Chapter 12

Kobe

I SHOVED ASIDE ALL thoughts of Kat and Trent, or so I thought.

Kat and Trent... shit! No matter how I tried to shove the thought of them aside, Kat’s face as she smiled at that twit came back. For the first time in a long time, I’d had horrible nightmares... Kat in Trent’s arms, his body pressed against hers, his lips devouring her.

Shit!Shit!Shit!

Perturbed by the whole thing, I woke up early Sunday morning, took a quick and cool shower, shaved and got dressed. Marching to Kat’s dorm, I was determined to ignore the woman that she’d become. She was my project partner... that was all.

That was all.

I arrived at her door and couldn’t resist pressing my ear against it to try to listen. Was she alone? Was she with someone? With him?

Oh, stop being so silly and knock.

I knocked and seconds later Kat was at the door. Wearing what I’d come to assume was her usual sleeping attire – that barely there tank top, super tight short shorts and no bra.

Damn. Why did she have to look so good?

I sucked in a breath. I wanted to tear off that top and pull down her shorts so badly.

“You’re not ready yet?” I scolded as I barged in. I was a morning person and liked to get an early start. Clearly, Kat didn’t share that quality. “Come on, Kat. I wish you’d take this project more seriously. We have to get up and get at it. Go get dressed. And do something with your hair.”

“Kobe,” she murmured, the slur of sleep still clinging to her voice. She scratched her head and yawned. “What are you doing here?”

“We have a project to work on, remember? Damn, Kat. You’re driving me crazy with your lack of...”

“My lack of what?” she said with tired irritation. “You know damn well that I’m working hard on this project. Just because I’m not up at the crack of dawn doesn’t mean I’m not taking this project seriously.”

“Well, I suggest you get used to getting up a little earlier than usual, because I will be here bright and early every single morning that we are to work on this project. I will wake you up if I have to, I will drive you to the restaurant, we will work together and we will return to this campus together. Comprendez ?”

“Oh, brother,” she griped as she turned to head back to her bedroom. “I’ll be out in a minute.”

“What are you going to wear?” I said as I followed behind her.

She quickly turned to press a firm and halting hand to my chest. “No. You are not going to come in and play stylist, Kobe. I’m quite capable of dressing myself.”

I opened my mouth to protest.

“And,” she quickly added, “if you must know, I plan on wearing the midi dress that I wanted to wear yesterday. So, sit tight. I’ll be out in a bit.”

My jaw clenched tight despite my wish to remain cool and calm. She was turning me into a wreck.

I left her and paced the living room as I waited.

“What time did you go to bed to be getting up so late?” I finally asked.

“Well, I did get in a little late last night,” she called through her bedroom door. “And once I arrived, I wasn’t really tired... too agitated, so I went to bed rather late.”

She got in late? What the hell did that mean? How late? And why?

Trent.Trent Howard.Howie.Yeah... Howie.The dick.

As I fumed my way across her dorm room, I could hear Kat humming a tune in her room. It was a cheerful tune. She was happy. So happy.

Still humming that tune, she stepped out of her room, and I almost lost it. That midi dress; black, tailored to her curves, down just below the knee, three quarter sleeves and a slit neckline.

Sexy.Classy.Professional.Sexy.So, freakin’ sexy.

“What do you think?” she said as she turned around to show me the full effect.

“Those heels are too high,” I grunted.

“Yeah. Right,” she countered. “Nice try. They’re perfect. Now, let’s get going. I’m sure Trent will be waiting for us.”

I straightened my jacket and cleared my throat. “Speaking of Mr. Howard, did you stay at Ginger late last night.”

“You could say that,” she quipped as she headed to the door.

My stomach turned, and I didn’t like it.

Jealousy? Hell no. I was just concerned with my partner’s work.

“Did you stay all night?” I asked before I’d really considered the question.

She smirked. “Trent is very interested in my ideas regarding how to run the restaurant.”

“And what? You spent the night there discussing them?”

That smirk again.

