Page 64 of The Chef

Out of this world.

What a beautiful and passionate man. His touch had been so tender and soft, yet so direct and aimed to give me the most amount of pleasure. He knew what he was doing, that’s for sure. He knew how to make me come.

And come I did.

Lying in his bed, I snuggle in closer, my head resting against his enormous bicep. He stirs, but I’m unable to see his face from where I’m lying close to his firm chest.

“You really need to change things in here,” I whisper, blinking around his sparse bedroom.

“What do you mean?” he asks, his voice low and quiet. It’s good to know he’s also exhausted due to our lovemaking. I’m glad I’ve made this six-foot-something hunk of a man tired from just my body.

“Well, your walls could use some paint for a start. Liven up the room.”

“Not more paint. Please, no more.”

“You need to spruce up this room. And then we could actually fit in some furniture, there’s space for a wardrobe here, not just a rack with your suits hanging up.”

Even though he’s a rich man, Cliff’s gone out and clearly just bought a cheap rack to hang his clothes. It’s not a wardrobe, just a flimsy plastic stand awkwardly placed against a corner in his bedroom.

Such a bachelor pad.

“I like it like that,” he says.

“Shut up,” I reply. “As if you do. I bet you’re just lazy.”

“I’m not lazy.”

“Excuse me, but one single chair in your living room? No table? What’s that? You need more than a chair and a bed to make a house, you know.”

“Alright then.”

I fidget against his body. I like how his arm wraps around my shoulder, he moves it in tighter as I make myself comfortable. I feel secure, protected, just like I did when he saved me from that customer.

I close my eyes and bask in this glow. It’s the best I’ve felt for a long, long time.

I could stay here like this, for days.

“I’m scared, Bay,” he says softly under his breath.

My eyes flicker open.

What?

“Scared?”

“I’m scared of the restaurant failing.”

“It won’t.”

“It might. I’m worried it’ll collapse, and then I’ll be done for.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll lose the respect of my family.”

“No, you won’t.”

He chuckles. “You don’t know my parents or my uncle. Losing this will be another tally of my failures dating back years. I’ve failed all through my twenties, Bay.”