“Destiny.” Robert beamed. “You three have a PR problem, and don’t deny it. You are some of the best chefs in your field, with the most interesting story, and let’s face it—the most sex appeal.” Truly silently agreed with that last part, but Robert wasn’t done. “This place should be packed to the rafters, people should be coming from all over the state to sample your culinary masterpieces.” He looked around. “Instead it’s the lunch hour, and we’re still the only customers in here.”
Nate bristled. “It’s a slow day.”
“Not that slow.” The blond Louis grimaced ruefully. “He’s right, Nate, and you know it. And not only about our massive sex appeal.” He gave a wink to Truly. “You’re the one who’s always grumbling about the overhead. The Lord only knows we could use a paycheck every once in a while. I’d like to be able to afford to eat what I’m cooking, if ya know what I mean.”
Clay nodded in agreement, and Truly began to get that feeling. That burst of adrenaline that shot up her spine. An aha moment of mammoth proportions. She suddenly understood why Robert had hidden this place away. Why he’d brought her here.
They were her second chance. She could make these men famous. Make The Iron Horse a household name. They’d be bigger than Brunch with Laura. It would turn Clive into a big pile of pervy jealousy.
She loved it.
Robert saw her expression and slid an arm around her shoulders, squeezing affectionately. “I’ve brought the solution to all your problems. I’m not too shabby, but TS is the best. She’ll know just what to do to get you the exposure you need. She has all the contacts. All you have to do is put yourself in her capable hands, do exactly what she tells you to, and in two months time you’ll have more business than you know what to do with.”
Louis stepped closer to Truly, tilting his head coyly. “You don’t have to twist my arm. I’d be glad to put myself in her hands.”
Truly’s eyes widened. Why did that sound so tempting? She’d thought Clive’s continuous lewdness had turned her off the male species for life. She supposed her damp panties had something to do with it. Clive made her sick. Louis made her hot.
Business, Truly. This is business. Although she had to remind herself to give Robert a serious tongue lashing for limiting them to a two month deadline. “I appreciate that, Mr. Dumont. And I agree with Robert. Artists shouldn’t have to suffer for their art. And when they have the whole package? Well, the last thing they should do is hide it. I can help you. We can help you. If you’ll give us the chance.”
Nate crossed his arms, drawing her attention. “I’m not saying we need any help. In fact, if you’re thinking of turning The Iron Horse into some fancy black tie establishment, then we definitely aren’t interested. But even if we were, don’t you have a job? How would the television station feel about you doing freelance?”
The suspicion in his dark gaze made her shift uncomfortably. Rule number one: when interviewing for a new job, don’t let your potential employer know that your last employer fired you. No matter what the reason.
Obviously Robert hadn’t gotten the memo. “Her boss, Clive Garret, tried to put the moves on—”
Truly interrupted him with a glare. “Robert and I are currently free agents. You would be our first clients, but that means you’d get all our time, attention and not insignificant experience.” She pulled out a business card. “Most restaurants fail within the first three years because of bad marketing, bad food, bad location, etc. Your food is fantastic. Your faces alone would sell the place—but your marketing stinks. Talk it over, and get back to me if you’re interested.”
She handed Louis her card and turned to go. “Pay the men for a lovely meal, Robert. We have a lot to do.”
She’d reached the door when she felt a warm, rough hand grip her elbow. Nate. At his touch, electric desire crackled through her body like a living thing. Who knew her elbow was an erogenous zone? And what the hell was going on with her libido?
His expression was impossible to read, but she could have sworn she saw an answering spark in his eyes. Did he feel it too? The conflicting desire to hit or kiss? How could she be so attracted to such a grumpy, sullen man?
“Lunch is on us, Ms. Larkin.” He opened the door. “So you don’t feel your time was entirely wasted.”
Hitting. She definitely felt like hitting him. His tone told her in no uncertain terms that she wouldn’t be hearing from them anytime soon. Damn Robert. Usually he read people better.
