"You said you needed ten minutes," I say quietly. "What did you want to talk about?"
He tilts his head. "It might take longer than that."
I try to hide my smile behind my hand. "I'll give you fifteen. The clock starts now, Chef."
His brow quirks. "You're keeping me honest. I like that."
"Honesty is important." I don't look him in the eye when I say it. I haven't been completely honest with him. I've skirted the edge of the truth for weeks.
"It's the most important thing, Cadence. I want us to be honest with each other."
Until now, I had no idea that he wasn't being completely honest with me. I guess I assumed he was based on the fact that he's so blunt and uninhibited when we're together.
"I'm falling for you," he declares before I have a chance to respond. "Losing you at Nova is one thing. I'll get over that. Losing you outside Nova is something else and I'm not going to let it happen."
CHAPTER 12
I look over at him. We're sitting next to one another on the couch. We've been like this since he told me that he doesn't want to lose me. He may think that now but as soon as I start confessing my sins to him, he'll be out that door, tablet in hand.
"I said some things to you when you came to see me last night," he goes on, "I lost it when Sergio said you were the love of his life."
"The first time I remember him saying that to me was when I was five or six years old." Sadness softens my voice. "His relationship with my mom was over before I was born. I asked him when I was a kid why they weren't together. I wanted to know if she was the love of his life."
"Is that when he told you that you were?"
I nod. "He told me that he always imagined having a daughter that he'd love with his whole heart. He said that the day I was born I became the love of his life."
"Has he ever had another child?" He leans back against the couch.
"No." My mouth thins. "He devoted a lot of his time to me when I was growing up. My folks never had a formal custody agreement in place. Sergio always took care of my financial needs and my mom would drop me off after school and on most weekends at whatever restaurant he was working at then."
"You saw him a lot then?"
I take a deep breath and release it quickly. "Enough. He took me to Italy to meet my family there a few times. We'd see my nonna together every Sunday after he moved her here from Rome. I was part of his family. He was my family."
"What happened, Cadence?" He cocks his head to the side. "What changed between you two?"
I can skirt around this by telling him what I've been telling everyone, including Sophia. It's a half-truth that's been enough to quiet the usual follow-up questions about why I don’t try to contact him or why I've let things get to this point.
I want this to be different. I want him to know even if it means he gets up and walks out. I'm tired of hiding. I'm exhausted from the weight of carrying this on my shoulders for as long as I have.
"I got into an altercation with his wife one day." I don't try and hide the regret in my voice. "She called the police. I was arrested and my dad was forced to make a choice."
"He chose her," he whispers.
I stare into his eyes. "He told me that we'd stay in touch but we didn't. He moved back to Rome, I went to culinary school and time passed."
"You had to deal with the arrest without him?" He reaches for my hand. I don't stop him when he tugs it into his. "You didn't get thrown in jail or anything, did you?"
I know he's trying to find a way to lighten the mood but it's not working. Talking about this is painful and embarrassing. "Asta, his wife, accused me of stealing from my dad. There was some theft at the restaurant she was managing. I was there often to see Sergio. There were times I was alone in the office with the nightly receipts and she assumed I was helping myself."
"That's ridiculous." He clenches his jaw. "How can anyone accuse you of something like that?"
"There's more." I rub my temples, trying to release some of the mounting tension I feel. "It gets worse."
"How can it can get worse, Cadence?"
My eyes fill with tears. "Asta lunged at me the day she brought up the missing money. She grabbed my neck so I pushed her away. She stumbled back. That's when she fell."
He squeezes my hand. "Was she hurt?"
"Her elbow smashed against a cabinet. It was enough to gain sympathy from the police and Sergio."
"But not enough to charge you with anything?" His voice is hoarse.
"No. I was never formally charged. I explained it all to a sergeant. I was sent home from the police station and the next day I found out that Asta had filed for a temporary restraining order against me. That eventually became permanent."
"Shit." He inches closer to me, his hand circling my waist. "You've been through hell. No wonder you two haven't talked. I'm sorry, Cadence. I'm sorry that you had to deal with shit like that."
I collapse into his chest from the sense of relief that overtakes me. "Thank you for understanding. Thank you for not thinking that I'm a monster."
"You're a beautiful woman." His lips press against my forehead. "You're an incredible woman who got dragged into the middle of a fucked up mess. You did nothing wrong. Don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise."
CHAPTER 13
His lips slant over mine as he lowers me to my bed. I brought him here, after he'd kissed me softly in the living room in an effort to quiet my sobs. Resisting would have been a waste of my time and his. I want him like this. I need to feel his body as much as I need to see his acceptance in his eyes.
"You're sure you want this?" He brushes his soft lips over my cheek before he rims the shell of my ear with his tongue. "I'm so hard for you, so ready."
I tug on the bottom of his T-shirt, wanting to run my hands over his sculpted stomach and hard chest. He acquiesces, pulling back from me only enough to give himself room to raise his arms. His shirt hits the floor just as my fingers find the button-fly of his jeans.
