HEAT Vol. 2 (Master Chefs: HEAT Series #2) Read online

  He closed his eyes and growled. “I can’t.”

  My juices ran even hotter and my body clamped down on his cap, enticing him.

  “I can’t,” he let out in a feral cry as he plunged deep inside me, each pump of his hard cock accompanied by a cry of release and exaltation until he finally lay over me, limp and dripping in sweat.

  “Good thing the neighbors are a fair distance away,” I said with a chuckle.

  “You drive me crazy, you know that?” Grinning, he pulled out.

  He’d just finished wiping us down when his phone rang. Looking at his screen, he laughed. “Good timing sis.” He tapped the screen to take the call. “Hey, how are you doing? Yeah. Well, I’m not alone out here. I might have forgotten to mention, but my reason for coming out here in the first place was to find Lilly. Yeah. She’s right here with me… She really loves the house and we’ve enjoyed every day out here. Yeah, yeah, don’t worry about it. We left it as we found it.” He nodded, glanced at me, and nodded again. “Yeah, sure. What time? Okay, we should be in Paris by then. Yeah, we’ll swing by. See you then.”

  “Is your sister missing her little brother?”

  “Actually, I think she’s eager to meet you.”

  “Meet me? But we’ve already met.”

  “She met you as a teacher at the institute. Now things are different. She’s going to meet you as my girl.” He tossed the car keys up in the air, caught them and headed to the driver car door while I went to the passenger side. “They want us to have dinner with them.”

  “Oh.” I wasn’t really sure if that was a good thing. Did Taryn want to reprimand me for the whole institute debacle? No, she’d been perfectly kind and understanding the last time I’d seen her. Still, I worried.

  “Don’t worry. It’s just dinner.”

  Despite his reassurance, I was nervous about dining with Taryn and Errol.

  “You know,” I said as we approached the city. “Since we’re a bit early, how about passing around my old apartment building.”

  “Sure, but why? Feeling nostalgic already?” He grinned.

  “I’m going to need a place to stay. I already know the area and the rent is cheap. I’m no longer working at the institute, so I gotta watch my pennies.”

  He seemed unhappy with the idea, but veered the car to my old neighborhood all the same.

  “Wait here. I’ll go see the landlady.”

  “Lilly.”

  I was halfway out of the car and leaned back in to look at him.

  “I don’t think you should come back here. This neighborhood…”

  “Do you have a better idea?”

  His blank stare told me he didn’t.

  “Look, it’ll only be until I can get a job and a good salary.”

  He opened his mouth to argue, but I hurried out of the car and shut the door before he could try to change my mind.

  “Madame Forestier?” I called as I knocked on her door. The television inside blared with the sounds of a couple fighting on one of those soap operas. Partially deaf, she always had her television on at full blast. “Madame Forestier.”

  I had to bang on the door for her to finally come.

  “Lilly, quelle surprise.”

  “I’m so glad you're home. I know I moved out just a week ago, but I need my apartment back.”

  She shook her head. “Non.”

  “Non?”

  “I already rented it out to Monsieur Guilbault. He’s been harassing me for months about a vacant apartment. When you told me you were leaving, I called him. He moved in two hours after you left.”

  “Oh.” I didn’t know what to say. I was so sure I would get my old apartment back, I hadn’t even considered the possibility it’d already been taken by someone else. Even though I knew it was useless, I still asked, “Do you have any other vacancies, even if it’s a smaller apartment?”

  “Non. Rien.”

  “Ah, d’accord. Merci tout de meme.”

  Glancing over her shoulder as her soap opera steamed up, she muttered, “Bonne journée,” and closed the door.

  I tried to keep my shoulders from slouching as I headed back out to the street and got into the car.

  “So?”

  “She rented it out already. I can’t believe it.”

  “Well, I think it’s just as well.” He drove off and I stared out the window as the familiar surroundings passed by. It may not have been the most elegant neighborhood in Paris, but it was my neighborhood.

