Offended somehow, he instantly smoothed out his features. “I’m not panicked. I just don’t want you to think that this means more than what it was.”
Now she laughed shortly and gave his chest a pat. “Ethan, I’ve known you for five years. If anyone knows you’re not a relationship person, it’s me. Besides, I quit, remember?” She threaded her fingers through her curls, then said, “In four weeks, I’ll be gone and you won’t have to worry about any of this.”
Then she walked across the room and opened the door. Giving him a finger wave, she slipped through and he was alone again. The room was still humming with sexual energy and all Ethan could think about was what she’d said.
In four weeks, I’ll be gone.
And damn it, he already knew that four weeks wouldn’t be enough.
Six
Gabriel had it all worked out.
A chef at Heart Chocolates would be making the samples of the new flavors. This was the best idea all around. Not only did Jeff Garret already work for him as an assistant chocolate chef, he was looking to advance his career. Plus, Gabriel didn’t have to take the recipe out of the company fold. A win—win. All he had to do was find a professional kitchen he could rent for a couple nights.
“I still don’t understand why you didn’t use the chef I arranged,” Pam said, anger clear in her tone.
And Gabe didn’t understand why she was so pissed. But she had been ever since he’d told her the new plan. “Because I don’t know him.”
“I do,” she argued.
“That’s great,” Gabe said, “but Jeff’s a chef with my company. He’s studied with the top chocolatier in Belgium and he wants more responsibility at the company. This is his chance to prove himself.” Gabe stopped, laughed a little and said, “I guess Jeff and I have a lot in common in this.”
She scowled at him. “This isn’t funny, Gabe. Not to me.”
“Yeah, I can see that.” He studied her for a second or two. “What I don’t know is why?”
She shook her head, obviously thinking about it briefly, and said, “We were doing this together, and now all of a sudden we’re not. What am I supposed to tell my friend?”
Now she was concerned that her chef friend would have his feelings hurt? His professional pride? Well, that really wasn’t one of Gabe’s big concerns.
“Tell him the truth,” Gabe countered. “That this is my family’s recipe and I can’t trust it to just anyone.”
“I’m ‘just anyone’? Good to know.” Pam whirled away so fast her long dark hair swung out around her shoulders like a cape. Then she spun back to look up at him. “You weren’t trusting my chef, Gabe. You were supposed to be trusting me.”
She turned again and this time walked away from him.
Gabe caught up with her quickly. Grabbing her arm, he whirled her around and looked down into her big brown eyes. “I do trust you.”
“Sure.” Her gaze slid from his. “I’m convinced.”
He was getting more confused by the minute. Ever since he’d told her about using one of the Heart chefs, she’d been irritated and hadn’t bothered to hide it.
They were in his penthouse apartment at the hotel. They were supposed to be celebrating with a great dinner and an icy cold bottle of champagne he’d ordered from one of the best restaurants in the city. But the dinner was uneaten and the champagne was rapidly going flat.
This was not how Gabe had thought the evening would go. He’d planned the great dinner and then figured on having some celebrational sex when they were finished. Looked like that was out the window.
When Pam stormed through the living room and out onto the balcony overlooking the ocean, Gabe followed her. This was the first time he’d ever seen her temper. And though it was impressive, he also found it sexy as hell. He liked a woman with fire in her eyes. He’d just like to know what had caused all this.
“I don’t understand why you didn’t stick to the plan,” she said.
“Because this plan’s better. I told you. This way the family recipe stays in the family.” He looked at her, and even in profile he could see the suppressed anger on her face. Well, he wasn’t too far behind her on that front.