Devour Me (Master Chefs Series #1) (15 page)

“I
don’t know,” Taryn said.

“Maybe
this will help.” 

He
turned the tool upward and Taryn immediately felt its sharp point. Not the
sharpness of a knife, but the pointed end of…?  She couldn’t quite imagine. 
Several times Errol rolled it from its rounded outer edge to the point and back
to the rounded edge again.

“Now?”

She
shook her head. “It almost feels heart shaped.”

With
a light touch, he trailed the point up the inner thigh of the leg that was pulled
up to the side of the sofa. Slowly, he introduced the tool to her moistened
lips.

“Errol?” 
Though strongly aroused, she feared his next move.

“Let
go and trust me,” he whispered. “I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you.”

He
gently nudged the tool in.  It was wider, broader, bigger than she’d initially
thought.  Licking her lips, she surrendered to the odd yet pleasurable
sensations the strange tool brought her.

Errol
pulled it out, ran it along her lips then returned to push it in a little
deep.  With a gentle hand he rotated the implement inside her.  She felt the
workings of the ridges, the ebb and flow of pressure.  Still rotating, he
repeatedly pushed it in further then brought it out.

Surprised
by how much pleasure the strange instrument brought her, she raised her hip to
meet it with greater force.

“Don’t
move,” Errol ordered.

Using
every ounce of restraint, she remained still, losing herself in the solitary
sensation of his tool.

“And
if we add this?”

Something
warm, moist and gently firm brushed along her lips just outside the rotating
ridges inside. Errol’s lips and tongue were on her, while he continually
plunged into her with the instrument.

“Damn
it, Errol,” she cried out. She tugged at her wrists as the strength of the intense
oncoming orgasm nearly tore her apart.

“Go
ahead,” Errol whispered.  “I want to see.”

The
brushing motions along her lips quickened as did the spinning inside.

As
her orgasm took hold of her entire body, she arched her back, opened her eyes
wide under the veil of cheesecloth and let out an inhuman cry.

Chapter 16

“
I
told you, Taryn,” Errol said as he brought
four freshly pressed shirts to the open suitcase on the bed.  “I have to meet
with my producer.”

“Last
night it was all about teaching me the use of every kitchen utensil imaginable
and now you're off to God knows where.”  She idly spun the lemon reamer he’d
used on her the night before between her fingers.

He
shot a glance at the tool.  “I’d wash that before using it if I were you, and
be careful.”

Disgruntled,
she tossed it on the bed beside her.  It landed next to the plastic pastry
brush he’d so artfully used along with the reamer.  “You never mentioned this
meeting before.”

“There
are a lot of things I don’t mention.”  He grabbed some socks and underwear out
of a drawer and dumped them in the suitcase.

“How
long will you be gone?”

“Two
or three days.  Four tops.”

“Why
can’t I go with you?”

He
glared at her.  “Don’t turn into that girl, Taryn.”

Pouting,
she looked at him.  “What girl?”

“Needy
and whiny.”  He shut the suitcase.  “Besides, you have schoolwork to keep you
busy.”

“Does
this have anything to do with Xaviera?”

“No.”

“She
must have been exciting to be with.”

He
gazed at her. Clearly he wanted to put an end to the conversation.

“I
mean, the woman positively oozes eroticism.”

“Yes.”

“And
I’m just…”  She let the statement hang in the air, hoping he’d reassure her.

“I’m
here with you now, aren’t I?”

“Yes,
but…”

He
snickered and shook his head.  “Taryn, Xaviera was a thrill for a minute or
so.  I’ll admit I like things a little wild and kinky, but she brought kinky to
a whole other level; a level I had no interest in.”

“So,
you’re not running off to…?”

“You’ll
see for yourself when you go to school tomorrow and see her in class.” He
clipped his suitcase shut, picked it up and leaned over to kiss her, entwining
his tongue with hers. His free hand grabbed hold of her cheeks and pulled her
in closer, his mouth devouring hers.

She
kissed him back just as passionately, wanting to show him how much she wanted
him, how she should be the only woman for him. She grabbed his hair and tugged
him closer to her, kissing him deeply, while her other hand found the front of
his pants and slipped inside to grab hold of his hard erection.