She forced a smile. “I never waste my time, Mr. Grange. And I never let anyone else waste it either.”
A thrill of elation followed her out the door, latching on to the small victory of having the last word. Her one success of the day. At least she’d had a good meal. A great one. She could really do wonders with those three. With the restaurant.
If only Nathaniel Grange wasn’t such an ass.
Chapter Two
“Double damn. Why did I let you all talk me into this?”
Nate, Clay and Louis stood off to the side. A bemused threesome watching the construction workers and designers gut their beautiful restaurant.
A feminine chuckle turned their heads simultaneously. “Jane, what are you doing here?”
Nate’s sister slid out of her small, beat up Honda, a rueful expression on her face as she unstrapped her toddler from his car seat. “I had some errands to run, and I thought I’d come see if you’d chained yourself to the door to protect your precious man cave yet.”
Clay snorted softly. “He’s close. Has been for a month. Been wound tight ever since we voted to hire TS.” He lowered his voice, but Nate still heard him mumble. “He’s not the only one, either.”
“See?” He pointed at Clay and Louis. “She’s distracting. A menace. We were slow, yes, but we were happy. Just you wait. Now we’re going to have linen tablecloths and china plates and every pompous prig and their latest snow bunny complaining about my menu choices. TS. What the hell does that stand for anyway?”
Louis piped up. “Totally Sexy? Tasty Siren? Tantalizing Seductress?”
“Ha ha. More like Trouble Squared. She’s changing everything.”
Jane sniffed. “Don’t whine, big brother, or I’ll ground you for a week. I don’t know what your problem is. I really like her. And she’s great with the kids. She’s let Justin help with making flyers, talk to the construction crew… She even got him to dye his hair one color. As far as I’m concerned she’s a miracle worker.” She cuddled Nate’s youngest nephew, Timmy, closer and avoided his gaze. “Which is why I told her she could use our kitchen for tonight’s project.”
“Tonight’s…? What are you talking about, Jane?” He didn’t like the sound of this at all.
She shrugged. “Robert is taking me and the kids out to dinner and a movie and you three are going to star in your own YouTube video. Great, inexpensive advertising for the reopening, she said. Justin agrees, and you know how smart he is about computers.”
Nate’s jaw clenched. That did it. He had to talk to her. Now. “Where is she?”
Clay’s brow furrowed. “She was in the kitchen last I looked, talking to the designers. But I don’t think you want to—” Nate strode away, and Clay sighed, “—go in there.”
It was a good thing he wasn’t armed. He wanted to beat the bloody hell out of someone as he saw the chaos that had once been his warm, friendly restaurant. No pictures on the wall, no tables. Even the bar had been ripped out. She was destroying everything.
Including his peace of mind.
TS Larkin was trouble. He’d known from the moment he’d seen her. A curvaceous bundle of trouble. His reactions from the first had been clear evidence of that. He’d felt jealous of Robert. Angry at her for looking and smelling so damned lickable. Angry at his own desires. The ones he’d managed to tamp down for years, since he’d moved his sister and her two kids into his house to take care of them.
He wasn’t a monk, but he always kept his sex life casual, private. He never gave in to the base
r urges he’d reveled in when he was in his twenties. When he and the others were in culinary school. He was a family man now. An uncle. A business owner.
Yet, as soon as he’d seen TS, seen her delectable, heavy breasts, her hips, all he could think about was sex. And not just any kind. The raunchy, sweaty, kinky kind that would probably send her running if she could see inside his fantasies. He wanted to spank her. Wanted to cover her in whipped cream and lick her clean. Wanted to tie her up and feast on her.
He wanted to make her scream.
From the comments he’d been getting from Louis and Clay, they’d been having thoughts along the same vein. Thoughts that could damage the balance the three friends had achieved. She was dangerous, all right. And she was crumbling his foundation just as surely as these workers were decimating his restaurant.
It had to stop.
