Smiling, she squirted a generous amount of lavender body wash onto the sponge and cleansed away the apprehension her feelings about Ivan had built up. It wasn’t exactly love she was feeling—not yet—but it was certainly something she’d never expected to find at the Winemaker’s Dinner, and never so quickly. After a thorough rinse—particularly her foot, which seemed to be a minor injury despite the initial pain—she turned off the water and wrapped herself snugly in the towel.
The trek to her room was no more than twenty feet, but as exhaustion weighed her down, it felt like a mile. Not even bothering with pajamas, Jaden collapsed in the middle of the bed and immediately drifted off to sleep.
“Wake up!” Tasha screeched what seemed to be moments later. She bounced on the side of the bed. “I want to hear everything.”
“Can’t it wait until later?” Jaden glanced bleary eyed at the clock on her night table.
“Come on, get up. We’ll go out for lunch—your treat.”
Jaden smiled as she struggled to sit up, momentarily forgetting that all she wore was a towel. Still half asleep, she grumbled, “Pass me my robe, please.”
Tasha sprung from the bed and retrieved the terrycloth robe from the back of the door. “Are you going to get up or not?” she asked stubbornly. “I waited up till four this morning. The least you can do is buy me lunch somewhere on Lincoln Road.”
“Lincoln?” Jaden guffawed. “All you want to do is people watch.”
“Guilty!” Tasha confessed. “But it’s Sunday, and anything is better than football.”
“Fine,” Jaden conceded. “But give me a bit to get ready.”
Jaden rummaged through her closet and settled on a pair of plain white capris and a yellow cami. She pulled her hair up into a tight knot and applied a barely there layer of makeup. After a quick onceover in the mirror, she joined Tasha in the living room.
“Ready?”
“Yep.” Tasha jumped up from the sofa.
Just a few minutes later, the afternoon sun beat down on them as they walked along the boulevard, stopping every now and then to window shop or sneak in for a better look at the latest pair of Jimmy Choos. The patios were filled with people, and locals and tourists alike decorated the street with their bright, flower-patterned beachwear.
“What about this place?” Tasha asked, pointing to the sign that read Books & Books.
A good-sized crowd already dined under the comfort of the restaurant’s enormous blue umbrellas. “Sure, why not,” Jaden agreed. “I’ve heard they have good food.”
The question now was inside or out, and in this heat, it was a no brainer. They opted for the refreshing sensation of artificially cooled air. As they took their seats at the back of the restaurant, Jaden prepared for the barrage of questions she knew was coming.
“Can I start you off with a drink?” the fair-skinned waiter asked as he handed each of them a menu.
“I’ll have a cappuccino, please,” Jaden said.
“Oh, that sounds good. I’ll have the same.”
As the waiter retreated, Tasha’s demeanor shifted from cool to curious. “Soooo,” she began and immediately launched into attack mode. She bombarded Jaden with question after question without giving her a chance to answer.
“Slow down. You’re gonna give me whiplash if you talk any faster,” Jaden teased. “One question at a time.”
“Where did he take you?” Tasha gushed after taking a millisecond to catch her breath.
“We went to his friend’s birthday party at the Continuum—that gorgeous building on the Point.” Jaden sat back and closed her mouth, purposely tormenting Tasha with her silence. It seemed to be working.
“Micky told me how rough you looked this morning when you got home,” Tasha tried again. “There’s no way you’d look like that from going to a birthday party.”
Jaden couldn’t help her grin.
“Come on, Jaden. I tell you everything about Micky and me. Spill the beans.”
“Yes, you do,” Jaden responded. “Too much sometimes.”
The waiter returned with their drinks and placed them on the table, then pulled out his pad for their lunch orders: pan Asian chicken for Jaden, South Beach Cobb salad for Tasha.
After the waiter left and she’d taken a long sip of her frothy coffee, Jaden recounted the details of the party.
“What happened then?” Tasha asked, sitting on the edge of her seat. “Did he make it out of the elevator in one piece?”
