Page 3 of Defended By the Lumberjack
It takes a second and a half for me to respond to her gesture in any civilized manner. Blood's rushing, dampening my hearing and tunneling my vision, on its way south where it’s making my dick behave badly.
"Levi, uh...Davis." My brain finally gets a signal to my hand to take hers but when we make contact, I find myself unable to let go.
July's pillow lips pull into a smile that's sweet, innocent, shy, and a lot more real than the one she was wearing like a mask when she first looked up at me.
"Hi, Levi. Sorry about dumping my problems on you. I didn't expect anyone else to be out here."
Her eyes hold mine long enough for me to see my future in them, then they slide down the full length of my body in a quick once-over that might be just her realizing the size of me-- but feels like more.
My heart thumps and I have the dumbest impulse to beat my chest with my fists, toss the curvy little chef over my shoulder and carry her away some place where nothing can ever make her sad again.
"I have to get back to work." She sounds like she's explaining to me but then I realize she needs her hand back.
"I'm not fired yet," she plays off her fears with a brave laugh, setting the hat on her head and disappearing into the busy kitchen behind the door, turning back to give me one last smile before she's gone.
A party giving her grief? One that's got enough pull to cost her her job? We haven't even sat down for the main course yet for fucks sake.
I had back into the banquet room, feeling stunned, something primitive in my brain chanting "mine" on repeat.
Chapter Two
July
"Chef!" Perry holds up a plate for me to see before dumping it on the dishwashing station.
He doesn't need to say a word, I already know.
"They left." He says it like it's supposed to comfort me but all it does is make anxiety twist in my gut.
One of the tables tonight just refused to be satisfied with anything that came out of my kitchen. The sent back nearly everything. Overcooked, undercooked, watery, bland, spicy... nothing me and my team did was right.
I should be glad they finally left, but it just means not having another chance to make them happy.
"Did the Murdock's go too?"
Perry nods, and my mood sinks further.
It's been a busy night even in spite of the problem guests. I barely had a chance to step out of the kitchen, but I did take a second to find Levi among the diners. Part of the Murdock company party. I spotted him at one of the tables during the dessert course, talking casually with a couple sitting beside him but looking uncomfortable in the tie and dress shirt.
My heart does a problematic little flip flop at the memory of the big man that I met too briefly in the silent corridor earlier.
I'd needed a moment to clear my head and get through the chaotic night.
Levi was an unexpected calming presence. His voice was warm and caring and when he wrapped my hand in his, I've never felt safer with anyone in my life.
I'd hoped that maybe he'd one of the people left lingering in the banquet room or milling around the bar after the kitchen closed, but when I get a chance to peel off my smock and leave my kitchen in the capable hands of the clean-up crew I'm disappointed that I can't find him.
"Waiting on a boyfriend?"
The deep voice catches me off guard, making me startle even as a thrill runs through me at its sound.
Turning around to find the source, I see Levi standing a few feet behind me. One hand shoved in the pocket of his suit pants, the tie he had on earlier is missing now, two of the buttons of his navy, silk dress shirt undone at his throat to reveal a curl of dark chest hair.
His suit jacket is slung over his arm as he shifts awkwardly on his feet like he's nervous about my answer.
"No boyfriend." My pulse quickens in time with how fast I saw the words.
Levi takes a step closer, emerging from the spot by the windows where I found him earlier like he's been waiting on me.
