Chapter Thirty-Seven
Ruby
Another day at the cookery school is another opportunity to get as close to Garett as I can.
A group of women have chatted him up all day. It was a hen do cocktail-making and cake-baking class, and they arrived drunk and moaning about how cold it was. What did they expect in mid-December? They heckled me through my cocktail demonstrations, and now they’re finding ways to touch Garett as he walks around their benches. He stifles a yawn. He’s done that throughout this class. His hair is messy from how many times he’s shoved his hand through it.
One lady sips her cocktail while staring at Garett over her glass. She flutters her eyelashes. I’ve put up with it all day, and this is the last ten minutes of the class while they decorate their cakes. “So tell me, Chef Garett, do you give instructions in other places, too?”
Garett furrows his brows. “I often tell my dog what to do.”
“Is your dog a good girl for you, Garett?”
I let out my hair before retying it. He likes it when I do that but is too busy to notice. My blood boils as I rip into the chocolate bar he left for me when he came in this morning. He keeps bringing me treats. He probably got it because he was late today. He hasn’t explained why he was late or tired, and not knowing kills me.
“Well, he’s a boy, so no.”
“I have a dog, too. If she’s well-behaved, what would you say?”
“I’d tell her she was a good girl for me.” His head wrinkles because his eyebrows are so knotted. I know he’s not flirting back, but the fucking jealousy monster is jabbing me.
Within seconds, I’ve destroyed the chocolate bar. It’s given me no comfort. Garett and the woman continue chatting. I huff loudly. I’m being unfair, as he’s not into whatever that woman is doing.
My knuckles are white where I grip the countertop. Since he pretended to be my fake boyfriend, he’s been distracted when we’re together. We’ve laughed and baked, but he’s hiding something. We haven’t had sex since that last night, and as much I know it was incredible for both of us, a voice still niggles me that maybe he doesn’t want to repeat it because I was terrible. Spending time with him has lessened my anxiety about Clive Macdonald’s competition, even though there are ten days to go, but I’m anxious about Garett instead.
“Say good girl again.”
Now she’s stroking his forearms. They’re my forearms.
I storm over. Everyone’s staring at me, including Wicksy and Kath. I yank Garett down to my level by grabbing his shirt collar. “You only use those words on me,” I grunt before kissing him with every ounce of neediness that’s brewed in me since our night together.
At first, his hands falter, but then one hand presses against my back while the other thrusts into my hair, pulling the elastic out. His tongue presses my lips open, and I taste the spiced orange from the mocktail I gave him. Orange and cinnamon with a rosemary fizz. He tastes of all the best Christmases, and I take the kiss deeper. His hand on my back presses me closer, and it’s all I can do not to grind against him.
The woman flirting with him huffs and moans about unprofessionalism, making me pull back. “That’s my good girl,” he growls in my ear as I push away from his chest.
“I’ve got to go.” I rush to the exit, shoving my hair back into a messy bun. That woman was right. I was unprofessional. “Don’t say a word,” I snap at Wicksy and Kath.
Kath’s sneaky smile makes it worse as I push through the glass doors. I haven’t got a coat or my car keys.
I don’t own Garett. We’re not a couple. My anger only warms me for so long, and soon I’m shivering.
Voices herald that the women are leaving the cookery school. I sneak across the frost-covered ground to hide from them, and my shame combines with cold as the shivers become full-on shakes.
“How embarrassing was that woman?” one of the hens says. I recognise her voice from when she was chatting up Garett. “Who does that in the middle of a cookery class? I’m going to give them a low rating online.”
My heart sinks. This was why I avoided letting my feelings spill over into the business.
The future bride, who wasn’t flirting with Garett, replies, “They’re obviously dating. I’d have done the same if you were flirting with my man, Caroline. Don’t you dare give them a low rating. Honestly, it makes me want to give them a higher rating. I’m heading home to jump my man’s bones and feed him cake.”
The rest of the hens cackle. I release a quiet breath. Thank God for brides. Their cars disappear into the darkness, but I still hide. I can’t go back in and face the team, especially not Garett. I lick my lips. I can still taste the orange cocktail. I still want him. It never stops. And I can’t forget that he called me his good girl. Fuck, I felt that between my thighs.
“Rubes,” Garett calls out in the darkness. There’s a worry in his voice, and I flatten myself against the wall. If I’m stealthy, he’ll give up. The light from a phone falls on my body. “Baby, if you’re going to hide, maybe don’t do it so close to the front door.”
“You’re teasing gets old quickly,” I reply frostily, but it comes out jumbled as my teeth chatter.
“You’re cold. Why are you out here? You’ll get ill, and you can’t get ill now.” I don’t know if he’s referring to the busyness of the cookery school, the competition, or Christmas being nearly here. “Come here,” he says softly, opening his coat.
I sigh as I slip inside and against his chest as he wraps it around me. He smells glorious as always, and the warmth instantly heats my body. “You brought a coat.” My words are muffled against his chest, but he understands me.
“I didn’t know how long I’d have to search for you.”
That hits my chest like lightning. I hold my breath. He was willing to search for a while. This relationship will destroy me if I let it, yet I snuggle closer and breathe him in again. I get on my tiptoes, and he leans down and brushes my lips with his. “I’m sorry for the way I acted.”
“It doesn’t matter, Rubes. I’m sorry for being weird with you over the last weeks.”
“I thought you didn’t want to sleep with me again.”
“It’s all I’ve thought about. That night was the best I’d ever had, but I’ve had stuff going on in my head, and I wanted to give you the best version of me.”
I can’t tell if he’s lying. I hate that Neil made it harder to trust. Garett kisses me again, stilling my fears. It’s soft and gentle, but then, desire kicks in, and his hands are holding me close as he sucks my lip and takes control.
“Can we stay late and maybe use the hideaway?” I’m breathless and trembling from the kiss.
“Not tonight. I’ve got plans, but I must take you to the wine warehouse first. That okay?”
“Sure.” Disappointment threads through my body like his hands thread through my hair as he kisses me again. I whimper into his mouth.
“Night, you two,” Kath shouts as she leaves the cookery school. The door bangs. Wicksy can’t be far behind her as his chuckles carry on the wind.
“I’m comforting her,” Garett grunts.
“Of course you are. The best kind of comfort, mate,” Wicksy replies with a snigger.
I bury my face against Garett’s chest. He pulls my hair out of its elastic and plays with it. “Don’t worry. I’ve told them not to say anything.” He softens my fears even when I don’t share them.
But the idea that my family might find out still terrifies me, and I pull back. “Cool. Thanks. Right, let’s get to the warehouse, as I have a date with my bullet vibrator tonight.”
My joke elicits a growl from his chest that makes me hornier.
Fucking Garett and his fucking plans.