He saw her through a hole that had been the wall separating his kitchen from the dining area. She looked so fucking adorable. Her round, lush curves were encased in a peach skirt and ivory blouse that looked out of place in the dusty, drywall covered room. The fact that she was wearing an overly large hard hat over her brilliant curls only made her that much more feminine. He’d never fucked a woman in a hard hat before. He could imagine bending her over the counter, peeling that skirt up over her round, delicious ass and taking her right there.
Damn her.
“Ms. Larkin. I need a word in private.”
She jumped about an inch off the ground, her mouth opening in surprise before quickly pulling herself together. “Of course, Mr. Grange. David, would you go make sure your crew has these exact specifications?”
“No problem, TS. Mr. Grange.” The young designer gave Nate a wide berth and scuttled out into the main room, leaving the two of them alone. Sort of.
He slid around the still intact prep area and gripped her arm. “Come with me.”
The walk-in refrigerator hadn’t been removed, thank God, and Nate guided her into the room, dropping the broomstick down so that the door wouldn’t close completely. “You and I need to have a little chat.”
The woman looked terrified. “Here? Are you crazy? It’s cold. And cramped. You can talk to me just as well outside.”
Damn, her chin was sexy. Her chin. He shook his head. “I don’t want to be on some damn video on the computer. That’s not what we’re about.”
She lifted her sexy chin. “Really? Then why did Louis seem so excited? Even camera shy Clay is interested in sharing his gift with the world. You’re the only one who doesn’t think this is what you’re about.”
They’d known? He was going to have to have a talk with them too.
“Don’t tell me about Louis and Clay. I’ve known them for years. I know what they want. And it isn’t kitchens without walls, tile samples or interviews with radio stations. And it damn sure isn’t being paraded around like a prized steer, serving my food in g-strings to get noticed. I didn’t hire you to make us into a sideshow attraction.”
She raised one eyebrow. “I, me, my. I suppose the question is, is this restaurant really a partnership or a dictatorship? You don’t seem to care what they think about anything. You argue with every promotional idea I have, shoot down everything we come up with. Why did you hire me? If you just wanted a pool hall to hide from the world in, cooking like some mad scientist for the few stray bikers who wander in, you could have let me know. I told you I don’t let anyone waste my time.”
He stared at her for a long, drawn out moment, noticing the rosy flush in her cheeks and the fire blazing in her eyes…and then he kissed her. He couldn’t help it. She’d made him crazy with the endless phone calls and emails. All her plans. All of the things he’d wanted to talk to her about.
None of it mattered. This was technically the first time he was alone with her, in the fridge no less, and he couldn’t cool down enough to keep from tasting those lips. They’d haunted his dreams for weeks, but the real thing was better. So much better he had to lick her lower lip with his tongue and groan at the flavor. Cherries and lush, warm woman.
He was in so much trouble.
Truly was in shock. Maybe from the rush of frosty air against her back. Maybe from the fact that her butt was pressing against what felt like a quart of ice cream. Or it could just be that this man, the one who’d barely spoken a word to her in several weeks, was suddenly kissing her with a skill and fervor that turned her bones into rubber.
God, he was good. She’d known he would be. Hadn’t she imagined him doing this a thousand times since that first day? Of course, in her daydreams they were in a warm bed, and he’d told her how sorry he was for doubting her before he started kissing her senseless.
This was completely unprofessional. Inappropriate. Insane. Just one more minute, she silently begged her conscience. Just one more minute of his teeth nibbling on her lower lip, his tongue tangling with hers in her mouth, the shiver inducing vibration of his groans against her lips. Then she’d push him away and remember this was a job, and he was way too dangerous for her.
He pulled away first, swearing under his breath, unable to tear his gaze from her tingling, swollen lips. “This is a mistake.”
What? Starting in the first place? Working together? Stopping? She nodded jerkily. “Absolutely.”
He looked down, a muscle in his jaw tightening. She followed the direction of his heated stare and gasped. The ivory blouse, perfectly appropriate only moments before, was now no barrier to her attention seeking nipples. The combination of cool air and hot man had them pressing through her lace bra and thin blouse, begging for attention.
