Spanish than Spanish, Spanish.”

  Sebastien is still shaking his head in amazement before a glamorous older lady joins us. Her jet-black hair is pulled back into an elegant bun. She’s dressed in a burgundy dress, and her figure is a knockout for a woman of her age. Plus, she’s rocking a pair of killer heels.

  “Hola, Mrs. Sanchez. I’m Quinn Miller.” Holding out my hand to her, she too is stopped momentarily by my Spanish.

  “So lovely to meet you, Quinn. I’m Alma.” She takes my hand and gives it a shake. Then she greets Sebastien with a warm hug and multiple kisses on his cheeks. A striking older gentleman with salt and pepper hair greets us in the foyer.

  “Sergio, this is Quinn. She is Sebastien’s co-star in his new show,” she explains to him.

  “It’s lovely to meet you, sir.” His eyes widen at my Spanish before he shakes my hand.

  “Come, come… let’s sit and eat.” Alma ushers us into the dining room, where a beautiful table has been set up for us. There is a crisp white linen tablecloth, a pink floral centerpiece, and crystal glasses arranged on the table.

  “Please, take a seat here,” Alma suggests, pointing to the chair beside where she will be sitting. I take the seat graciously while Sebastien takes the seat opposite me.

  Alma offers sangria to the table, and she pours us all quite a liberal amount into our glasses. This could get messy. A plate of Escalivada—eggplant, bell peppers, and onions sliced and drizzled with olive oil served with anchovies, which is not my favorite thing in the world—is placed in front of me. I wait for everyone to be seated before picking up my fork.

  The conversation flows easily as Sebastien’s parents catch up on their sons’ lives.

  Oooh, this sangria is so good. I take a large gulp to wash the anchovy taste from my lips.

  The next course arrives, and it’s a huge bowl of paella, which I shouldn’t have been surprised about when the rich aromas fill my nose.

  “This is a traditional Catalan version of the famous Spanish dish,” Sebastien explains to me. “Each region has its own style.”

  Wow! This tastes delicious. I can see where Sebastien gets his cooking skills from—his mama.

  “How is the project going?” Alma asks Sebastien.

  “I took Quinn out to have a look before pre-production starts next week,” Sebastien explains.

  “What did you think of it, Quinn?” Alma asks, those dark brown eyes narrow in on me.

  “I love it,” I tell her. “The views are some of the most magnificent I’ve ever seen. The old buildings are incredible, and I can’t wait to bring them back to life.”

  “Quinn came up with some incredibly good suggestions while we were walking around, which has helped me look at this project differently.” Sebastien looks over and gives me a wide smile. I can feel my cheeks burning under his intense gaze.

  “How so?” his mother asks, looking between the two of us.

  “I didn’t do a thing. It was all him,” I add, uncomfortable with the praise.

  “She made me realize what I wanted out of my life wasn’t what I thought it was.” The table falls silent at Sebastien's admission. I feel the entire dining table’s eyes on me. “I’ve decided to drop the pretentious fine-dining concept that I initially thought I should be doing, and now I want to concentrate on traditional, rustic cooking with a twist.”

  “Sebastien made me a sample menu once we got back home, and the food was amazing,” I tell the table.

  Everyone’s focus is still looking between the two of us.

  “I’m going to concentrate more on the farm-to-plate concept… simple, fresh, good food. I realize now that I don’t need the critics’ approval anymore. I’m not chasing that Michelin star. I just want people coming back, learning, and enjoying what the winery has to offer.”

  Alma’s face lights up. “My sweetheart, I am so proud of you.” She reaches out and taps his hand. “You know your father and I have always believed in you.” She grins. “It’s nice to see that you finally do, too.”

  Sebastien and I talk more about our plans for the farm with his family as the wine flows more and more freely.

  “Do you mind if I use the bathroom before we go?” I ask Sebastien.

  He gives me the directions, and I head on through a little unsteady on my feet. This ended up being a rather boozy lunch, and I am all for that. After freshening up, I step out into the hallway and hear my name being mentioned as whispered voices come from a room to the left of the bathroom.

  “Is there anything going on between Quinn and yourself?” Almas asks Sebastien.

  “No, why?” he answers.

  “There seems like something is there, that is all,” she explains. “The way you talk about her, your entire face lights up. I see a spark of life inside of you again. It’s just a mother’s observation, that is all,” she adds.

  “Her life is in America, and mine is here. We would never work,” Sebastien tells her.

  He’s right.

  No matter how much fun we may be having at the moment, Sebastien and I know there’s no future for us.

  “She speaks Spanish. Her life could be here if you both wanted it to be,” Alma tells him.

  “Mama, I love you. But please, don’t stick your nose into my personal life.” Sebastien nicely but firmly tells his mom to butt out of his life. “Worry about Joaquin or Yvette’s personal lives because they sure need your help.”

  “Oh, please, we all know your brother.” She groans. “I worry about a scandal more than happily ever after with him.” I chuckle quietly. “And Yvette... she is too far away, so it makes it hard for me to be a pest. I just want my children to be happy. That is all.”

  Leaving the conversation, I walk back out into the foyer and wait for Sebastien to emerge.

  “Thank you so much for coming, Quinn.” Alma kisses my cheeks. “I don’t think my son could be in safer hands with his project than in yours.”

  Sebastien tries to keep a straight face, but unknowingly Alma has created a double entendre with her words.

  “You are welcome anytime to the set,” I tell her.

  She embraces me again.

  Then we say our goodbyes and leave.

  “You might regret t
hat offer of my mama coming to the set.” Sebastien smiles as he takes my hands and escorts me back to the car.

  “I think today went well, don’t you?”

  “They loved you,” he tells me.

  “I love your family, too. They are great. So much fun. Even though your brother is a sexist dick.”

  Sebastien then reaches out and takes my hand in his as he laughs, then he proceeds to kisses my knuckles.

  “My brother is young and dumb.” I can feel his smile against my hand. “Thank you again for coming today. I appreciate it.”

  “You can thank me when we get home.” I think the wine might be doing the talking in the moment.

  “Is that right?” He turns and looks over at me, then he puts his foot on the accelerator, and I push back into the seat making me laugh.

  34

  Sebastien

  “Hey.” Quinn walks into the kitchen, looking a little down.

  “You okay?” I ask. Stopping what I’m doing in the kitchen, I pull her into my arms.

  “I completely forgot that production organized a villa for me to live in.”

  This should have been the week Quinn would have arrived in Barcelona, instead of the two weeks she’s already had here.

  “Oh.” Realizing what she’s getting at, I had declined the network’s offer of a villa near the site because my own apartment is only an hour’s drive away, but now, I’m kicking myself.

  “Check-in is today,” she tells me. “I know this makes things a little more complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. We can still hang out when we have the time.” She tries to put a positive spin on it, but neither of us are buying it. I’ve become used to her being in my space, but maybe a little space might be good for both of us, I try and convince myself.

  “A car will be here in a couple of hours to take me to the villa.”

  Okay, so I don’t even get to take her out there myself.

  “I think we’ve been in a nice little bubble for these past two weeks,” she explains to me as she wraps her arms around my neck. “I think I forgot the reason why I’m here. And unfortunately, it looks like work is calling.”