The discomfort in Ethan’s face turns to sympathy. “What did he do?”
I chuckle at the memory now. “He told me to wake the fuck up. It wasn’t the first time he’d spoken to the kitchen staff like that, but he’d never done it to me. And after what I’d just seen, I lost it. I went to hide in the walk-in cooler for a while to collect myself, but he followed me in there.”
Ethan uncrosses his arms and his stance softens as if he’s preparing to comfort me.
“He said he didn’t have time for me to have an emotional meltdown,” I continue. “He said I should act like I needed the job. I told him I didn’t need the job, that I’d gotten a job offer from that influencer who came in a couple weeks earlier.”
“Did you really have a job offer?” Ethan asks curiously.
I’m suddenly reminded of the internship offer I’ve been hiding from him, but now is not the time to bring that up.
I nod slowly. “Yeah, but it went up in smoke after they found out about what happened with Edward.”
“So, he was pissed you hid the job offer from him, and you were pissed he cheated on you? And that’s why you broke up.”
I shrug as if I don’t know the answer to this question, but I’m really just trying to give myself a moment to collect my thoughts, because we’re quickly approaching the difficult part. “We argued a bit more, but the only part of the argument that really stuck with me is what he said before I walked out. I told him I didn’t need the sous chef job, and he said I might not need the job, but I needed his validation like I needed air to breathe. He said, ‘Without me, you’re nothing.’”
“Fucking tosser,” Ethan whispers.
“That’s not it,” I continue. “After he said I was nothing, he said he would make certain of that. He definitely kept his promise… Anyway, then I said, ‘Well, not only do I quit, but now I’m breaking up with you.’ And his response was, ‘Good. Now I can stop pretending I enjoy shagging your fat arse.’”
The silence that follows is heavier than the proofing cabinet we loaded into Tino’s truck a few days ago. And the fury in Ethan’s eyes is unmistakably not directed at me.
“You stay here,” he says, reaching for the door handle.
“What are you going to do?”
“Don’t worry about me,” he replies impatiently, and his eyes fill with shame when he sees me physically flinch at his tone. “I’m sorry, just…please promise me you’ll stay here.”
“I don’t need you to fight my battles.”
“I know you don’t, but you promised me you’d let me handle Edward today,” he reminds me. “Besides, this is personal. This is my restaurant opening. This is between me and my twat brother. I don’t want you dragged into it. You understand?”
I nod as I realize he’s sparing me the reputation of being responsible for ruining his opening.
“Good,” he replies, his tone softer now. “Just stay here.”
The way he’s taking charge of the situation, and removing my agency, if I’m being honest, reminds me of the way he went caveman on me at the hotel a few days ago. I remember the British-caveman voice he used, and I find myself wishing he would whisper filthy caveman words in my ear.
“Yes, Chef. I stay here. You fight battle.”
His shoulders relax and a smile spreads across his gorgeous face. “Be right back, love.”
I watch from the doorway of his office as he pushes through the “Employees Only” door. Then, I race toward it, pushing it open a couple inches until I have a slim view of the corner booth. Ethan strides toward Edward like a man on a mission.
Their argument appears heated, with Edward rolling his eyes and shaking his head as if he can’t believe what Ethan is saying. I can’t hear their conversation from here, but I can feel the rage coming off both of them as Ethan folds his arms across his chest and they stare at each other for a long moment.
Finally, Edward stands up and they come face to face. This doesn’t look good. Maybe I should go out there and break them up. If only I could hear what they’re saying.
I’m about to push the door open to head into the dining room, when Edward starts shouting.
“You’re kicking your brother out on opening night?”
Ethan doesn’t react. He simply stares at Edward with such contempt I can feel it across the room. After another staring contest, Edward turns around suddenly, knocking over a glass of ice water near the edge of the table. The lavender-haired woman gasps as the cold liquid rolls off the starched tablecloth and lands in her lap. Edward grabs her wrist, yanking her out of the booth before she can grab a napkin to sop up the water.
“Out of my way!” Edward barks at our busboy, Emilio, who has raced over to offer the woman a clean towel.
Edward and the lavender pixie storm past the other slack-jawed patrons. The couple that arrived with Edward trails not far behind, and all four of them soon disappear into the bustle of the dark city.
Ethan helps Emilio clear off the table, then he announces to the entire dining room that everyone’s dinner is on the house. This elicits an enormous round of applause and profuse expressions of gratitude. I quickly retreat back to Ethan’s office before he can catch me watching him.
Taking a seat in the chair, I can’t wipe the smile off my face as I wait for him to return. When he enters the office, immediately closing the door behind him, the intensity of his energy makes me wonder if he may be upset with me. Maybe he feels like I pressured him into doing what he just did.
He looks down at me with an unreadable look in his eyes. “Get up.”
He’s upset with me.
I let out a deep sigh as I rise from the chair.
But I’m not worried about the possibility Ethan is angry with me. I’m anxious because, after what he just did for me, I have to tell Ethan about the internship in Paris. And I have to accept whatever consequences he wants to dish out.
“Ethan, I need to tell—”
Before I can get the words out, his lips are on mine.
His kiss is both urgent and sweet, the pressure of his lips both gentle and intense. I pull back for a second, gasping to catch my breath. But he grabs my face, and I let out a soft whimper as his mouth falls over mine again.
His tongue brushes against my tongue, lighting a fuse that sizzles through me and explodes in my center. I moan as the throbbing sensation between my legs intensifies. He returns the sound as his hands tangle in my hair.
I wrap my arms around his waist and clutch his shirt in my hands. A small gasp escapes my lips as I’m prodded by the stiffness forming in his pants.
His smile curves against my mouth. “You drive me crazy. You know that?”
I tilt my head back to look in his eyes. “I do now.”
His lips are on mine again, harder this time. His moans turn into groans, and his groans turn into growls as I tighten my arms around him, pressing our bodies even closer together. I find myself wishing there wasn’t so much clothing between us. But just as the solution to this problem enters my mind, the office door swings open.
Warner’s eyes widen as he sees Ethan and I in a very compromising position. “Uh…sorry. I didn’t—”
Ethan slams the door in his face.