Taken (Dark Desires 1)

I slammed my book closed and jumped to my feet, walking towards the bathroom. I needed a cold shower…

__________

It was finally opening night and I was ready to do what Jami had hired me to do. I was going to cook some really good food for a bunch of rich people who had no appreciation for the food I was cooking. I’d done that a million times before and it went just as well as it had all the other times. The food we put out was the best damn southern comfort food this town had ever seen, and by the time it was over, I was left feeling tired and satisfied. It was almost as good as sex.

I could have left clean up to my staff, but once the majority of it was done, I sent them home and decided to finish it myself. My fingers were sore and my ankles popped with every step, but I was used to it by now. The kitchen was still hot from all the cooking so I’d taken off my uniform, leaving me in a black tank top and the leggings I always wore underneath for situations like this.

When the door opened, I glanced over my shoulder. The rubbing scuffing sound was loud enough to hear through the entire kitchen.

“Hello? The kitchen is closed!” I called, my hand on a large butcher knife, just in case.

Jami came around the corner and smiled softly, tilting his head to the side. “If it’s closed then why are you still here?”

I put my hands on my hips and smiled, trying to be pleasant. After all, he hadn’t tried anything funny. Maybe I needed to go easier on him.

“Someone has to clean up, don’t they?”

He slid out of his blazer and my cheeks flushed when his strong, muscular arms pulled at the fabric of his shirt, showing off just how toned he was underneath. He rolled his sleeves up his powerful forearms and I cleared my throat, turning away before he could see the blush on my cheeks.

“You alright?” He asked, starting to pick up bowls and other items.

I never expected him to come in here and help me. Rich guys didn’t normally like getting their hands dirty.

“I’m fine.”

I could practically feel his smirk burning into my back as we moved around each other, picking up pans and dishes. We worked together silently, though I could feel his eyes on me. He was being completely transparent and I wasn’t sure how to deal with it, especially because I wanted him just as badly, even though I was holding it back.

When everything was finished, I wiped my hands on the apron around my waist before taking it off and tossing it aside. “I think that’s it, Jami. Thanks for your help. It really— “

As I turned around to thank him, I was silenced when his lips pressed against mine. I would have stumbled back, but I found myself trapped between Jami and the stainless-steel prep table. My fingers curled into fists as I tried to resist the warmth in those lips. He tasted like whiskey and fine cigars. He tasted like what I imagined a cowboy might taste like. He didn’t have the scent of a real estate mogul, he had the scent of a man who’d worked with his hands and dug into the earth. It was absolutely intoxicating.

I finally threw my arms around him, embracing him and scrambling to pull him closer. I couldn’t resist it. Now that it was right here in front of me, I couldn’t resist it. I wanted him so bad I couldn’t deny it anymore. Maybe this would get it out of my system and I could move on with my life. So much for resisting temptation.

He put his strong hands on my waist and lifted me off the ground, settling me on the cold steel prep table. The kiss deepened and I felt his tongue run along my lower lip, silently beckoning me to let it enter. I parted my lips and our tongues met in an eager dance, tangling and struggling for dominance. I finally let him take over, his hands wandering over my barely dressed body.

His thumbs hooked underneath my shirt and he pulled it up, exposing my small, but perky breasts. Calloused thumbs ran over my rosy nipples, eliciting a moan from me. He pulled away from the kiss and grinned up at me, his hand pressed into my lower back. He ducked his head and took one of the nubs into his mouth, suckling eagerly, teeth grazing the tender flesh. I cried out and tangled my fingers into his sandy hair, holding him in place.

Warmth washed over me and every inch of my body came awake. It was like being on fire and I loved every second of it.

“Fuck!” I threw my head back, my toes curling as he pressed his fingers into my thighs, forcing my legs apart. I wasn’t going to fight him, either.

He pushed me back and soon I was staring up at the sterile cooking light, being bathed in the warm light that radiated from it. His hands ran over my body as his lips made their way back to mine. He’d pressed one powerful thigh between my legs, rocking it so it caused the most delicious friction. I whimpered and tugged at his hair, enjoying the way he grunted when I did.

A warm coil of pleasure was forming in my belly and I found myself hoping that we went all the way tonight. I’d spent so much of my time thinking about him lately, and I wanted it to stop. Maybe if I finally got what I wanted, I could push him from my mind and move on with my life. After all, I didn’t want to get mixed up with a guy like him. He’d only break my heart.

He was rocking his thigh faster now, and I could f

eel the heat rising in my body. I was seconds from wriggling out of my skin-tight leggings when he pulled away, stopping completely. He grinned at me, panting softly. His own face was flushed and his hair was falling into his eyes. Oh, God. What was this? Was he going to tell me to get undressed?

“So how about that date?”

All the heat in my body turned ice cold at those words and I rolled my eyes, finally coming to my senses. I put my hands on his shoulders and gave him a solid push. He stumbled off the table and watched me, his hands tucked into his pockets.

“You’re a damn creep!”

“Huh?”

I spun around and looked at him, my lips twisted into a snarl. I pushed him again and he stumbled back. “I don’t want anything to do with you!”