Heat in the Kitchen

by Sarah Fredricks

  'The cloakroom over at the front by my staircase had an antiquated shower in it so we had a bathroom of sorts. And the space across the hall beyond the statue that is now a games room and gym was used as two bedrooms. We lived like that for eighteen months whilst we converted the upstairs.'

  Ella pulled a face. 'It must have been like living on a building site.'

  'Yeah, it was. It was unbearable at times, and the girls moaned constantly about the dirt and the noise - and the lack of privacy. It can't have been much fun for them I suppose. But looking back the four of us shared lots of good times.' Matt smiled at the memories. 'We all had input into the design of the main building and each of the apartments. We decided to move into the apartment I now use until the girls were eighteen. Once we were there we set to work to get the rest of the downstairs renovated. The girls eventually moved into their own apartments at the back and Zander moved into his which is next to mine at the front. It took six years of hard slog, of holding down multiple jobs, taking it in turns to study and bring up the girls, but at the grand old age of twenty four, Zander and I got a life!'

  'Mmm, from what I've seen in the newspapers, you've made the most of every minute!'

  Matt grinned at her. The big, wide grin Ella was beginning to like looking at. 'Yeah, I have haven't I? You shouldn't believe everything you read in the papers though. And how do you know what's written about me anyway?' Matt gave her a questioning stare.

  Ella flushed and looked away. 'Don't you think it's time you showed me if you can play this piano? It's a beauty by the way.' Ella moved across to the piano and lifted the lid to expose the piano keys. 'My god Matt, it's a Boesendorfer. How did you get one of these? Do you realise how good a piano you've got here?'

  Ella was in complete awe. Boesendorfer pianos were considered by some to be the best in the world. She had played on them many times during concerts and loved the sound that came out of them. All she had in her small home was a baby Steinway and she was a professional pianist.

  Matt watched her, amused, as she reverently stroked the piano. He didn't know how she knew her pianos but he loved what she was doing with it - would love to have her do that to his body. He felt himself harden at the thought of her hands gently caressing his chest and gradually moving down his body until her long fingers captured his hard shaft. He gave himself a mental shake and walked to the curve of the piano to hide his body from her view.

  'In answer to your question, yes, we do know how good the piano is. We all play, me the most I suppose. I like to have the best, and I consider Boesendorfer's to be the best. Once I could afford it, I bought it. I love the responsive touch and the tonal sound.' Matt lifted the main lid to its maximum height so the sound could be heard in all its glory.

  'Right,' he said, sitting down, 'what pieces did you have in mind?'

  Ella decided to test him. 'What about anything by Tchaikovsky? There's a lot to choose from for background romance.'

  'Okay. What about Waltz of the Flowers?' Matt started playing, his fingers flying over the keyboard with consummate ease.

  *

  Ella leant against the piano and watched, transfixed, as Matt lost himself in the music. This wasn't just someone playing a piano, this was someone who had an affinity for the meaning of the music, who completely got the emotion of the piece. She closed her eyes as she gently swayed and moved her head with each beat. Matt delivered a lightness of touch with every phrase, the soft parts barely discernible. So lost was she in his playing and the sound coming from the piano it took her a few moments to realise Matt had seamlessly moved into another piece.

  After another couple of minutes, Matt gently brought his playing to a close and looked up at Ella, amused.

  'You can open your eyes now.'

  Ella started at his voice and came to with a jolt.

  'I hadn't realised you'd stopped. Matt, that was simply beautiful. Why didn't you pursue a musical career? You'd be a knockout.' Ella just gazed at him in complete wonder.

  Matt shrugged his shoulders. 'I'm a better chef than I am a musician.'

  'Then you must be an amazing chef Matt.'

  Matt grinned at her. That big wide grin that bowled her over. 'I do have two Michelin stars. I was the youngest chef to ever be awarded a Michelin star.'

  Ella laughed. 'Your ego knows no bounds!' She stopped and looked thoughtful. 'And yet, you're not like that over your music.'

  He shrugged again. 'Having been forced to work instead of going to the Royal Academy, I discovered a flair and love of cooking. I worked restaurants while Zander studied for his degree and in the holidays when Zander was around more for the girls, I took off abroad and worked for any decent kitchen that would take me. I learnt from some of the best and most passionate people in the industry. I discovered I liked cooking more than I liked music.'

  Ella was beginning to realise there were many different facets to Matt. He wasn't just the overly confident chef. He'd worked in partnership with Zander to bring up the girls, genuinely loved his family and was modest about his other talents. Ella hadn't known it was possible to be any more in love with him than she already was but she was wrong.

  'I wish the circumstances that forced it could have been different, but my life couldn't have worked out better. I'm in a job I love, it's given me a privileged life and music is a gift I can enjoy as a hobby. One of the things we love doing as a family when we're all home is jamming around with our various instruments. I've done intimate performances for friends over the years but I much prefer the spotlight being on my cooking.'

  Ella felt a stab of jealousy. She had no-one to mess about with musically, and even though it was her career she still loved playing in private. She forced down her emotion and cleared her throat.

  'Well, I think you're definitely up to the task of standing in for me.'

