Page 28 of Howl You Doin?
“Does Maria specialize in nautical knots?” I gripe while I tug at the laces.
She laughs. “Actually, I’m pretty sure her dad’s a fisherman.”
“That would explain it.”
We reach the staircase leading up to the north wing, and as she steps up, I get a glimpse of her boots, black, scuffed, and worn. They’re so at odds with the dress that it’s laughable.
“Did you not have shoes?”
She stiffens at that, pausing on the steps, and looks over her shoulder at me. “Shoes were not included.”
She turns back around and resumes ascending the marble steps. I watch, intrigued as her exposed skin pinkens in splotches. She really is a little spitfire—a hellcat.
“I guess we may need to redesign the head chef uniform,” I say by way of apology, ill at ease with how I have treated this woman.
I have never spoken to a woman thusly, and my only excuse is that she has some way of getting under my skin, or better yet, her perfume does. It will be leaving the castle as soon as I find where she keeps the fucking shit.
“You think?” she mutters, and my teeth grind.
We reach the gray-and-blue painted hallway and fall into a stilted silence before she stops at her room. Uncovered skin meets my gaze when I glance down, the back of her dress having somehow fallen apart further.
“You’re coming undone,” I tell her as she opens the door.
“I know. I’ve been holding it this entire time. If you had cut the front instead of the back, this wouldn’t have happened,” she huffs, and I can easily imagine smoke curling from her nose as if she’s a pissed-off dragon lady. “Now let’s just get one thing straight here, bud. The only uniform I need to be wearing is my chef uniform, not some silly dress. I don’t need to be worried about ruining it while I’m cooking and doingmyjob, and I don’t need you to tell me what I should wear inmykitchen.”
My humor evaporates as heat flashes through my body when her heady aroma spills thickly from her room, and my heart begins to pound. She would argue with a fucking wall.
My blood simmers and I breathe in lightly to control my temper. “You will do as I tell you,Miss Whitt. I understand that a new uniform may be in order simply because of today’s predicament, but make no mistake, I run this castle. No matter what happens, and whether you wish it or not, I requirecosplay.”
“I’m sorry, but what? Why all of a sudden, after a month, do you insist on cosplay?” Her cute face scrunches up adorably and... I have got to get out of here.
She fumes and tugs her dress away, pushing inside her suite, and I foolishly follow her.
I could tell her it was all Aubrey’s idea, but she doesn’t need to be informed of jack shit. She just needs to do as she’s told.
“Sorry to disappoint, little love.” My nostrils flare and my gaze hardens. “You will perform all the responsibilities required, or you can forget your bonus.”
Whitley Whitt
I gasp.The thought that this is some cruel joke rings in my ears with deliverance. Oh, this motherfucker is such adick.
“This is because you don’t like me, isn’t it?” I ask, skillfully holding the front of my dress while the back gapes open without his assistance, threatening to fall from me.
“What?” he says with complete affront, his broad back turning around just as his hand reaches for the bedroom door. “What are you on about now, you daft woman.”
“Daft?!” Oh my god, I will kill him! I search my room for a weapon, but maybe I can just choke him to death with my bare hands.
He blanches, wincing in apology. “You asked if it was because I didn’t like you.”
“Excuse me?” Heat rises off my skin and my scalp burns. “You would force me to make a hazard in my own kitchen and then you have the audacity to call me daft?”
He shakes his head, his face blushing a bit, but no way am I taking pity on the bastard.
“And I cannot believe you told me to calm my tits.” My nostrils flare as I grip the silly dress.
My thoughts go back to how he laughed earlier on the balcony, thinking it was funny. I guess it is kinda funny but fuck him. He smirks, his lips curving up on both sides, and I lose it.
I pick up the first thing I can and throw it at him. He catches the pillow with ease and sets it aside.