“Please…it’s not like I jumped him in the elevator. I have more restraint than that.”
“Like hell you do. Remember the time in college when Jim Noon took you to the State Championships? Need I say more?”
Jaden laughed, almost spitting her drink as she remembered that weekend, which seemed a lifetime ago. “Yes, but I never actually gave it up to Jim.”
“You mean you two never—” Tasha poked her forefinger into a circle made by her thumb and forefinger on the other hand. “I always thought you did…”
“Jim wanted everyone to think that but nothing major ever happened.”
“But it did last night, right? I mean, you and Ivan were pretty hot and heavy when you left.”
“After the party, Ivan wanted to show me how to hunt for sea turtles,” Jaden said nonchalantly, then shrugged.
“Sea turtles? Why the hell would you go looking for sea turtles in the middle of the night?” Tasha demanded. But after a moment, a light turned on. “Ohhhh! That would explain the sand in the bottom of the tub this morning. Beach sex!”
Jaden blushed and turned away. “Yeah, something like that.”
“Oh my God, you’re falling for him,” Tasha crowed.
“What?” Jaden retorted. “I am not.”
“Yes you are. I’d know that look anywhere.”
When lunch was finished and the cappuccinos drunk dry, the waiter returned with the check. As he looked at her credit card, Jaden noticed an odd look cross his face. He turned to leave but hesitated.
“Is something wrong?” Jaden asked.
“No, ma’am, but you’re… Are you Chef Jaden Thorne?”
“Well, yes,” she sputtered. “Why do you ask?”
The waiter looked at Jaden with reverence. Finally gaining the testicular fortitude to speak up, he continued, “I just wanted to say that I love what Dirk D said about you on his blog last week.”
“Who? What?”
“Dirk D. He’s the Miami Beach social blogger—parties, people, places to go, where to eat, ‘why I won’t date you’ type things… He ate at your place recently, and he linked to your bio on the restaurant website. That’s how I recognized you, from the picture.” The waiter beamed. “I’m a full-time culinary student. I only work here to pay for school, and it’s so nice to read success stories like yours. Maybe one day I’ll be as famous as you.”
Jaden managed to formulate a response without laughing. “Famous? Oh, I wouldn’t say famous, but thank you for the compliment. You’ve made my day.”
“Well, it’s been great meeting you.” He still looked a little star-struck as he reached across to shake her hand.
“The pleasure is all mine. I hope to see you there sometime.”
“Okay, thanks.” He retreated from the table with a boyish giggle.
Jaden glared at Tasha, who burst into a laugh that may have registered on the Richter scale.
“See, you’re famous now. You can afford to pay for lunch.”
“Don’t start with me,” Jaden warned. “But I wonder who that Dirk D guy is. I’ll have to Google him when I get home.”
Still laughing as they exited the restaurant, Jaden and Tasha linked arms and headed to the boutique down the street.
A short time later Jaden picked up a slinky teddy before returning it to its rightful place on the rack. Satin and silk in rich colors surrounded her. It’d been a while since she’d purchased lingerie, and she felt a little lost.
“What about this?” Tasha asked, peering over a pile o
f satin bathrobes. She held up a cute bra and panty set.
“Too…pink.”
“Jaden,” Tasha complained. “We’ve been here an hour. There has to be something you like.”
“There’s a lot I like, but it’s just not what I’m looking for, and it’s been fifteen minutes, smartass.”
“Maybe we should try that other store on Fifth.”
Jaden shook her head and continued flipping through the items on the rack. But she stopped when a little black ensemble caught her eye. The bra and thong were slick black satin and would flatter her figure, giving her a lift where she needed it most. The garter was intricate lace, which matched the black lace trim of the bra.
“Wait!” Jaden exclaimed. “This is perfect.”
Tasha laughed again. “And you say you’re not falling for him?”
Jaden flipped over the price tag and just about choked. She hadn’t spent this much on her last pair of Fluevogs. “What the hell,” she said, more to herself than Tasha, who was already on the way to the cash register. Picking out a pair of stockings from the rack, she placed them on the counter beside her new spoils, smirking as she imagined the look she’d soon see on Ivan’s face.