  “Right, so what am I supposed to do now; sleep on the streets?”

  “We could always sneak you into my dorm.”

  “Brilliant. You were expelled and I lost my teaching position just for dating you, but I should sneak into your dorm and actually spend the night with you. Really, Bobby. Brilliant.”

  “Hey, when you get a better idea, let me know.”

  Sulking, I crossed my arms over my chest as he continued to drive on. When he pulled into the parking lot of his dorm I looked at him. “Bobby, you can’t be serious.”

  “Do you have enough money to go to a hotel?”

  It was the only other alternative, but one that would empty my bank account in a matter of days.

  We sat there looking at the large building where he lived. What would happen if I was caught with him?

  “It’s too much of a risk, Bobby,” I finally said. “I won’t do it.”

  “So then…?”

  “When do you have to return this car?”

  “Lilly, you can’t…”

  “When are you bringing it back?”

  “Next Friday, but you can’t really sleep in this car. There’s barely enough room to sit up, never mind lay down.”

  “I’ll make it work.”

  His phone rang and we looked at her other. “Taryn, yeah, sorry. I was…” He looked at me and chuckled softly. “I was taking care of important business. We’ll be there in ten minutes.” He hung up. “If you're going to be living in my car for the next week, we’d better get you a good meal first.”

  Chapter 7

  I was nervous about meeting Taryn and Errol again, but the minute we arrived at their luxurious penthouse home in the heart of Paris, all my doubts and fears disappeared.

  “Lilly,” Taryn beamed. “The country really agrees with you. You're positively glowing.” She took me by the hand and led me inside. “And I’m happy to see you’ve gained a few of those pounds back. I was really getting worried about you.”

  “You're sweet.” I looked around the spacious apartment that was in such sharp contrast to the life I’d always known. Every single item, from the art on the walls, to the Oriental rug in the hall, to the gold mirror in the front foyer, was pure opulence. That mirror alone would probably have paid my rent for several months.

  “Welcome to our home,” Errol said as he gave me a peck on one cheek and then the other. “Would you like a glass of wine?”

  “That would be great.”

  “Red or white?”

  “White, please.”

  Taryn and I sat on the leather sofa while Bobby and Errol headed off to the kitchen. “We’ll let the men take care of dinner tonight. I would assume you’ve been through a lot these past days.”

  “I’ll admit it’s quite a turn around.”

  “I’ll say. From a convent to a country house on the sea, back to Paris.”

  “And I have to say I’m very happy to be back in Paris.”

  “Good.”

  Bobby and Errol arrived several minutes later with chilled white wine and bites to nibble on while we waited for dinner.

  “So now that you’re back in Paris, where will you be staying?” Taryn said.

  I looked across the coffee table at Bobby. “I’ll…” I couldn’t possibly tell her I was planning to sleep in her brother’s rented car. “I’ll check into a hotel for a few nights, then see what I can find.”

  Errol cocked a brow and let out a long, low whistle. “You could end up staying in that hotel for quite a
while. There’s a shortage of affordable apartments these days.”

  “I know.”

  “That’s not true, actually,” Bobby said. “She’s not going to a hotel.”

  I glared at him with my ‘don’t you dare’ eyes.

  “Since Lilly’s apartment is already rented out, and she doesn’t have enough money to stay anywhere, she’s decided to stay in my car.”

  “Your what?” Taryn said, appalled by the notion.

  “It would be temporary,” I said, still glaring at Bobby. “Until I can find an affordable place.”

  “I suggested my dorm.”

  Taryn turned outraged eyes to him. “Don’t even think about it, Bobby. You were able to weasel your way back into Monsieur Franchines good graces. Don’t push your luck.”

  Unfazed, he looked at his sister head on. “You have a better idea?”

  She turned to me. “Why don’t you go back to the institute? Now that the worse has passed, maybe…”

  “Maybe nothing, Taryn,” Bobby snapped. “We’re not going to go back to hiding our relationship.”

