Bachelor's Special (6 page)

The doorbell rang, washing the tension from the room. She glanced at the clock. Punctual guests.

Chet moved toward the arch, stopping before he made his way to the foyer. His aftershave wafted around her, the subtleness overpowering the food aromas filling the kitchen. “If you change your mind about dinner, throw an extra place setting on the table.”

“Thanks. I will.” She smiled. Not a chance.
Danger, Will Robinson, danger.
Keep as far away from this man as possible.
His hotness would be the death of her.

Chapter Eight

“Grab a jacket. We’re taking the night off.” Chet’s smile spread wide as he burst through the door after work two nights later.

Jill caught her breath, the knife in her hand stopped mid chop against the edge of an onion. “What are you talking about?”

Chet grabbed her light jacket that hung inside the closet by the garage entrance and held it out toward her, shaking it slightly so that she’d step it up. “Come on, let’s go. I’m starving.”

“But dinner is almost done.” Even as she said the words, she put the knife down and let him slip her coat up over her arms. He pulled it securely around her shoulders and turned her toward the door.

“You’re not getting out of it. Tonight we’re both going to relax and enjoy a night out. I deserve a break, and you deserve to eat something you haven’t had to prepare.”

“Really? I mean, I’m making Cobb salad. Nothing fancy. We can easily eat in.” Jill loved the fact that he wanted to give her a night off by taking her out, but she didn’t want to cross the boss-employee line. Could they go out as just friends?

“Come on, Jill, I know what you’re thinking.”

“Oh, really?” She halted their trek to turn toward him. No way could he guess her thoughts.

“You think you shouldn’t eat out with me because you’re just the cook.” He challenged her by placing his hands on his hips, lifting one perfect brow.

Jill sighed, and then laughed. “Not exactly, but close enough.”

“Come on. It’s nothing fancy. I’m feeling like a big, sloppy burger from The Burger Bar. You in?”

Less than an hour later Jill sat in a booth across from Chet beneath a dimly lit pendant light. The swirled red and white of the glass emitted tiny patterns that danced along the surface of their wooden table. The restaurant’s décor was intimate casual. Cozy wooden booths with red vinyl seats lined the wall around the entire establishment, and round tables with red and white checkered tablecloths filled the center of the room. Jill rolled her shoulders in an effort to relax.

“I can’t believe you’ve never eaten here.” Chet grabbed two menus from the iron rack against the wall of their booth and slid one toward her. “They make the best burgers.”

Jill opened her menu, scanning the various burgers offered. “Burgers are easy, Chet. I make my own.”

He rolled his eyes. “Not tonight. Tonight you experiment with something you’ve probably never thought about cooking. You’re going to let someone else take over in the kitchen and have some fun and relax.”

She grinned. “What do you recommend?”

“I’m partial to the Juicy Lucy, or if I’m in need of something sweet you can’t beat the Luther burger.”

Jill ran her finger the length of the menu until she found the Luther burger. “You’re kidding me? A burger made with a grilled glazed donut in place of the bun. Ick.”

Chet chuckled. “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.”

The thought of it made her stomach sour. “I’ll stick to my original cheeseburger with tomato, lettuce, onion, and mayo.” She folded her menu shut.

He slid his opened menu around until it faced her. “No way. You can’t come to The Burger Bar without trying something new. Come on,” he teased, lifting the menu and dancing it in front of her face. “Be adventurous.”

Jill pushed the menu away, laughing at the playful expression filling Chet’s face. His lips twitched, his eyes sparkled, and his good mood jumped off him to envelop her. Why not? Why couldn’t they eat out and have some fun. She’d been so focused on her problems the last year, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been out and just let herself get caught up in the moment without worrying about tomorrow.

“Are you feeling spicy, sweet, double the meat including bacon? They got whatever you’re craving.”

He practically drooled as he talked, and she couldn’t control her laughter. She studied the menu, her mouth watering as she read the descriptions on the menu. “What are you getting?”

“I’ve had them all, but my favorite is the Juicy Lucy.”

“The one where they seam together two patties with piles of cheese between them?”

“The best.” Chet licked his lips. “Of course the Mexican burger is another favorite, but you’ll need lots to drink to keep down the fire. I also think you might like to try—”

“Hold up, I don’t think you can actually choose a favorite.”

Chet flew the flimsy napkin airplane he’d made toward her and grinned. “I think you might be right.”

