Heat Vol. 4 (Heat: Master Chefs #4)

HEAT

Master Chef: HEAT Serial

VOL. 4

Kailin Gow

 HEAT (HEAT: Vol 4)

Published by KailinGowBooks.com

Copyright © 2015 Kailin Gow

All Rights Reserved. No part of
this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
graphic, electronic, or  mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping
or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in
writing from the publisher except in case of brief quotations embodied in
critical articles and reviews.

For information, please contact:

Kailingowbooks(at)aol(dot)com.

First Edition.

Printed in the United States of
America.

To My
Readers, Betas, and Kailin Krusaders, Thank You for All Your Love, Support, and
Encouragement. You are truly one of the most important reasons why I’m blessed
beyond measure.

Prologue

Lilly

B
obby had left. The heartache and pain of
losing him caused my knees to buckled, and I had to sit down on the wooden
chair at the small kitchen table in my apartment.  The apartment already felt barren,
remnants of the life I knew before my past caught me by surprise. I knew I
would miss him terribly, but I also looked forward to the freedom Bobby’s
desertion had left me to fully delve into and find my lost past. As much as I
missed Bobby already, I knew it was the right thing to do. Without fully
exploring it, my past would always haunt me and the people whom I would choose
to be with in my present and future.

When
I finally went to bed, the fear and loneliness took over for a while and it
took several hours for me to fall asleep only to be besieged with countless
dreams about Bobby or Rial, and sometimes both of them at the same time.  They
fought over me, they loved me, and in one horrible dream, they both left me. As
my father did.

By
the time I finally awoke late the next morning, I realized Bobby was right. 
For once, he was doing the mature and responsible thing by doing what I hadn’t
the heart to do; put our relationship on hold.

In
the bathroom, I washed my face clean of the dry tears that streaked my cheeks
and looked straight into my red eyes.  “What are you going to do now, Lilly?”

I
tried to plot out what I’d do with my day.  I didn’t know where to start, but I
knew I had to find the cause of the vast devastation that had torn apart our
fathers. How could I find out what had happened to me?  I spent an hour on the
computer trying to find websites that could offer clues, but every site was a
dead end; nothing about my father, little about the chateau and only a small
and insignificant blurb about Rial and his parents.

I
reached for the phone to call Rial, but set it down again.  I didn’t want to
rely simply on his version of the events of the past.  Then again, I didn’t
know where else to turn.  He was the only connection to the past that I had. 
Maybe he even knew what had happened to strike virtually my entire childhood
from my memory

Mentally
retracing the steps I’d taken the day before, walking through that grand
chateau, seeing the duck pond, the library… I knew the brief flashes of memory
I’d had meant something.  They had to.  Surely it was all a sign that I had to
confront my past.  I had to know what happened all those years ago.

But
then my retraced steps took me to Rial’s bedroom and the study, quickly turning
the brief visit to something hot and smoldering as my skin, my lips, my entire
body remembered Rial’s erotic touch.  The kiss of his lips and the brush of his
fingers still burned my skin, eager to be touched by him again.

Only
now I wouldn’t have the guilt of betraying Bobby.  I was free to do what I
wanted.  It was a bittersweet feeling.

Hoping
to find out more and to rid my nights of the disturbingly hot and erotic dreams
that plagued me, I picked up the phone.  “Rial,” I said the moment he picked
up. 

“Lilly,
how lovely it is to hear from you this morning.  What can I do for you?”

“I’ll
do it.”  My body tingled with arousal at the sound of my words.

“Do
what?”  His deep voice was hoarse with lust.

I
struggled to find the right words.  “Whatever you want me to do,” I finally
whispered.

“Wonderful,”
he sighed.  “I’ll be by to pick you up in a bit.”

Biting
my lip, I resisted the urge to ask how long it would take him to arrive, but I
didn’t want to appear too eager or that desperate.  Already as it was, I felt
like a virginal schoolgirl waiting for her first kiss.

