Fool for Love (Believe #2)

by Karen Ferry

  “What do you think?” Garrett asks from behind me. I put my hands in my pockets and slowly turn around to face him. I can’t read the shuttered expression on his face, but go with honesty like I always do.

  “I like it…but it’s very dark.”

  I smile apologetically at him, and he nods.

  “Yeah, it is. I’ve been thinking about doing some renovations since I got home, but it’s not easy for me.” His eyes flit to the pictures. “There’s so much history here. So many memories.”

  I nod in understanding as I take in the furniture again.

  “But everyone needs to change sometimes – follow the trends in the market so we’re not forgotten.”

  “I hope I haven’t offended you?” I ask him softly.

  His raised eyes meet mine, and he shakes his head.

  “Not at all. It’s good to get the opinion of someone who’s never been here before.”

  “You wouldn’t have to change the floor plan as such, Garrett. You can do a lot with a coat of paint, for instance, maybe get some more modern tables and chairs.” I look to the ceiling and ponder the chandeliers hanging there. “But I wouldn’t change the lighting, actually; it’s soft, not too bright. Nobody wants to go out to dinner and get blinded. Ugh. I hate that.”

  Trying to lighten the sombreness that’s fallen, I pretend to shudder and grimace.

  “At school, we were once asked to make some mock-up designs on our computers; we were sent a photo of a room and our assignment was to come up with a new design by changing the colours and the furniture,” I babble. “It was in my first year, and very easy. I think the teacher just wanted us to get accustomed to the the idea of thinking outside the box. To learn how to see the possibilities everywhere.”

  He turns fully to face me. “I can’t believe I’ve never asked you before – what did you do in Denmark before coming to NYC?”

  “Oh, I…” I didn’t think he’d ask me this, but it makes sense. We’re lovers. It’s only natural that he’d like to know.

  I fidget a bit on the spot.

  “I studied interior design, actually.”

  “Really?”

  I shrug. “Yeah. At one point I’d like to set up my own business, but it’s a tough field. There are so many great designers out there.”

  “Hmm. Interesting.”

  He takes a step towards me and wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me flush against his chest.

  “You’re full of surprises, Suzy-Q.”

  I beam at him.

  “Only good ones, I hope?”

  He nods, smiling down at me, and I get lost in his warm eyes.

  “Absolutely. Now, kiss me, and then I’ll show you the kitchen. Most of my staff should already be here, prepping food and yelling profanities at each other.”

  I laugh and give him a quick kiss.

  “There. Are you going to cook for me?” I ask him as he backs away from me and takes my hand.

  He smirks at me.

  “Of course.”

  “Good.”

  He leads me to the end of the bar where we turn right and stop in front of a big, wooden door that has a sign on it that says, ‘STAFF ONLY’. I can hear some shouting and laughter coming from the other side, and I take a deep breath when Garrett opens it and pulls me inside.

  I freeze, and one thought alone enters my mind.

  Utter mayhem.

  THE SOUND THAT HITS me is not deafening, but it’s definitely loud, and there are people everywhere, manning different stations.

  “Garrett!” a man’s voice booms.

  We both look to the far end of the kitchen to find a man waving us over. As we walk towards him, I notice that he’s standing with his back to a huge stove with at least six hotplates, and he’s rolling some sort of pastry. He’s short, tanned, and has a moustache. His hair is black and thinning at the top.

  “What is it, Aaron?” Garrett asks as we reach him.

  “The supplier was late again,” he booms again. I jump.

  Garrett huffs beside me.

  “I’ll take care of it,” he mutters.

  “Good!” Aaron booms again.

  I’m beginning to think that it’s the only tone of voice he’s able to use.

  He glances at me, his hands still in the dough.

  “Who’s that with you?” he asks Garrett, giving me a suspicious look. It’s kind of funny.

  “Aaron, this is Suzy Christensen, a…friend.”

  I narrow my eyes at Garrett when he uses such a simple word to describe what we are to each other.

