by Kim Fox
He slapped his forehead again as she laughed. What are you doing?
Cole was normally so smooth with the ladies and this girl had him bumbling around like a nerdy high school student trying to ask out the prom queen.
“Good to know,” she said, still laughing at him. “I won’t send any penises your way. Come help me unload the trunk.”
Cole rushed over as the trunk popped open. His eyes widened when he saw all of the food stuffed in the back.
“I might have gotten a little carried away at the grocery store,” she said, scratching her temple nervously. “But I just got so excited for the new job.”
Cole’s mouth was already watering as he looked over the bags of food. “It won’t go to waste.” Not with a ranch full of shifters it wouldn’t.
“Is there a reason why you’re not wearing a shirt?” she asked, looking at him funny.
Cole’s mind raced with an explanation but he kept coming up short so he decided to go with the truth. “Gunner was naked so I lent it to him.”
“Why was Gunner naked?” she asked, stepping backward.
Now Cole was really stumped. He just stood there, staring at her like a dope.
“Is this some kind of a weird hedonist resort?” she asked, eying him funny.
Cole laughed as he shook his head. “No,” he answered quickly. “I think he was just doing some laps in the lake naked.”
“Oh,” she said with a shrug. “I’m from the city so when we see a naked guy, we call the cops. I guess I have to get used to living in Montana.”
“Yeah,” Cole said, grabbing a few bags out of the trunk. “If you thought the city was weird, wait until you get a load of Colwood, Montana.”
They chatted as they walked to the inn. The Wilde Ranch Inn was almost ready for its grand opening.
Joan and Rhett were setting up the website and soon they would have some visitors trickling in. It was all happening so fast, but they didn’t have the luxury of moving slowly. The bills weren’t going to pay themselves. That was the tourists’ job.
Cole had ran to his trailer to grab a shirt and when he came back, Ashton was approaching her. Shit. He ran a little faster.
“Hi, Jennifer,” Ashton said, waving as she got to the front door of the inn. “Nice to see you again.”
Oh my God. Cole shook his head in disbelief. Ashton’s nails were painted the color of red wine. He would have felt guilty if Jennifer didn’t look so fucking hot.
“Hi,” she said, stepping a little closer to Cole who had returned by her side. “Is that nail polish?” she asked, hiding a laugh as she looked at his hands.
“Oh, you noticed?” Ashton said with a grin. “Do you like nail polish on men?”
“Yes,” she said, nodding as she moved even closer to Cole. “I like a man who is confident enough with himself to dress like a woman, if that is what he desires on the inside.”
Ashton’s smile faded to a confused frown.
“Why don’t you go inside?” Cole said to Jennifer. “I’ll catch up in a minute.”
She gave him a look of gratitude for saving her from the awkward conversation and hurried inside.
Ashton was still trying to recover. “Does she think I’m a transvestite?” he asked, tilting his head in confusion.
“No,” Cole said with a gulp. “She looked totally into it.”
Ashton looked past him to the open door of the inn. “I better go explain.”
“Let me do it,” Cole said, shaking his head. “I’ll spend the morning with her talking you up. Let me lay the groundwork for you and then you can build up the foundation.”
“You think?” he asked, rubbing his chin.
“I’m the expert, right?” Cole said, turning a guilty red. “Let me handle it. Your cold streak will be over in no time.”
Cole’s bear growled at his words. Not you too. He had been obsessed with the pretty chef but so far his bear had been silent. If his grizzly was just as enamored with her as he was, things were going to get ugly around the Wilde Ranch.
“You sure?” Ashton asked, looking at him suspiciously.
“I got this,” Cole said, turning and walking inside without looking back. His chest was tight and he had a painful thickness in the back of his throat as the heavy doors closed behind him.
He was feeling pretty guilty for sabotaging Ashton’s chances by giving him horrible advice. He was like a brother to Cole, always having his back, and how did Cole repay him? By stealing his girl and making him look like an idiot.
He felt more and more guilty with every step that he took towards the kitchen. But when he turned the corner and saw Jennifer dancing around the kitchen to the music playing out of her phone, all of the guilt washed away like the departing ocean tide.
One look at her shaking her hips to the beat and smiling as she turned on the oven, and he was convinced that he was doing the right thing. Cole would have betrayed God himself for one smile from her.
“I hope you’re hungry,” she said, grinning at him as she pulled out ingredients from the brown paper bag on the counter. “Because I’m in the mood to cook today.”
“Good,” he said, his stomach already growling as he walked in. “Because I’m in the mood to eat.”
She started talking about all of the things that she was going to make, explaining the recipes and how she was going to cook them.
Cole just sat down at the kitchen’s island and listened to her talk, groaning every now and then as he watched her soft lips move, trying to catch a glimpse of her tongue.
It was nice to see someone so passionate about what they did. It was clear that Jennifer adored cooking and considered herself to be a true chef. She didn’t just blindly follow recipes. Her true joy was creating meals from scratch for people to enjoy.
He sat there enjoying watching her move and listening to her talk. He was content to sit there all day observing her but she had other ideas.
“Come,” she said, waving him over. “Let’s get your hands dirty.”
