Yes, Chef

by Linda Verji

  Why should he have to hold back from having her? If she was offering herself, then he’d take her completely, until he’d satiated his lust. When he was done with her, he’d dump her. And while he was at it, he’d make sure to hurt her. He’d make sure that she knew that she’d just wasted her time on the one man who’d never, ever, ever fall for her tricks. That she wasn’t worth the ring she was angling for.

  Yes, that’s what he’d do. He chuckled. He’d use her just like she was planning to use him.

  CHAPTER 10

  Rattled was an understatement for how Sin felt as she headed home. Even though she was the one who’d initiated the kiss, it’d escalated beyond her control. Kissing Worth had been a revelation in itself. The man was a good kisser. No, he was an excellent kisser. Even now, she could still remember how he’d tasted, how it’d felt to be in his arms, and how firm his body had felt against hers.

  Fresh heat speared through her as she recalled how he’d teased her with his mouth and seduced her with his tongue. Not only had he aroused her, he’d also left her curious. Now she couldn’t help but wonder what else those lips of his could do. What would it feel like to have those lips moving over other parts of her body? Oh, if only he’d moved a little lower, kissed her chin, maybe her neck, then he could kiss the top of her chest then his way down to her bre…

  Goodness! This was a disaster. At this rate she’d end up falling for him instead of the other way round. No, she couldn’t let that happen. She needed to rein in her rebellious senses before their next tango. That would be easy, right? She was a professional, right?

  As if Sin wasn’t confused enough, the information she’d stolen from Emanuel sent her spiraling further into darkness.

  Ten took one look at the files on the flash disk and proclaimed, “I think we might’ve hooked a good guy.”

  Sin frowned. “What do you mean?”

  Ten slid the laptop closer to Sin so she could see what she was talking about. “As far as I can tell there’s nothing off about their accounts. No tax evasion, no embezzlement, no fiddling with his numbers to impress investors. Worth’s books look pretty clean.”

  “There has to be something wrong,” Sin insisted, desperate to prove that Worth was just as bad as Claire had sold him as.

  Ten shook her head. “Not that I can see.”

  “Maybe it’s hidden within all those numbers.” Even as Sin motioned towards the screen, she had a sinking feeling that her friend was right.

  Even though she couldn’t stand Worth, in the few weeks she’d worked for him, she’d never seen him cut corners or even allow his employees to do so. Sure, he was a demanding boss, but he made up for that by being one of the most well-paying employers in the industry. It was the reason every job-seeker still wanted to get into W Sport. Additionally, his concern when she’d faked her claustrophobia had been real enough that it’d left her with more doubts than she cared to admit.

  Her expression grim, Ten offered, “I’ll send it to a pro I know to check it out but I’m pretty good with this stuff. I would’ve spotted it if it was there.”

  “Maybe you’re right about the accounts,” Sin surrendered reluctantly. “But that isn’t confirmation that we’ve netted the wrong guy.”

  “On its own it’s not, but there are more things that aren’t adding up.” Ten turned to face Sin. “I got into Worth’s lawyer’s office and checked out his files. Worth’s files are those of a typical businessman; a few frivolous lawsuits by disgruntled employees and competitors that were dismissed even before they got to a jury, but nothing that would count as a red light.”

  “There has to be something,” Sin insisted, her desperation leaking into her voice.

  “He was a bit of a wild kid in high school; joyrides, truancy etc but nothing that isn’t in the public record.” Ten frowned. “I’m telling you, Sin. This guy is clean or about as clean as you can expect from a trust-fund kid.”

  “Really?” Sin felt like a deflated balloon.

  Nothing about this situation made sense. In her experience, wicked people were never wicked in one way. A sexual deviant would often turn out to be an embezzler too. A murderer was often an abuser too. Their evilness was like a bad smell; it tended to seep into every part of their lives. Going by everything Claire had said, she’d expected to find something on Worth quite easily. This didn’t make sense. At all.

  “Kind of makes you doubt Claire’s story, doesn’t it?” Ten cut into her thoughts.