  'Hah! Now who's got the ego?'

  Ella winced. He couldn't be further from the truth. She was almost embarrassed by her talent and the success it had brought her. She'd graduated top of her year and been snapped up by an orchestra. It hadn't taken long before she'd been performing solo engagements and her career had taken off in a way she had never thought possible.

  'Sorry, that didn't come out right. I just meant that I don't feel I'd be letting Penny down if you play instead of me.'

  Ella looked at her scalded hand and then longingly at the piano. 'I'd love to have a go on this piano. You've got a concert hall model and yet you controlled the sound for this size of room so beautifully.' She reverently touched the piano.

  'Come and have a go. Play something using one hand.' He patted the seat beside him.

  Ella sat and stroked the keys while she thought about what she could play that would flow using the right hand.

  She started playing and Matt listened for a moment. 'Beethoven's Waldstein Sonata if I'm not mistaken?'

  Ella looked round at him, stunned that he recognised it. 'You really know your music don't you?'

  Matt added in the left hand. 'I've played since I was five. As well as messing around creating new dishes, playing the piano also helps me relax. I still play it a lot and as I like challenges I'm constantly learning new pieces.'

  For the next few minutes they both lost themselves in the piece.

  Matt couldn't deny he enjoyed jamming on the piano with Ella. Intuitively they kept pace with each other. He'd only ever played this harmoniously with his siblings and always thought that was because they were so close.

  Interesting.

  He felt the stirrings of something more than sexual desire and tamped it down as their playing came to an end.

  'I'm so in awe of it.' She turned sideways to Matt with a look of sheer joy on her face. 'I haven't played a Boesendorfer since my last recording. The studio has one. I love the feel of the keys. Playing seems so effortless. You're so….'

  The air between them was charged. Ella suddenly became aware of how close their faces were just moments before Matt kissed her. A sensual kiss that glided
across her soft lips.

  Matt couldn't have stopped that kiss any more than he could have stopped breathing. He didn't know whether it was unfulfilled lust, the way her eyes sparkled with genuine happiness, or her obvious pleasure and talent in playing the instrument he loved, but at that moment he felt joined to her in a way he never had with anyone else outside his family.

  The moment affected Ella too as she sighed and parted her lips, inviting him in. Matt put his arm round her waist and pulled her closer to him. His tongue slipped between her lips and mated seductively with hers. Passion embraced them but rather than give in to the heavy desire, Matt kept it light and slow. As his tongue caressed her mouth, learning the taste of her, he entangled his fingers in her hair, loving the luxuriant silky feel of it.

  For the first time since he'd become sexually active Matt wanted to take the time to just feel and not plunder for sexual release. That thought didn't scare him as it should have done but it was enough to weaken the connection between them.

  'Ella,' he whispered against her lips. With one last kiss he pulled back slightly and looked at her. Her eyes were heavy with desire. He could only imagine what she could see in his. 'I want you Ella. As I have never wanted another woman. I want to make love to you - make love to every inch of your body, slow, hard, here, up against the wall, in the shower, a bed. Everywhere.' He caressed the side of her face.

  A brief flash of fear crossed her face before she masked it. 'I, er….' Ella cleared her throat and tried again.

  'We need to get going.' She pulled away and stood up, turning away from him.

  Matt stood and turned her back round. He studied her face. 'I'd swear you want it as much as I do Ella. Why are you retreating from it?'

  Ella coloured, flustered. She'd never felt stirrings of desire with any other man. Had feared any contact with another man. Now she had a different fear. A fear of the strength of her desire for Matt, and she didn't know how to handle it.

  Matt filled the silence. 'Okay, conversation for another time I think.' Last night's intention to send her on her way was well and truly out the window. Now he wanted to find ways of spending more time with her. How things had changed in just over twelve hours!

  'So, tell me how come you play so well. What did you mean by your last recording and the studio? What is it you do?'

  'I'm a pianist.'

  'O-kay,' he dragged out, 'I think I worked that one out. Who for? Are you with a particular orchestra?'

  Ella started to smile, self-consciously. Despite the years since she'd first become an internationally acclaimed pianist, she still wasn't comfortable telling people who she was. Once she was on the stage it didn't matter how many people were watching her, it didn't matter how many came backstage afterwards, she could handle all that. She should maybe take a leaf out of Matt's book - he had no problem at all blowing his own trumpet.

  Matt raised his left eyebrow in an 'I'm waiting for an answer' gesture.

  'I don't necessarily play with any particular orchestra. They generally play with me. I'm a solo pianist.'

  'Oh, right. What name do you perform under? Would I know you?'

  'That depends on whether or not you listen to classical piano music I suppose.'

  Ella paused. 'I use my full name when I'm performing professionally.'

  'Which is?' By now Matt had his arms crossed in front of him and was tapping his foot, clearly impatient with how long this was taking to get simple information.

  'Daniella Lewis-Cannon,' she whispered.

  Chapter 4

  Matt stopped tapping his foot. It was his turn to stare at her in amazement. 'Are you serious?'

  Ella held his gaze.