His boyish charm melted her reserve. She picked up the napkin and tossed it back in his direction, hitting him on the forehead. Jill liked their playfulness. A night as friends wasn’t as difficult as she’d anticipated. Of course, Chet made having fun easy.

The waitress appeared and placed two glasses of ice water before them. “Hey, Chet, you want the usual, or do you want to try Jeff’s special? He’s experimenting, and if it goes well he’ll be adding this new burger to the menu.”

“Details, Carrie?”

Jill got caught up in the laughter as Carrie dished out the ingredients for Jeff’s latest creation and Chet rubbed his stomach, teasing Carrie with outrageous questions.

“Stop it, Chet. If you get me laughing too much Jeff is going to think we’re making fun of his cooking.” Carrie cleared her throat, trying to look serious. “Now let me finish, after all of the normal burger fixins’, he tops it off with coleslaw, French fries, and three onion rings before putting on the top bun.” Carrie pulled her pencil from behind her ear, raising her brow in question for their orders.

“I’ll take it.” Chet snapped his menu closed.

“What about you?” Carrie smiled at Jill. “If this is your first time here, I recommend the Juicy Lucy. It’s worth the mess.”

“Let’s do it.” Jill closed her menu and grabbed Chet’s to put them both back in the rack.

Carrie made off with their orders, returning minutes later with the two chocolate shakes Chet insisted on and a caddy filled with extra condiments.

Jill flicked her finger along the edge of the whipped topping on her shake and savored the taste. “While we have a minute, I’d like to discuss the dinner party next week.”

Chet lifted his hand to stop her. “Not tonight. Tonight, let’s just have fun. I had a rough day at work, you’ve been tied to the kitchen all week. We both need to relax.”

“I can handle that.” Jill sank back into her seat. She lifted her shake and took a long draw on the straw. “Mmm. If their shake is anything to go by, their burgers are going to be out of this world.”

“You have no idea, Jill. Be prepared to use two hands and at least five napkins. And be prepared fast because here comes our food.”

Jill swallowed hard as she looked at the huge burger front and center on her plate. “I’m not sure I can eat half of that, let alone squishing it down flat enough to take a bite.”

Chet laughed. “I know you’ll give it your best shot.”

“Well, failure isn’t an option, is it?” Jill chuckled and made a show of stretching out her arms and flexing her fingers. “Wish me luck.”

“Luck.”

Jill picked up her burger and bit down into the soft bun and juicy meat. She couldn’t stop herself from chewing and laughing at the same time as she reached for a handful of napkins to wipe up the massive amount of cheese oozing from the center of the burger and working its way down her chin.

“I knew you could do it. What do you think?” Chet asked around his laughter.

“I think the Juicy Lucy has a new fan.” She peeled back the top of the bun, squirted on a mound of mustard, and dove in for another taste.

“Next time you’ll have to try the Mexican burger.”

“I’m game. Aren’t you going to try yours?” She dropped her burger onto her plate and opened one of the many wet napkins Carrie had piled on the table. Jill cleaned her fingers before grabbing a fry.

Chet pressed down the center of his bun with his palm. Before he lifted his burger, he reached across the table to take her hand in his. “Thanks, Jill.”

“For what?”

“For coming out with me tonight. I really needed to forget about work.”

Jill didn’t want to press for details and spoil the mood. Her feet did a happy dance beneath the table, and she squeezed his fingers before pulling away. “I’m glad you asked.”

Ah, Sunday
. A day of relaxation by the pool. Jill floated on the blow-up raft, the glaring pink plastic a startling contrast to the blue water. She wiggled her fingertips in the cool water, a humid breeze blew across her skin, and the scorching sun beat down on her flesh. Life couldn’t be any better.

She adjusted her oversized pink sunglasses and closed her eyes. Birds chirped in the background and the wind danced along the trees, rustling the leaves, a calming sound. In the distance a well-tuned lawnmower buzzed, and she inhaled deep, hoping to catch the scent of freshly cut grass. Nope, must be too far away. There were no neighbors nearby, so Chet’s groundskeeper must be working a distant section. Though she’d never laid eyes on the person in charge of yard upkeep, it had to be a full-time job.

“You look like a fifties ad for a pool installation company.”

Her heart jumped to her throat, but she swallowed it down and lifted her glasses to peer out from beneath them.

