by Judy Kentrus
“I like your idea, but to be perfectly honest, I’ve never seen the movie.”
“You haven’t!” Danni’s voice was filled with disbelief and she turned to her mom. “Can we invite Mr. Thompson to share our family movie night? We have the movie on DVD.”
“I don’t see why not, unless he has something planned for this evening.”
“I don’t and think it’s important to see what Captain America is all about since we sell a lot of the toys in our stores.”
“Do you like popcorn?” Danielle asked.
“I love popcorn. One taste isn’t enough and you have to keep eating and eating. Sometimes you never get your fill.”
Erin wanted to crawl under the table from the shit-eating grin he gave her. When would she ever learn to shut her mouth?
“Have a good time and listen to Mr. and Mrs. Petrone,” Erin said, late Sunday morning.
“I will,” Danielle assured, before getting into the mini-van.
Erin leaned into the open window on the passenger side. “Thanks, Leigh, for taking her horseback riding. It’s just not my thing and I have to make the food for this international dinner at the school tomorrow night.”
“No problem. I lucked out. Jayden volunteered me to make Italian food and my mother-in-law is making manicotti. What are you making?”
“Tamales.”
“I didn’t know you knew how to make authentic Mexican food.”
“I don’t. I’m getting expert help from your father’s tenant, Mr. Thompson.”
“Really?” she said, and wiggled her eyebrows. “Is something going on between you two?”
“We’re cooking, so just leave it at that. What time can I expect you back?” Erin quickly asked.
“We’ll stop for pizza on the way home, so we’re looking around six-thirty, especially since tomorrow is a school day.”
“I’ll make sure we’ll be done by that time. See you later.”
The sky overhead was a deep blue and the November morning was mild as she took a slow walk past homes already decked out for the holidays. A few of her neighbors were in competition with each other and their holiday displays were over the top, but they were friends who could be counted on in a time of need. Daniel Thompson had certainly stepped up to the plate to assist her at the last minute. From the moment she got up this morning, her stomach churned at the thought that they would be alone without her daughter as a safety wedge between them.
His popcorn remark Friday night had revved her up so much she couldn’t bear to eat a piece of popcorn in his presence. Despite Danni sitting between them, she felt his irresistible pull. She was so flustered, she retrieved a bag of Cheetos and then remembered the scene in the movie where the guy wet himself down with an ordinary bottle of water and did a flirtatious dance trying to make a girl smile. Meredith had insisted she watch the movie Magic Mike XXL. After she got through the first couple of ‘I didn’t know guys could dance like that,’ she enjoyed the movie.
Now she was faced with the temptation to spend the rest of the day alone with Daniel Thompson. She walked up to his front door and rang the bell. “God help me.”
Caleb looked around his kitchen and cringed at the mess. They had a lot of work ahead of them, but there was some downtime between food preparations. This was another big step, sharing his actual cooking. He recalled what Bradley had said the other morning. This didn’t sound like him. His VP had been right. Despite being the president of a multi-million-dollar company, he ran his corporate world from behind a desk as much as possible. He’d never wanted to believe his father’s claim that Daniel was the extrovert and Caleb the introvert, but the past couple of weeks had proven his father correct. Is this what Daniel meant in his letter? Erin MacKenna was the catalyst drawing him out of his shell. He liked who and what he was becoming. He was also going to be spending the day alone with her.
His face split into a big grin when he opened the door. “Ah, my sous chef, right on time. He took her hand to escort her into the kitchen. “We have a lot of work to do.”
She approached the kitchen sink and nearby counter and cringed. “Did you use every bowl and pot you own?”
“It looks that way, but I wanted to get a head start before you got here. Since some people don’t care for pork, we’ll make a chicken filling also.”
She picked up a stack of actual corn husks that he’d removed from a nearby bag. “Tell me you know what to do with these.” She selected a single leaf and used the tips of her fingers to inspect the surface. “It feels so hard and stiff.”
