Authors: Cat Johnson
Bringing up her aunt’s death and her grief was probably the surest way to kill any thoughts of romance, but he needed to know, to make sure she was okay.
“I’m doing all right. It’s been tough, but my aunt’s friends have helped so much.”
Instead of tears, Gordy saw a new determination in Zoey. “It looks like this trip has been good for you.”
She nodded, sat up and put her glass on the floor. “It has, in lots of ways. It’s taught me that life is short and I shouldn’t put off doing what I want. Like this cashmere sweat suit. Aunt Zoe gave it to me last year for Christmas. I was afraid to wear it because it seemed too nice. I was saving it, for what I don’t know. I’m through doing that.”
Gordy smiled. “Good for you, Zoey.”
Her gaze lowered, then she looked up at him again. “You told me in my apartment to never doubt that you wanted me, but that I needed to get myself straightened out first.”
Gordy drew in a deep breath and nodded.
“I never felt clearer about what I want in my life than I do right now.”
“What do you want, Zoey?”
“You.”
Gordy let out the breath he’d been holding. He put his own glass on the floor and raised her chin with one finger. “I’m very glad to hear that. And doubly glad I have two days off and my bag packed in the car. If that’s all right.”
“Yeah. It’s all very right.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.” She nodded.
“Good.” He leaned in until their lips touched.
Gordy thought they’d take it slow, but when Zoey started working on the button of his jeans, that resolve disappeared fast right along with the clothes separating them.
Her sweat suit didn’t last long. Neither did his jeans and shirt. Then there was nothing but her tantalizing lingerie and his boxers between him and the woman of his dreams.
Warm flesh. Soft skin. The combination of soap, shampoo and scented candles. It was all almost too much for him. His cock was nearly crying out with the need to plunge inside her.
“Zoey.” He breathed her name as he ran his hands over her. He tried to ignore that he was shaking.
“Gordy. Make love to me. Please.” Her breathless plea had him trembling harder.
He reached for his jeans and got out the condom he’d been presumptuous enough to stick in his pocket. Then he didn’t deny either of them any longer. He plunged into the woman who had occupied his thoughts since the first time he’d seen her and it was more incredible than he’d ever imagined.
Between the heat of the fire and the warmth of Zoey’s body, he was soon bathed in perspiration, but he didn’t care. Real sex, particularly really good sex, was a messy, often sweaty business. It was also a good excuse to take a shower together after. A really long, steamy shower for two that only ended when the hot water ran out.
By the time they got to eating the stew, much, much later that night, the meat was so tender it fell off the fork.
Chapter Six
Zoey opened her eyes late the next morning as the November sun streamed through the bedroom curtains. She sighed and stretched, feeling better than she had in years. Probably because she’d had the best sleep she’d had in a long time following the best sex she’d had ever.
Speaking of that… She noticed the empty spot in the bed next to her where Gordy should have been. Then she smelled coffee and bacon and smiled. He was cooking her breakfast. Wasn’t that a nice change, someone cooking for her instead of the other way around. Snuggling lower under the covers, she wondered if she should go downstairs and join him in the kitchen or if he would bring her breakfast in bed. The fact that she was too warm and happy to consider moving at the moment made the decision for her.
Before very long, Gordy appeared, wearing just sweatpants and carrying a tray.
She smiled and sat up against the headboard. “Good morning.”
“Good morning, yourself. You were sleeping so cute, I thought I’d sneak down and make myself at home in the kitchen. I hope that’s okay.”
“You can cook for me anytime you want. No problem.”
He laughed. “You better taste it first before you start making offers like that.”
She dug into the soft-boiled egg and the pile of bacon. When it was half gone, she glanced up at him guiltily. “Aren’t you going to eat?”
He grinned. “I nibbled while I was cooking. You just eat. Don’t worry about me. I’ll join you when you get to the dessert.”
She noticed for the first time a bowl of whipped cream and strawberries on the tray. “Yummy.”
“Oh, it will be.” Gordy ran a hand down her arm and waggled his eyebrows. Zoey’s eyes opened wide. The sound of his laugh filled the small room. “That is not the face of a woman who makes penis cookies for a living. Don’t tell me you’ve never done more with whipped cream than just serve it on desserts.”
She felt her face grow warm. Her sexual experience up to this point had been pretty much missionary position in a bed. In fact, she’d thought last night’s escapade on the floor in front of the fire followed by a shower with Gordy had been extremely wild.
“How can anyone be so cute and innocent looking and so damn sexy at the same time?” Gordy shook his head and leaned over her. He kissed her mouth and then got up from the bed. Putting the tray on the dresser by the window, he returned with the bowl of strawberries and whipped cream. He held one cream covered berry in the air. “Open up.”
She obediently opened her mouth. This wasn’t too bad. She could handle being fed strawberries and cream in bed. He put the bowl on the table next to the bed, leaned over and covered her lips with his, his tongue sweeping inside her mouth.
“Mmm, you taste good.” He slid his hands under her nightshirt, pushing it up her body. “I wanna taste all of you.”
Before she knew it, the shirt was off and lying on the floor next to the bed. She felt the cool morning air make her nipples pucker. If the air hadn’t had done it, the cold whipped cream Gordy scooped up with one finger and dabbed on the tip of each breast would have.
Her breath caught in her throat as he lowered his head and ate the cream right from her body, first from one nipple, then from the other. He lapped it up and then scraped his teeth against the tip of each breast. She shuddered.
He looked up and smiled. “You really have never done anything like this before, have you?”
“No.” She shook her head.
He grinned. “Good. I like being the one to show you new things.”
