by Erika Kelly
While she’d grasped it intellectually, she’d stubbornly clung to the idea that she could have her cake and eat it, too.
The thing was…tonight’s dish…originally, she’d made it with wild boar. So, really, if she’d gone with her instincts from the start, she’d have given him exactly what he’d expected.
Worse, wild boar would have made a better dish. It’d have given it a cleaner, sweeter—with notes of nuttiness—taste than beef.
Dammit.
“I believe the combination of following your intuition and knowing your market will bring all the success you deserve.” He gave her a warm smile, but right before he headed into the dancing crowd, he turned back and said, “I look forward to the day you receive your Michelin star.”
Delilah stood there, two fingers holding the stem of her wine glass, caught between elation—he believes in me—and wild frustration. The top food critic in New York thought her food was good enough to earn a star, but not until she figured her shit out.
She’d come out here hellbent on proving to her siblings that her food was good enough to serve alongside Nonna Abelli’s, but she’d been wrong. The patrons of Da Nonna’s didn’t want her creative cuisine and putting it on the menu wouldn’t draw new customers—it would create a sloppy brand.
If she wanted to own a franchise, she needed to deliver Nonna Abelli’s signature dishes. Period. No variation. But if she wanted to be happy, she needed to follow her inclinations.
How on earth did she reconcile the two? Not owning a Da Nonna’s…the idea sent her emotions into a tail spin. To not be part of the family business…it just didn’t make sense to her.
If she wanted to follow her inclinations, she’d need to open her own restaurant—free and clear of Da Nonna’s. Which meant separating herself from her family.
A simple enough idea, except that Da Nonna’s…it was her parents.
There wasn’t a single night in the kitchen that she didn’t get a whiff of her mom’s perfume—a scent she’d created herself in a shop on Bleecker Street. Or feel the ghost of her dad as he raced past her to accept a delivery, riffling the hem of her chef’s jacket.
You know, maybe experimentation’s normal for chefs just starting out. Maybe in time she’d have other things in her life—a husband, children—so that cranking out the signature dishes would be a relief.
Yeah, that made sense. In any event, she didn’t have to worry about it right now. The only thing she needed to focus on was the final competition. For that one, they had two weeks to turn in a menu and sample tasting dishes. And this time she’d do it right. She’d follow her inclinations and fit the marketplace. Just like she’d originally envisioned.
A hard body came up behind her, a strong arm wrapped around her stomach, and warm lips pressed a kiss just below her ear. “What was that about?”
She gave Will a smile and brushed the damp hair off Ruby’s forehead. “You’re a dancing queen.”
“I thought judges weren’t supposed to talk to the chefs until after the scores are announced?”
“They’re not, but he was giving me advice. Good advice. Basically, he told me to figure out my customer base and then marry my inventiveness to it. If I do that, he thinks I’ll have a Michelin star one day.” Since Da Nonna’s would never earn one, had he been trying to tell her something? To go out on her own? “So, I’m going to do just that in the last event. I’m going to put a menu together with everything I’ve been working on this summer. I’m going full-on outlaw.”
“That sounds good. Why aren’t you happy about it?”
How did he know that? She’d been nothing but positive and smiley. Because he knows me. And that made her smile for real. “Because it means I can’t be inventive and run Da Nonna’s.”
I have to choose.
Where do I belong?
“For what it’s worth,” Will said. “I just heard Chris raving about your dish.”
“Really? What’d he say?”
“He said you’ve got flair. Thinks you’re a superstar in the making.” Will smiled indulgently. “He called your entrée hearty, robust, and incredibly flipping flavorful.”
“Now you’re messing with me. Chris wouldn’t say that.”
“You’re right, but I don’t want to use the exact word in front of my sister.”
“So, other than ‘flipping,’ he actually said that?”
Will nodded.
“Wouldn’t it be hilarious if I lost the competition but got offered the job here?”
There it was, that rush of energy between them, that crackling connection. Intensity blazed in his eyes, and he swallowed so hard his Adam’s apple jumped. “Would you take it?”
Staying here with Will. And Ruby. Her heart pounded so hard it hurt. Did he want her to stay? Not just now, in the moment, but really and truly? For all that it meant?
A future together.
But the whole idea was ridiculous. Will had his competition season coming up, so he’d be gone for the next seven months. They’d known each other all of four weeks—hardly enough time to withstand a separation like that. And Fin, Callie, and the nanny would take care of Ruby. Which left her running a kitchen in Calamity…two thousand miles from her family.
Her mind said it didn’t make sense, but her heart…her heart told a whole other story. “I don’t know, but my ragù was sublime, so there’s a chance I could win tonight.” Regret twisted through her. If she’d gone with the wild boar, she might’ve created an actual signature dish of the spa restaurant in Owl Hoot. Hearty, robust, and every ingredient was locally sourced.
But she hadn’t. Dammit.
“You didn’t answer my question.”
She reached out for his hand. “I know. I’m…confused. I love it here more than I ever imagined. There’s something about the spirit of this place.” It struck her that she fit here. The fierce independence, the exploration and experimentation—it defined the wild west. “I’ve talked to so many farmers and ranchers and chefs, and I feel like I would love to work with them, but this is summer break for you. When September comes, you go back to your real life. Fin and Callie and the nanny take over with Ruby. Where does that leave me? If I stay, it’ll be like getting to eat your favorite cake but without the frosting.”