Caleb stood two feet in front of her, closed his eyes, and sighed deeply. “You said that on purpose.” He’d been trying to keep his hands off her since she walked into the house.
“What? All I said was it feels hard and stiff.” Her voice trailed off, realizing the double entendre.
Caleb reached in back of her and picked up the butcher’s apron that matched his own and slipped the strap over her head. Rather than make her turn around, he drew her flush against him and fumbled with the ties around her waist that skimmed the middle of her butt. “Yes, it’s hard and stiff.”
“Oh,” she murmured and dropped her forehead to his chest, feeling what he meant. “Please don’t make this any harder than it is. Damn, wrong thing to say.”
He lifted her chin with his finger and gazed deeply into her eyes that said, “I want you, too.” They hadn’t been alone for ten minutes and their mutual fire was already flaring out of control. “I can’t stop thinking about that kiss the other night.”
“Me too, but we need to get sensible and concentrate on making these damn tamales. Danni will be home by six-thirty.” She forced herself to take a step back.
“Behave and listen. I researched the recipe and the time it takes to complete each step. It’s eleven now so, according to my schedule, we should be done between three and four.”
“Nothing like an efficient sous chef. That will give us two plus hours with absolutely nothing to do,” he said with a suggestive grin. “Okay, enough teasing. Wash your hands. We’ll prep the meat first since we need the broth for the Masa or cornmeal flour. We’ll be using dried red peppers for the salsa that we’ll mix with the cooked meat.”
“Am I supposed to understand what you said?”
“No, but you’ll understand as we go along. Before we get serious, I need to get something out of my system.” He didn’t give her a chance to resist and backed her into the counter with his entire body. “I’m taking my first payment for making your tamales. He claimed her mouth in a fierce kiss that went on a lot longer than he intended. “Better,” he said and walked over to the cutting board he’d set up on the counter.
His breath-stealing kiss left her limp, and she put the tips of her fingers to her tingling lips. “Maybe for you,” she said. “I should have brought an extra pair of underwear.”
Two hours later, the Masa dough was ready and the meat had been cooked. The husks had been soaked in hot water and were currently draining in a strainer.
Erin was in awe of the way the PR man moved about the kitchen with ease and efficiency. He’d just placed the meat on separate cutting boards and was getting ready for the next step. She looked into the bowl of green sauce and then the red.
“I am truly amazed that you can do all this. Where did you learn to make Mexican food?”
“My parents had a cook who was Mexican and Irish.” Caleb selected a large knife and started shredding the pork that he would blend with the mild red sauce. The green salsa would be blended with the diced chicken.
“That’s quite a mix of nationalities.”
“She was a sweetheart and a fabulous cook.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen green salsa before.” She dipped a spoon into the smooth sauce and tasted it. Moments later it felt like there was a bonfire in her mouth. “Ah,” gasped, trying to catch her breath. “What the hell did you put in that?” she slurred and rushed over to sink for a tall glass of water.
�
��Jalapeños. That’s full strength! I haven’t cut it with the flour mixture yet. It will also be toned down and not hot when I add the meat.”
Erin glugged the water. It wasn’t helping. Her tongue felt thick and swollen. “Cold, I need something cold,” she muttered and ran over to the refrigerator with her glass and spied the clear pitcher of juice with fresh fruit floating on the top. She filled the glass to the rim, managing to get a few pieces of fruit, and drank it down without stopping. The cold sensation did wonders for the fire in her mouth. She poured a second glass and drank it down. As an afterthought, she brought a third to the table and sat down.
“That was terrible. I never expected anything like that.” She finished off what was left in the glass and sucked on the slice of orange before eating the apples and peaches. “This is the most delicious fruit juice I’ve ever tasted.”
Caleb washed his hands at the sink after he finished prepping the meat and turned around, suddenly realizing what Erin had chosen to drink. His eyes settled on the orange rind she’d set on the table next to her empty glass.