  “Yeah… but… no…” Sin paused.

  “Think about it,” Ten insisted. “When she came to us, she claimed that he wanted her to sleep with him so Baron could keep his job. You’ve been working for him for some time. Have you seen him going after her or even calling her?

  “Well no,” Sin admitted. “But I don’t spend every hour of the day with him.”

  Her response rang false even to her own ears. Still, she didn’t want to believe that Claire had played her, not when the lady had seemed so sincere. She didn’t want to believe that she’d gone after an innocent man.

  However, she couldn’t just bury her head in the sand. She pulled in a deep breath before saying, “We can’t also just assume Claire’s lying too. We should check out her story too.”

  “How?”

  “We need to get into Ransom Group and sift through the politics there.” Sin’s tone became firmer as she strategized. “Find out if there’s any truth to this whole shares thing and whether Worth is manipulating the Board like Claire said.”

  “I think I can do that.” Ten asked, “What about you?”

  Her tone as determined as her expression, Sin said, “I’m going straight to the horse.”

  She grabbed her phone and dialed Claire’s number.

  The next morning instead of going to the gym to further taunt Worth, Sin set out for a run. Ten minutes into her run, she settled on a bench in the park rubbing her ankle while she waited for Claire to arrive. The lady in question arrived five minutes after Sin did. Like Sin, she was wearing running clothes; a turquoise pullover over a t-shirt and compression capris.

  Claire stopped beside the bench Sin was seated on and without looking at her pretended to stretch. Her voice was low as she asked, “Why would you insist on meeting when it’s so dangerous? You could’ve just called.”

  “I thought this deserved a face-to-face.” Sin smiled at the woman. To an observer they probably seemed like strangers who’d just met while on a run.

  Claire grabbed her left ankle to stand on one leg in a quadriceps stretch. “Fine! What did you want to see me about?”

  “It’s about Worth.”

  Claire frowned. “What about Worth?”

  “Are the things you said about him true?”

  “What?” Claire turned her head so fast, Sin was surprised she didn’t break her neck. “Of course they’re true. Why would you say they’re not true? Are you saying I’m lying?”

  The woman’s words rushed out like a waterfall and were high-pitched enough that they left Sin even more doubtful of their veracity. Talking fast and high is usually a sign of nervousness. Why would Claire be nervous if she was telling the truth?

  “I didn’t say you were lying,” Sin countered calmly as she studied the woman keenly. “I just asked if the story is true. You don’t have to be so agitated.”

  “Of course I’m agitated. How can I not be when you ask me questions like that?” Claire countered. She stopped all pretense of stretching and turned to face Sin with her white-knuckled fists pressing on her hips and her eyes narrowed. “You were with me when I got that phone-call. You offered to help. I didn’t ask you to help me. You started this. If anything, I tried to stop you.”

  “You did, didn’t you?” Sin agreed.

  Everything Claire was saying made sense, yet her words didn’t leave Sin feeling any more comforted.

  “So how come you’re claiming that I’m lying now? Are you trying to break our deal? Or are you just getting soft?” Anger flashed in Claire’s
expression. “I know that Worth is a very handsome guy. Is that what is happening here? Has he confused you?”

  Sin almost fell for the woman’s words. It was true that Worth was hot, and it was true that his behavior had softened her opinion of him. Could that really be the reason she was doubting Claire now? A moment later, she realized what Claire was doing. The woman was gaslighting her; trying to make herself seem innocent by making Sin feel guilty.

  A little impressed, Sin offered the woman a crooked smile. “Worth’s looks have nothing to do with this. I’m just worried that we might have gone after someone who’s innocent.”

  “He’s not innocent.” Claire’s was visibly agitated as she added, “I’m the one who knows him. I’m the one who’s lived with him. If I say that he’s trying to steal my husband’s job, then that’s the truth.”

  Sin offered a non-committal “Hmm.”

  “Hmm?” Claire’s eyes narrowed. “Look, just do what you promised. Stop trying to find ways to ditch me. You started this… so finish it.”