“I’m the frosting?”
“You’re the flour and the sugar and eggs and butter…you’re everything. And I’m not sure I want to be here if you’re not.”
He opened his mouth to respond—looking way more conflicted than she’d expected—but she shut him down. He couldn’t make her any promises. “And my family’s in New York. So…I guess the answer to your question’s no. I can’t take the job here. I just…can’t.”
He drew in a breath so deep it straightened his shoulders. “Should we get some dessert, Rubes?”
“Shock-let!”
“Chocolate it is.” He pressed a kiss to Delilah’s cheek, then started off.
She watched him, a little panicky, because she was pretty sure she’d given the wrong answer. The Delilah Lua who’d just arrived in Calamity would’ve said that line about her family being in New York.
Not the woman she’d become.
But then Will stopped and, with a troubled expression, turned back to her. “You know, I’ve done a lot in my life, but I’ve never done this. Us. So…Delilah, if you’re here, I’m here.”
Chapter Sixteen
Back arched, fingers tangled in his silky hair, Delilah bit down on a scream. Will clamped his big hands on her twisting hips, as his tongue flicked her clit.
Passion peaked, twisted, tightening her skin, burning her blood, until she shattered in an ecstatic burst of raw pleasure. The moment she slammed back down onto the mattress, she grabbed his shoulders and pulled him up.
The most handsome man in the world hovered over her with a wicked, sexy grin before planting his mouth over hers and kissing her ravenously.
She’d barely caught her breath, when his knees urged her thighs open and his
hand cupped her ass, lifting her against him. He watched, as he slid inside, filling her and activating every single pleasure point. A shiver rocked her body. “God, Will.”
With powerful thrusts, he leaned down and licked her nipple.
“Oh.”
Then sucked it into his mouth. As his pace turned frantic, he pulled his mouth off her breast, grasped her hands and held them over her head. His hard body brushed over hers with every stroke, abrading her sensitive nipples and sensitive clit.
“Will.”
His hips snapped, eyes closed in utter rapture, and she had to get her hands on all that hard, hot skin. Yanking out of his grip, she skimmed his back, down to the firm, taut muscles of his ass. Grasping, she pulled him into her, harder, deeper, and it just unleashed him. Wild, uninhibited, he slammed into her, choking on the sounds she knew he’d make if they didn’t have Ruby right down the hall.
He opened his eyes, watching her, and she loved that about him. How much he cared about her pleasure. Her happiness, her success, her.
She’d wanted this so much, him focusing all that intensity on her. And I got it.
Lifting a knee, she urged him onto his back. He clamped a hand on her hip before rolling them over, keeping their bodies joined. She sat up, spreading her palms across the hard planes of his chest, and rocked over him. His expression desperate, he gripped her hips and worked her over his cock.
“Fuck.” His voice a growl, he sat up, stuffing pillows behind him, and dragged her with him until his back was against the headboard. Hands on her breasts, her cupped them and licked one nipple and then the other, while she rode him frantically, wildly, her release so close. “Harder. Fucking harder. Give it to me.”
She reached behind him for the headboard to steady herself through a climax that seized her body, spun it in circles of bright, vivid light, and then shot her into a timeless, weightless space of pure ecstasy.
Her spirit soared and tumbled, and nothing had ever felt so good…no one so right.
He slammed up into her, coming hard, hips pumping in short, twisting thrusts, his features contorted in an explosive release.
His pumps slowed, and he leaned back into the pillows just watching the place where their bodies were joined like he’d never seen anything hotter. She leaned in and kissed him full on the mouth.
Collapsing half on top of him, she caressed his chest, more content than she’d ever been in her life.
On the nightstand, her phone vibrated.
“You want to get it?” he asked. “Or let it go to voicemail?”
She’d better get it, right? Something could be wrong in New York.
Hey—you just said New York. Not home.
Interesting.
But seeing her brother’s name on the screen wiped the smile off her face. He wouldn’t call this late unless something was wrong. She hit Accept and sat up. “Joe?”
“Hey.” Her brother, normally so confident, sounded wary.
She braced for bad news. “What happened?”
“You got a second?”
“Of course. What’s going on?”
“Jeannie’s getting a divorce.”
“What?” She got out of bed, reaching for the silk robe she’d left on the chair. “How is that possible?” Her cousin was several years older than her, but they’d always been close. Wouldn’t she have known if there’d been trouble in her marriage?
“Her asshole husband’s not only been cheating, but he’s gone through their savings at the casinos.”
“Are you serious?” She couldn’t believe it. He’d always seemed like such a great family man. “Did she have any idea?”
“You’d have to ask her about the details. The point is that he’s left her with nothing, and she needs an income.”
“That’s terrible. I know how much she loves staying home with her kids.”
“Listen, I need you to hear this from me, okay? We just had a family meeting, and we made a decision.”
“Go on.”
“We’re giving her the eighth franchise.”