Cole grinned as he stood up and walked around the island towards her. She smelled so good. Like vanilla and cookie dough.
“If you’re going to step into my kitchen,” she said sternly, “then you wash your hands first.”
“You just said I’m going to get my hands dirty,” he said with a laugh as he walked over to the sink. He watched her over his shoulder as he rubbed his soapy hands together.
“Good,” she said with a firm nod. “You can take directions. I can work with you.”
Cole felt his skin tingle. He would take any directions from her.
“Grab an apron,” she said, motioning to the aprons hanging on the wall, “because we’re about to get dirty.”
Cole grinned. Just as I had planned.
five
“What the heck is that?” Cole asked as Jennifer pulled the bag of mussels out of the brown paper bag.
She laughed. She hadn’t made mussels in ages but for some reason, she had felt compelled to make them. Yes, she definitely had muscles on her mind.
“Mussels,” she said, ripping open the bag and pulling out a few of the black shells to show him. “They’re delicious.”
Cole dipped his chin and gave her his bedroom eyes. “You like muscles?” he asked playfully as he flexed his arm.
It was supposed to be a joke but it made her lightheaded for a couple of seconds. “Not that kind of muscles,” she said, slapping his bicep as she let out a laugh. His arm is so hard.
“Start boiling some water in that large pot,” she said, pointing to the other side of the kitchen. She took a deep breath as he walked away. He’s your boss, Jennifer.
She kept having to remind herself of that fact. He looked so good today and she kept taking peeks at the bulging muscles pressing out against his tight shirt. He looked tastier than anything she had bought at the grocery store.
Jennifer had nearly pounced on him when she pulled in and saw him sitting there with no shirt on. She still couldn’t get
the tempting sight of his shredded abs out of her mind. She kept wondering how they would feel under her fingertips.
Cole did as she told him and returned, standing a heartbeat away from her. “What next, chef?” he asked.
She smiled at the nickname he gave her. Jennifer had always wanted to be a chef and now she could wear the title proudly.
“Dice this carrot up,” she said, handing it to him. “Small pieces.”
She pulled out the herbs and began chopping them into tiny bits when she glanced over at Cole. “Not like that,” she said, dropping her knife and moving behind him. “Those are way too big,” she said, standing on her tippy toes to look over his shoulder. “Dice them.”
He looked back with a laugh. “I thought I was dicing them.”
“Your form is so sloppy,” she said, frowning as she moved forward. They were so close together and the proximity was getting her heart pumping. The kitchen didn’t seem so small yesterday, but then again, she didn’t have a man who was built like a tank squeezed into it with her.
“Hold the knife tightly,” she said, placing her hand on his. Jennifer had noticed how big his hands were before but they looked absolutely massive compared to her dainty fingers. She leaned forward, her breasts pressing against the back of his arm as she guided his hand, showing him how to properly dice the carrot.
He was holding his breath, just like she was, as her hand rested on his.
“I might need more practice,” he said when she finally released him and stepped away with a warm shiver cascading through her body.
“You need a lot of practice,” she said, opening the fridge and sticking her head inside. She was pretending to look for something but really she just wanted to cool down. Her sexy assistant had got her blood pumping, warming her up dangerously hot.
They worked side by side, talking and laughing as they prepared the food. Cole was a horrible chef but Jennifer couldn’t tell if it was for real or if he was faking it so that she would come closer and touch him to show him the proper way. She didn’t mind either way. She liked being close to his sexy body.
“Can you be any more hopeless in the kitchen?” she asked, teasing him as he cracked an egg into the bowl, shells and all.
“I have other talents that can be used in the kitchen,” he said, smirking at her in that sexy way as he stepped a little closer to her. Jennifer’s nipples hardened under her bra as his muscular arm brushed against her.
“Like what?” she asked, knowing better than to indulge him, but curious nonetheless.
“I can get this place hotter than an oven,” he said, grinning at her.
She believed that.
The timer on the oven binged, saving her from having to respond. “Do me a favor and pull out the chicken wings, Mr. Hot Stuff.”
Cole may have been in there to try and get under her skin but she still had a menu to create. The chicken wings and blue cheese dip would make a really good appetizer for the inn. It would be perfect with a cold draft beer after a long day of working on the ranch.
“Smells good,” Cole said as he pulled the chicken wings out. “Can I taste one?”
“Just one,” she said, giving him a stern yet playful look.
“Can I dip my wing in your sauce?” he asked in a deep growly voice.
Jennifer swallowed hard as he walked over, slowly dipping the chicken wing into the bowl of white sauce as he stared at her. “Stop it,” she said, laughing. This guy could make anything he said sound so sexual. She could tell that his whole routine worked on most women because it was definitely working on her.
“How is it?” she asked, trying to hide the smile that he kept bringing back on her face.
“Tasty,” he said, licking his lips as he stared into her eyes. He held out the chicken wing, which was stripped of meat and only had the bone left. “Want to suck on my bone?”
“Are you serious?” she asked, laughing as his shoulders shook with laughter as well. “Does that ever work on women?”
“No,” he said with a smirk. “But when it does, oh yeah!”
