Authors: MJ Summers
The sun was just beginning to set as Claire climbed into the hot tub, immediately feeling her body relax in the warmth of the water. She sat with her back to the jets while she took in the view of the mountains with the sky growing pink and purple behind them. She gave an appreciative sigh at her new surroundings.
It didn't take long for her mind to wander back to Cole. She had been hoping to find out at dinner if he was with anyone. He didn't have a wedding band on, but that didn't mean anything.
Okay, idiot, you just left a four year disaster of a relationship and he is your boss. You need to get your head out of the clouds right now,
she thought to herself.
What do you think is going to happen? That this cowboy is suddenly going to be your knight in shining armour and will whisk you away to a life of romance and endless love? There is no way he is going to want you, Claire. He's probably got a girlfriend who is an underwear model or something.
She climbed out of the hot tub and walked over to the pool, plunging into the deep end with a graceful dive. As she lifted her head out of the cool water, she was surprised to see Cole standing at the other end of the pool, dressed only in black swim trunks, looking at her. The sight of him nearly undressed was a lot to take in. His tall frame was entirely covered with lean muscle and he had a tan from working outside. Unlike Antonio, Cole's muscles came from hard work and his tan from being outdoors. Antonio's muscles, such as they were, came from hours at the gym, his tan from a tanning bed.
"Oh, hi, sorry..." she said, suddenly feeling as though she was out of line to be taking the liberty of using the swimming pool before she even had the job, "...Alicia told me about the pool and it was just too tempting. I hope it's okay."
Cole smiled reassuringly, "Of course it's okay. I'm glad that you’re feeling comfortable enough to make yourself at home."
His pulse sped up at the sight of her in her swimsuit. She was short with a sexy little curvy body, like Salma Hayek
. Calm down, Cole,
he told himself
, she's your chef. That's it.
“Ben said they had dinner with you. I'm sorry I missed it."
"Oh yes, it was delicious. Alicia is a great cook and they were both so welcoming."
"Good. I'm glad you had a chance to meet them."
He walked across the pool deck to the shower and turned on the water, soaking himself. Claire couldn't help but to stare at him, biting her bottom lip, as the water washed down his sculpted body. When he put his arms up to run his hands through his hair, she could see all the muscles in his arms and back flex, causing them to ripple.
"Wow," she whispered in spite of herself.
He dove into the pool, coming up a long way from his entry point. He swam a few laps, displaying considerable skill. She treaded water in the deep end while trying not to gawk at him as he moved gracefully and powerfully through the water. He propelled his body forward with purpose and confidence.
After a few minutes, Claire realized she had to stop drooling. She could feel his eyes following her as she climbed the steps out of the water and walked over to the hot tub. She hoped she looked as good in the bikini as she had the last time she wore it. She suddenly regretted that second piece of lasagne, knowing that her tummy was sticking out a little more than normal. She stepped down the stairs into the hot tub and settled in.
A minute later, Claire allowed her head to turn toward the pool. She was just in time to see Cole get out, using his muscular arms to pull himself onto the deck in one long move. He strode over to the hot tub and sat down on the edge with his feet dangling in the water. "I'll never get sick of that view," he softly exclaimed as he slid his body into the water. Claire looked up, startled.
"I meant the Rockies," he said with a panicked look.
Claire's face flushed, "Of course you did. It's amazing."
Shit. First the panties and now I seem totally vain.
"I feel like that about the ocean, especially the sunsets."
Cole gave her a pensive look, "You're pretty far from the sea." He stared into her navy blue eyes, searching for any hint of whether she might suddenly disappear back to Seattle to whatever - or whoever - she was running from.
She gazed out at the lake for a moment and then turned her focus back to Cole, "To be honest, the sunsets in Seattle have nothing on the one I'm seeing right now."
A spark flew between them as their eyes met. The sexual tension was undeniable. Claire took a deep breath and ran her hands through her hair, causing her bikini-clad breasts to lift out of the water. Cole could see them in his sight without having to stare right at them.
Damn, it has been too long
, he thought. Cole was grateful for the swirls of water in the hot tub, which were hiding his erection. He would need to sit here for a long time until that calmed down.
Suddenly aware of how inappropriate it was for her to be in a hot tub eyeing her new boss the night before the interview, she decided she'd better go straight back to her cabin. "I should go get settled in. What time would you like to meet tomorrow?" she asked. Their eyes still focussed on each other, unable to look away.
Cole cleared his throat and glanced at the lodge, "I'm up early. Alicia said she will keep cooking for the weekend if you like. Why don't you head to the restaurant for breakfast around eight and we'll get the interview out of the way right after. I'll come find you when I'm finished my morning chores at the barn."