Chapter 11
“Dream On”
TONIGHT, THE KITCHEN SEEMED a bit different: the smells more powerful, the fluorescent lights less piercing, and the mundane tasks that occupied ninety percent of her time less, well, mundane. She’d noticed a new trend in the days since realizing Dirk D had featured her on his blog—which she still hadn’t checked out. Orders for tuna had tripled in the last week, there’d been more requests for dining room appearances, and she’d been told that the nights she worked in the restaurant were busier than usual.
Rather than delegating all the duties to her sous chefs, Jaden now involved herself with the hands-on preparation of every single dish that left her kitchen when she was there. And it wasn’t just the kitchen and wait staff noticing the changes. The owner, Geoff, had also noticed an upswing in sales. On the nights Jaden personally cooked meals, revenue significantly increased, he told her, and Geoff had made sure to show her his appreciation with a nice bonus check. He’d also designated a table at the front of the dining room as the chef’s table, ensuring that VIPs and Jaden’s personal guests had the best seats in the house.
Jaden had also decided to take things up a notch in terms of her appearance while working. Her hair had to stay back, but she’d begun highlighting her features with salmon lipstick, a hint of blush, and hazel eye shadow that made her eyes gleam like newly polished emeralds. Who knew when she might be asked to make a dining room appearance? Jaden had quickly come to realize that in Miami, image was everything.
This evening her black slacks complemented a perfectly pressed chef’s jacket, embroidered with Chef Thorne across the left lapel. She’d made sure the jacket bordered on the small side for a more flattering fit. Having taken charge of all aspects of her work life, Jaden now felt prepared for almost anything.
Now, despite the gauntlet of semi-seared tuna and vegetable side dish ingredients laid out before her, Jaden couldn’t help but wonder what Ivan was doing. Where was he? Was his hair slicked back in a ponytail or hanging savagely around his face and shoulders? What was he wearing? Not now. She pushed the vivid images aside. I’ll see him soon enough…all of him. But when?
They still hadn’t made plans for their next rendezvous. The restaurant always wanted more of her, and Ivan had been slammed with work, putting in long hours even after he finished seeing patients as he prepared to roll out a new diet plan at the clinic. He also squeezed in a photo shoot on occasion, and always had a plan brewing for some sort of new investment. He was a man who tried to do everything. Jaden laughed to herself. But as long as he was doing her… She cut herself off as her mind transitioned from PG to X in no time.
Maybe she could send him a little hello to make him smile that cocky-cute smile she loved. Grabbing her phone, her fingers went to work:
Wanted to say I miss the feel of you…
Inside of me ; )
The second text followed the first after just a few moment’s delay. That should get some blood flowing. Within seconds a response flashed across her screen:
Dios mio! Me gusta, chica. Can’t wait to taste your lips…
Jaden forced herself back to work, trying not to think too much about which lips he meant. Dirty boy. The thought of him between her legs made her vision a little blurry. Willing her mind to focus on the task at hand, she began to slice a medley of vegetables. Then, finding her rhythm, she transitioned quickly and efficiently to the fish, adding spices and tenderizing it at the same time. Cranking the dial to high and pouring extra virgin olive oil into the pan, she prepared to sear. Not once did she miss a beat, and when she looked up, a group of sous chefs had stopped to watch her. “Get back to work,” she admonished them with a blush, but flying through her first batch of orders, and perhaps just a teeny bit distracted, Jaden impressed even herself.
“Now all I need is a TV show,” Jaden joked under her breath as she put the finishing touches on a Carpaccio salad.
Susan burst through the kitchen’s double doors and screeched the moment they closed behind her. “He’s back!”
Jaden’s heart fluttered. How had he gotten here so quickly? He must’ve read her mind—or been on the way even before she texted? She began to play out the situation in her head: Ivan tasting the pineapple lip gloss she now wore on a daily basis as his lips, soft and sweet, met hers in a tender kiss. But her fantasy came to an abrupt end as Susan finished what she’d been saying: “That food critic guy Chef Thorne’s boyfriend knows.”