Her hands lifted to cover herself, but Nate had other ideas. He gripped her wrists in one hand, lifting her arms above her head and out of his line of vision.
“Fuck.” He growled out the invective before lowering his mouth to her breast. His teeth closed around one tightly peaked nipple, and his tongue caressed it through the layers of fabric.
“Oh God.” She felt his free hand cup her heavy flesh, lifting it higher, deeper into his mouth, and her body trembled.
She’d always hated her breasts. Joked that she was jealous they knew more than she, since they got into the room a few minutes before she did. It was hard to be taken seriously when no man could look you in the eye. Even when they didn’t like the rest of the package, they sure as hell noticed her girls.
Truly had always worn minimizing bras, jackets, anything to cover up her ample charms at the station. But some wanton part of her was glad she hadn’t today. Glad she could feel each lap of his tongue through the thin silk and lace. His rough bites and tender licks sent vibrations through every part of her body. Her sex.
She squeezed her thighs together and arched into his mouth. She wished she could touch him, wished she could run her fingers through his hair, grip his neck, measure the width of his shoulders. But she couldn’t deny that the mastery of his touch called out to something forbidden inside her. Something more than a little wild and wholly feminine.
Nate lifted his mouth and looked into her eyes, his own blazing and dark. Melting chocolate. He pressed closer, and she could feel his thick erection against the curve of her stomach. The heat of it burned her. She wanted him. She licked her lips, and he closed his eyes, breaking the connection just as a loud crash sounded outside the cold room.
He jumped away from her as if he’d been bitten by a snake. “Shit.”
Not exactly a flattering reaction, but it shook her out of her daze long enough to realize what she’d been doing and where. How could she condemn her ex boss for his behavior when she was guilty of doing the same thing? Business and pleasure simply didn’t mix. Even if her business was made up of three lust-inspiring men in kitchen whites.
Truly took a deep breath and drew Nate’s attention away from the noise outside. He ran his palms over his face. “Ms. Larkin—”
She laughed to cover her embarrassment. “I think it’s safe to call me TS now, Nate, don’t you?”
He blew out a frustr
ated breath. “No, I don’t. I apologize. My behavior was inexcusable. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I wouldn’t blame you if you decided not to work for us anymore.”
It sounded sincere, but a red haze filled Truly’s vision, and suspicion burned through her cooling body. She’d just been thinking it hadn’t she? Just allowed herself to feel guilty for crossing that line. And he was using it to his advantage. Oh, he was a bastard.
“Is that why you did this? You thought because of what Robert told you about my old boss, that all you had to do was put a move or two on me and I’d call it quits?” She shook her head, straightening her blouse, trying not to groan aloud at the wet spot over her left breast. “Your sister was right about you. You do sabotage yourself. But you’re not the only one paying for my services. Louis and Clay deserve to be successful. They deserve what I can do for them. I won’t let you ruin it for them.”
She headed for the door, trying not to cry as she growled at the frozen man over her shoulder, “Talk to your partners if you want me out, but don’t waste your time pretending you can’t control yourself around me. I’m not an idiot. I’m no more your type than you are mine.”
Her shaky hand pushed open the refrigerator door, and she rushed out with her head down until she was stopped by an impenetrable wall of flesh.
Clay.
He grabbed her shoulders and set her back on her feet. “Hey there, what’s the hurry?”
When she didn’t respond he lifted her chin, his warm, friendly green gaze studying her intently. “TS? What’s wrong?”
Her lower lip wobbled, and she cursed her weakness. She stepped back, away from his gentling touch, and crossed her arms across her chest protectively. “I’m fine, Clay. You just make sure you’re ready with your best dessert recipe tonight. Make sure you’re all ready.”
Truly walked away before he could respond, knowing she needed to take her own advice. She had to get her head on straight. This was her chance to prove herself. Her chance to show everyone that Brunch with Laura wasn’t a fluke. That she was good at what she did.
Truly Scrumptious Page 2
