Best of Best Women's Erotica by Marcy Sheiner Read Free Book Online

white jacket and black pants that hugged his narrow waist and caressed the roundness of his backside. His shoulders were broad on his small frame. She guessed at a well-muscled chest and arms under the jacket. His hair was cut sleekly against his head, a good choice for hot kitchens. He had oiled it shiny. She licked her lips again then shook her head, trying to rekindle her anger at this invader.
    He watched her watching him. She saw a gentle hunger in his laughing eyes. Not a predatory all-consuming hunger, but the hunger when your appetite has just been whetted, when the saliva flows watery in your mouth and you can barely wait to be satiated. A lazy smile spread from his eyes to his mouth, exposing gleaming teeth, dazzling in the dark planes that made up his face. She squinted at him, trying to block out the glare of his smile. He beamed up at her like the rays of the hot sun searing the jasmine bushes.

    For a minute he simply radiated heat and desire. Then he eased back and began talking, soft and gentle, as if to a skittish colt. “Now I know I’m interfering here in your territory, but you know these rich folks, even when they got the best already, they find it hard to appreciate what they got.” His gaze fondled her body again. “And I can see they got a lot here to appreciate.” He took a step closer. “If I thought I would be a threat to you in any way, I would walk out that door. But Missus Beaumont there has got her heart set on that menu she had me send. And it would be a shame to waste all that food.”
    Casting his eyes to the floor, he stroked the gleaming countertop, making small circles on the tile with his thumb. “I sure would like to work with you, Miss Tara,” he said softly. “Nothing makes me happier than cooking with a beautiful woman who’s an artist in the kitchen.” He kept his head down but moved his eyes up to watch her. “And from what I hear, you’re known all over these parts as an artist. Mmmhhhmmm, what I hear you can do with food.” He raised his head and looked at her full on. “And when I think about what we could do together, why it just makes my mouth water. Nothing like dancing the food to life with another artist, Miss Tara.” He bowed genteelly from the waist and reached for her hand. “Will you dance with me?”
    She tried to put him off with a scowl. But he just smiled. Reaching into his pocket, he fished out a small box tied with a lavender ribbon. He presented it to her, holding out his hand flat and steady, waiting patiently, giving her time to come to him. Glowering, she hesitated before reaching out to take the present. Did he really think he could buy her off so easily? Resolving to give it back, whatever it was, she pulled on the bow and removed the lid. A beautiful little stone winked up at
her. She reached out a finger and stroked it, the fire of a cat’s eye dancing in the light.
    â€œIt’s a moonstone, Miss Tara. Now I know it’s a bit on the extravagant side, but my last big party was for a jeweler and he let me have a choice of a few things as a bonus. This one was small, but when I saw it, well, I don’t know why, but I just thought of you, Miss Tara. Let me help you put it on.”
    Stunned, she allowed him to pick up the necklace and step behind her, draping it around her throat. Tara could feel his breath on the back of her neck and smell the sweetness of his cologne. Her heart began to pound.
    â€œCome on, Miss Tara. Let’s step out into the light and see it.’Sides, I think you promised me a dance.” Charles whispered the words into her ear, and Tara felt the heat of his presence behind her. Sweat broke out on her forehead. She stepped toward the door, more to cool off in the breeze than to accede to his endearments. Dizzily she tried to make sense of it all. He’d brought her a gift from the moon! How could he have known? Could the Missus have told him?