“He’s not my boyfriend, and we aren’t in fifth grade,” Jaden said, somewhat startled. Not that Susan’s use of the word boyfriend bothered her… It was a little nerve-wracking, but also comforting, something she could get very used to. Then it hit her: the food critic was sitting in her dining room again. This had to be a good sign, right?
“Oh, Jesus,” she cursed. All thoughts of Ivan were temporarily sidelined as she switched into high gear. “Make sure he knows I’m on hand, and I’ll happily cook anything he’d like.”
“Okay, will do,” Susan said as she hurried out the door. “And he’s with that fake-looking blonde,” she added. “The one with the big…you know.”
Her again! Who the hell is she? Jaden mentally screamed. Okay, focus. This is the second time this month he’s been here, so he must like your food—or maybe it’s just a coincidence. Jaden scrambled around the kitchen making sure everything was ready.
“Here we go,” Susan announced when she reappeared. “They want one grouper, one lamb, one duck, and of-freaking-course, a soufflé!”
A sampling order! This had just been upgraded from casual dinner preparation to a culinary SAT exam. “Okay people, listen up,” Jaden yelled. “We have some VIPs in the house tonight, so let’s get this right the first time around, shall we?”
Jaden was pleased to see postures straightened, shirts and collars readjusted, and sleeves rolled up as the army of sous chefs and wait staff readied themselves for a cooking war. Jaden knew she was in the zone. Whether it was the excitement of her first big shot, the thrill of being under pressure, or the confidence Ivan had left her with, she wasn’t sure—but it was working in her favor.
Her first priority was ensuring that the soufflé was started. After that, she flew through frying the grouper and preparing the lamb and duck. When plating them, Jaden took special care to create a presentation that looked like art. Remembering that the menacing blonde liked wine, she added a complimentary bottle of pinot noir for them to try during their taste test. Susan hurriedly swiped up the dishes and headed for the chef’s table.
Though there were certainly other orders to attend to, Jaden kept one eye on the kitchen doors until Susan finally returned.
“They’re finished,” she reported. “Should I bring the soufflé out?”
“Didn’t you hear or see anything?�
� Jaden asked, pacing in front of the stove. “Did they at least look like they were enjoying it?”
Susan finally cracked a smile. “They loved it!” she gushed. “While I was waiting on the table next to them, I caught a bit of what they were saying. They were really focused on the presentation, which they loved, and the blonde kept mentioning how personable and pretty you were.”
“What the hell does that have to do with my cooking?”
“The critic said he wouldn’t have changed a thing,” Susan continued. “He was particularly fond of the duck,” she said with a giggle.
“Here, take it.” Jaden carefully passed Susan the soufflé. She was physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted but beyond happy that they’d enjoyed the meal. Between work, Ivan, and food critics, she was beat, but in the best possible way.
Seconds turned to minutes once again as the time ticked by on the 1950s-style clock that hung on the tiled wall of the kitchen. Jaden continued her pacing until Susan finally returned with an elated look on her face.
“They loved it!” she screamed and ran to Jaden, throwing her arms around her. “Congrats, you deserve it!”
Jaden, for a moment, jumped up and down beside Susan like a kindergartener, but she quickly regained her composure and smiled cockily. “I knew they would.”
“They want to have a word with you real quick, but they’re in a hurry, so get out there before they leave.”
“What? How do I look?”
“You look like a freaking supermodel masquerading as a chef. Now get your ass out there!” Taking a towel from the counter, Susan brushed flour off the sleeve of Jaden’s coat.
“Thanks!” With a deep breath, Jaden once again walked through the doors toward fate. The blond woman and the critic were already standing up and organizing their belongings as they prepared to leave. Jaden expertly navigated the dining room, rushing to meet with them, but halfway she was met with a barrage of red, white, and yellow roses. Ducking out of the way, she slid past the men who carried them but was halted by the maître d’, who stepped in front of her.
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