Erin Kern - Along Came Trouble

Then, as though she’d just realized the situation, she’d shot him a questioning glance. “Where’s Travis?”

“My father fired him.”

Both her dark brows shot up her forehead. “Uh…” Her gaze glanced around the kitchen, touching on the chefs flying through their usual motions with efficient but rapid ease. “How’s this going to work with no chef?”

Brody touched one of the plates that Elisa had already scrutinized. “Let’s take a closer look at these, then you can tell me for sure.”

She tilted her head to one side, revealing a tiny pearl earring in her ear. “Well, they look great. Aesthetically pleasing. Nice balance and color.”

When she finished snapping the photos, she placed the camera back in the bag and gathered her notebook. Brody forced his eyes to stay above her waist. Elisa had the sort of legs that went on for miles. The skirt that fell to her knees left plenty to his overactive imagination. His mind had no trouble thinking up ways Elisa could use those babies.

She’s doing a job for you and babysitting your son. Watch yourself.

Brody never had a problem controlling himself around a woman. Not even when he first met Kelly. Something about Elisa brought an animalistic side of him, like he needed to drop to his knees and howl at the moon. That or claw her clothes off.

She caught him staring when her gaze darted to his. Her eyes held his for one moment, then she flipped her notebook closed. “I think I’m done here.”

Brody peeled his tongue from the roof of his mouth. “Why don’t you go find a place to sit?” he suggested. “I want to have a quick word with the guys, then I’ll come find you.”

She nodded and turned from the kitchen. With miraculous willpower of steel, Brody kept his eyes off her ass. Mostly because he didn’t want his employees to catch him ogling her. What kind of dirtbag would that make him? A horny one, that’s what.

Vic was slicing mushrooms with lightning speed when Brody approached him. “Hey, I just wanted to say great job with that. I know I kind of sprung this on you, but you guys came through for me.”

The young chef glanced at Brody. “I saw her smiling. I take it we passed her inspection?”

“So far,” Brody answered with a nod. “For now let’s take it one step at a time. But I will try to get someone in here soon to alleviate some of the pressure.”

“As long as he or she has more experience than Travis had,” Vic muttered.

Yeah, he didn’t have to tell Brody twice. He nodded and glanced at the kitchen doors, as though expecting Elisa to be standing there. Damn, his desire for her was so strong that he couldn’t keep his mind on one simple conversation with one of his chefs. “In the meantime, throw together some dishes for us, will you?”

“Sure, what’ll it be?” Vic asked without glancing up.

Brody turned and started toward the kitchen doors, so damn eager to be near Elisa again. “Surprise me,” he said over his shoulder.

He spotted her right away, sitting alone in a booth with the light overhead catching on the dark strands of her hair. Her head was bent over a menu and her teeth stabbed into her lower lip, accentuating its fullness. The action made him want to curl his hand around the back of her neck and yank her mouth to his. Then he’d see for himself just how full and luscious her lips were.

A shot of heat bolted down to his groin.

She glanced up at him and smiled when he approached. “Is everything okay?” she asked.

“Yeah, we’re good.” He lowered to the booth and stretched his legs out. “This all sort of got sprung on the chefs at the last minute.”

“Well, they did a great job. The guy with the dark hair has good technique.” She eyed him from across the table. A little too closely, but hey, who was he to complain? “He might be a suitable replacement for Travis.”

Yeah, he’d thought about that, but Vic was more valuable where he was. “Vic? The thing is, he’s an excellent prep cook, but he lacks the imagination of a head chef. I’m not convinced.” Though he knew Vic would jump at the opportunity to run the kitchen, Brody wasn’t about to hand that job over to just anyone. Not again. Not with so much at risk. Whoever he brought on essentially held Brody’s future in his hands.

“You’re still kind of gun-shy, aren’t you?” Elisa asked with a grin.

Damn, she glowed when she smiled. “Hell yeah, I’m gun-shy. Right now I’m oh for two, and no way in hell will my father let me get to oh for three.”

Elisa folded her arms on the table. “So, what happens now? Do we postpone the shoot?”

He glanced around and thought about just having Vic or Stanley whip something up for Elisa to photograph. After all, she’d said herself they’d done a good job with the dishes, that she’d gotten some promising shots. But why rush? In the past, rushing was what had gotten him in trouble. No, best to take his time. Even though they weren’t running the article right away, Brody had been curious to see what Vic’s plating would look like on film. When he’d found out about Travis getting the boot, he’d contemplated calling Elisa to tell her not to come. But any excuse to see her was good enough for him.

“For now, yeah. It needs to get done right.”

She nodded and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I understand that. Just consider me on standby. In the meantime,” she held the digital camera up. “I have these as a reference.”

Yeah, she’s got you figured out, pal.

Brody’s eyes dropped down to her mouth, as he imagined, for the second time, what it would be like to kiss her. Really kiss her. Tongue-searching, breath-stealing, backseat-of-a-car tonsil hockey. When was the last time he’d made out with a woman?

He rubbed his hand over his jaw and grinned. “Honestly? I just needed an excuse to get you back here. Plus, I like watching you work.”

Her chuckle danced over him. “I should have known.” She tossed the camera back in the bag, then glanced at him and a slow grin broke across her face. The type of grin that slowly crept along her cheeks and formed shallow laugh lines at the corner of her eyes. “What’re you thinking?”

“Are you sure you want to know?” he asked in a low voice.

“I wouldn’t have asked otherwise.”

“I was thinking that I want to kiss you.” Or, better yet, take you to bed.

The smile on her face froze, then fell a fraction. Had he shocked her? Said too much and scared her away? Maybe he should have blown smoke and pretended that she didn’t affect him. Pretend that he didn’t want to wrap those long legs around his hips.

Yeah, right. You couldn’t pretend otherwise if you had a gun to your head.

“So now tell me what you’re thinking.” He silently prayed it was along the same lines as his thoughts, so he didn’t sound like a creepy bastard.

Elisa leaned back in the booth and gazed at him from beneath long lashes. “I’m thinking that you’re a very dangerous man, Brody McDermott.”

He was dangerous? She obviously had no idea of her own power.

But before either of them could say anything else, or before he could drag her from the restaurant to a dark corner somewhere, their food was delivered. The server set a chicken Caesar wrap in front of Elisa.

Brody glanced at the dish, then up at Theresa. “Where did this come from? We don’t have wraps on the menu.”

Theresa shrugged her shoulders and set Brody’s dish down. “Anthony made it.” She spun on her heel, but Brody made a rapid grab for her arm, stopping a hasty retreat.

“What’s Anthony doing in the kitchen?” he demanded. Anthony was the bartender slash mix master. The man really had no reason to be in the kitchen.