Chet—shirtless no less. Damn. His broad chest filled her vision. She lingered over his well-defined pecs, which flexed whenever he moved. His biceps bulged as he gripped each end of the towel flung around his neck.

Hadn’t his calendar noted he’d be gone today? They had a great time eating out as friends, but she didn’t want to tempt fate and had avoided him the last couple of days.

“I thought your family had their Sunday lunch?” Her smile held steady, but her heart wasn’t so easy to control.

“Canceled. Jared and Mel planned a company picnic for his Castle Real Estate employees and he forgot to tell Mom, so we’ll meet up next week.”

For some reason it fit her tidy picture of Chet to think of him as an enigma unto himself, an only child. Even thinking of him having parents seemed odd. Someone so powerful was just placed on the planet, right?

They shared a smile again and her knees would’ve buckled if she hadn’t been lying back on her floaty chair.

“I still find it hard to believe the fashion-conscious, fast-talking, ditzy, redhead Melody is your friend.”

“Yep.” She grinned at his perfect description. “I can’t believe I didn’t make the connection between you and Jared the night we met.”

“Of course, I’m the better looking one.” He winked.

“Hands down.” Jill dropped her sunglasses back onto her nose. Had she said that aloud?

Her body hummed as his smile wavered. Although he wore sunglasses, she’d bet her last dollar his gaze swept across her chest, lingering on the betrayal of her pert nipples pushing against the fabric of her suit.

Until this moment, shyness had never been a trait she possessed. Air stalled in her lungs, her palms grew sweaty, and she itched to cover herself with a towel. Even though her replica vintage swimsuit hid more than most sets of women’s underwear, she felt too exposed. She turned to the side slightly and folded her legs up. Not that it helped, but it made her feel a bit less exposed.

Chet slid his feet from his sandals, brushing a hand through his hair. The heat from the sun wasn’t the only thing scorching her skin. She trickled several droplets of water over her arms, but she couldn’t drag her focus from his toned flesh.

Jill soaked in his ripped abs and the obvious package of goodies covered by his brown swimsuit—the same sexy brown as his hair. Damn, did a man have a right to fill out a pair of swimming trunks like that? Flecks of hair, just enough to give him a manly appeal, covered the etched muscles of his long, tan legs.

She licked her lips, hoping she could still speak. “Do you want some privacy?”
Yes, say yes.
She needed an excuse to make an escape without coming off like someone desperate to be making an exit.

…

Hell no, he didn’t want privacy. Through the shield of his sunglasses, he inspected her body from the tips of her pink-painted toenails to the top of her brightly flowered swimming cap. Did people still actually wear those things? “No, you look comfortable. Stay and enjoy the day.”

“Oh…are you sure?”

“Sure.”

Amazed at his own ability to talk without his tongue hitting the cement, Chet turned to throw his towel and sunglasses on a nearby lounge chair. Damn.

The red and white polka-dot halter-style suit featured a tight bodice, but her slender hips and shapely thighs hiding beneath a matching skirt grabbed his attention until all oxygen left his blood. Even showing less skin than the average girl on the beach, she far exceeded sexy and alluring.

Get a grip, Castle. She’s off limits, no matter how delectable.

He turned and stepped onto the diving board. He bounced along the surface as he made his way over the water. When he looked at Jill’s bathing cap covering her head, he held back his grin. The neon rubber flowers reminded him of something his grandmother would’ve worn, but there the similarity ended. Everything beneath that cap was far from making him think of Grandma.

When he hit the water, the coolness didn’t alleviate the heat coursing through his veins. Swimming beneath the surface, he made his way to her raft and flipped it over. He might be asking for trouble, but he didn’t care. Whatever sizzled between them wouldn’t be squashed. This attraction had grown out of control—and he hated and loved the pull she had over him at the same time. A little flirtatious play was allowed. After all, they were both of age.

They surfaced at the same time, laughing. He wrapped his arms around her waist. Hers clung to his shoulders, palms resting on his collarbone. She smelled of pool water and sunshine. For a brief moment he looked below the water’s surface at her sunglasses sinking to the bottom. He trailed one thumb across her eyes to clear away the water clinging to her lashes. She smiled up at him and that twinge—the one invading his groin with increasing frequency as of late—pushed against his swim trunks in force.

Together they bobbed in the deep end, their legs working beneath the water to keep them afloat. Her fingers moved along his collarbone to grip his shoulders, and he realized he’d just made a huge mistake.