Page 54 of Tame Me

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Copyright ©2024 by Lorraine Hall

My One-Night Heir

Natalie Anderson

“You stunned me into silence.” His expression softens. “I was trying to stay in control. I couldn’t do this there.”

“This?”

The brush of his lips is balmy, teasing. His tenderness takes me by surprise as does the moment he takes to lean back and search my eyes. I realize he’s seeking my consent.

I can hardly think. “This is...”

“What I’ve wanted to do all night.” His gleaming gaze bores into me—intense and unwavering. “You’rewhy my pulse is racing.”

I just topple right into his arms. He scoops me close and then his mouth is there again—on mine. And I melt.

It turns out that kissing is the best ever way to neutralize panic. The best way to stay in the moment, to not give a damn about anything else in life—not even imminent death. Kissing is the best ever thing full stop.

CHAPTER ONE

Talia

‘OH,TALIA, thank heavens you’re here!’

Despite my exhaustion I shoot Kiri a massive grin. ‘Where do you need me?’

‘Everywhere.’The chef looks near tears. ‘The servers are so inexperienced they needtrainingmore than guidance but there isn’t time. The fryer won’t get to temperature and I can’t—’

‘Leave the servers with me,’ I interrupt. It’s clear Kiri’s hit peak stressed chef and I need to move. Happily, sorting an imploding kitchen situation is something I’ve done more nights than I want to remember. If I quickly smooth front of house, Kiri can concentrate on her magical plates. She just needs confidence in me for calm to return.

‘There aren’t enough glasses for the affogatos.’ Kiri continues listing the catastrophes.

‘I’ll find alternative ones.’

‘Yeah, but the coffee machine is misfiring and the primary ordered espresso martinis ten minutes ago even though we’re only through the third course and have another two—’

‘Affogatoandespresso martinis?’ I interrupt again.

‘She requested tiramisu as well.’ Kiri growls.

I chuckle. She’s a customer after my own heart. Coffee’s my one true love and I’m going to need my own caffeine hit to get through the next few hours.

‘The hired entertainment is late and has only just got onto the gondola.’ Kiri tosses a pan into a sink with more force than necessary. ‘Typical.’

It’s just over a twenty-minute ride in the suspension car to the exclusive restaurant at the top of the mountain so, what with the diva espresso machine and delayed entertainer, there’s a gap in proceedings. I can’t entertain, but I can tame a coffee machine.

‘I’ll stall with the martinis,’ I reassure Kiri as she whirls back to another pan, furiously stirring its bubbling contents into smooth submission.

‘Did you see the forecast?’ Kiri growls, stuck in her doom spiral. ‘Some apocalyptic storm is due.’

‘Yeah?’ I bite back a laugh and resort to my fool-proof trick to distract Kiri. ‘Well, it only needs to hold off for another couple of hours, then you’ll be back down the mountain being massaged by your unreasonably hot husband.’

Kiri’s eyes glaze over and her frantic stirring stops. She snaps out of it in time to catch my amusement. ‘I know.’ She finally cracks a smile. ‘I’m losing it.’

‘You’re fine. Focus on your food. I’ll take care of the extraneous. But not even I can change the weather.’

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