  “Must be a pretty close friend since you’re holding hands.”

  Aaron’s eyes flicker down to our joined hands, but I only strengthen my hold. Then he turns to look Garrett dead in the eye.

  “Where’s your beard?” he asks him.

  Garrett grits his teeth and doesn’t answer.

  Aaron tilts his head to the side and crosses his arms.

  “Huh…Interesting.”

  “Why?” Garrett grumbles.

  “There’s only one thing that will have a man change the way he looks – don’t matter if it’s the hair, or the clothes, or, in this case, the beard.”

  He looks towards me again and I grin at him. His frown disappears from his face, and his eyes lose the suspicion from before.

  “What?” Garrett asks him.

  Aaron gives him a chin lift. “A woman.”

  Without giving Garrett the chance to answer back, he offers me the same chin lift.

  “Nice to meet you, Suzy. I’m Aaron, king of pizzas and pastries.”

  I giggle.

  “Hi, Aaron.”

  He nods once and then turns away, clearly dismissing us.

  “Looks good on you, boss,” he mutters. “Not as old as before.”

  I snort and turn to look at Garrett’s profile. He shakes his head and rolls his eyes at Aaron, but clearly gives up.

  “Right, as you can see,” he tells me, as he turns me in a small circle, “there’s a lot going on here, even hours before we open.”

  “It looks very hectic.”

  “Yeah, I guess it does. Everyone has their specific stations, and they know what to do. They rarely come to me for advice – only complaints.” He points back at Aaron with his thumb. “Just like Aaron did. I need to find a new supplier; this is the fourth time since I’ve been back that he’s been late. That’s unacceptable.”

  I nod.

  “It must be very frustrating for you.”

  We stand in silence and I try to ignore the questioning stares and smirks that Garrett’s staff turn to us from time to time.

  “So,” I start, taking off my coat to let it hang down my arm. “What are you going to cook for me?”

  “What would you like?” he asks, mirroring my stance.

  I think it over for a while.

  “Your favourite dish, please.”

  He takes a step into my space and I tilt my head back to keep his eyes on mine. He grins, and, as usual, my tummy does that flip-flop thing it always does when the shadows clear from his.

  He leans down until his mouth is next to my ear, and I shiver when his warm breath makes my skin break out in goose bumps.

  “It used to be Chicken Panzanella, but since I’ve met you, it’s tiramisu.”

  My eyes widen, and when he kisses me on the cheek, I melt on the spot.

  “But…that’s a dessert, not dinner,” I mumble.

  “Yes.” He puts a hand on my hip and tucks me closer to him. “But I have some really fond memories of you tied up, splayed out before me while I worship your body, and that’s all I can think about right now. My mouth and tongue showing you how fucking hard you make me – how every soft sigh that leaves your lips, and the wetter your cunt gets, I only want to possess you more.”

  His breathing has picked up, and his possessive grip tightens on me while his hardened dick presses into my stomach.

  This man – he owns me.

  He always makes me yearn
for more.

  “You do know that now all I’ll think about is you licking it off my body like last time, don’t you?” I whisper, feeling warmth spread to my core from the memory.

  He chuckles low and steps away from me.

  “I was counting on that.” I wet my lips. His eyes darken, the playful expression replaced by one filled with sensual promises, and I wish we were alone right now.

  I take a deep breath and blow it out slowly. My cheeks feel flushed, but I don’t care; let him see how much I want him.

  Every day, all the time.

  “Right,” I mutter. “Lead the way, then.”

  He inclines his head and holds out his hand; as always, I take it and follow him to a secluded station.

  “Once we’re done, we’ll eat it in my office,” he murmurs, and I smile slowly at him.

  “Excellent.”

  His mouth parts as if he wants to say more, but then he shakes his head slightly and looks down at the shiny counter.

  “Let’s begin.”