She shook her head as she grabbed a drumstick off of the pan. “You should have offered me your meat instead.”
He raised an eyebrow at that, which had her giggling. “You want my meat?”
Yes.
“I want you to chop the rest of those carrots.”
“Because I can give you my meat if you want,” he said, ignoring her.
Jennifer grinned. There was only one way to deal with a guy like him. She had to fight fire with fire.
She picked up a baby carrot in her finger and waved it in front of his face as she giggled. “Is this what you’re offering?”
He crossed his arms over his massive chest and shook his head, grinning at her.
“This?” she asked, holding up a banana.
He shook his head again as he glared at her with sparkling brown eyes.
“This?” she asked with wide eyes as she lifted up a big eggplant.
“That’s more like it,” he said with a smirk.
“Be careful,” she said, slapping it onto his chest. “You don’t want to set expectations too high.”
His face dropped. “Maybe more like this,” he said, grabbing a zucchini off of the counter. It was a good size. Long and thick enough to feel every tempting inch.
“Wow,” she said, nodding as she took it from his hands. His eyes widened and he let out an audible gulp as she turned it around, inspecting every inch of it.
“You like my zucchini?” he asked, sweating as he watched her delicate hands wrapped around it.
“Eh,” she said with a shrug. “I’ve seen bigger.”
He cringed as she slapped it down onto the chopping block, picked up the knife and brought it down with a smack, slicing the zucchini in two.
“Ouch,” he groaned, cupping his dick with two hands as he stared at her in shock. “You’re evil.”
“And you,” she said with a smirk, “are in my way.” She pushed past him, playfully bumping into his arm with her shoulder as she tossed the chopped veggies into the boiling water.
Cole eventually stepped aside, just watching her work as she prepared four meals at the same time. Jennifer was like Speedy Gonzalez in the kitchen, working like she had eight hands. Cole looked impressed.
“So what else is on the menu?” he asked. “Besides me-n-u?”
She laughed as she shot him a stern look. “I’m not on the menu,” she said.
“Really?” he asked, hopping off the counter and moving over. “You’d be a perfect desert. Sweet, succulent, sugary.”
His cheesy words were getting her blood pumping and her mouth moist. It was time to put a stop to it before her body demanded more.
“Nah,” she said, licking her lips. “I’m too spicy for a desert.”
“I like spicy,” he said, his strong arm brushing up behind her. The tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood up straight as his warm breath washed over her skin like a soft blanket.
“Not this spicy,” she said, looking over her shoulder with a grin. “You’d get burned.”
He leaned in, his lips recklessly close to hers. “Burn me,” he said, the sexy word coming out like a growl.
She turned to tell him off, to explain that she only wanted a professional relationship, but their bodies were so close together and her lips had a mind of their own.
Like a moth to a flame, her chin lifted up as his came down. Their lips pressed together and Jennifer let herself go, surrendering to him completely as his tongue slid past her lips.
All of the want and desire of the past two days was released in that passionate kiss. The intensity was like nothing she’d felt before and it was making her breathless.
She threaded her fingers through his silky hair and pulled him closer, wanting him as close as possible and never wanting to let go.
The intensity increased as he pressed her up against the counter as his hands slid up her sides until they cupped the sides of her breasts.
She fought back, kissing him harder as she tried to yank off his shirt to get another delicious view of his abs. They crashed backward, his sexy body slamming into the stove.
“Fuck,” he gasped, shaking his hand that got burned on the hot rings of the stove.
“Are you okay?” she asked quickly between ragged breaths.
He didn’t bother to answer; he was too busy sealing her mouth with his lips once again. They crashed into the counter beside the stove as he pulled her shirt off over her head. Her nipples were so painfully hard as a brown bag tipped over and loose veggies scattered onto the counter and floor around them.
Cole dropped to a knee, gripping her waist in a strong grasp as he kissed every inch of her stomach.
“Oh, Cole,” she moaned as her wet pussy throbbed. This was such a bad idea, fucking her boss at her workplace but at the moment she didn’t care. She was willing to risk it all, risk all of her hard work for a few minutes of bliss with her sexy boss.
He kissed a tingling trail up her stomach to her breasts, still hidden in her white lacy bra. Her limbs were trembling under his touch, her skin burning under his intense glare. Her body was flooded with a warmth that was swirling through her stomach and settling in her aching pussy.
“Yes,” she moaned as he reached her breasts, kissing her bra and making her nipples even harder.
She was so into it that her throat was starting to hurt with every breath, her eyes burning painfully and watering like a-Wait! What the fuck?
“Cole!” she screamed, grabbing a fistful of his hair and yanking it to turn his head towards the stove.
“Oh, shit!” he yelled jumping up just as the fire alarm blared, stabbing her ear drums as it echoed throughout the kitchen.
They had knocked over the brown grocery bag while going at it and didn’t notice that it fell onto the rings of the stove. The whole bag was in flames and the fire was licking up the sides of the walls as thick gray smoke poured through the kitchen in waves.
Cole moved impossibly quick, grabbing the pot of boiling water with his bare hands. With a grunt, he dumped it on the flaming bag and walls, drowning out the fire.