  'You are serious.' Matt put his hands out to her. 'I have your albums on my iPod. I am always playing them. I sometimes put you on when I'm playing the piano and play along with you. It's one way I keep my skill honed.' He paused as a thought occurred to him. 'Maybe that's why we played so well together just now.'

  Matt ran both his hands through his cropped hair. 'My god. Daniella - Ella. It figures. I didn't recognise you from your photos on the albums. I'm sorry. What must you think of me?'

  Ella was now openly laughing at him. 'Why should you recognise me? I don't court publicity. I actively go out of my way to avoid it.'

  'Yes, but I've spent hours gazing at your album covers….' Matt stopped and realised what he'd just confessed to. He grinned at her. His confidence restored.

  'Busted! I'm a huge fan Ella. I've got tickets for your concert at the Albert Hall next month. I think it's the first time I've been in the same country as you when you've been playing a solo concert and been able to go. I missed you in Australia by two days and in New York by a week. I'm flattered that you're letting me play in your place today. I promise I'll do you proud.'

  'I don't doubt that, otherwise I wouldn't have agreed.' Ella smiled at him, amazed that Matt could be so modest about his music when he was so extremely confident about everything else.

  Matt was now even more determined to get to know this beautiful and talented woman. Just as he was about to rave some more about her talent his mobile phone rang.

  'Good. I'll be over in ten.' Having listened to his chef's update he turned to Ella. 'That was the guys in the kitchen. Everything's pretty much finished. I need to go over and help get it all together.'

  Having got what they needed from his apartment and locked up, Matt walked Ella back to her car still parked outside his professional kitchen.

  'Are you sure you're okay to drive?' Ella nodded her head and rolled her eyes. This was the third time he'd checked in ten minutes.

  'Yeah, alright. Protective big brother instinct kicking in again.' Matt lowered his voice and whispered in her ear. 'Instinct is well honed from bringing up the girls, but rest assured Ella I feel anything BUT brotherly towards you. You can count on us continuing where we left off earlier.' He heard her sharp intake of breath. Oh yeah, she definitely felt the attraction.

  He brushed the gentlest of kisses against her lips. 'Mmm, I intend getting to know you very well Daniella Lewis-Cannon.'

  With that threat he walked towards the building.

  'See you at the reception Ella,' he called over his shoulder.

  *

  Matt strolled around the hall and checked each table. His staff had done a great job considering the short notice and lack of resources. Each table was covered in a cream cloth with a colourful floral display in the centre. The chairs were just standard plastic ones you found at places like this but his staff had placed cream covers over the backs and tied yellow bows around half of them and green bows around the other half. Yellow and green helium filled balloon displays were placed strategically around the room to detract from the clinical bareness of the walls. At the doorway they'd created a magical woodland entrance, dotted with yellow flowers and ribbons. As the guests approached the doorway from the corridor, they would walk through a similar woodland display.

  The buffet was ready - it just needed the covers removing. The wide selection of sandwiches and rolls looked appetising and interesting. Miniature kebabs of cubed beef were artistically set around a dish of horseradish cream. Individual small dishes of roasted red onion, assorted peppers and mushroom drizzled with garlic and chilli oil were displayed on a set of shelves in the form of a pyramid. Tiny jacket potatoes were being kept warm in a large cast iron pot. A selection of savoury tarts using filo and short crust pastry along with vol-au-vents completed the savoury display. The steak burgers were in the kitchen ready to be cooked once the guests arrived.

  Matt had already satisfied himself that the desserts were up to standard. There were platters of cubed fresh fruit, small meringues topped with various fruits and cream, a chocolate fountain with marshmallows and strawberries, individual portions of crème brûlée, profiteroles and apple pie.

  As he made his way back to the kitchen he gave one final glance at the wedding cake. It looked elegant set on a pedestal with foliage around the base and t
he cascade of sugar paste flowers flowing from the top layer.

  His staff had done him proud - as they always did. When they'd first arrived at the hall, they'd found the groom and best man setting up a bar. With great relief, they'd let Matt's team take over and agreed to keep everything a surprise for the bride. So, at short notice he'd pulled in a mobile bar and a few staff to run it. He was happy to see that the bar was pretty much ready to go with the staff setting out the glasses in preparation for pouring the sparkling wine left by the groom.

  He could relax now and change into his clothes for playing the piano. He smiled to himself as he thought back to that morning and discovering who Ella was. A sharp contrast to what he'd believed her to be when they'd first met. It wasn't even twenty four hours ago and yet he felt like he'd known her forever. Impossible. He shook his head at such fancy.

  'Boss! We've got company.'

  Matt turned to where his chef was pointing. Standing just inside the kitchen was a woman who definitely looked like the sort of person he'd believed Ella to be. Reminding himself he'd been wrong yesterday, he kept an open mind and greeted her.

  'Can I help you?'

  She looked slightly surprised at the number of people in the kitchen. 'Who are you?'

  Matt hadn't expected an aggressive challenge to his reasonable question. She stood there looking uncertain and unfriendly. Her short hair and facial piercings coupled with her tall, well-built frame did little for her. Mix that with the frown now on her face and Matt could almost believe she'd come to cause trouble. Stereotypical view, but that was the vibe he was picking up from her. He decided to play it heavy from the off.