  With that the woman turned and jogged away. Sin settled back into the bench watching the retreating woman. She’d come here hoping that a conversation with Claire would help clear away her doubts. That wasn’t what had happened.

  Suspicion, like clouds on a rainy day, gathered. Had she been played? Or was her attraction to Worth coloring her view of the man?

  * * *

  “NO, THAT’S OKAY! Don’t beat yourself up.” Worth kept his eyes on the road as he spoke into his car’s speaker phone. “It’s not your fault that you had to be put on bed-rest.”

  “Still, sir, I feel bad about leaving you in a lurch.” Diana’s voice echoed over the line. “Maybe I can convince my doctor-”

  “No, don’t do that,” Worth cut in. “Just get your rest and have the baby safely. Don’t worry about the office. Sin is quite capable of handling it on her own.”

  The two talked for a while longer before ending the conversation with the agreement that Diana would take her leave early then come back twelve weeks after the birth of her baby. Worth would miss working with such a trustworthy person but there was no way he’d trade Diana’s health for his comfort. Besides, being alone in the office with Sin would give him the time and space to put his plan in motion.

  Use her then dump her. He smiled.

  However, his glee was cut short the moment he walked into the reception area of his office. As expected, Sin was seated at her desk but she wasn’t alone. Emanuel Conroy was huddled next to her. The man was so close to her, his chin was practically on her shoulder. Even worse, while Sin seemed to be reading something on her computer, Emanuel was fully engrossed in watching her. Even a blind guy could see that the man was head-over-heels for Sin.

  It sent immediate anger spiraling through Worth and before he could help himself, he barked, “What the hell are you doing here?”

  The two ‘lovebird’s’ heads immediately came up.

  The moment Emanuel saw Worth, panic flared in his features and he rocketed to his full height. “Mr.… Mr. Ransom!”

  Sin’s reaction was less dramatic. She just smiled and greeted, “Good morning, Mr. Ransom.”

  Her calmness sent fresh fury through Worth. How dare she just smile as some random guy fawned over her? Had she enjoyed it? Didn’t she know that she was his assistant?

  He turned his fierce glower to her. “What the hell is he doing here?”

  “Emanuel needed information about the quotes we got for the supply contract,” Sin replied.

  “What?” Worth glared at Emanuel. “Is your computer dead or something? Have emails been banned without my knowledge? Why do you have to come here?”

  “No… No, sir. I…” Emanuel stumbled over his words making it obvious that the main reason he’d come here was to see Sin.

  “Get out of here,” Worth ordered.

  The man immediately scrambled away.

  Even as he watched Emanuel scuttle, Worth realized that he was being irrational and boorish. If Emanuel had come to see Diana, Worth likely would’ve just made his way to his office after a brief good morning. But the fact the man was after Sin was enough to toss Worth’s rationality right out the door. She was his!

  Sorry - she was his assistant.

  “Bring me my coffee,” Worth ordered gruffly before striding into his office.

  Moments later, Sin entered the office carrying a tray. Worth watched her broodingly as she prepared his coffee. Today, she was wearing an electric blue dress with buttons down the front. Though the dress stopped just above her knees, whenever she bent he was treated to a delicious view of the back of her legs. Worse, the dress was snug enough that it cupped her ass like a second skin. No wonder Emanuel was sniffing around her! Worth’s anger rose another notch.

  Once she was done preparing the coffee, Sin crossed the room and circled his desk. She set the cup right next to him but just as she turned to walk away, Worth grabbed her wrist.

  “What?” She spun around to face him, her eyes wide.

  He glared up at her. “Did you call him over or did he come on his own?”

  “Huh?” She tried to pull her wrist from his hold but he tightened his grip. “Called who over?”

  “Emanuel.” Worth repeated, “Did you call him over or did he come on his own?”

  Sin frowned. “I didn’t call him.”

  “Next time he wants to drop in-” Worth stood from his seat.

