Read Online A Taste of You by Sorcha Grace - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sorcha Grace
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Catherine. I can take care of you and give you what you need. Right now, you’re cold. Chicago isn’t nearly as warm as Santa Cruz. Let me take you to a warm, wet beach. Say the word, and we can go tonight.”
I stared, the haze of arousal and bourbon clearing. “Wait a minute. You know I’m from Santa Cruz?”
“It’s not a secret.”
I grabbed his hand, halting the maddening circles on my thigh. “What else do you know?”
I saw a flicker of a shield in his eyes now, a grey shadow in the otherwise blue depths. He didn’t say anything but kept rubbing my thigh. I moved to push his hand away.
“Do you know where I live?”
He didn’t answer.
“What else?” I jumped from the bar stool. “My parents’ names? Where I went to school?” Oh, my God. I couldn’t believe I’d let this whole thing go this far. What had I been thinking? I wasn’t ready for a relationship, and I certainly wasn’t ready for a relationship with a man who aroused me more than I cared to admit and frightened me too. If he could find out where I lived and where I was from, what else could he find out?
I wasn’t ready. Before he could stop me or touch me, hypnotizing me once again, I jumped from my seat and stalked toward the kitchen. I knew the restaurant layout, and the kitchen was close. I could easily duck out the back door and find a cab. That was Rational Cat thinking. That was the Cat I needed. I could call Beckett from the cab, assure him I was fine, go home, and go to bed.
No more William Lambourne. No more Stormy Eyes.
Four
The deafening clatter of plates clinking against one another, the hiss of the stove, and the shouts of the line cooks assaulted my ears as I stepped into the kitchen. It was jumping with waiters queuing to fill their trays with Willowgrass’s delicious food, workers washing dishes and stacking dry ones next to the food prep areas, and Ben’s sous chef calling out orders as he expedited. It took me a moment to recognize Ben, who was dressed for the party rather than the kitchen tonight. But it was clear he was in charge. He stood to one side, coolly surveying everything, but he didn’t see me. It sounded as though demand for Ben’s creations had exceeded expectation. The opening was a success, and I was happy for Ben and Amanda.
But I wanted to go home. I wanted to get away from William Lambourne and his stormy eyes, skilled hands, and velvet words. He was affecting my better judgment. I couldn’t let that happen.
I wouldn’t let it happen.
And I really thought I’d gotten away, but I’d taken only a dozen steps when my skin prickled with awareness. I turned, and he was there, standing in the doorway, looking angry and sexy at the same time. I had the urge to run, but I couldn’t make my feet move. Instead, I stood rooted in place while William took three large strides across the kitchen to stand before me. Even with the mouthwatering mix of scents from the food cooking, I could smell his unique scent. It made me hungry, but not for comfort food. No, there was nothing comforting about the way he looked at me.
Without a word, he took my arm and pulled me aside. I wouldn’t have been able to hear him above the clatter and clink of dishes, but he might have made an effort to speak. A refreshing cold and sudden silence descended, and I had a moment to realize we were in the walk-in cooler before his hot mouth descended. As soon as his lips touched me, I was his.
He didn’t ask, he didn’t hesitate, he merely took, and I couldn’t help but offer myself to him. His lips, his tongue, the way he slanted his mouth over mine, claiming me completely, made my knees weak. I think I moaned or whimpered, but I didn’t object. I should have been cold, standing in a freezer in only my jacket and thin tank top. I should have been turned off by the slabs of meat and the stacks of fish surrounding me. Instead, I was burning up, fevered with want. I couldn’t get enough of William’s mouth, his
I stared, the haze of arousal and bourbon clearing. “Wait a minute. You know I’m from Santa Cruz?”
“It’s not a secret.”
I grabbed his hand, halting the maddening circles on my thigh. “What else do you know?”
I saw a flicker of a shield in his eyes now, a grey shadow in the otherwise blue depths. He didn’t say anything but kept rubbing my thigh. I moved to push his hand away.
“Do you know where I live?”
He didn’t answer.
“What else?” I jumped from the bar stool. “My parents’ names? Where I went to school?” Oh, my God. I couldn’t believe I’d let this whole thing go this far. What had I been thinking? I wasn’t ready for a relationship, and I certainly wasn’t ready for a relationship with a man who aroused me more than I cared to admit and frightened me too. If he could find out where I lived and where I was from, what else could he find out?
I wasn’t ready. Before he could stop me or touch me, hypnotizing me once again, I jumped from my seat and stalked toward the kitchen. I knew the restaurant layout, and the kitchen was close. I could easily duck out the back door and find a cab. That was Rational Cat thinking. That was the Cat I needed. I could call Beckett from the cab, assure him I was fine, go home, and go to bed.
No more William Lambourne. No more Stormy Eyes.
Four
The deafening clatter of plates clinking against one another, the hiss of the stove, and the shouts of the line cooks assaulted my ears as I stepped into the kitchen. It was jumping with waiters queuing to fill their trays with Willowgrass’s delicious food, workers washing dishes and stacking dry ones next to the food prep areas, and Ben’s sous chef calling out orders as he expedited. It took me a moment to recognize Ben, who was dressed for the party rather than the kitchen tonight. But it was clear he was in charge. He stood to one side, coolly surveying everything, but he didn’t see me. It sounded as though demand for Ben’s creations had exceeded expectation. The opening was a success, and I was happy for Ben and Amanda.
But I wanted to go home. I wanted to get away from William Lambourne and his stormy eyes, skilled hands, and velvet words. He was affecting my better judgment. I couldn’t let that happen.
I wouldn’t let it happen.
And I really thought I’d gotten away, but I’d taken only a dozen steps when my skin prickled with awareness. I turned, and he was there, standing in the doorway, looking angry and sexy at the same time. I had the urge to run, but I couldn’t make my feet move. Instead, I stood rooted in place while William took three large strides across the kitchen to stand before me. Even with the mouthwatering mix of scents from the food cooking, I could smell his unique scent. It made me hungry, but not for comfort food. No, there was nothing comforting about the way he looked at me.
Without a word, he took my arm and pulled me aside. I wouldn’t have been able to hear him above the clatter and clink of dishes, but he might have made an effort to speak. A refreshing cold and sudden silence descended, and I had a moment to realize we were in the walk-in cooler before his hot mouth descended. As soon as his lips touched me, I was his.
He didn’t ask, he didn’t hesitate, he merely took, and I couldn’t help but offer myself to him. His lips, his tongue, the way he slanted his mouth over mine, claiming me completely, made my knees weak. I think I moaned or whimpered, but I didn’t object. I should have been cold, standing in a freezer in only my jacket and thin tank top. I should have been turned off by the slabs of meat and the stacks of fish surrounding me. Instead, I was burning up, fevered with want. I couldn’t get enough of William’s mouth, his
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