Chapter 1

A
fter a quick shower and an even quicker blow
dry of my hair, I threw on what I thought was a modestly sexy, yet classic
dress that buttoned up the front, the only pair of four inch heels I had and
sat down to wait.  Fifteen minutes later, I was restless and began pacing the
apartment and ten minutes after that, I busied myself tidying up the place.

I
had to keep busy or else I would call him to find out what was taking so long. 
He should have arrived ten minutes ago already.

The
doorbell rang, and I started, then took a deep breath to calm myself.  There I
was being the virginal schoolgirl again.  Why did I have such a response like
that to him, even after all that I have accomplished, all the confidence I’ve
had as an adult? Why was I acting like some giddy little girl who had a crush
on a boy? It was as though a part of me deep inside my subconscious was
reminding me of a feeling or a memory I’ve once had.  I opened the door and
there he was, looking even better than he had when I’d left him.

“I
see you decided to leave the paisley robe at home,” I said, taking in the
immaculate designer suit that was perfectly tailored to his body. 

He
was the picture of elegance and style, while being irresistibly sexy.  And when
he smiled, I all but turned to mush. There was that flutter inside of me that
made me into a self-conscious schoolgirl again. He was so calm and so
controlled, it made my impatience to be touched by him almost impossible to
take.

“What’s
the wardrober for?”  I noted the series of small LVs printed in the fabric;
Louis Vuitton. 

“To
pack your things, silly.”  His eyes walked all over me, down to my heels and
back up again, and his hunger grew, but still he remained cool and collected,
like a man who had all the time in the world.

I’d
naively thought he’d pull me into his arms and passionately kiss me the moment
he crossed the threshold, but clearly that wasn’t about to happen.

“What
things?”

“Your
clothes, your shoes, some toiletries.  Haven’t you a suitcase?”

“But…” 
I followed him into my room.  “I didn’t think to pack anything.  I… I thought I
was going to your place for just one night.”

“You
never know,” he said with a playful cock of his brow.  Pulling a drawer open,
he whistled.  “The panty drawer… and what lovely panties you have, my dear.” 
He picked up a few and set them aside then picked up a pink and orange thong
and brought it to his nose for a whiff.  “Ooh,” he sighed.  “I’m getting hard
just thinking about you in this thing.”

He
opened another drawer to find my bras and a few teddies.  Picking up the bright
yellow bra with white lace daisies, he looked at me.  “I definitely want to see
you in this… this and…”  He looked down at my shoes.  “Is that the best you can
do?”

I
blushed.  “I don’t usually wear heels.”

“We’ll
have to remedy that.”  He held up the bra.  “This and a beautiful pair of black
stilettos.  Hmmm.”

His
arousal turned me on, and I already looked forward to wearing the white daisy
bra.

He
tossed the favored items in the wardrober, however he stuffed the pink and
orange thong into his pant pocket.  “I want to keep this one close by.”  He
patted the pocket then ran his hand over to his hardened cock.

Turning
his attention to the closet, he slid the door open.  “Now, what have we got
here?  No.  No.  No,” he said as he pushed one dress after the other aside.  “Oh,
yes.”  Pulling out my red minidress, he glanced at me.  “This is a definite
yes.”  Then more, “No.  No.  No.  I think we may have to stop for a little
shopping spree in town. Pick up a few pieces to show off your beautiful curves,
rather than hide them.”  He picked out a pair of jeans and a pair of black
slacks, a few sweaters and tossed it all in his bag.

“I
don’t really make a big enough salary to be able to buy myself an extensive
wardrobe.”

“That
can be fixed.”  He headed to the bathroom.

I
rushed in behind him and stopped his hand before he could open a drawer.  “I
think I can manage from here.”

“Great,
but pack for a long trip.  After tonight, you may never want to leave the
chateau again.”

Grinning,
I looked at him.  “That great, huh?”

He
came to me, his chest pressing me back until I was up against the bathroom
door.  I breathed him in and wanted to simply keep inhaling just to smell the
musky, male odor of him.  With his shoulders so broad and strong, he towered
over me, making me feel small despite the four inch heels.