He slid lower down her naked body, trailing kisses until he reached the apex of her thighs. He spread her legs and reached again for the cream.
The sound of her sharp breath intake of breath filled the room. “Gordy.”
He glanced up. “Yes, Zoey?”
“You’re not going to put it down there, are you?”
He grinned. “Just watch me.”
She leaned her head back against the bed. Not thinking she could watch, she squeezed her eyes shut as she felt him spread whipped cream on her and in her. The feel of it made her shiver until the heat of his tongue replaced the cold. He made short work of the cream.
Even after it was gone, he continued working her, filling her with his tongue and fingers until she rocked against him. She raised her hips off the bed, seeking more until she came with a powerful orgasm that elicited a moan even from Gordy.
He finally pulled himself up the bed and collapsed on the pillow next to her. “Aren’t you glad now that you let me corrupt you?”
“Yes, but I don’t think you’re done corrupting me yet.” She reached for the bowl. “Drop the sweatpants.”
His expression of shock was soon replaced by a grin. “Whatever you say.”
With Gordy naked except for some strategically placed whipped cream, Zoey soon taught him that she could be a very quick learner. Being a chef, she figured it was only proper she experience all the uses for whipped cream personally.
~ * ~
Zoey lay on Gordy’s chest. The dusting of hair was soft against her cheek. “I met with the lawyer. My aunt left me the house and all her money.”
He stroked his hand up and down her bare back. “That must mean a lot to you. I know you have fond memories of your aunt in this house.”
Zoey nodded and hesitated a moment. “I think I’m staying.”
As she raised her head from his chest, he looked down and frowned. “You mean commute? That’s a long drive.”
She shook her head and sat up to look him in the eye. “Just being here, even for a few days, I feel…I don’t know…at peace. And every time I think about going back to work, my chest gets tight and I feel like I need to throw up.”
Gordy’s arm around her tightened. “But what would you do here? For work, I mean. Did your aunt leave you enough money that you could totally retire?”
She shook her head and laughed. “No. Not even close. There’s enough to run the house for a few years, but that’s it. I guess I’d reopen her business. Small catering jobs. Specialized cookies and cakes.” She shrugged. “I don’t know. I haven’t really thought it through.”
“Zoey, you have to be the one to make this decision, but I have one suggestion. Ralph is handling your company just fine for now. You’ve been through a lot of changes lately. I suggest you take some time to just breathe. Don’t rush into any decisions yet. Take time off, live here for a while and see how you like it. But don’t do anything final like close your business or give up your apartment. Not yet.”
Quietly considering for a moment, Zoey finally nodded. “Okay.” Then she frowned. “Ralph is really handling it all alone with no problem? Maybe that proves I should close the business.”
“No, sweetie. It doesn’t. It proves he has a chef roommate who owed him a favor and they’re both working their butts off because you had more work than one person could possibly handle.”
She smiled. “Really?”
He held up one hand. “Honest.”
“That makes me feel a little better.”
“Good, it should. You know, Ralph has a good business head on his shoulders. He’d make a great partner for someone who loves the creative side and hates paperwork and bookkeeping.”
“Was that supposed to be a hint?” She raised a brow at him.
“Maybe.”
It was clear what Gordy was getting at. She couldn’t run her business alone any longer. If she didn’t close and move to Connecticut permanently, she would have to make plans to take on Ralph or someone else as a partner for Zoey’s Events.
She didn’t want to think about it any more now. “Well, here is a hint for you.” She ran one fingernail down the dusting of reddish blond hair that covered his chest.
He smiled. “I wasn’t on the honor roll or anything at school, but I can definitely take a hint.”
Before Zoey knew it, she was experiencing yet another position with Gordy that had nothing to do with missionaries.
Chapter Seven
He’d done his job well. Too well. Gordy had wanted Zoey to learn to relax, but now there was a chance he was going to lose her to some tiny town in Connecticut. The thought of walking past her store and not seeing her inside everyday made him a little sick to his stomach.
Of course she should keep the house that she loved, but as a vacation house, not to live in fulltime after she closed her business. He’d hinted, not so subtlety, that she should take Ralph on as a partner, but that was all he could do. The decision was hers to make.
He started calculating how much time he would have to spend on the road, driving back and forth to see her on his days off. That was, of course, if she didn’t decide that he was part of her old life in the city and dump him right along with her business. Damn, he hated this feeling of having no control.
He let out a long frustrated breath.
“What’s up with you?”
Gordy glanced up at his new friend Scotty, guiltily realizing he hadn’t been holding up his portion of the assembly line. Somehow, he’d gotten roped into helping cook for the damn fundraising cocktail party. He stood now, slicing green, yellow and red bell peppers for the crudités, which he just recently learned meant fresh vegetables with dip.
As distracted as he was, he really shouldn’t have a sharp implement in his hand. He sighed and answered Scott’s question. “Woman trouble.”
Scott laughed. “I know what you mean.”
Gordy raised a brow. “You too?”
Scott shrugged. “Knock wood things are fine at the moment, that’s as long as the catering thing tomorrow goes smoothly. Having a woman in your life means you need to expect trouble around every corner. No way around it. I gotta say, though, the right woman is worth the trouble.”
Having Zoey in his life would be worth any amount of trouble. Just as losing her when he’d just found her would suck beyond measure.
He remembered when they parted, him leaving for his shift, she staying to make her decision. She’d agreed to take some time to think it over. That was over a week ago. She’d even stayed in Connecticut for Thanksgiving. He’d been on duty on the holiday, so it wasn’t like he’d been alone. He just had assumed she’d come back to the city. If not for him, at least for her business. But Zoey had suddenly developed the ability to stop worrying about that part of her life.