  “That’s a little selfish, don’t you think?” Taryn said. “You're willing to let the love of your life sleep in your car just so you can flaunt your relationship?”

  He looked at me. “I want to be with you. I don’t want to sneak around. Is that so bad?”

  “I don’t really want to go back to hiding either, Bobby, but…” I reached for his hand and forced a smile. “Maybe it’s worth considering for now.”

  “No.”

  “It’s not your decision,” Taryn said. “Let her decide.”

  I shrugged. “There isn’t really anything else I can do.”

  “There might be something else,” Errol said.

  Great. Now everyone would have input on my homeless and unemployed status.

  “Come work for me,” Errol went on.

  Taryn clapped her hands and smiled. “Of course. That would be perfect.”

  “Doing what?” Bobby said. “Working in your kitchen?”

  “Actually, I’d like to hire her to create some items for my prepared foods company.”

  “Really?” I said. What a turn of events. Working for Errol King; it was a dream come true.

  “Just think how that will look on your resume,” Taryn said.

  “I’ve had my eye on you for quite a while,” Errol said. “I’d put the idea aside when you left the institute, but now…”

  “Me? You’ve had your eye on me?” I couldn’t believe it.

  He laughed. “Your sauces are a hit. I even heard of the new cheese sauce that is already making people talk. The company the institute hired to prepare the sauce can’t keep up with demand.”

  “I’d be honored to work for you, really.”

  “I’m a tough boss. I don’t take any lip from anyone, I don’t like excuses and I expect results. But working conditions are fair, the salary is generous and of course the prestige of creating a sauce for Errol King Foods goes without saying.”

  I was beyond thrilled.

  “Since you're in a bit of a bind, I’ll forward you the first two weeks’ pay. Take the rest of the week to find adequate living quarters and get settled in. I’ll expect to find you in our lab, just outside Paris, first thing Monday morning.”

  As it turned out, I found the perfect apartment two days later, spent the weekend with Bobby who helped me settle in, and dove into this new venture the following Monday.

  Working for Errol was a dream. Yes, he was a tough boss, but he was fair, and he was inspiring. While he didn’t take any lip from anyone, nor excuses, he was very open minded when it came to exploring new ideas. I was free to let my imagination run wild, and I did.

  Only a month and a half later, I’d formulated a new marinara sauce that was an instant hit, and had a pepper sauce almost perfected. It was only a matter of time before it hit the shelves as well.

  Errol was elated and we all celebrated with a champagne toast.

  “This might very well make you a very wealthy woman,” Errol said. “If this sells like I think it will, you’ll be very wealthy indeed.”

  Money had never been a factor; I loved what I did no matter what the salary was, but now that I was there, it was nice. It was nice not to have to worry, not to have to count every penny before spending. I even had enough to generously support a few of my favorite charities.

  Only two months after its release, my marinara sauce took off and all that remained was the release of the next and the next and the next…

  Chapter 8

  A few months later

  “Did you see the business section of le Journal de Paris?” Bobby said as he hurried into my apartment.

  “You know I don’t read the paper… especially the business section.” I headed back to the kitchen where I was whipping up some easy and savory scrambled eggs. For all the time I spent thinking up of new ways to prepare food at the lab, at home, I kept it simple.

  Bobby slammed the open paper on the table. “Lilly Cooke,” he said in his exaggerated French accent. “Une merveille dans le monde culinaire.”

  I shoved my hot pan off the fire and hurried to his side. “If you’re pulling my leg, Bobby Cummings, I promise I’ll make you pay for it.”

  He showed me the article. There it was; my name. Lilly Cooke, a marvel in the culinary world.

  “My name is in the paper, Bobby. Did you see that? And my picture. Oh, my heaven’s. Look at that.” I held the paper up, barely believing my eyes.

  “You look great, don’t you?”

  I nodded. I didn’t look half bad.

  “I’ve got to get another copy and send it to the Reverend Mother. She’ll be so thrilled.”

