Lush Read Online Free PDF

moment. “What do you mean?”
    14
    “You put your arm out for a woman to hold. You pull chairs
    15
    out. Your compliments are genuine. Manners are something so
    16
    many people take for granted or don’t think are important.”
    17
    He laughed. “Would you like a drink?”
    18
    “Yes. Sit. There’ll be people by with champagne and other
    19
    drinks in a moment.”
    20
    He obeyed, scooting his chair closer to hers.
    21
    “What have you been up to this month?”
    22
    “Catering jobs. Prepping recipes for this and for the recep-
    23
    tion the label is doing for Adrian. What about you?”
    24
    “Oh! Food on the way.” He brightened and it fl attered her
    25
    to see the genuine interest he had.
    26
    The server saw her and made a beeline. She’d spent a great
    27
    deal of time training her staff to be sure they served in the way
    S28
    she thought best, so Mary approved when they did it right.
    N29
    • 23 •
    9780425256084_Lush_TX_p1-308.indd 23
    9780425256084_Lush_TX_p1-308.indd 23
    23/11/12 12:24 PM
    23/11/12 12:24 PM
    Lauren Dane
    01
    He bent perfectly and she waited for Damien to peruse and
    02
    then grab what he wanted. Mary nodded when they were fi n-
    03
    ished and the server melted away.
    04
    The champagne hadn’t begun to fl ow yet, though. Hm. She
    05
    looked around, waiting, and began to get antsy.
    06
    “Would you hate me if I disappeared for a bit to check on a
    07
    few things?”
    08
    He grinned, putting his boot on her chair. “Yes.”
    09
    Surprised, she paused and then laughed. “Did Adrian or Gil-
    10
    lian talk to you?”
    11
    He fi nished off a Thai chicken slider and rubbed his belly.
    12
    “About what? Also, my god, I want to keep you in my pocket
    13
    and hoard all your talent to make me food like this every day.”
    14
    Oh. My.
    15
    Some men complimented her looks. Or her hair, whatever.
    16
    But to compliment her food? Well, that was the way to her . . .
    17
    um, parts.
    18
    “So”—he paused to hold up the shot glass—“this is . . . ?”
    19
    “Sweet potato bisque. I should really get to the kitchen to
    20
    check on something.”
    21
    “Are you fucking kidding?” He drank it down. “This is . . .
    22
    If I come back, will you make me a whole pot of this?”
    23
    Her anxiety lessened again at his praise. “Yes, of course. It’s
    24
    pretty easy to make. It’s one of Gillian’s favorites.”
    25
    Finally, several servers came through with trays of cham-
    26
    pagne and the sangria she’d made the day before.
    27
    He noted her attention on the servers with the drink trays.
    28S
    “Ah, you were anxious about the drinks?”
    29N
    “They should have been out ten minutes ago. Before the food.
    • 24 •
    9780425256084_Lush_TX_p1-308.indd 24
    9780425256084_Lush_TX_p1-308.indd 24
    23/11/12 12:24 PM
    23/11/12 12:24 PM
    Lush
    Two people just got married. Everyone needs a glass of cham-
    01
    pagne.”
    02
    “It looks like they’re catching up now and everything is fi ne.”
    03
    He paused to get them each a glass of champagne.
    04
    The server spoke quietly. “Had a mishap in the kitchen.
    05
    Everything is back on track now.”
    06
    “What sort of mishap?” She stood.
    07
    “We couldn’t fi nd the right glasses. But then we remembered
    08
    you’d set them aside so we could fi nd them easier. I’ve been told
    09
    to promise you all is well.”
    10
    “Can I help?” Damien looked up at her as he sat and a shiver
    11
    made her knees weak. What would he look like on his knees on
    12
    front of her naked?
    13
    “I just need to be sure everything is all right. I’ll be back in
    14
    a bit.”
    15
    He smiled, unfurling himself to stand very slowly, very close
    16
    to her. “You like things your own way, don’t you?”
    17
    “I . . .” She gulped. “This is for Gillian. It needs to be per-
    18
    fect.” She hoped she didn’t get too breathy on that one, but holy
    19
    cow. She could scent his cologne, feel the heat of his body. See
    20
    the beat of his pulse at his throat. Her