Edible Espionage (10 page)

“Excellent. Meet me by Conference Room C.”

“If you want me to mess with the station, now’s the time.” Gavin paced at the foot of the bed, avoiding the bathroom door. If he continued to consider what was happening behind the door, he might break it down.

“No, we have this now and the recipes you sent yesterday. I’ve decided our win will be better if no one can talk about her station misbehaving.”

Gavin let out a slight breath of relief, grabbed the brown paper bag containing the secret ingredient, and headed to meet Lexington.

****

Sarah stepped off the elevator and fumbled with her key card.
Wine.
She blinked to focus.
I really need to break up with you, Vino.
She’d attended the meet and greet alone. Gavin had been MIA since they checked into the room and she’d taken a shower. She figured for sure he’d at least show up at the event for appearances. Wrong. Again.
I am so sick and tired of being wrong.
Her body couldn’t take much more, waiting and wanting his touch one moment, and being sick with disappointment the next. Worse yet? She wasn’t totally sure she would ever see him again. Standing her up at the competition had made its way on to the list of ways he could mess with her win.

In grown-up response to Gavin’s actions, or lack thereof, she’d knocked back one too many glasses of wine. Not too many to get sloppy, but enough to not care. After an hour, she’d switched herself to water, recognizing the numbness in her jaw, but the new fluids hadn’t kicked in yet.

She wobbled to the hotel room and steadied herself on the door frame. When the green light flashed, she pushed open the door. Sarah didn’t bother turning on one light. The glimmer from the full moon shone through the sheer curtains. The room smelled like Gavin’s spice scent.
Whatever, Gavin. You can take your perfect smile and piercing eyes and go to hell. I don’t need you. I’ve never needed a man before, and I certainly don’t now.
Sarah simmered on her anger as she shuffled around the clothes in her suitcase until she felt the silky material of her pajamas. Maybe she didn’t
need
him, but she sure as hell wanted him. Even with this asinine game they were playing—well the game she was winning because the poor schmuck had no idea she knew—she still wanted him. She craved him.
Good thing I can separate business and pleasure.
Her lie gave her resilience steam.

She stripped and replaced her clothes with the only light nightwear she’d packed. She laughed out loud as she turned to head toward the bathroom to brush her teeth before climbing into bed because that was probably the biggest lie she’d ever told herself.

****

Gavin stared and sipped his scotch as Sarah undressed. He really should’ve said something. Anything. But, just like in the van when he opened his mouth, nothing came out. He caught the whiff of sweet berries as she walked by him. She was drunk and he wasn’t feeling much pain himself.

After handing Mr. Lexington the secret ingredient, he couldn’t bear to see Sarah. He couldn’t look into her blue eyes, knowing he’d just betrayed her. She appeared at the schmooze fest, and he’d disappeared to numb his life with scotch. He lifted his glass to drain the liquid.
Take her in your arms and don’t let her go. She never has to know what you did.

“Holy hell!” Sarah screamed and jumped.

He set down his glass. Desire stirred in him…desire for her to be his. He took in her sexy silhouette…hair in a curly pony tail…her long legs. He stood and quickly moved toward her.

“Is this where you’ve been all night?”

The anger in her voice didn’t slow his steps. He knew she wanted him….knew she couldn’t resist him. His confidence might’ve been the scotch talking, but he went with it anyway.

She put her hands on her hips. “You could’ve at least made an appearance, ya know.”

Her words only beckoned him closer. Gavin cradled her face in his hands. He kissed her…deeply, longingly, holding nothing back.
I need you, Sarah.

She didn’t hesitate…the passion between them sparked with fury.

He held her tight, wanting to be closer, and inhaled her flower scent mixed with the berries of the wine. Laying her down on the bed, he didn’t let them separate. A soft moan followed each warm kiss he placed on her skin, and he paid close attention to where she melted. He needed to hear her moan.

****

Sarah’s head spun…the wine and Gavin consumed her. Gavin pushed every button of hers…he knew what she liked. Excitement flared deep inside at the unexpected turn of her night.
He’s here…he’s mine.
She wanted to compose herself, but all of her senses were tuned to him…they yelled for him. A small shudder ran down her spine as he kissed his way up her neck and met her mouth. She had to have all of him now…right now.

Chapter Eight: Your Cookies Suck

“Pastry chefs ready?” The host shouted into the microphone.

Sarah felt her body tense and she tried to relax, unsuccessfully. All of her practice was for this very moment. She bit into her lower lip as she gazed to her side where Gavin stood.

“Ready?” Gavin grabbed her hand.

Sensations from the night before washed over her like waves.
Calm yourself. Focus on baking. I need to win this.
She squeezed his hand and released it.
Do I trust him to help? Or is he playing games right now?

She turned to study him. His green gaze focused right back on her. In the background, she could hear Rick announcing the judges’ names and credentials.

“I’m here to help
you
,” Gavin said.

Is he reading my mind now?
Sarah successfully avoided a hangover by pounding water since her encounter with wine last night. The idea of explaining to Fi the reason she’d lost was because she got drunk the night before the competition made her shudder.

I can’t believe I slept with you.
Sarah didn’t break eye contact with Gavin.
Mind-blowing sex be dammed…take back your control, Sarah.

The loud buzzer signaled the start of the contest brought her back to reality. She took the recipe cards from her pink apron pocket and found the one marked “pear sea salt.”
Just like I practiced.
The other cards she returned to her apron for safe keeping.

Gavin stood beside her and read the card she set down on the table. “Is this what we’re making?” His brows furrowed.

“Surprised?” She couldn’t pass up the opportunity. She wanted him to know she’d beat him at his own game.

He cocked his head and squinted. “Should I be?”

