Read Online His to Taste by Jacqueline Winlock - Free Book Online Page B

to rights, I realized that I had the entire afternoon and evening to myself. I called Grandma to check in on her, but she was occupied at the senior center with Mrs. Rowland and didn’t have time to chat. Satisfied that she was doing well, I figured there was nothing really left to do for the time being except to delve into Mr. Cochran’s wonderful library.
    As soon as I stepped into the room, I felt such a sense of overwhelming comfort. I ran my fingers along the book spines as I sauntered around the bookshelves, breathing in the wonderful smell of lovingly cherished books. His collection offered an eclectic variety of subjects and I couldn’t wait to curl up by the Bay windows to soak up the warm sun.
    As I pulled out one of Patricia Cornwell’s earlier mystery novels, I accidentally knocked another hardcover book off of the shelf. I bent down to pick it up, and froze when I saw the picture on the back cover. Oh, my freaking god. Jake Cochran. My new boss was the Jake Cochran, the reclusive author of countless thrillers, and the very same author who was a permanent fixture on countless bestseller lists. Grandma and I had eagerly read every single one of his books and we loved all of the movie adaptations of his work. Scores of A-list actors and actresses coveted the roles in his movies since they were guaranteed box office successes.
    I gaped at his photo and slowly shook my head. It was no wonder why he seemed so familiar to me and I could have kicked myself for not making the connection. I plopped down into a comfortable easy chair and gazed down at the book in my lap. My employer was an internationally famous author; this was probably the closest I was ever going to have his face by my naughty bits.
    I groaned and covered my face with my hands. How was I supposed to treat him now that I finally had this realization? He definitely wasn’t a snobby prick and he hadn’t thrown his weight around as I would have assumed a person in situation could certainly do. In fact, he had been down to earth and welcoming since our first meeting.
    I suppose in my cluelessness, I must have been a pleasant change from all of the toadying sycophants and grasping gold diggers he probably encountered often. I couldn’t really fault him for wanting some peace and quiet and steadfastly isolating himself in his home.
    Since he hadn’t actually mentioned his work yet, I guess the most sensible thing to do would be to continue as we were since that was what got me hired in the first place. Pretending blissful ignorance would be a whole lot easier than to change our dynamics.
    After the shock wore off, I had to admit that I was glad that I had discovered his true identity since it only emphasized the gulf between our completely different worlds. Knowing that he was on such an elite social plane made it easier to lust after him from afar like an adolescent crush on a celebrity. Never in a million years would a man like him be attracted to a dorky girl like me, especially if he probably had herds of supermodels falling desperately at his feet.
    According to the interviews I’d read before, he was only in his early thirties, and he kept his love life quite private. I felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders and it was such a relief to know that I could safely fantasize about him without any repercussions. Mr. Cochran was so far out of my league, I might as well ask him for an autographed headshot to tape onto my bedroom wall.
    After carefully re-shelving his book, I happily settled back into the luxuriously soft chair, and tucked my legs up under me. Grandma would have been so excited to know who my new employer was, but I couldn’t violate his privacy. I would eventually tell her once my contract was up, but I had to practice proper discretion while I was under his employ. I didn’t mind having to refrain from sharing the details because it would be easier to remain oblivious with him. Finally feeling completely at ease for the