Page 71 of Worth Every Risk

I spin in my seat to see Mr Hawkston—Matt. How strange to think I can call him that—standing in the doorway, his shoulder leaning against the frame. Holy shit, he looks like a different man. He’s so relaxed, his smile so warm. He looks sexy as hell… if it’s possible he’smorehandsome this way. I cannot believe I spent all night having sex with this specimen.

I immediately want to do it again. And again. And again. My heart is beating like it has a million tiny wings, and every cell in my body heats up. If I don’t hold it together, there’s going to be a puddle on my chair when I stand.

“You said Aries was a great nanny,” Lucie repeats. “Last night, when you came to my room and sat on my bed.”

Matt frowns, then looks up at me, a wide smile spreading over his face. “It seems everyone was listening.”

Alec keeps his head down, furiously chopping way more fruit than we need. If he’s making assumptions about my night based on how I look, there’s no way he won’t draw the same conclusion from witnessing his boss this at ease.

Matt walks into the kitchen and kisses the top of Lucie’s head. Then he pauses beside me. It’s a tantilizing moment of static sparks. His hand twitches like he’s about to touch me, but he lets his arm drop.

Alec catches my eye, and I know he noticed.Soawkward.

Matt sits on the stool at the island on the other side of Lucie so she’s pinned between us. “What are we eating?”

“Mango, currently,” Alec answers. “But I can make you anything you want.”

“Hmm. Fruit’s not going to cut it this morning. I’m starving.” Matt pushes his tongue into his cheek and looks at the ceiling for a second before focusing back on Alec. “Can you make Eggs Benedict? There’s a cafe just down the road—The Belmont—that does the most fabulous Eggs Benedict.”

Alec smiles. “I know it. Those are my favourite.”

“A man of good taste,” Matt replies.

The exchange is cordial, but it makes me wonder how often Matt has taken the time to talk to Alec before this. And if he loves the Eggs Benedict from The Belmont so much, how come he’s never asked for them from his chef before?

We all sit making slightly awkward conversations while Alec makes breakfast. When he’s done, he places the plate, with perfectly symmetrically arranged Eggs Benedict on it, in front of Matt.

“Tell me, Alec, what are your aspirations?” Matt asks as he spins the plate as though he wants it to face a certain direction before picking up his cutlery. He’s still staring at his food when Alec throws me another ‘what the fuck?’ look as though he’s amazed at the change in his boss.

“Actually, it’s to be the head chef at the Mayfair Hawkston Hotel. And to get at least one Michelin star.”

“Really?” Surprise echoes in Matt’s voice as he loads his fork with a bite. He pops it in his mouth, his eyes wide as he chews. Then he swallows and says, “God, those eggs are better than The Belmont. Why did I never know you could do this?”

Alec wipes his hands on his chef’s coat. “You never asked, sir,” he admits, but I hear no resentment in the statement.

“What other talents are you hiding from me?” Matt asks, and Alec blushes as he rolls off a list of his favourite dishes to cook.

“You’ll have to have a trial at the Mayfair Hotel then,” Mr Hawkston says. “Although I’d be damn sorry to lose you here.”

Alec looks so ecstatic that he might float off the ground. I smile, enjoying the repartee between them. I’m sensing it’s new, given Alec’s continually surprised expression.

“Where are we going today?” I ask Lucie, because at the moment no one’s paying either of us any attention.

Matt breaks off his conversation with Alec. “You can have the day off,” he says to me. “I’m taking Lucie out.”

“Yay,” Lucie cries, wrapping her arms around her father’s neck. “Daddy-Lucie day.”

I raise a brow. “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely. Take a nap. You might be up late.” Matt’s voice doesn’t waver, but Alec’s eyebrows rise so high, it looks like they’re trying to hitch a lift with his hair.

Heat flares in my cheeks as images of last night flood my mind. Arousal pulses between my legs, and I lean forward on the stool, pressing my thighs together in an attempt to dampen the effect, but it only makes it worse.

I really hope I’m up late. I want to be up late every night. I’d be raw, but fuck it, I’d be sated. And then there’s that other thing… the contented warmth I felt after we shed the roles of employer and employee last night. I want more ofthattoo.

When Matt finally finishes eating, he takes Lucie off for the day, leaving me and Alec staring at one another in the kitchen.

“What the hell did you do to him?” Alec hisses. “I’ve never seen him like that. He’s normally a moody bastard. Did you fuck another personality into him?”

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