Claire climbed out of the hot tub, sucking in her tummy as it lifted out of the water. Feeling more than a little self-conscious at being so exposed in front of a man with a body that should grace a Calvin Klein underwear ad, she quickly put on her t-shirt, skirt and slid into her flip-flops. "Sounds good. See you tomorrow."
Cole sat in the hot tub waiting for his erection to go down. It didn't help that thoughts of her sitting across from him in that bikini kept creeping back into his head. His brain flashed to an image of her staring into his eyes while she untied her bikini strings. He let out a low moan.
Nope, nope, nope. I need to nip that thought in the bud
. He climbed out of the hot tub and dove into the pool, hoping the cold water would help. He swam 20 laps, while going over the sports highlights he had watched the night before to get his mind off her. It almost worked.
Claire went back
to her cabin and climbed into bed, feeling dizzy from the hot water and from being so close to a nearly naked hot-as-hell cowboy. She hadn't felt so sexual in years. Even though she was exhausted, she tossed and turned in bed for an hour with thoughts of Cole filling her head. She fantasized about him crossing the hot tub and untying her bikini strings, his mouth lowering to hers, the feel of his large hands all over her body...
She got up and splashed some cold water on her face. "Stop that!" she scolded her reflection in the mirror. He might be married or have a girlfriend and even if he didn't, a man that hot would never be interested in boring old Claire. She couldn't even keep Antonio's attention and he was nowhere near the man that Cole was.
Her mind wandered back to the last time she had tried to seduce Antonio, six months earlier. It had been weeks since he showed any interest and he was watching a football game that he had recorded. Claire had the night off, which was rare for her, so she decided to make the most of it. She stopped at a lingerie shop on her way home and picked up a small frilly black negligee. She showered and put her hair up in a messy, tousled bun on top of her head. She took her time applying her make up, then sprayed herself with perfume and dressed in her new purchase along with some black heels. Feeling sexy, she walked into the living room and found him on the couch, absorbed by the game. She sauntered in front of the screen and bent down to pick up a throw pillow that had fallen on the floor. Without looking at her, he moved his head so he could see the TV around her. She stood straight up, tossed the pillow to him, and put her hands on her hips.
He glanced over for a second, looking her up and down. Then he said, "Babe, I'm really tired tonight and this is an important game. Nice outfit though."
The humiliation of that moment still stung when she thought of it. She had gone to her bedroom, thrown the nightie and her heels in the garbage, put on fleece pyjamas and went to sleep in the spare room. She had been carelessly rejected by the man she loved. In hindsight, it made a little more sense. He probably had sex with Stacey or some other woman earlier that day.
The next morning, Claire woke to the sun shining brightly into her room and the sound of birds singing. It was 6:30 am. She was surprised to find that she could feel so energetic within days of her break up. Deciding to go for a run to calm her nerves, she quickly hopped out of bed. She rummaged around to find her running shoes, some shorts, and a sports bra, then she changed and headed out the door. She walked at a fast pace for a couple of minutes, making her way over to the dirt trail along the lakeshore. When she reached it, Claire broke into a run, feeling more free and alive than she had in a long time, maybe years even. The feeling of the sun's warmth on her skin renewed her enthusiasm for life. She had shed the weight of a lousy relationship and was getting a chance to start over. Thirty minutes later she was back at her cabin showering and getting dressed for her interview.
Claire took extra care getting ready. She told herself that she was doing it to look professional, but a part of her that she wouldn't admit to was doing it for Cole. She dried her hair and then put it up in a loose bun, leaving a few pieces hanging out at the front to frame her face. She applied her make up with an expert hand and then selected a black pencil skirt, a white blouse that was just a tiny bit see-through and a pair of nude high heels to make her legs look longer. When she saw her reflection in the mirror, there was no trace of the broken woman that had left Seattle earlier that week. She looked radiant, with a slight pink to her cheeks left-over from her run. Feeling confident, she walked out of the cabin and over to have breakfast.
Arriving at the restaurant just before 8 am, she opened the door to the delicious smells of bacon and eggs frying and fresh coffee brewing. She was surprised how busy it was, with at least ten men dressed in jeans and work shirts helping themselves to food at the buffet table or sitting and eating. Trey and Dustin were among them. Trey called out to her, "Well there she is! Miss Claire, our new chef extraordinaire!"
Claire blushed as all the men looked up at her. She suddenly felt over-dressed and out of place.
"Hello," she managed to say shyly waving to everyone.
