Fifty Recipes For Disaster - Book 1 (Fifty Recipes For Disaster New Adult Romance Series, #1)

by Carla Coxwell

  When the apprenticeship contest ended, Jenny left Fission. It's easier for me to deal with her now that I don't see her every day. Paul spent a lot of time reassuring me that I'm the woman he loves, but a part of me doesn't trust him. Family is important to Paul... he'll want to be a hands-on type of dad, and being with Jenny would make that possible.

  A year ago, I'd have never been in this position. The situation unfolding before me is a perfect example of why I never let anyone through my walls. But there is something about Paul that made me drop my guard. I am in love with him, and if this baby is going to be a part of his life then I guess it'll be a part of mine, too. I just hope Jenny keeps a lid on all of the 'baby mama drama.'

  "Chef?" Robbs calls loudly and brings my focus back to the present.

  "Prawns will be up in three," I tell him.

  Never having to put up with Robbs Martin again was what I'd been most looking forward to at the end of the apprenticeship competition. But two days before the contest was over, Paul's prep cook Ernesto gave his notice. Ernesto and his wife had just given birth, and he'd been offered a better paying job that would allow him more time off with his family. Paul was overwhelmed and had no time or patience to interview for a new hire. Before the results of the competition were announced, he opened the prep cook position for one of the runners up. Jenny had already decided to leave Fission and take some time to decide what she really wants to do. Robbs was awarded the job by default. I'd expected the bitchy attitude he'd had during the contest to carry over into his new job, but so far he's actually been pleasant to work with. He shows up on time, he helps the other chefs once his tasks are finished, and he makes friendly conversation while doing so. I'm enjoying his new work attitude, but I still don't trust him any farther than I can throw him. Robbs already showed me his true colors, and I don't give people second chances... except for Paul, that is.

  I pull the prawns from the grill, plate them, and carry them to Robbs' station. He sets them next to the vegetables he's already prepped for tonight's seafood chowder.

  "Did you toss the shells and tails into the stock pot?" Robbs asks me, as if I don't know what I'm doing.

  "Of course I did," I answer politely. I can't stand the guy, but I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of letting him get to me.

  "Thanks, Chef," he says with a fake smile.

  I nod at him and return to my station. I'm doing an appetizer special tonight, and I need to get everything prepped. I prefer to do my own knife work, instead of relying on Robbs. I have plenty of time for prep work. It's kind of hard to be a chef's apprentice when the chef is never here...

  The toll Jenny's pregnancy took on my job was even harder than the toll it was taking on my personal life. Paul is constantly leaving work to go to doctor's appointments or to shop for cribs. Once he left just because Jenny was craving cheese soup from Mamma's Kettle and was too tired to leave her apartment to pick it up. I had a lot of freedom in the kitchen, but I fought for the job to learn from Paul, not to cover for him.

  I can't let myself drown in frustration. Not when a lot of work needs to be done. I fill three stock pots with water and set them to boil on the stove. To one I add cumin, cinnamon, and chili powder. The second gets saffron and kefir limes, while the third is seasoned with basil and rosemary. The pots begin to boil, so I toss a handful of salt into each, add my rice, and carefully replace the lids. I turn off the burners and turn my attention to my proteins. I'm making a sushi trio inspired by different areas of the world. I want to do a marinated beef tartar for the Latin roll, but I'm still torn between a couple of different fish for the Indian and the Mediterranean. I need to consider our stock of each of the fish, so I set off for the walk-in cooler.

  "Chef Kiara?" a voice calls from behind me. I turn and see Megan, one of the hostesses, standing in the kitchen doorway.

  "What is it now?" I groan.

  If you enjoyed this sample then look for 50 Recipes For Disaster - Book 2.

  Here is a preview of another story you may enjoy:

  JACQUI SCHNEIDER awoke with a sudden start, the unfamiliarity of her surroundings sending waves of panic sweeping all through her body. Her head whipped frantically from side to side as her eyes swept across the shadowy interior.