  Having Suzy watch me make something so simple works like an aphrodisiac on me. I almost feel like I’m a teenager again with the way her rapt eyes follow my every movement – as if her gaze zings my skin, sending pinpricks off in every atom of my being. I long to brush her cheek with my hand and to lean down and nuzzle her neck, breathing in her sweet, floral scent, but I don’t want my staff to become distracted by what they’ll think of as an oddity in my behaviour.

  With every ingredient I add to the mix, and with every minute that passes before I’m done, I grow more and more impatient. I want to taste her sweetness on my tongue so much that it almost hurts my dick from holding back.

  I keep myself in check, trying to ignore the softness of her breasts when she leans into my arm even though it’s not easy.

  I ignore the niggling voice in my head that keeps whispering that this Dom has gone too soft – that he’s forgotten who he is.

  Suzy reminds me of Cecilia in some ways: her openness and bubbly personality are similar; her zest for life and acceptance of people are the same.

  But that’s where it ends.

  Whereas Cecilia appreciated it when I cooked for her, she never bothered coming down to ‘Mama Rosa’s’ with me; she didn’t ask me question after question about my legacy, eager to learn more about running a restaurant; she never fully accepted that I wanted to turn my passion into my career; and she couldn’t understand that I didn’t want to step in my father’s footsteps and become a lawyer.

  As I stand here in my busy kitchen, drowning in the familiar noises, the thought that Cecilia and I might not have been right for each other after all hits me in my gut. I feel winded, out of breath – knocked off-kilter.

  Suzy seems to know me on some deeper level that I never found with Cecilia. I shouldn’t keep holding back from her, but the words are hard for me to say.

  My waif. My love.

  My life.

  “Garrett?”

  Her voice calls to me as if it’s from far away, and I blink a couple of times, trying to free myself from the cobwebs my trip down memory lane have caused.

  I look down at her questioning eyes and try to get my breathing under control.

  She places a hand on my arm, and my skin hums when it feels hers.

  “Are you alright?” she asks me, voice low, concern etched on her every feature.

  “I need you,” I rasp, completely losing myself in her eyes. “Once this is done, I need to take you, waif. Understood?”

  She gasps softly and nods.

  “Good,” I groan, my dick hardening further from seeing her heated gaze, which no doubt matches my own.

  “This needs to be in the fridge for at least six hours,” I tell her as I dust it with cocoa powder. She frowns, a small pout on her lips.

  “But…I thought you said we’d eat in your office?”

  I grin, momentarily forgetting my need, and I point at the huge, stainless steel fridge behind us.

  “Don’t worry, Julia has already made some for tonight.”

  “Oh.” She glances down on the table and licks her lips at seeing my creation there. “Then what will we do with yours?”

  “Bring it home later. Save it for a rainy day?”

  She laughs and shakes her head at me as I wipe my hands on a towel.

  “Besides, you’ve been eating my food for weeks now, waif, so it’s not as if it’s a novelty.”

  She nods slowly.

  “That’s true, I guess. Thank you for letting me watch, though – I enjoyed seeing you so happy.”

  Her warm eyes take my breath away. I wrap up the dessert in cellophane and turn around to place it carefully in the fridge. Then I take the already prepared tiramisu out and grab a couple of plates from the shelf above my head.

  “There are spoons over there,” I tell Suzy, jutting my chin out to the long serving table at the entrance.

  “I’ll get them.”

  She weaves in and out of the people barring her way, and I find a knife and cut out a couple of pieces.

  “I take it that’s Suzy?”

  I look up to find Carlos standing beside me, his eyes on her as she’s chatting with Julia.

  “Yes,” I answer him as I place the tiramisu back in the fridge.

  He lets out a low whistle.

  “She’s gorgeous.”

  I bristle at the sound and straighten my back.

  “Keep your eyes off my woman,” I grumble, narrowing my eyes.

  He turns his head to take in my stance and laughs once.

  “Don’t worry, I’m not going to try to snatch her away, Garrett. I know better than that.”

