Guilty Pleasures

Read Online Guilty Pleasures by Cathy Yardley - Free Book Online Page A

Book: Guilty Pleasures by Cathy Yardley Read Free Book Online
Authors: Cathy Yardley
Ads: Link
her old teacher had pressed into hard-sell mode, something she’d never heard him do before. “More than his talent, he’s an incredibly hard worker. He’s got drive…you wouldn’t believe the extent of his ambitions.”
    Mari frowned. It was easy to overlook his ambitions when he was seducing you with a few words and a few random touches…easier still when your body was dying to be seduced. But this drove home the point.
    â€œI can imagine just how ambitious he is,” Mari said, her voice turning slightly sour.
    Leon was silent for a second. “Perhaps I am misrepresenting him,” he said, and she could tell the note of confusion in his accent. “I don’t mean that he’s unscrupulous, certainly. He just wants to be the best. And he’s as close to being the best as any I’ve seen.”
    Mari let out a low breath. “Yes. I know he’s talented. And I know he’s a hard worker. I hired him, Leon.”
    She could almost feel the relief over the phone line. “Ah, that’s wonderful. So? He’s working out well, then?”
    Mari glanced at the door, hoping he wasn’t listening. “He’s working out pretty well, yes.”
    â€œYou sound reserved.” Leon paused. “Good grief. This isn’t that nonsense from Chapeau, is it?”
    â€œNo, no, of course not.” The last thing she was thinking of was his past reputation. He could’ve robbed the place blind and all she’d be thinking of was how good his hands felt on her.
    Definitely losing my mind.
    â€œThen what is it?”
    Mari took a deep breath, then peered out. Nick looked busy at the sauté station, so she muttered into the phone, “He’s a little…er, distracting, isn’t he?”
    â€œDistracting?” Leon sounded puzzled. “How so?”
    Mari grimaced. No, Nick definitely wasn’t listening. “He’s sort of a feast for the eyes, I mean.”
    Leon burst out laughing. “Oh. Distracting. I see.”
    â€œBut he’s talented, and I’m all about second chances, so don’t worry there,” Mari said hurriedly. “I just…I wasn’t…I don’t know. He wasn’t what I was expecting.”
    â€œHe’ll work out fine,” Leon said, his voice still laced with humor. “If you need help keeping him in line, you just give me a call, and I’ll come and visit.”
    â€œKeeping him in line?”
    Leon paused again. “Well, he’s used to having his own kitchen, is all I meant. And I imagine under the circumstances—being distracted—that could become a problem?”
    â€œHa, ha, Leon.”
    He laughed again. “All right, I have to go. I justwanted to make sure he was settled and that you were working well together.”
    â€œOh, we’re fine. Absolutely.”
    â€œPerfect. I’ll talk to you later, Mari.”
    â€œBye, Leon.” She clicked the phone off, then turned.
    Nick was standing in the doorway. “How’s Leon doing?”
    Was it just her, or did he have a smirk hovering at the corner of his lips?
    â€œHe’s fine,” she said with a small shrug. “He wanted to make sure you were doing all right.”
    â€œHe’s a good man.” Nick was crowding the doorway, so there was no way Mari could walk past without brushing against him…and she now knew from experience how distracting that could be.
    â€œHe also said that if you were being a pain, he’d come down and straighten you out.”
    Nick grinned. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
    It didn’t look like he was moving, so she finally walked up to him. “You’re in my way.”
    He leaned down, so she could feel the brush of his breath against her neck. “Feast for the eyes, huh?”
    Mari shut her eyes, gritting her teeth. Of course he heard that one.
    â€œWait till Sunday,” he said, leaning against the

Similar Books

Babylon Revisited

F. Scott Fitzgerald, JAMES L. W. WEST III

The Team

David M. Salkin

Bachelor Unleashed

Brenda Jackson

The Comedy of Errors

William Shakespeare

Carnal Acts

Sam Alexander

Sweet Water

Christina Baker Kline