His
gaze fell into the neckline of my dress, drowning in my cleavage.  With a deft
hand, he unbuttoned the top of my dress, leaving me breathless as my breasts
swelled and seemed to want to pop out of the black translucent bra.

“Hmm,
a sheer bra, Lilly. I can see how excited you are to come with me to the
chateau. Or we can get started right now here. You just keep getting sexier at
every turn, don’t you?”  He fingered my nipple through the thin fabric for a
moment, running circles around it in a teasing manner before prying the
material down to completely expose the hardened nub to him.

I
gasped and leaned back as he brought his thumb over the sensitive skin.  My
crotch was flooded with my desire for him and if he continued I’d have to
change before leaving.

“Am
I that great?”  He gave my nipple a teasing lick.  “You tell me.”  Latching
onto my breast, he sucked on my nipple while his hand pulled the skirt of my
dress up and he plunged a finger under my panties and deep into the moisture
that told him just how aroused I was.

“You're
so ready for me, Lilly.  You're ready for what I have to give.”  He teased my
nipple with the tip of his tongue, bringing it to excruciating hardness, then
he turned his attention to the other nipple, biting down to bring me exquisite
pain.

I
dug my fingers through his hair and clung to him, pressing him into my bosom.

“You
seem hungry,” he said with a chuckle as he back away, leaving me cold and
wanting so much more.  “Just wait till I get you home.  I’m going to lick you
dry.  I’m going to fuck you like you’ve never been fucked before.  Isn’t that
what you want?”

“Rial,”
I breathed.  “I want…”

“I
promise you more of that tonight, but first, let’s get you out of here.  The
air in here is stifling and smells of adolescent cologne.  He was here, wasn’t
he?”

I
didn’t need to answer.

“You
need room to breathe, my love.”  He walked out of the bathroom.  “You have five
minutes.”

I
quickly grabbed what I thought I’d need; shampoo, conditioner, lipstick,
mascara and a few other odds and ends.  Two minutes later, I emerged to find
Rial waiting at the door, the wardrober at his side.

“Say
goodbye to your ho-hum home, Lilly and get ready for a new and exciting chapter
in your life.”

He
opened the door and pulled me out, barely giving me enough time to lock the
door behind me.  His sporty black latest model Mercedes was at the curb and the
thrill of this adventure sent a warm rush of blood through me.

“What?”
I said with feigned indignation.  “No limo?”

Laughing,
he opened the passenger side door for me.  “I wanted to give you the
personalized treatment.”

I
got into the car and ran my hand over the soft leather of the seat.  “I think I
like this much better than the limo anyway,” I said when he got in.

 He
grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips. “So do I.”  He started the car and
put it in gear, and from then on, the road was a virtual blur.  Speeding down
the road like a man on a mission, he passed slower cars, careened along several
wide bends and had the tires squeal to one particularly sharp turn.  The drive
to the chateau was almost cut in half when compared to the limo ride, and once
he got past the gates, he barely slowed down.

Not
bothering to bring the car around to the garage, he stopped right in front of
the main door and killed the engine right there.  “Home, sweet home.”  Like a
true gentleman, he came around to open the car door for me.

“Benjamin,”
he called out when an older man with white hair and a black uniform opened the
front door.  “Please make sure Miss Lilly’s things are brought up to the master
bedroom.”

“Yes,
sir.”

I
smiled at the man as we passed him by and entered the chateau.

“Bonjour,
Monsieur Rial,” a short and stout woman said.  “Chef has already prepared a
light luncheon.  Would you like to have it in the formal dining room, or out on
the terrace?”

Gaping
at the woman, I looked around the main foyer and noticed a maid heading up the
stairs and another one further down the hall.

“The
terrace would be lovely, Louisette.  It’s a magnificent day out.  After the
luncheon is set up, however, I want you to take the rest of the day off.”

“But,
Monsieur…”

“In
fact, I want the entire staff to leave for the day.  I want my privacy.”

“Yes,
Monsieur.”  She turned around and clapped her hands, efficiently calling in the
staff nearby.