“He’s very nice, you know,” she said with an annoyingly bright smile. “Kind, good listener... good storyteller, too.”

“If he’s so nice,” I spat, “then he helped you with the project, right?”

“Yeah.”

“So how much work did you get done late last night? What were you guys doing? And don’t tell me that it’s none of my business. If this concerns the project, I have a right to know.”

She turned to squarely face me. “If you must know, Kobe, we went out to lunch. In doing so, we thought it would be a good idea to scope out nearby restaurants, see what the competition was up to. It was quite enlightening.”

“Then what,” I said with more anger than I wanted. “That’s lunch. How does lunch turn into coming home late?”

She shrugged and smiled. “Then we went back to Ginger and...”

My upper lip curled into a sneer, but I fought to control my emotions and forced a silly smile.

“Now, Kobe. Did you come all the way here so early in the morning to get to work on this project, or did you come just to talk about my late night out?”

Your late night out.

“In case you haven’t noticed, both are connected.” Shit, it was such a lame response.

“Right,” she said with a knowing side glance.

I could see it in her eyes. Something had happened between the two of them. He’d touched her. Hell, worse than that; she’d liked it!

Trent? You’d go for a guy like Trent? A mere manager of some small Napa Valley restaurant?

“Could we get going, Kobe?” Kat opened the door. “I have a bunch of questions I want to ask Trent, and I thought of a really cute promo print ad we could make.”

I remained where I stood.

“Kobe?Come on.Let’s go.”

I shook my head. “I’ve changed my mind.”

She covered her mouth with her hand as she yawned. “What? What do you mean you’ve changed your mind? About what?”

“About going to Ginger.”

“No,” she said with a firm shake of her head. She pointed out the door and yawned again. “You got me up, and now we are going out there. I didn’t get all dressed up for nothing.”

My mind raced with the search for excuses to give her. I had to find an explanation other than, I don’t want you near Trent. I don’t want to have to sit by and watch you two make eyes at one another.

Putting her hand on her hip, she yawned again and glared at me.

“Look at you,” I said, finally finding the proper excuse that would make me look like the bigger man. “You’re exhausted.”

“Well,” she said with hesitation. “Yeah, but now that I’m up...”

I went to her, took her hand in mine, closed the door, then turned her in the direction of her bedroom. “Look, had I known that you’d worked late last night, I wouldn’t have come by so early. Why don’t you get out of this lovely, yet clearly restrictive dress, get back into bed and I’ll stay here and get some work done.”

I guided her to her open bedroom door. “Tell you what, I’ll continue the work you began last night... checking out other nearby restaurants. I brought my laptop, so I’ll be able to go online and check out their menus.”

She nodded. “You’d do that?” she said with tired surprise.

“There’s no point driving all the way out there when you are so clearly exhausted. You’ll get more work done with a clear and well rested head.”

She hid another yawn behind her hand. “I guess you’re right. Another hour or so of sleep would be good.”

I forced a friendly and understanding smile. “Then go. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“All right.” She walked into her room and prepared to close the door. “Thanks, Kobe. I really appreciate you being so understanding.”

“No problem.”

She closed the door, and I returned to the living area.

Before I settled down to do any kind of work, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to look around. I knew that Trent had driven her back home, but had he come to her dorm room? Had he come in? Had he spent time here? Alone? With her?

I sniffed the air for a trace of his cologne. Nothing. I looked around for something he might have left behind; a sock, a lighter... his underwear.

Nothing.

Good. But then again, I hadn’t seen much of Kat’s room. I’d have to check that out once she got up again.

Partially satisfied that he hadn’t come in, I pulled my laptop out of my bag and set it on the coffee table. Before sitting down to work, I went to her mini kitchen, dropped a pod in her coffee machine and made myself a nice, hot cup of coffee.

Now. Let’s get to work.

I sat down and did a search of the Napa Valley and all the restaurants in the area. Virtually every style of food could be found, but it was clear that there was room for a spot like Ginger. I checked the various menus, jotted down several interesting items they offered and also took note of what they didn’t offer. I know Kat already worked on the menu, but I wanted to work on coming up with some signature dishes as well.

