fine.” She opened the door for him.
“See you in a bit.” He stepped out and let her close the door.
She released the breath she’d been holding. Right. So she was freaking out. Just a little. She knew she was overreacting, but she needed to sort out her thoughts. There was no way she was going to lose herself in another relationship again. She hadn’t planned on ever going out with someone else after Richard. Daniel had managed to break down that barrier, quickly. He’d found a chink in her armor and blown it apart. She just hadn’t realized how far he’d made it through until now.
That he’d done it so easily made her edgy.
She did her best to ignore the voice in her head that told her to stop fighting it. Instead, she drowned it out by cleaning up the meal they’d forgotten about then stepped into the shower. When she got out, she found a half dozen texts from Jason asking her to check on the beach restaurant and to try to convince Daniel and Marco to put together a romantic meal for two that he needed set up within the next few hours.
It wouldn’t be too hard to convince either of them, she was sure. They would do anything for Cara. Not only was she a stellar boss, but she was a great person too. She couldn’t think of anyone who would say no to her.
She quickly sent Daniel a text with Jason’s request and pulled on some clothes.
* * * *
At the restaurant, Chelsea walked into the kitchen to find Daniel and Marco already working on the meal. Daniel nodded when he saw her. “Jason texted me to say they would be here in a couple of hours.”
“Good of him to give you a heads-up.”
Her sarcasm was lost as he juggled the different elements he had going.
Chelsea knew that look on his face and that it was best to stay out of his way while he did his thing.
Watching them was hypnotic, Daniel even more so. Witnessing him chop and stir, swapping between stations swiftly, easily, in perfect control of everything around him made her panties wet. And that was before imagining what the combination of that control and those hands could do to her.
Chelsea stepped back against the wall for support. Daniel seemed content to speak only to direct Marco. That was, until the other man left the room.
“So what happened this morning?”
It took her a second to realize that he was talking to her. “Huh?”
He spared her a glance. “You completely shut down on me this morning.”
Yeah she had, and he’d obviously noticed. “I guess I was just tired.” Chelsea smiled at him. “We haven’t gotten much sleep lately. It’s catching up with me.”
He seemed content with her answer and finished the dishes, plating them and packaging up for transport. “Is the other restaurant ready?”
She nodded. “I called them to check on the way over. Everything is good to go. We just have to get over there and stage the whole thing.”
“I hope Cara and Jason appreciate all the work you’re putting into this.”
What a weird thing for him to say. “Of course they do.” And if they didn’t, what did it have to do with him?
Another shrug from him. “Grab that wine, will you?”
Chelsea did as she’d been told, collecting candlesticks, cutlery, plates, glasses, a centerpiece, stuck them in a basket and followed him out. “I’ll just let Marco know we’re leaving.”
He stopped and turned to her. “We won’t be long. Don’t bother.”
With an exasperated sigh, she quickened her pace to catch up. “What is it with you two? Why do you hate each other so much?”
He ignored her question. “Are we taking your car?”
Considering she’d never seen him with a car she said, “Yes.”
She led the way and opened the passenger door for him. There wasn’t enough room for his legs as well as the tray.
He looked at her with a small smile. “Why don’t I drive?”
“Sure. You know the way.” She got in the car, placed the basket on the floor between her feet and traded him the trays for the keys
“See you in a bit.” He stepped out and let her close the door.
She released the breath she’d been holding. Right. So she was freaking out. Just a little. She knew she was overreacting, but she needed to sort out her thoughts. There was no way she was going to lose herself in another relationship again. She hadn’t planned on ever going out with someone else after Richard. Daniel had managed to break down that barrier, quickly. He’d found a chink in her armor and blown it apart. She just hadn’t realized how far he’d made it through until now.
That he’d done it so easily made her edgy.
She did her best to ignore the voice in her head that told her to stop fighting it. Instead, she drowned it out by cleaning up the meal they’d forgotten about then stepped into the shower. When she got out, she found a half dozen texts from Jason asking her to check on the beach restaurant and to try to convince Daniel and Marco to put together a romantic meal for two that he needed set up within the next few hours.
It wouldn’t be too hard to convince either of them, she was sure. They would do anything for Cara. Not only was she a stellar boss, but she was a great person too. She couldn’t think of anyone who would say no to her.
She quickly sent Daniel a text with Jason’s request and pulled on some clothes.
* * * *
At the restaurant, Chelsea walked into the kitchen to find Daniel and Marco already working on the meal. Daniel nodded when he saw her. “Jason texted me to say they would be here in a couple of hours.”
“Good of him to give you a heads-up.”
Her sarcasm was lost as he juggled the different elements he had going.
Chelsea knew that look on his face and that it was best to stay out of his way while he did his thing.
Watching them was hypnotic, Daniel even more so. Witnessing him chop and stir, swapping between stations swiftly, easily, in perfect control of everything around him made her panties wet. And that was before imagining what the combination of that control and those hands could do to her.
Chelsea stepped back against the wall for support. Daniel seemed content to speak only to direct Marco. That was, until the other man left the room.
“So what happened this morning?”
It took her a second to realize that he was talking to her. “Huh?”
He spared her a glance. “You completely shut down on me this morning.”
Yeah she had, and he’d obviously noticed. “I guess I was just tired.” Chelsea smiled at him. “We haven’t gotten much sleep lately. It’s catching up with me.”
He seemed content with her answer and finished the dishes, plating them and packaging up for transport. “Is the other restaurant ready?”
She nodded. “I called them to check on the way over. Everything is good to go. We just have to get over there and stage the whole thing.”
“I hope Cara and Jason appreciate all the work you’re putting into this.”
What a weird thing for him to say. “Of course they do.” And if they didn’t, what did it have to do with him?
Another shrug from him. “Grab that wine, will you?”
Chelsea did as she’d been told, collecting candlesticks, cutlery, plates, glasses, a centerpiece, stuck them in a basket and followed him out. “I’ll just let Marco know we’re leaving.”
He stopped and turned to her. “We won’t be long. Don’t bother.”
With an exasperated sigh, she quickened her pace to catch up. “What is it with you two? Why do you hate each other so much?”
He ignored her question. “Are we taking your car?”
Considering she’d never seen him with a car she said, “Yes.”
She led the way and opened the passenger door for him. There wasn’t enough room for his legs as well as the tray.
He looked at her with a small smile. “Why don’t I drive?”
“Sure. You know the way.” She got in the car, placed the basket on the floor between her feet and traded him the trays for the keys
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