“I’m sorry, I should have warned you. I made the raw sauces first. I could never send hot tamales to school, especially if they’re going to be eaten by children.” He sat down next to her and just smiled. “How do you feel?”
“Fine! That juice you have in the refrigerator is so delicious. I think I’ll have another glass.”
The shiny glow in her eyes told him a different story. “I’ve got a suggestion: why don’t we wait until we get the tamales in the steamer pots and then we can sit down and relax.”
“Good idea,” she said and slapped the table with the flat of her hand. “I’ve had three glasses already and I don’t want you to think I’m going to drink all of your juice.” She stood up and leaned into his shoulder to keep her balance and ran her finger across the surface of his lips. “Come on, PR man, let’s go make some tamales.”
He moved close and slipped his arm around her waist to guided her to the counter where he’d set up the makings like a production line. Caleb wondered if they would be able to get the one hundred tamales made, considering his efficient sous chef was snockered after drinking three glasses of white sangria laced with tequila.
Chapter 9
“Are you ready?”
“I am so ready,” she giggled and batted her eyelashes at him.
This was not good. He’d made the sangria as a special treat to have after they’d finished all their work. It was too late now. Hopefully the effects of the alcohol would wear off by the time they finished filling the corn husks with the masa and fillings.
“Now, this is how we begin. Pick up a corn husk.”
Using two fingers, she picked up a corn husk and waved it back and forth like a fan. “Aww,” she said with a disappointed sigh, “look, it’s no longer stiff and hard, but I know something that is.”
Caleb sucked in a breath when she slipped a hand under his butcher apron and grabbed his crotch.
“Whoop, whoop, and we have a winner!”
He jerked back and reluctantly moved her exploring fingers. “Tamales now, playtime later.”
“You’re no fun. It’s really hot in here. I should have worn my sexy cutoffs that I wore the other night that show off my legs. I’m really thirsty.”
He put both hands to her shoulders and urged her back against the counter. “Don’t move.” He hurried to the refrigerator and filled a glass with ice cubes and water. ‘Here, drink.”
“Thanks,” she said and drank the entire glass. “I like the other stuff better.”
He ignored her comment. “Now, where were we?” Caleb placed a husk on a cutting board, picked up a tablespoon of the corn-flour mixture and placed it on the wide end. “Now watch me.” He spread the mixture out using a piece of clear wrap. “See slow, easy, smooth”
When he looked at his tipsy assistant to confirm she’d understood his instructions, she was licking her bottom lip and lust danced in her emerald eyes.
“Hm, that’s the way I like it. Slow, easy smooth, but I wouldn’t mind if you speeded things up. You look so sexy in those glasses. Do you wear them when you make love? You are one hot Tamale.”
“I’m glad you approve.” He’d never been this turned on in his life and it took everything in him to ignore her blatant invitation. “Are you going to help or do I have to do all the work?”
“Show me again what I have to do?” she said with a heavy sigh. “Get in back of me and guide my hands.”
“Oh Lord, give me strength,” he said and brought his arms around in front of her and showed her how to spread the corn dough. He groaned when she flicked her butt against the hard ridge between his legs that throbbed in discomfort. He could no longer put up with the teasing and pinned her against the counter with the lower half of his body, trying to stop her wiggling. He gave in and put his lips to the curve in her neck and nibbled, all the while guiding her hands to smooth the masa against surface of the corn husks, adding the fillings and then folding the husks. He thought they were making progress when she shimmied out of his hold.
“Wait!” She slurred and dipped her finger in the pork filling and held it close to his lips. “Wrap your tongue around my finger and taste me.”
He drew her finger into his mouth and almost came right then and there. “Enough! We have a lot of work to do.”
“Ah, you’re all hot and bothered in the kitchen,” she teased and grabbed his balls and slid her hand up and down. “Slow, easy, smooth.”
Caleb couldn’t take it anymore. “That’s it!” He swept her into his arms and threw her over his shoulder and headed for the bathroom.