Delilah’s world spun, and she couldn’t get her bearings. “By the ‘eighth,’ you mean mine.”
“It’s not yours. We’re not changing our minds about that, but it’s still in the long-term trust plans to have an eighth franchise, so it makes sense to give it to her. She’s got two kids to raise and no money.” His tone turned sharper. “Look, it’s not just about getting her kids through college, Delilah. She’s got to get herself through her retirement years. He’s left her in a real bind.”
“I hate that he’s done that to her, but I’m a part of this family, too. You can’t have family meetings without me.” God, her hands were shaking.
“You’re not here, and we had to make a decision. You know as well as I do, it’s what Dad would’ve done.”
“I cannot believe this. You don’t trust me to run a restaurant, but you trust Jeannie?” I went to the Cordon Bleu. I trained with some of the great chefs of the world. Jeannie had been an interior designer before she got married.
“No, we don’t trust you to run Da Nonna’s, and for good reason. But it’ll work for Jeannie because she can hire a cook, and she’ll take care of front of house. It’s perfect.”
“Perfect? You’ve just shut me out of the family business.”
“You’re a chef. You’re better than the family business, and you know it. But you’re still our sister, the aunt to our children. You’re still our family.”
“It sure as hell doesn’t feel like it when you’re making major decisions without me.” And cutting me out of the business. “I can’t believe you’re doing this.”
“We’ve got something brewing for you, Delilah, I promise. If it comes together, it’s going to be perfect for you. As soon as you come home, we’ll tell you about it.”
She had no idea when it had become the six of them against her, but they could forget it. It’s bullshit. “Come home to what? Forget it. I’m just so glad I came out here and entered this competition, since it’s my only shot at a future.”
Ruby clung to him like they’d just jumped off the Titanic into icy waters. “Okay, Rubes, it’s time for me to hit the road. Miss Kessler’s going to hang out with you.”
The nanny had spent the first half of her life raising her siblings after their parents died in a plane crash, and the second half raising other people’s children. She knew her job the way Will knew halfpipe. “We’re going to have lots of fun today, Ruby. I’ve packed us a picnic lunch for the beach.”
Ruby sized up the woman with a look that said, This is of no concern to me whatsoever.
Delilah stroked the little girl’s arm. “You have a good day, sweetheart, okay?”
With an efficient air, Miss Kessler got hold of Ruby’s waist and pulled. “I know you have a long trip ahead of you, so if you’d like to get going, Ruby and I are going to put on our bathing suits and look for our sand pails. We’re going to collect pebbles.”
“Shist,” Ruby said.
The woman faltered, shooting a look to Will.
“Ruby and her uncle have started a rock collection. She’s got granite, schist, pegmatite, and gneiss so far.” Will smiled at the woman’s relief.
“Ah. Wonderful. Let’s see if we can add to that collection.” With Ruby struggling for freedom in her sturdy arms, the nanny started for the stairs. “Do you know which swimsuit you’d like to wear? I like that bright yellow one. It reminds me of the sun.”
Will watched Ruby shake her head vigorously, insisting on the “poople” one. He smiled through the mild heartache of finding out he was perfectly replaceable.
But then, at the top of the stairs, just before they disappeared down the hall, Ruby grabbed the wall and twisted around to him. “Back, Wheel?”
Funny how he already knew exactly what she meant. “Probably after dinner.”
And then she balled her hand into a fist, kissed it, and punched the air. Without even thinking, his arm shot up to catch the kiss, a
nd he smacked it onto his cheek. Ruby’s grin hit like a spray of bright fireworks against a black sky, and his heart got so full Will didn’t know how much more it could take.
Without a word, he turned and followed Delilah out the door. Emotion crowded every nook and cranny in his body, and he just needed to let it subside a little.
He got into the truck and turned the ignition, driving off in the complete silence Delilah gifted him with.
With Freefest just ten days away, he had no business taking off as much time as he had this summer. But for that moment with Ruby? No trophy, no medal, nothing could come close to the satisfaction, the joy, of having worked through issues with her and come out the other side.
Delilah’s hand grasped his thigh and squeezed.
And the powerful connection he felt with this woman? No, he couldn’t afford to take the day off, but he’d never once taken her on a date, and he wanted her to know how much she meant to him. He wanted time with her. Just her. Uninterrupted.
Because I can’t get enough.
And he’d be damned if he let anything stop him from taking every second he could with her.
Just as he reached the gate at the end of the driveway, his manager’s cherry red Ford F-150 pulled in. Will hit the remote, and the gate slowly swung open.
Getting out of the truck, he met Alex on the hot asphalt. “What’s up?”
“Glad I caught you.” He gave Delilah a nod.
She leaned out of her window to wave. “Hey.”
“Listen, I’m heading out to LA this morning to meet with a new client, but I wanted to check in on my way to the airport, see how you feel about Damien’s latest.”
“Latest what?”
“His response to the footage we put up.”
After reading some of the comments on Damien’s YouTube page, Will had decided to break his silence by uploading the full footage of that last run of the World Games. He hadn’t given any commentary, because he didn’t need to—all of Damien’s flaws of execution were right there for everyone to see.