Taking a break from the project, I checked my emails then surfed on the net. I checked out my newsfeed to see what was new. Trivial stuff here, not much there and then... something that had me sitting up and interested.

Lee Family Restaurants opens Another Restaurant in California’s Napa Valley. Introducing a Taste of Asian fusion... Ginger.

So the Lee family was making the news... again. A restaurant couldn’t ask for a better promo than that. That put us one step ahead of the other students and their project.

Nestled amid the luscious green vineyards of the Napa Valley, Ginger, is poised to be the hip hotspot that is sure to attract the trendy youth of the region.

Well said. Just putting out there the fact that Ginger would attract trendy young people was sure to do just that. Every hip kid was going to want to eat there.

While the menu hasn’t yet been divulged, word has it that Ginger will offer its take on Asian fusion. All that’s missing is a talented chef to ensure the food lives up to the hype.

Under the management of Trent Howard, son of Chef Gregory Howard, once Head Chef of Intercontinental Hotel’s Orchid House, Ginger will be in good hands.

I stared at the article. Gregory Young. I’d heard the name before, but where? I mentally went through all my friends’ parents, then my father’s friends, then any other acquaintance from the past few years.

Then it hit me; Taryn. She had once mentioned a young chef her brother, Bobby, had hired for his restaurant in New York City. I remembered because he was not only young, but a Howard... Gregory Howard.

I dug deep into my memory to try to find what she’d said of him. Was he a good guy? A jerk? A hard worker?

“Ha!” I let out as I remembered Taryn’s exact words. ‘He was an octopus.’ Yes. Taryn had said her brother had had to fire him for constantly coming onto the female staff. He’d hit on virtually every young woman Bobby had hired.

So Trent’s father was a sexual predator. And what of Trent? Was he like his father? Were his hands always reaching out to touch fresh flesh?

I slammed my laptop shut and headed to the kitchen. I looked at the coffee machine. No. The last thing I needed was another cup of coffee. I was pumped enough as it was.

But I hadn’t had breakfast, and I was sure Kat would be hungry when she got up. Maybe I could impress her with my cooking; maybe even come up with something that could be served at Ginger.

I opened the refrigerator door. Not much in there; a jug of orange juice, some yogurt, sliced process cheese, half a head of lettuce and three apples.

“What do you girls eat?”

Pulling out my phone, I mentally made a list, then went to the page of my favorite grocer and ordered everything I would need to make a delicious breakfast.

The food arrived in just under fifteen minutes and I got to work. Soon the room smelled of fresh butter, toasting bread and savory eggs with oysters. I was going to knock her off her feet.

I knew that oyster omelets were a traditional dish from Taiwan, but I added my own personal touch, and, with any luck, she would beg me to let Ginger have the recipe.

With the omelet staying warm in the pan, I prepared the table, setting it with two plates, silverware and stemware in which to offer her a mimosa.

Eager to feed her my imaginative concoction, I went to her door, knocked lightly then opened it.

“Wake up, sleepy head. I made you br... Oh, my...” My hand immediately went to my aching crotch as the sight of her gave me an instant and raging hard-on.

“Kat,” I whispered with unrestrained longing.

Her body, so perfect in every way, was laid out on her bed. She was sound asleep, her lips in a childish pout. Her luscious legs were tangled up in the sheets while her perky breasts were bare, staring at me... calling to me.

If she woke up and saw me there, staring at her... what would she say? Would she invite me to her bed?

Or would she call the police?

Yeah, that was the more likely scenario.

I backed away from the door, gently closing it behind me. Once closed, I knocked more loudly.

“Kat,” I called through the door. “Breakfast is ready.”

Pressing my ear to the door, I heard light stirring then headed to the table to wait for her. Moments later, the door creaked open.

“What did you say, Kobe?” Kat said as she came out. “Did you say break...? Oh, my God. What is that smell? I know that smell.”