“Are we going to have sex?” she giggled and slipped both hands inside his jeans and grabbed his bare ass with both hands. “Gotcha, Tamale man!”
Balancing her on his shoulder, he pushed the curtain aside and turned on the water. He was tempted to use just the cold, but changed his mind at the last minute. He dumped her in feet first.
“Ah,” she gasped when the stream hit her face first. She followed up with a scream that echoed off the walls. He backed out and closed the shower curtain.
“Stay in there until you sober up!”
He glanced at the time and wondered what was happening with his sous chef? She’d stayed in the shower for a half hour and the water had stopped fifteen minutes ago. Hopefully his impromptu water bath would counter the effects of the alcohol. Erin was definitely not a mean and nasty drunk, but alcohol had loosened all her inhibitions. Now he understood when she claimed to limit her intake of alcohol.
Sexual frustration urged his hands to work quickly and he’d managed to fold all of the tamales. He started to stack them in one of the large steamer pots when he sensed he was no longer alone. He made the mistake of glancing to his right and enjoyed the sight of a lovely naked shoulder. His eyes shifted lower, but immediately closed, telling himself she wasn’t standing next to him wrapped in a towel. He’d never given any thought to what she was supposed to wear after being drenched in a shower.
“Tell me what to do.”
Re-hashing her sexy performance would only double her embarrassment, so he decided to pretend as if nothing had happened. “Watch what I’m doing and start layering them in the second pot.”
They worked together in silence and a half hour later the tamales were in their respective pots, ready to be steamed.
“We have about an hour. Normally it would take about a half hour, but we doubled the amount in the pots.”
He stepped away from his sexy helper and swallowed hard. The alcohol induced sheen was gone from her eyes, leaving a clear, natural glow. A fall of wet, golden-red hair rained down her back. The edge of the towel was tucked between her breasts that strained against their forced confinement. The bottom of the yellow towel kissed the top of her long, slender thighs. Barefoot and beautiful. She took his breath away. His heart almost stopped when she stepped close to him and placed the flat of her hand on his chest.
“O
ne of the things my father taught me was never let a golden opportunity pass you by or you might regret it for the rest of your life. I’d like to take you up on your offer to end my dry spell. Daniel, will you make love to me?”
He didn’t ask if she was sure and slipped a hand to the back of her knees and shoulders and lifted her in his arms. She’d barely wrapped her arms around his neck when he sealed their mouths together and didn’t sever their deep kiss until he placed her on his bed.
Late afternoon sunlight shadowed the room in a golden glow and zeroed in on the bed when he slowly unwrapped her body like he’d been given a treasured gift. Stretched out before him, she reminded him of a fire goddess with all that luxurious hair spread out on the pillows. His eyes settled on the pert swollen nubs of her breasts that were adorned with a dusting of golden freckles. Her stomach was flat and she was definitely a natural redhead.
He sat on the side of the bed, picked up her hand, and pressed a kiss in the palm. He liked that he could smell his shower gel on her skin. “You take my breath away and I don’t know where to touch you first.”
“Daniel, please don’t make me beg.” She spread her legs wider in invitation. “I need you so badly right now. I hurt. I don’t care if it’s slow and easy, hard and fast, anything. I wouldn’t care if you made love to me still wearing your apron.”
No more waiting, no more trying to be nice, just in case she didn’t know what she was asking him to do. He stood up and his removed apron first and then his clothes. “We can get kinky another time.”
He lay beside her, pressing close to savor the warmth of touching her skin to skin and dotted little kisses on each freckle, making his way to the hard point of her breast.
“Now, I’m going to taste you,” he rasped, and captured a pointed crest and drew it into his mouth.
He was so caught up in exploring the body he’d craved, he sucked in his breath when she captured his full length and thumbed the pulsing, swollen tip. Now he knew what a volcano experienced right before it exploded. He needed to be inside her when he came.