“Thank
you, Louisette.  I’ll contact you when I need the staff to resume their
duties.”  He looked at her.  “Tell them not to worry.  They’ll receive their
wages all the same.”

She
discreetly let out a relieved sigh and turned to tend to her staff.

Amazed,
I looked at Rial, but he’d already engaged the butler who’d returned with my
things.  “Benjamin, where’s Albert?  He should be tending to that.”

“It’s
no trouble, Monsieur.  Albert is down in the wine cellar.  Something about
stocking kitchen with wine that will better suit your palate and the season.”

“Perfect. 
I had finished the last bottle of Chateau du Pape.  I hope he made note of
that.  You heard what I just said to Louisette?”

“Yes,
Monsieur.  I’ll make sure the entire staff is gone within the next fifteen
minutes.”  He walked away with reverently silent steps.

“What
are you gaping at?” Rial said when he finally turned his attention to me.

“You
have a full staff?  How can that be?”

“You
continue to underestimate me.”

“Well,
you came into my life looking little better than a criminal, and looking around
this place, I’d say you’d almost have to be a criminal to live in such
opulence.”

He
laughed.

“Well,
are you?”

“A
criminal?  I guess it depends on how you define criminal.  On the one hand I’m
always on this side of the law, but… well, I do have a handful of hard working
guys who know how to carry out… let’s just say… the dirtier side of my
business.  They’re rough, they’re tough and they’re loyal.  These guys would
take a bullet for me, if it ever came to that.”  He led me up the stairs and
down the hall.

“You
have a business?”

“Again
with the incredulous face.  I’m going to have to cure you of that.”  Hooking my
hand through the crook of his arm, he patted it.  “It might surprise you to
learn that I was smart enough to get an MBA, a Masters in Business from Oxford
University, and relatively early on.  Despite the upheaval following the demise
of my family, I picked my pitiful self up, gave me a swift kick in the ass and
did what I had to do.  I worked in finances for a while and then started
dealing in art and antiques.  I found I had a natural talent for it.”  He
opened the door to the master bedroom.

“You
never told me, Rial; how did you come to have this house?”

“When
you and your father disappeared, the chateau was empty for a long time.  No
residents, no staff… no one to tend the gardens or make repairs.  After a few
years it fell into disrepair.  What valuables, clothing, personal items and
even furniture that had been left behind was looted, burned or destroyed.”

I
gasped at the thought of someone coming in to take what didn’t belong to them.

“A
few years ago I heard the place was going up for auction.  It was in such
shambles, the price was nearly a quarter of what it was really worth.  But the
taxes hadn’t been paid in years, some squatters had settled in and made it
their home, and the property needed some serious TLC.”

“So
you bought it?”

He
nodded.  “Broken lock, diminished stock and leaky barrel.”

I
looked around the room, marveling at how wonderful everything looked.  “I just
can’t believe you were able to buy this place.”  At the window, I looked out at
the immensity of the property.  “And you earned it by yourself… legally?”

“And
I worked hard to earn that money, too.  I bought the place, spent almost a year
bringing it back to its former glory and went out and hired the best staff
money could buy.  Take Louisette; she spent fifteen years working for one of
France’s top ministers, and Benjamin…  He was with a well-known French actress
up until the day she died.  He’s as loyal as they come.  Not to brag, but my
staff is even larger than the one your father kept.”  He pinched my cheek. 
“Now please take that incredulous look off your face.”

“I’m
sorry, really.  It’s just so… so… monumental.  And you're so young.”

He
looked at me with a shy smile.  “I guess you could say that I had one hell of a
kick in the ass.  I wanted to prove to everyone that I was somebody, that I
could achieve something.  I wanted to prove it to the world.  I was so driven,
it was almost a sickness, an addiction, an obsession.  I lived, breathed and
slept business.  It wasn’t too hard.  It was all I had.  The solitude, the
anger, the bitterness… it all pushed me to work harder and be better.  In the
end it was worth it.  I’m one of the most successful businessmen in all of
France.”

“But
what about the anger and bitterness?  Has it diminished with your success?”