She
ran her fingers up and down his shaft, circling the tip and pulling on it. She
heard Errol groan, “Taryn, where have you been hiding this minx?”

“Shhh…”
Taryn said and went down on her knees, unzipped Errol’s pants, and pulled out
his massive length. What would it be to taste him, to completely devour him?
She looked up into Errol’s eyes from where she was posed in front of his
hard-on, and took him all in while keeping her eyes on his.

He
closed his eyes, arching his back, dropping the suitcase to the ground, as he
gently pulled Taryn’s head closer, guiding her. She took him in with relish,
sucking and licking him until he shuddered.

“Taryn,”
he groaned. “You are the most beautiful and sexiest creature…” He pulled her up
and turned her around, pushing her panties down. “You’ve no need to feel so
insecure about yourself.” He drove his hard-on deep into her, she buckled
forward. His hands gripped her waist, and he plunged into her harder and
faster. Within minutes, she cried out her climax while he groaned his shortly
after. “No woman,” Errol said between breaths, “should feel insecure, if she
can make me want to fuck so hard and come so hard like you do.”

*****

The
next day, he was right.  Xaviera was there, all breasts and hips and sultry
lips.  As she stood at the head of the class watching her students file in, she
absentmindedly played with the long chain that dangled between her breasts.

The
briefest scathing glance shot at Taryn told her it would be another long and
excruciating hour in the presence of Errol’s ex.

“Buddy
up with me,” Henri said when they were given the task of making a trio of
pastries.

Trying
to avoid looking at Xaviera, Taryn took care of the
petits choux
while
Henri worked on the chocolte
éclairs
.  Together they made the perfect
batch of
mille feuilles.

“Nervous?”
Henri asked when Taryn dropped a wooden spoon for the third time.

Madame
X had begun to circulate around the room, taking notes, making comments,
tasting, poking and prodding the various pastries.  She was headed their way
and Taryn anticipated the comments to come.

“
C’est
beau
,” she said as she picked up and examined one of Henri’s perfect
éclairs
. 
She picked up the
milles feuilles
and squeezed until the custard spilled
out.

Taryn
held her breath. What would the witch have to say about her
petit chou?

“See,”
Henri said when Xaviera ignored the little pastry and walked on to the next
team.  “You got all worked up for nothing.”

“Yeah,”
Taryn said with a shrug.  “Who knew indifference could be so pleasant.”

He
grinned and leaned in closer.  “You need to cut loose a bit. A few of us are
meeting for a few drinks after class.  Why don’t you come?”

Taryn
considered his tempting invitation.  Since all her free time was spent with
Errol, she hardly knew any of the students in her classes.  Going out and
getting to know people could do her some good, she thought.  Besides, with
Errol gone she was all alone in the apartment and it would be a long, dreary
night.

The
class let out and Taryn sighed her relief.  Another day in the presence of
Madame X that she could cross off her calendar.  After cleaning up and dumping
off her apron, she followed Henri out of the Institute.  The sun was warm
despite the cool chill in the air.

“It’s
just around the block.”

They
arrived at the small and intimate establishment, peeked inside and waved their
presence to the waiter before choosing a little table set up outside on the
sidewalk. Henri ordered a bottle of wine and, while he didn’t have Errol’s
degree of worldliness and finesse, he had a quiet and reserved confidence she
liked.

“Where
is everyone?” Taryn asked.  She peered down the street in the direction they’d
come from and couldn’t recognize any of the people walking by.

Henri
shifted a moment then turned to the waiter who had him taste the first glass of
wine. He nodded his acceptance and the waiter bowed his retreat. Henri swirled
the ruby red wine around in his glass and grinned.

“They’re
not coming, are they?” Taryn said.

He
shook his head.  “Sorry. I should have come straight out and said I wanted to
have a drink with you.”

Smiling,
she raised her glass. “Well, you got me here, and I’m happy to have a drink
with you.”

“So
you forgive my faux pas.  I’m not used to this.”