He edges forward, his hands pulling the fabric of my dress along my body. He slides it over my thighs before he stops to kiss the inside of my right leg. As the fabric grazes my stomach, his lips travel the same path. I shiver more with each inch of my skin that he unveils. Goosebumps pebble my arms as he motions for me to sit up so he can slip the dress over my head.
I fall back onto the bed, my ass squirming in a silent effort to encourage him to remove my panties. He does, slowly and methodically, his dark head lowering to kiss my cleft. He licks me twice, once along the seam, the second time deeper, separating my folds with the tip of his masterful tongue.
He's as eager as I am.
He moves quickly to get a condom from the drawer of my nightstand. His jeans are on the floor along with his boxer briefs, his cock sheathed, hard and ready for me.
He pushes my thighs apart as he lowers his knee to the bed. He's inside of me so quickly that I arch my back against the pressure. I clench my teeth, his name escaping me through a moan.
"Christ, Cadence," he gasps as he grabs my waist to still me. "I'll come if you do that. Your cunt is so tight. You're so fucking wet."
I fist my hands in the blanket of my bed, grinding my hips in small circles. "Fuck me, Tyler. Make me forget everything else."
He slides out of me, then back in, harder, faster. He quickly finds his rhythm and I wrap my legs around him, wanting him closer, needing him to be as deep as he can be.
His hands fall to the bed on either side of my head, his lips resting against mine. "I'll always want more. You're so good. This is so fucking good."
My core tenses with his words, the deep growl of his voice and the need that is there makes me ache. I clench as he swells inside me, his strokes slowing, driving me closer to the edge.
"I'm almost there." I breathe into the skin of his neck.
He plunges deeper, the motion pulling a roar from within him. The sound, the feeling of his cock filling me so completely, sends me into my release. I shudder
around him and he moans my name as his neck arches back, his body tenses and he comes too.
***
"That comes in a close second for the best gift I received today." He slides his body next to mine in my bed, wrapping his arms around me. "That was amazing, Cadence. Fuck, that was so good."
It was. It was incredible. It's always been intense between us but that was different. The race to get off was only tempered by my need to watch him as he fucked me. He had given everything away in his face. His need for me is just as strong as my desire for him.
"You were quick to discard me last night," I say the words that have been dangling from the tip of my tongue all day. "You broke up with me and fired me without talking to me first."
He nuzzles his face in my neck before he traces his finger along my jawline. His eyes find mine as he leans back to look at me. The only light in the room is filtering in from the window. It's enough that I can see the regret in his expression.
"When Sergio said you were the love of his life, there was this fire in my gut."
My throat tightens. "You didn't want anything to do with me. You cast me aside like I was nothing, Tyler."
"Christ, no." He tightens his grip on me, his fingers digging into my skin. "I was so pissed off. I lashed out because I was hurt. I've never felt pain that intense before. My chest was tight. It was hard to breathe."
"I felt pain too." I rub the pad of my thumb over his bottom lip. "It hurt that you wouldn't let me explain. It killed me inside that you threw me away that quickly."
He catches my thumb between his lips, his tongue grazing over it. "I would have realized what I'd done and come here to beg for your forgiveness. I regretted those things as soon as I said them. I was sick with jealousy, Cadence."
I study his face. He's a beautiful man, more so when he's like this, vulnerable and open. I've never felt jealousy like that. I felt a trace of it when I saw the images of him and Neela but deep down I know that whatever they had is over. She's not a threat to me. I'm secure in what he feels for me. Apparently, he's not convinced that what I feel for him is real.
"You don't have anything to be jealous of." I kiss him softly. "You're the only man I think about. You're the only one I want. There's no room inside of my mind or heart for anyone else."
He swallows hard, his lips press into mine again. This time the kiss is deep and slow. When he finally breaks it, my eyes are still closed shut, my lids heavy.
His lips find my ear. "My heart is filled with you. I'm falling in love."
I am too.
That's what I want to say. I don't. I can't, at least not yet. Instead I rest my head on his chest and listen to his heartbeat as I drift to sleep.
CHAPTER 14
"I'm going to be on the Rise and Shine morning show every week." I hand him a bowl of cereal. "You're sure you don't want me to make you something else to eat?"
He holds the bowl in his palms. "You're going to be on every week? I don’t understand."
When he came over to my place last night, I thought I'd tell him about my new job then. We fell asleep before I had a chance.
I wasn't about to say anything this morning as he was kissing a path down my naked body. Coming with his head between my legs, and his fingers inside me, is definitely the way to start my day. That beats any alarm clock I've ever had.
"Barbara, one of the producers from the show, offered me a job." I sit on the edge of the bed next to him. He's still naked, his semi-erect cock on full, and welcome, display. I'd put on a short robe when I went into the kitchen to get Tyler some nourishment. I suddenly feel overdressed. "Being on the show each week is part of it. I'm going to have my own app that people can download so they can get my recipes. I'll have a website too and a blog."
He places the bowl of cereal on my nightstand before he turns to look at me. "Tell me more."