  The motion brought them even closer than he expected and his heart immediately lurched. He wasn’t the only one affected by their proximity; Sin’s eyes darkened and her lips parted on a sharp breath. The anger inside him quickly subsided and arousal surged forward.

  His cock pulsing, he leaned closer to her to finish, “-tell him he can’t.”

  Despite the fact that he was towering over her and gripping her wrist, Sin didn’t seem the least bit cowered. She arched one brow. “What if he needs to drop off something important?”

  “Then he can send someone else.” Worth was surprised that he managed not to growl as he added for good measure. “Someone female.”

  A shadow of amusement flashed in Sin’s expression before she smirked. “Why?”

  Why? Who knows! Worth had no idea why the thought of Emanuel, or any man for that matter, getting close to her pissed him off and he didn’t care to find out. However, what he did know was that he wanted to wipe that self-satisfied smirk off Sin’s face. Without thinking it through, he yanked her forward by her wrist to close the little distance between them. He lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers.

  The first brush of her lips against hers was like a spark on gasoline. Soon he was consumed by flames. He teased her lips with his, coaxing her to open for him, surrender to him. For a second – just a second – she resisted, but then her lips parted, and he was done.

  Even wild horses couldn’t hold him back from drinking as much of her as he could. He slipped his tongue into her mouth and traced the warm cavern before sucking her tongue into his mouth. My God, she tasted delicious; like chocolate cake for breakfast, like ice-cream on a hot summer day. He couldn’t get enough of her.

  The kiss was hungry, rough and full of unspoken demands. With his lips he ordered her to see only him, to feel only him, to want only him. In response, Sin pressed herself against his body, a silent plea to hold her, a plea he heard. He dropped her wrist before surrounding her with his arms. With every hungry kiss, he dragged her closer to him until she was crushed against him, her breasts flattened against his chest. Their bodies molded together.

  She fit him perfectly.

  He held her possessively while his lips danced over hers, to which she moaned into his mouth. The unadulterated passion in her moan and her fevered response to his kiss sent the lust already gnawing at his senses into overdrive. He flexed his ever-growing erection against her belly. When that wasn’t enough, he lowered his hands from her waist. His fingers bit into the flesh of her hips right before he slid them around until they c
upped her ass.

  Shit! He’d never get used to the feeling of having her voluptuous flesh in his hands. He cupped the firm cheeks, kneading them while he ground his swollen shaft against her. When even that wasn’t enough, he hiked her up his body. In a bid to avoid the cup of coffee still steaming on his desk, he carried her forward until they were a safe distance from the hot liquid then turned and set her on his desk.

  Sin wrapped her legs around him as her lips sought his. But he didn’t give her the kiss she wanted. Instead, he paused. His face hovered over hers, studying every feature of her face to make sure that she wanted this just as much as he did. Her eyes gave him the answer he wanted. They were dark with desire, hooded and practically begging for him to kiss her. When he didn’t do it as fast as she liked, she pushed her fingers into his hair and dragged him closer.

  Then she kissed him.

  Her unfettered passion and wild pleasure in the kiss left him awed and so, so, so turned on. He’d never wanted a woman as much as he wanted her. The pounding of his heart was almost painful as he fit himself deeper between the v of her legs, trying to get to her pussy. Unfortunately, the skirt of her dress was in his way.

  Slowly but firmly, he pushed up the dress until his fingers touched the top of her hips. It was then that he realized that he couldn’t feel any kind of fabric there. Shocked, he tore his lips away from hers and lowered his gaze so he could check for himself.

  Good God! The woman wasn’t wearing panties. His breath heaved out of his lungs in a loud whoosh. Had she been prancing around with nothing on beneath her dress? All this time? With all these men around her? Fuck! He wasn’t sure whether to scold her or play with her. So his lust chose for him. His fingers found her wet flesh, proof of her desire for him.

  “You’re already wet, huh?” Worth whispered half to himself.

  “Worth.” Sin dragged his gaze back up to his face. Her eyes were hungry with need. “Please.”

  He leaned forward until his breath brushed against her lips. “Please what?”