Chapter 15
When Jodie Sinclair opens her eyes, the first thing she feels is a slight soreness between her legs. It's been a long time since she's been intimate with a woman, and although Katherine was gentle and respected her pace, her body has responded to the lack of practice. She moves carefully, and when she turns her head, she observes the blonde who made love to her during the night, more beautiful than ever. She sits cross-legged on the bed, holding her inseparable tablet, wearing a worn-out sweatshirt that Jodie recognizes as her own. Her completely tousled hair gives her such a sexy air that the cleaner wants to pounce on her like a panther in heat, and when Katherine notices she's awake, watching her, Jodie's core decides to act on its own and moistens without her being able to help it.
"Good morning," Katherine says, and a telling smile appears on her face.
"Good morning, did you sleep well?" Jodie responds, moistening her lips.
Katherine's smile widens as she puts the tablet aside to move closer to Jodie. The kiss is nothing more than a greeting between two lovers who see each other again after a night of passion that felt more like affection than lust.
"Very well," says the owner of the Mallois hotel. "I thought I'd have trouble falling asleep, but honestly, I don't even remember when I dozed off."
Jodie smiles and lets her gaze wander over her companion's face. Today, Katherine Taylor seems more beautiful than ever.
"Sorry I took your sweatshirt, but I got up to use the bathroom and was a bit cold," Katherine says when Jodie caresses her neck and then runs her hand over the fabric.
"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 it comes 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 in several 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.
When they arrive at the place, Katherine is still on the phone and doesn't hang up until they enter the venue, decorated in a discrete but elegant manner. When they pass to the kitchen area, a boy dressed in white with long hair tied in a ponytail organizes some vegetables on the table with a concentrated expression, but as soon as he hears the click of Katherine's heels, he raises his head and observes the two women.
"Hi, I'm Donald," the young man says, approaching them and extending a hand to greet Katherine. "You must be Mrs. Taylor."
"And this is Jodie Sinclair," Katherine responds after shaking Donald's hand.
"If you tell me what you had planned, Donald, we'll get started with the food right away. By my calculations," Jodie looks at her watch, "we only have four hours to get the service out."
Katherine has to disguise her smile of genuine pleasure. She had noticed some nervousness in Jodie, but it has completely disappeared to let in this woman who she now knows is a force to be reckoned with.
"I'll be back at lunchtime," she whispers, and the blonde leaves because she needs to go to the Magnolis to check on the final touches that remain.
Time flies for Jodie, she feels in her element, comfortable giving orders in the kitchen and head-deep in cooking. Donald has served as her right hand, and between the two of them, they've managed to finish cooking the menu that consisted of various appetizers and a main course. Fortunately, the service was for a small group because otherwise, it would have been impossible for the two people to handle it. A group of waiters comes in and out of the kitchen with plates for the diners until they're only waiting for the present guests to finish their desserts and finally clear everything.
"Chef, they're asking for you in the vault," a waitress tells Jodie, and seeing her confused face, the girl hurries to explain. "It's an office back there."
Jodie nods and thanks her. She dries her hands with a cloth and walks nervously to the place, uncertain of what she'll find. As soon as she knocks twice on the door and enters, her eyes light up; Katherine Taylor is seated and in front of her are two empty plates and a wine glass.
"Come here," the Mallois owner asks, and Jodie obeys.
"I didn't know you'd arrived."
"A while ago, but you were finishing up some plates and I didn't want to disturb you," Katherine answers and gestures for Jodie to sit on her lap. "Congratulations, chef, the food was exquisite and from what I've heard, the diners think the same."
Katherine kisses her, so slowly that Jodie feels she might melt on her lap. There's no sexuality in the kiss, there's pride and an affection that seems inexplicable, but it's there and impossible to ignore.
"I'd like us to have the conversation in my penthouse, what do you think?" Katherine asks when the kiss ends and runs her thumb over Jodie's lip to wipe away the traces of saliva she left.
"Yes, but I need to finish the service," Jodie answers, looking into her eyes, "until we're done here I can't leave."
Katherine nods, unable to reproach her anything, she's equally responsible with her work.
"I'll tell Mike to pick you up when you let me know."