“You tell me.”
This is the control I need. Keep it. This thing isn’t over yet. Dreams could still fall apart if I tell him. He’s not on your side. Close to the vest, Sarah, close to the vest.

He rubbed his hand over his clean-shaven chin. “Nope. Looks good. Let’s get to it.”

Confidence filled her as she grabbed her pink mixing bowl and Gavin lined up the ingredients next to the measuring cups. They worked efficiently as a team. Gavin knew what she needed when she needed it.

She baked three batches of cookies before deciding which ones to put on the pink Crazy for Cake plate for judging. The rules stated each contestant was to submit a baker’s dozen to the judges so the consistency could be rated, as well as the taste, texture, and creativity. Each category was worth five points, making each round worth twenty.

“Hey there. Crazy for Cake, how’s it going?”

Sarah looked up to see Marley in a light blue Trio Trifecta polo and silver khakis at her station. The light blue shirt made her big blue irises illuminate. “Hi, Marley. Things are perfect.” Sarah smiled and checked her watch. “Almost done.”
And with plenty of time
.

****

Gavin overheard Sarah talking with Marley.

“Oh, I
love
your hair.” The attractive redhead bounced one of Sarah’s curls in her hand.

“Thanks. I double bumped it.” The two laughed and kept talking.

Both women were good-looking. Marley stood shorter, with a nice rear, and was cute in an innocent way. A smile formed on Gavin’s lips as he focused on Sarah talking excitedly with her hands. She radiated passion.
Marley’s no Sarah.
Sarah was one of a kind and a spitfire guys probably hit on all the time. At the thought, he clenched his jaw and scrubbed the cookie sheet harder. The vision of another guy touching Sarah with his big nasty hands danced in his mind and his stomach started to knot. They weren’t good enough.

He was. He craved her and not just her touch…no, he craved
all
of her. He wanted to know about her day. He wanted to see the excitement for life in her eyes when she told him about a new recipe she’d perfected or the painting she’d just completed. He wanted a deeper connection with this woman.
Connections of that magnitude don’t lead anywhere good. They never have before. They won’t now.
He continued scrubbing the dishes, knowing the flutters he felt for Sarah were unique to anything he’d ever experienced before, even with his ex-wife.
Not that Sarah will ever feel the same.

****

Surprisingly, they finished early with fifteen out of sixty minutes to spare. Sarah took a moment to survey the area of twenty-five contestants. Bleachers filled with spectators faced the stations. The five judge’s tables sat in the center, but the judges freely roamed from station to station as the time wore down.

As she scanned the area for the Pies, Oh My!
sign, she bit into her bottom lip. During the timed competition, she wasn’t allowed to leave her station and she’d forgotten to find them when they’d arrived that morning.

Bingo.
Her stomach fluttered. Their station sat three down on her left. She didn’t have a great view, but could see a taller, bleached-blonde woman scurrying about with a short, clean-cut man on her heels. Sarah watched as the woman threw her hands in the air and the man looked down and shook his head.
That’s right. Your cookies suck.

Not even trying to hide her satisfaction, she smiled wide. She hoped they used both the secret ingredients and one of the bad recipes.

“What are you looking at?” Gavin’s arm grazed hers.

Her mischievous side kicked in. “Pies, Oh My!” She kept her face innocent, pursing her lips to one side and shaking her head. “They are having some troubles.”

“What?” He followed her gaze over to the station where the two-person team quickly mixed a new batch of ingredients.

Sarah glanced at her watch.
Just enough time to make new ones and not test them
. She crossed her arms.
Take a good long look, Gavin. Your precious bakery is screwing up royally…thanks to you.
“I don’t think their cookies turned out very well.” She snuck a sideways glance. “I wonder what recipe they used.” At the awards banquet, when winners were announced, and points made public, she’d find out.

Gavin scratched the back of his head. He dropped his hand to his hip and slowly turned to face her.

Slow down. Close to the vest, woman.
Resisting the urge to gloat, she turned back to watch station number eight.

****

No way. There’s no way she knows. Could she?
Gavin studied Sarah…her easy posture, her relaxed face. No way could she know they’d hired him and they were using her secret ingredient and recipes.
Although, the recipes she pulled out today weren’t the same as the ones packed in the box.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood and a chill ran down his spine. He quickly recapped all of the times he communicated with Mr. Lexington. There was never a time she could’ve found out.
You are too paranoid. Get over yourself.
“Is there anything we can set up for tomorrow and the second cookie preparation?” He looked around at the pans he’d cleaned and stacked back where Sarah commanded.

“Nope. Round one went well.”

The loud buzzer sounded. The contest monitors picked up each station’s plate of cookies and whisked them behind closed doors for tasting.

“The vendor exhibits are open now, if you want to join me.” She spoke without turning her head.

“I’ll catch up with you in a bit.” He stayed put. “I’ve got something to do.”

****

“What the hell, Arnold?” Mr. Lexington paced in front of Conference Room C.

“Tell me again what happened?” Gavin rubbed his chin and felt the familiar dread in his veins of a mission gone sideways.

“The cookies. They were dreadful. Mango pepper… what a stupid combination. My wife whipped up peanut butter cookies and barely got them on the plate before the buzzer.”

Mr. Lexington’s pace reflected his anger and felt his body tense. “And they used the secret ingredient?”

“Both times.”

“How did the peanut butter ones taste?” Gavin leaned against the single table in the hall.

“She didn’t have time to check. They looked fine.”

“Huh.” Gavin scratched his head. “So the problem was just the recipe then?”

“Guess so.” Mr. Lexington stopped pacing and stared. “Didn’t you say you found them with the rest of the competition items she packed?”