I explain every detail that Barbara shared with me. I mention the bistro idea and the potential for a line of cookware. I tell him about the plan that the producers have to send me to different markets in an effort to help young New Yorkers organize their meals so they can not only eat more affordably, but they can find enjoyment in the simple act of cooking.
"This is fucking amazing, Cadence." He meets my gaze. "You're going to kill it with this. You're perfect for this job."
I smile. I was expecting at least some minor push back from him. I know how passionate he is about being in the kitchen. That's been obvious to me since before I even met him. "You don't think it's a mistake, do you?"
"Hell, no," he says with a laugh. "You're going to show the world why you're such an incredible chef."
"It wasn't an easy decision for me." I scramble to get the words out, wanting him to know that I didn't make the choice lightly. "I'm going to miss being in a kitchen, but I have lots of time to get back to that when I'm older. Right now, I think this is an opportunity that can make a real difference in my career."
He reaches for my hands, pulling them both into his. "If someone would have handed me a chance like this four or five years ago, I would have taken it too."
"You would have?"
"Absolutely." He grins. "Notoriety can take you places in this industry. You'll have that and you have a place in Nova's kitchen whenever you want it."
"Do you mean that?" My mouth curves.
He lifts my left hand to his lips before he kisses my palm. "If you decide on some random Wednesday night that you want to cook, you come to Nova and I'll hand you an apron. My kitchen is open to you all the time."
I hesitate before responding. "I might take you up on that offer, Chef."
"I want you to, Chef," he counters with a smile. "The more time I have with you, the better. I need you in my life."
***
"I'm still not taking that back, Cadence." He tosses his tablet onto my bed. "I told you to keep it."
I give him a curt nod, suddenly realizing that it means more to him than just an electronic device that contains all his recipes. He wants me to have it because it's a symbol of his trust. He trusts me to keep it. He wants me to guard it, the same way he wants me to guard his heart.
"I'll keep it for as long as you want me to." I scoop it back into my hand, resting it against my chest.
His eyes rake over me. "Knowing you're naked under that robe doesn't make it easy for me to leave. You know that, right?"
I do know that. His erection is evidence of that. He was hard as soon as I kissed him after he told me he needed me in his life. He wanted me then, but he said he had to go. That's when I reached for the tablet to try and give it back to him.
"Are you going to Nova?"
He buttons the fly of his jeans. "I'm meeting a chef this morning. It's someone I might bring on board to help with Nova's opening."
"A senior chef?" I ask. I don't want to feel the lingering frustration that I still do over the fact that he chose to promote Maribel and Rolly over me. I can't help it though. It stings.
He catches the edge of his T-shirt in his hand before he tugs it over his head. "It's an old friend. I'm looking for a consultant. Hunter and I both feel it would be worthwhile to have extra hands on deck the first few weeks after we open. Our menu is bigger and service is more expansive. I don't want there to be any glitches."
It makes perfect sense. He's a perfectionist when it comes to Nova and the interest in the new space is intense. I have a Google alert set to notify me when there's anything new posted about the restaurant. My phone is flooded with a constant stream of new articles every single day.
"I can help too if you need it, Chef."
He smiles and touches my cheek. "You're going to focus on your new job. I'll get Nova's doors open and then we'll work together to help each other. How does that sound?"
It sounds like he wants me to worry about my career, while he looks to other, more experienced chefs, to help him with his restaurant.
It's a sticking point between us that isn't going to disappear anytime soon. Only time will change h
ow he views me. That and all the success I plan on having as the young face of food in New York City.
"That sounds good," I say half-heartedly. "I'm always here if you need me, Tyler."
"I do need you, Cadence." His eyes are intent on mine. "I need you as much as I need the air I breathe."
CHAPTER 15
"She's not coming here, is she?" I look beyond his shoulder. "Does she know that you're meeting me?"
Sergio settles on the wooden bench next to me. I expected him to beat me here, but surprisingly I was the one who arrived first. He'd called me shortly after Tyler left my apartment. He kept the conversation short, asking me to meet him at a bench in Central Park. I didn't need him to detail which bench. I know it by heart. He used to bring me here when I was a child so we could share an ice cream and look at the people walking their dogs.
"Asta is in Boston for the day," he says quietly. "She went to see about a new location for Magari. We're expanding there."
I suppose I should care about that, but I don't. My dad's business has nothing to do with me anymore. When I was a teenager, he'd tell me how he wanted me to run things after he was gone.
It was overwhelming back then when all I wanted to do was hang out with my friends anywhere but in a restaurant. My nonna's death sent him into a tailspin. He saw his own frailties then. Maybe he realized that he wasn't as invincible as he thought he was. Whatever it was, it sent him in a new direction. He married Asta, hired a management team to help run his business and he stopped cooking as much as he once did.
"Why did you want to see me?" I ask bluntly.
He glances at the large gold watch on his wrist. "You gave this to me when you were fourteen-years-old."
My gaze drops to his arm. The watch is oversized, the gold finish flaking away now that so much time has passed. It's the one flaw in his appearance. The rest of him is utter perfection. He's dressed casually in a dark polo and jeans. His hair is slicked back from his face. He's as handsome now in his early fifties as he was when I was a child.
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