  She could see the white sheer curtain drawn across the glass window. The sky outside the window had a purplish hue, indicating the first blush of dawn. A console table just below the window held a tray with a thermos bottle and a cup and saucer set neatly stacked beside it. A beige telephone and a digital clock with the time displayed as 4:27 a.m. rested on the other side of the console table. She recognized her clothes as they lay strewn on the floor. Her high-heeled shoes and purse lay in a pile near the door.

  She was in a hotel room. As awareness took over, Jacqui was glad her sudden movement did not disturb the sleeping form beside her. She glanced at the figure snoring softly and saw his hand reach out for her. He stirred, breathing deeply, and then resumed his sleep. Jacqui hoped he would not notice the empty space beside him as she tiptoed silently out of bed and gathered her clothes from the floor.

  Jacqui wanted to leave the hotel before the man woke up. Things were less complicated that way. She couldn’t even remember his name. Was it John... or Jack... or Jim...?

  Jacqui didn’t really care. It was strictly sexual. She had no intention of ever seeing him again. He was just a random guy she had picked up in the hotel bar last night. The guys were always the same. Non-threatening, married, from out of town, and only out to have a good time. A few made a play of removing their wedding rings. But Jacqui could always spot the telltale lighter skin tone where the ring used to be.

  This suited Jacqui just fine. It wasn’t a good idea to hook up with someone local. She always made sure the guy was at the hotel for a convention, or just an overnight stay. She usually spotted them because of the name tag pinned over their breast pocket. She’d sit in the bar with her drink, until someone struck up a conversation or offered her a drink.

  Jacqui was very hard not to notice. She was tall and lithe and had full breasts, milky white skin, and a nice round ass. She had sparkling green eyes, high cheekbones and luscious lips, topped by chestnut brown hair that fell softly to her shoulders; she attracted instant attention.

  And this guy...Jim...Jacqui suddenly remembered, was no different. He made a beeline for her as soon as he spotted her at the bar.

  “Hi, my name’s Jim... I hope you don’t mind the intrusion...” Jacqui remembered him saying. “But it looks like your glass needs a refill.”

  Jacqui gave him a smile. It was the standard pickup line. He didn’t know she already pegged him through the glass mirrors lining the liquor cabinet of the bar. He was going to be “it” for tonight.

  “Are you staying in this hotel?” Jim asked, signaling the bartender for another shot of brandy for her.

  “No...” Jacqui answered.

  “Are you waiting for someone...?” Jim asked.

  Jacqui could read the expectant look in his eyes, and this was usually her cue. If she didn’t like what she saw or if she had second thoughts about her safety, she’d say... “Yes, I’m just waiting for my boyfriend to pick me up...” Or offer some other lame excuse.

  But she had liked what she saw. Jim was tall, good-looking and neatly dressed. And he had a ring on his finger.

  “No...” Jacqui answered and gave him a flirty smile. “My name is Nina...” she added.

  Yes, she would be a horny Nina tonight, or Glenna, or Linda. It didn’t really matter. She just wanted to get laid. And tonight, Jim was it.

  Jacqui could predict how the next hour would play out. Jim will tell her his life story as he kept filling up her glass hoping to get her drunk enough so she would be pliant when he made his move. The thought almost made Jacqui laugh. The poor guy didn’t know that was exactly her plan.

  “You’ve hardly told me anything about yourself, Nina...” Jim complained playfully, as his hand dropped down to her knee.

/>   “There’s really nothing to tell...I’m just a girl hoping to get lucky tonight...” Jacqui whispered seductively in his ear.

  His hand moved a little further up her skirt as Jacqui opened her legs a little wider to allow him to feel her crotch through her sheer stockings.

  Jim’s eyes opened wide in surprise as he felt the heat emanating through the silk.

  “Why don’t we finish this conversation upstairs in my room?” Jim asked.

  Jacqui nodded her head in reply as her bosom heaved in anticipation. This was the reason she was here tonight. This guy, Jim, would make her forget even for just a few hours, those thoughts and images that constantly lurked in her psyche, tormenting her. When they came uninvited, Jacqui knew what would make her forget. Sex.