  “Good. Besides, she wouldn’t want to wake up to your ugly face everyday, either.” I cross my arms and watch as his smile widens. He turns his head to me, and his smile vanishes slowly. I stiffen when his gaze wanders across my face. Surprisingly, I don’t feel as wary as I’d thought I would, but I’m prepared for his questions about losing my beard nonetheless.

  “It’s nice to see you happy, my friend,” he mutters. Before I can form a reply, he leaves me alone and walks to Aaron’s station.

  “Sorry about that,” Suzy says when she’s back at my side. “Julia wanted to introduce herself to me. She seems nice.”

  “Yes,” I murmur, still distracted by Carlos’ lack of bombarding me with questions. “She is nice.”

  “I think she has a crush on you,” she continues, voice light, and that brings me back to the present.

  “Excuse me?” I ask her, glancing quickly in Julia’s direction. The busty blonde sees my stare and blushes. I groan inwardly. I don’t need that kind of headache in my restaurant.

  “I don’t think it runs that deep, but there’s no question she fancies you.”

  I turn my attention back to the only blonde that holds my affection.

  Suzy shrugs and jiggles the spoons lightly.

  “And how, may I ask, did you come to that conclusion? You only spoke with her for five minutes.”

  “Well…” She gets closer and leans up to kiss my cheek. “When she got a bit starry-eyed, talking about how much she admires you, I told her – gently, of course, because I’m not a mean person – that you’re mine, and that I didn’t plan on letting you out of my sight for many, many, many years.”

  Mouth hanging open in shock, I stare at her. She holds my gaze and then winks at me, and I bark out a laugh at the possessive streak she’s beginning to show.

  “Now, I’m starving. Where’s your office?” she asks me.

  I shake my head at her, amused, and pick up the plates. I point in the direction we came from.

  “This way.”

  I motion for her to walk ahead of me and as I peruse the kitchen, satisfied that all’s running smoothly, my eyes fall on Carlos. What I see stops me in my tracks. His profile is turned away from Aaron, and there’s a softness on his face that I haven’t encountered before. My eyes follow his line of sight, and when I notice that his gaze is on Julia
– who’s laughing at something one of my waiters, Timmy, is saying, completely oblivious to his stare – I sigh and shake my head.

  It seems I need to have a little chat with Carlos soon.

  But for now, I have Suzy to attend to.

  My need blazes up inside me once more, and my heart beats faster. Anticipation runs through my veins, and in quick strides, I leave the kitchen. Suzy’s waiting for me, and I walk past her to take her to my office. In silence, we go back to the entrance, but turn left after the bar, and up the winding staircase. I wait for her on top of the landing, my body vibrating with impatience, and then head swiftly down the short hallway, stopping in front of the closed door. Suzy stops beside me, and I look down to face her.

  My walls crumble when I find her blazing eyes burning into mine, and that’s all it takes for my heart to fall entirely, lying at her feet.

  “Garrett,” she breathes.

  I open the door and wait for her to enter first, and when she does and goes to the desk, I shut and lock the door, making sure that we won’t be disturbed.

  When I reach her side, the hard clink from when I put down the plates makes me grind my teeth. I don’t mean to scare her, but I can’t hold on for long.

  My control is slipping, and my body trembles with the realisation that I can’t ever let her go now.

  I don’t know what the future holds for us, but one thing I know for sure.

  I have to come up with enough reasons that’ll make her want to stay here with me.

  Forever.

  I turn to face her. Her arms are at her side, and while her breathing has picked up, her eyes tell me that she isn’t scared of me.

  She wants me just as much I want her.

  Always.

  “Please don’t tear my heart apart,” she whispers, her voice breaking. I close my eyes and wince.

  I step closer to her and open my eyes, needing to see her light shining back at me. I cradle her face in my hands.

  “I swear I’ll do my damnedest not to,” I vow. She nods once. I hope she can hear the sincerity in my voice.

  I breathe deeply as another tremble courses down my back.