She
took a sip of wine and nodded. She liked his frank honesty. “To tell you the
truth, it’s kind of cute. I mean, it’s cool that you don’t have an established
pick up line or two.”

Cocking
his head to the side, he laughed.  “I never was that cool guy who had it easy
with the ladies.”

“Yet,
you're so adorably handsome.”

He
blushed and Taryn wanted to laugh. He was refreshing in every way.

“You
like?” Henri asked as he held up his glass of wine.

Though
her knowledge of wine was definitely lacking, she’d recently become accustomed to
very fine wines with Errol. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but there
was a lack in depth of flavor that left her a little flat.  “It’s good,” she
said all the same.  No doubt the bottle had cost a fraction of the price Errol
paid, but she was touched by Henri’s eagerness to please.

For
a few moments they sat in silence, watching passers-by who hurried to run
errands, rush to get home, or simply stroll amidst the bistros and shops.

“Is
the Institute everything you thought it would be?”  Taryn finally asked.

“It’s
certainly a lot more work than I would have thought, but I’m looking forward to
learning to work with ingredients I’m not used to.  I think that will be the
next lesson.  What about you?”

“I’ve
enjoyed every single second so far and…”

“Really?
You didn’t seem to be enjoying yourself yesterday.”

“Ah,
yes.  Madame X.”  Taryn shook her head and chuckled. “What a number.  It’s hard
to believe she teaches pastry making when you look at how she fills out a
dress.  She’s probably never eaten anything she’s made. I mean, did you see
that itsy bitsy tiny waist.  I could probably wrap my hands around it.”

Henri
laughed. “She certainly is… interesting.”

“I
guess… if you like that sort of thing.”

“Don’t
let her get to you.”

“I’m
trying.” Exasperated by the thought of Xaviera, Taryn felt the temperature
rise.  She rolled up her sleeves and sought to change the subject.  Anything
was better than talking about her tormentor.  “How are you coming along on that
menu assignment?”

They’d
all been asked to create a full six-course dinner.  Every course had to be
original and creative.

“I’m
having trouble with the main course,” he admitted.  His gaze dipped down to her
forearm.

Taryn
followed his gaze, saw the red welt and quickly brought her sleeve back down.

Henri
reached across the table and slipped his finger under the cuff of her shirt. 
“I’d always heard the Institute was rough.  I knew I’d have a lot of hard work
ahead of me and that it wouldn’t be easy.  I’d also heard of the tyrant Chef
King could be at times.”

Casting
her gaze aside, Taryn swallowed.  “Easy and permissive teachers only breed
mediocrity.”

“I’ve
also heard a lot about Mr. Kings personal preferences,” Henri went on.  “He
likes things rough.”

Taryn
said nothing as she picked up her glass and took a sip.

“He
gets pleasure out of bringing pain…”

“I
thought you wanted to have a drink to discuss school, cooking, anything other
than a teacher’s personal life.”  While her defenses had gone up on the inside,
she managed to speak with surprising calm and poise.  The words almost sounded
light and amused as they floated in the air.

“Taryn,
I just think you should know…”

She
pulled her hand away and pressed her lips tightly together.

“If
he’s already playing this rough with you, don’t think it’ll get easier.  He’ll
want it rougher and more brutal.  It’s no secret what he’ll…”

She
cocked an annoyed brow and immediately regretted it.  She knew he meant well. 
“Look, Henri, I’m a big girl.  Don’t worry about me.  After all, I’m a New
Yorker.  I know rough.”

“Fine,
but I think you should know one last thing about Chef King. His lovers never last
longer than a month or two. It’s already been how long for you?”

Her
mind and body went numb as his words sank in.  She wanted to argue, to tell him
he had no idea what he was talking about.  But it made so much sense.  How much
longer could they go on like this?  How much longer before he grew bored of
her?

How
long before he went off looking for a new toy?

Chapter 17

T
aryn sat in the passenger seat of Henri’s car,
taking in the beauty of the lush countryside far outside Paris. They’d already
been driving for almost four hours and she still gasped with awe as the beauty
took her breath away.