Page 26 of Hotel Mallois

"Don't worry, there are days when you need to bundle up with the broken heating, the house gets freezing," she responds with a hint of embarrassment that doesn't go unnoticed by Katherine.

"It's okay, I like the cold," she answers to help her, but the cleaner breaks into a loud laugh.

Jodie shakes her head. She loves this version of Katherine, the one who does what's necessary to make her feel comfortable, but this time not even the seriousness in her voice can mask the lie. The cleaner kisses her again, this time running her tongue through her mouth and burying a hand in her blonde hair.

"I can't linger," Jodie groans while Katherine kisses her neck, "I have to go to the hotel, it's getting late."

Katherine leaves a soft bite and then a small kiss before pulling away from her.

"It's not necessary. I've arranged everything so you don't have a shift this morning. I want us to talk, and that conversation is very important to me."

"But, Marjorie..."

"Don't worry about her," Katherine responds with authority. "She already saw us in the elevator, but what happens between you and me isn't her problem."

Jodie isn't entirely convinced, but decides to give herself a break. She's been suffocating in her situation for so long and wants, for once, to think about herself and enjoy, plus, this conversation with Katherine Taylor is too important to her.

"Then let's have breakfast first and talk after," the cleaner answers and gets out of bed.

Katherine has to exercise all the self-control she can muster when she sees Jodie's naked body. She can clearly see that mole under her left breast that she licked many times the night before. Her ass drives her crazy and her feet destabilize her; if it were up to her, she would have devoured them shamelessly. It's one of her biggest fetishes, and Jodie's are perfect. The girl gets dressed and leaves the room after telling the businesswoman she'll wait for her in the kitchen.

A few minutes later, Jodie, who's preparing scrambled eggs, hears Katherine finish a call and walk to the kitchen. Now it's the cleaner's turn to gather strength not to pounce on the hotel owner, who's wearing only the sweatshirt and walking with bare legs as she approaches.

"Everything okay?" she asks, trying to divert her attention to something else.

Katherine lets out a snort and shakes her head.

"We have an event in one of the Taylor group's private venues, and it seems the head chef and one of his assistants went out last night after service and ate at a bar. They ended up with severe food poisoning in the hospital. I just got notified and have no room to maneuver to find someone else, the assistant who didn't go with them can't handle the work alone," Katherine explains, so nervous that Jodie barely recognizes her. It's the first time she's seen this tough woman in such a state.

Jodie approaches her and after giving her a chaste kiss, takes her face in both hands and connects her gaze with the blonde's.

"I can help you if you let me."

Katherine, still overwhelmed by the situation, struggles to understand what Jodie is saying.

"I was the cook at The Rustic Fork; it's really what I've always done. I studied culinary arts and, after being an assistant for years in the family restaurant, I became the head chef. That stuffed turkey your father loves so much, I prepared it during the last years it was open."

The Mallois hotel owner raises her eyebrows, completely impressed by what she hears. She realizes they had never talked about her past in depth, and the little she knew about her was that her parents owned the famous Fork in New York. At any other time, Katherine would hesitate to accept, she's a businesswoman and when itcomes to business, she makes decisions with her head and not moved by anything else, but there are two things at this moment that push her to let Jodie help her; the need not to fail those who hired the private venue and her desire to get to know the real Jodie Sinclair.

"I'll call Mike to bring me some clothes and pick us up here to take us to the venue," Katherine says and grabs her phone. Jodie takes her hand.

"Breakfast first, it'll be quick, we can't leave on empty stomachs."

Katherine smiles and can't help feeling a flutter in her chest that scares and delights her in equal measure.

"Damn," Katherine mutters ten minutes later, standing under a shower whose water won't stay warm and alternates between freezing and scalding streams.

"Are you okay?" Jodie's muffled voice comes from outside.

"Yes," Katherine lies and finishes rinsing her face to get out of there.

"Here, Mike's outside waiting," says Jodie, handing her a suit and a medium-sized bag.

"He was quick," Katherine responds as she starts to dress.

"Well, you took your time," Jodie concludes after devouring her with her eyes.

The two women hurry, and when they're ready, they leave the house to find the bodyguard right at the door. They get into the car, and Katherine immerses herself inseveral phone conversations that occupy the entire journey to the private venue. Jodie hasn't been able to ask her much more, and now nerves are eating her alive. She couldn't help telling Katherine she'd handle the event's food, but now she fears it might be too much and she'll fail the woman who drives her crazy.

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