Page 44 of Desirous

“Maybe,” she says, shrugging like it’s not a big deal that she hates her job.

But it is, and I want to do something about that.

“Kat, I want to talk to you about work. I want you to come to CK as a sous chef.”

Her green eyes open wide, followed by her mouth dropping open in shock. “What? You want me to work for you?”

“With me,” I say with a smile. “We’d work together at a place where you could be as great as you want to be. As great as I think you can be in a kitchen. You’d be second chef in title only, and when my father and uncle retire and I get the restaurant, I’ll want you to be head chef. What do you say?”

As I expected, her emotions get the best of her, and she begins to tear up. Smiling, though, she nods and gives me my answer. “Yes! Oh, my God, yes! I would love to come work with you at CK. It’s like a dream come true!”

She throws her arms around my neck and sobs, “Thank you for believing in me. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

I close my eyes and revel in the feel of her against my body. She belongs with me, and I belong with her. That’s what I believe in more than anything.

And then, for the first time in my life, those three little words I’ve never said to any woman I’ve ever dated fill every inch of my brain until I can’t think of anything but saying them. It’s probably too soon and she might not say them back, but I can’t do anything other than tell her how I feel.

“I love you, Kat.”

I’d always wondered if I’d ever say that to someone. The words come out like they’re the most natural thing in the world for me to say right now, and when I finish speaking, I let out a sigh, as if I’ve waited my entire life to feel this way.

Kat stills in my arms, and then after a few seconds, she sits back to look at me. I see in her expression she’s surprised. “You love me?”

“Yeah. Believe me, I’m a little shocked too. Not that I love you, but that I finally said those words. I’ve never told any woman I loved her until you.”

“You’ve never said I love you to anyone before me?” she asks with shock in her voice and her expression.

I shake my head. “Nope. Never. Then when you said yes to coming to work at CK, those words were all I could think of. I love you, Kat. For all the madness you bring to my life and all the things we love to do together, I love you. Damn, now that I finally said them I can’t seem to stop.”

She cradles my face in her hands and kisses me long and slow before pulling away to give me a gentle smile. “I love you, too, Alex. I have said those words before, and I swore I’d never say them again, but being with you makes me happier than I’ve ever been in my life. I can’t believe I ever thought I hated you. What was I thinking?”

“I’m just glad you don’t anymore.”

Wrapping her arms around me again, she hugs me tightly as she kisses my neck. “I must have been crazy.”

“Tonight’s been a good night. Great meatloaf, you agreeing to come work at CK, and we love each other.”

Giggling, she leans back and taps me on the tip of my nose. “You are very cute sometimes. No wonder everyone’s crazy about you.”

“The only one I care about being crazy about me is you, Kat.”

“Don’t worry. I am.”

We started out as enemies, and now we’re in love. Maybe that reality show was good after all.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Kat

Never before haveI looked forward to going into work like I do today. This time, I’m not walking into the kitchen at Frederick’s and cringing as I wait for Deidre to lower the boom on me. Those days are over now that I get to go work at CK with Alex.

After I thanked him for my new job with great sex, I told him every moment of what I plan to do when I tell that nasty harpy I’m leaving. She can have her two weeks, but I’m already gone from this place, so nothing she can do will upset me ever again.

She’s standing near the grill hovering over one of the chefs and barking out orders at him when I enter the kitchen. God, she’s rotten! It would serve her right if every one of us left to work at other restaurants. I swear this woman thinks she’s Gordon Ramsay.

“Alfredo, do you understand the idea of searing to make grill marks, or don’t they teach that to cooks anymore?” she snaps as he cowers next to her.

“Deidre, I need to speak to you,” I say loudly, taking the attention away from her outburst attacking him.

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