She entered the dining area wearing a simple red and blue t-shirt dress with white pockets... and still no bra.

“Is that...?” She sniffed the air then looked at the plates on the small table. “Oyster omelet. Oh, Kobe. I can’t remember the last time I had an oyster omelet... and it smells so delicious.”

“Well, I certainly do hope that it tastes as good as it smells.” I pulled back a chair for her. “Get it while it’s hot.”

She sat down and looked at the omelet with hunger. “It looks perfect.” Looking skeptically at me, she added, “I didn’t really think you knew how to cook.”

“Well, try it before making any sort of assessment.”

She giggled, a sound that was music to my ears. I wanted nothing more than to make her laugh, to make her cry with laughter.

Picking up her fork, she poked at the omelet. “I can’t believe you made this for me. I barely remember how an oyster omelet tastes.”

“I have to admit that I added my personal touch to it.”

“As you should, Kobe. That’s what this academy is all about; learning how to turn an old recipe into something new.”

I held my breath as she took a bite.

What if she didn’t like it? Of course she would. What if it turned out horrible? What if my personal touch wasn’t the right touch?

The fork-load of omelet, with a fully intact oyster, entered her mouth. She closed her lips, slowly chewed, no doubt assessing the various flavors that tickled her palate. She chewed and chewed, then closed her eyes as if she’d reached nirvana.

“Oh, Kobe,” she said as she filled her fork with another bite. “This is delicious. I really have to say. I didn’t think you had it in you. I really thought you were just riding on your father’s coattail. But this... This is even better than what I remember having in Taiwan. What did you put in here?”

I couldn’t help but grin. “My secret ingredient.”

“Sweet potato starch?”

“That’s a given.”

“Miso?”

“Right.”

“Celery leaves?”

“Not quite.”

She smiled and I was thrilled. “Whatever it is, Kobe, it works. It really works.”

“Enough to make it on the menu at Ginger?”

She glanced at me through bites of the omelet. “Well, I don’t know about that, but... Yeah, maybe.”

Foregoing the fork, Kat dug into the omelet with her dainty fingers, retrieved an oyster and brought it to her lips. She sucked on the mollusk in the most erotic fashion, and I squirmed in my seat.

Shit. Even when she eats, she is irresistible.

After sucking for a moment, she slowly slipped the oyster into her mouth.

“And I love how you put plenty of oysters in this,” she said between bites. “I’ve seen places that really skimp on that.”

I nodded and slowly ate the omelet on my plate. Did she have any idea what she was doing to me? Her every move was sensual and arousing. The more she ate, the more painful my hard-on became.

She finished scraping up the last of the omelet, set her fork down and looked at me as she licked her lips. “There’s only one thing wrong with this omelet,” she said with a sly grin.

“What’s that?”

“There wasn’t enough,” she said with a chuckle. “I think I could have eaten another plate.”

“Want some of mine?” I offered.

“No,” she said, getting up to bring her plate to the sink. “My mouth might want more, but my belly says ‘enough’.”

“As you wish,” I said as I slowly ate my breakfast.

“Well, now that I’ve had enough sleep, and a fully fortifying breakfast, I’m totally focused and ready to work.” Standing beside me, she playfully slapped my shoulder. “What’s taking you so long? Come on. Eat up and let’s get to work.”

How could I possibly stand up in the state I was in? She would see my boner right away, and probably hassle me about it for ages.

“I’m just savoring my artistry,” I said. “Why don’t you go get started and I’ll be there in a minute.”

“Okay,” she said. Walking away, she ran her hand along the breadth of my shoulders, adding to the painful discomfort in my pants. “But try to be quick. I’m itching to share a few ideas with you.”

“Yeah,” I muttered under my breath as she returned to her room. “There’s a few ideas I would like to share with you, too.” I looked down at my raging hard- on.

Think of something else. Think of anything other than that hot body, those tantalizing lips and your need to bury yourself in all of her.