  Jacqui sashayed her way out of the bar ahead of him. She wanted him to see her firm ass, tapered waist, and long slim legs. It was hard to ignore the looks from other men that followed her and this aroused her even more. She made her way out and straight into the banks of elevators.

  Jim could hardly contain his excitement. His erection was bulging through his pants.

  As soon as the bedroom door closed behind them, Jacqui dropped down on her knees and unzipped his pants. She grabbed hold of his cock. She spit down on it as her hands feverishly stroked it. Jim was hardly out of his pants before Jacqui had him inside her mouth.

  Jim threw back his head in arousal. He was stunned at the ferocity with which Jacqui moved her head back and forth, her saliva leaving his shaft red and glistening. Jacqui toyed with the head of his cock and tasted the sweet dew that signaled that he would cum prematurely if she didn’t slow down.

  And Jim didn’t want to cum just yet. He had plans of sucking and tasting every inch of her. He would fuck her hard, until the tension building inside his body became unbearable, and then he would blow his load in her mouth.

  He pulled her up and began to unhook her bra. Jacqui’s face was wild with anticipation as she shimmied out of her clothes and stockings. A slight sweat broke out in her armpits. Her boobs swelled as Jim groped one breast with his hand and twirled his thumb and forefinger around the sensitive nipple. Using his mouth, he sucked on the other nipple. Jacqui arched her back in pleasure as waves of ice and fire shot straight through to her groin.

  Jim continued sucking her breast and nibbling her nipple with his teeth. His other hand traveled down her flat stomach. He stopped just below her mound, feeling the coarse pubes that covered her vagina. Using his fingers to separate the lips, he caressed her clit and discovered just how wet and aroused she was. Jim stroked her clit repeatedly. He slid in another finger, adding pressure with every stroke. He could feel the inner muscles of her vagina tightening each time his hand brushed against her swollen clitoris. Jacqui closed her eyes and moaned her pleasure. Getting fingered felt really good.

  But Jacqui knew she wanted more than his fingers. Pulling him along, she lay back against the bed and opened her thighs. Her pussy was slick with her own juice.

  “Do you like what you see?" she whispered up at him as Jim nodded.

  “Eat me. Show me what your tongue can do...” she whispered huskily as she caressed herself to arouse him.

  Jacqui grabbed her knees and spread her legs even wider for him, leaning her head back against the pillow. Her invitation was obvious, insistent.

  Jim scrambled up the bed, his erect penis bouncing with the movement. Then he knelt down between her legs, enthralled with the red-hot pussy before him. He lowered his head as his hands separated the lips of her vagina, exposing the engorged clit. He flicked his tongue against it as Jacqui’s body heaved with pleasure. He flicked repeatedly; mesmerized by the guttural sounds emanating from Jacqui’s mouth each time his rough tongue made contact with the sensitive skin.

  She began to moan as he went faster and faster until finally she couldn't take it anymore. She wanted to feel his cock inside her.

  Jim positioned himself on top of her. He used his elbows to steady himself as his cock searched for her vagina’s opening. Jacqui savored the feeling of the velvety skin of his cock rubbing against the slick wetness of her clit. Jim rammed himself inside her. And then he drew back until the head of his cock was barely past the opening of her vaginal wall. Then he rammed into her once again, filling her completely.

  If you enjoyed this sample then look for Secrets Revealed - Obsessed Bounty Hunter New Adult Romance Series, Book 1.

  Other Books by Carla Coxwell:

  Obsessed Bounty Hunter Romance Series

  Devil's Advocate BBW MC New Adult Romance Series

  Get the latest update on new releases from the author at:

  http://www.carlacoxwell.com/newsletter

  About the Author - Carla Coxwell

  Carla has always been a fan of romance novels. To augment what she made waiting on tables to help her way through college, Carla also did some freelance work in the romance genre.

  Now she enjoys living vicariously through her characters in her New Adult Romance books.