  Bobby reached down into a duffle bag at his feet and pulled out an additional dozen copies. “Send one to everyone you know.”

  I cupped his cheeks and gave him a big, wet smooch. “You're a doll. I love you. I can’t believe it. I’m so excited.”

  The following day my old landlady called to say she’d seen the article and how proud she was to have known me, and everyone at Errol King Foods knew my name. I was no longer the anonymous lab technician who hid behind a white lab coat. A week later I received a note from the Reverend Mother congratulating me.

  As I slipped my key into the lock of my pretty and airy apartment, I mused at the sudden turn my life had once again taken. Never set your life’s path in stone, I once heard a wise woman say. You never know when you’ll have a change in direction.

  I set my cloth grocery bag on a kitchen chair and pulled out the fresh basil plant I’d just bought. Not only did it remind me of the convent, but of that night in the institute’s garden with Bobby. Smiling, I shoved my nose into the fragrant leaves and breathed in the sublime scent. Bobby was right; nothing smelled better.

  As I went on to pull out a few other items I’d bought, my phone rang and I had a sneaking suspicion it was Bobby. It was just like him to call right when I was thinking of him.

  “Hello,” I said in a light and loving tone.

  “Lilly Cooke.” The unfamiliar deep male voice said.

  I hesitated before saying, “Yes?”

  “You’ve been a very busy girl, haven’t you?”

  “Who is this?”

  “You’ll find out soon enough.”

  “Maybe not. If you don’t want to tell me who you are in the next three seconds, I’ll put an end to this call.”

  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” There was nothing amusing or teasing in his words, just a solid and serious threat. “I see that things are going well for you, Lilly.”

  “What do you want?”

  “A meeting.”

  “For what?”

  “Let’s just say I think it’s time we sat down to have a little chat.”

  “Well, we’re having a chat now, aren’t we? What do you want to know?”

  He chuckled, a sound that was far from pleasant. “No. I want to talk to you in person.”

&nbs
p; I swallowed as fear engulfed me. “I don’t think that’s going to be possible.”

  “Well, it’s up to you. You can accept my invitation and come sit down and talk to me face to face, then go on with your happy little life, or you can stay home and ignore this invitation, but your happiness forever after might be compromised.”

  Fear now took over and I trembled. “What do you mean, compromised?”

  “All I’m saying is, I can’t guarantee the safety of those you love.”

  “Is that… Is that a threat?”

  “No. No. Not a threat. Just like I say. I can’t guarantee their safety. You know, things happen… bad things, accidents. The world is filled with pitfalls.”

  I had no family, so he couldn’t very well be talking about parents or siblings. That left only… I leaned up against the wall as the thought of something happening to Bobby hit me.

  “Where?”

  “Now, that’s my girl. Meet me at the old Camille warehouse out by the water filtration plant.”

  It was a deserted and desolate part of town. “Why can’t we make it in front of the Louvre.”

  “Nice try. Camille, noon tomorrow.”

  He hung up and I was left staring at my phone for a full five minutes. What had just happened?

  I didn’t sleep that night and I wasn’t able to eat the next morning. I considered letting Bobby know about this secret meeting, but knew he wouldn’t let me go alone, putting himself in even more danger.

  At eleven o’clock, I pulled off my lab coat, and changed into a comfortable pair of jeans, a dark blue shirt and good sneakers, in case I needed to run.

  “I’m not feeling very well,” I told my supervisor. “I’m just going to run down to the pharmacy for some cough syrup or something.”

  He nodded and jotted down the time.

  I took a cab out to the Camille warehouse. Even through I’d paid the driver to hang around and wait a few minutes, he drove off the moment I got out of the car and shut the door.

  Cursing him, I looked across from the abandoned building at the vast field of wildflowers amidst untamed shrubs. Many of the shrubs boasted a bright white plastic grocery bag that beat in the wind as if protesting the pollution that blew their way on a daily basis. It was a dismal picture indeed.