Dustin walked up, "Oh I like your shoes! You might want to stay out of the barn with those though. You'll never get the manure off of them."
The men laughed.
Claire gave him a sassy grin, not one to allow herself to be intimidated, "Thanks for the tip. Is that how you wrecked your heels?"
The room exploded with laughter.
One of the men looked up from his plate, "This new cookie has a little sass in her. I'm impressed. We're going to have some fun with...."
His voice trailed off as he spotted Cole standing at the door staring at him. Claire blushed with embarrassment and walked over to the buffet table, picking up a plate. She hoped Cole wouldn't think she was flirting with the men and that she was the type to cause trouble.
Everyone went back to eating as Cole walked over. He smiled warmly at Claire, putting her mind at ease, "Morning. How did you sleep?"
Claire looked up from the fruit tray she was picking from and nodded, "Really well, thank you. I feel much more refreshed today."
"I'm glad. I’m heading over to my office. It's on the main floor of the lodge. Come over when you are done eating so we can get the interview out of the way, okay?"
"Will do."
With that, he was gone as quickly as he had arrived.
Claire found her way over to Cole's office twenty minutes later. He was sitting at his desk talking on the phone and waved her in. Otis lay on a dog bed beside Cole's desk. He lazily got up to greet her as she took a seat opposite Cole. She petted him warmly as she sat, looking around, hoping to find evidence of a wife or girlfriend (or rather, hoping not to). His office was not messy but was obviously a place where a lot was happening. Neat stacks of paper sat on his desk. On the shelf under the window were rolls of what looked like blueprints. Next to the rolls sat a picture of an older couple on a beach - she assumed they were his parents. No other photos were in sight, so no sign of a significant other yet. On the wall behind his desk, was Cole's Bachelor of Business degree from Colorado State, framed in silver with a dark green mat.
Whoever Cole was talking to was irritating him. He spoke in a quiet, even tone and although he sounded calm, there was an edge to his voice that was undoubtedly making the person on the other end squirm. Otis wandered back over to his bed, made a circle and laid down again as the call ended. She watched as Cole took a moment to write something before looking up at her, "Sorry about that."
"Oh, please don't be," she responded, trying not to notice how sexy his eyes were with their long curved eyelashes. He wore a light blue button-up shirt, open at the top to reveal a white t-shirt underneath. She knew he had jeans and light brown cowboy boots on from his brief appearance at the restaurant. It was impossible for her not to think about that hard body hidden beneath all those clothes.
The interview seemed more like a getting-to-know-you conversation. Cole spent some time talking about the new image he was trying to create for the ranch. With the recent downturn in the economy, they needed to attract clients with money. Those clients had higher expectations of luxury, fine wines and cuisine, and excellent service along with a somewhat authentic ranch experience. He and Ben had realized all of this a couple of years earlier and managed to put together some cash to have the swimming pool and hot tub installed, along with renovating the rooms at the lodge. They had plans to add some luxury cabins along the lakeshore over the next few years, but wanted to create a world-class dining experience first. They wanted to attract more local people to the restaurant as well. He told her they would welcome any marketing ideas that she had, although he didn't want her to feel pressure, as he understood that she wasn't hired for that reason.
As Claire listened, she couldn't help feeling excited. Cole's eyes lit up and he was passionate about his plans as he talked. She loved the idea of running a kitchen that provided a world-class dining experience. It was what she had always dreamed of.
"For now, I know we aren't anywhere near that level. We don't have enough regular customers to have much of a staff in the kitchen. It'll be you and Alicia to start. This means everything from prep work to menu design to cleaning bathrooms. I know these aren't considered the typical responsibilities of a chef and I hope that won't be a problem for you." Cole paused, waiting for her reaction.
"It won't be a problem at all. I love the idea of helping to build something to its full potential and I want to be a part of it in every way possible, even if it means scrubbing toilets for a while. I think the plans you have and the timeline sound realistic. It seems like you have a perfect location here, close to Colorado Springs but still with that 'out in the wilderness' feel to it. I have a lot of ideas for the menu, some traditional favourites as well as some more trendy fare that some of the more wealthy clients will be expecting. It will take me about a week to finish and present it to you, if that's okay."
Cole smiled warmly at Claire, relieved that she sounded willing to work hard and didn't turn her nose up at some less-than-glamorous duties. He had been worried that she might be above all of that. "That will be just fine, Claire. We have a couple of weeks until the busy tourist season starts, so you can take your time and fine-tune the menu as you go. Tomorrow is Sunday, so why don't you take the rest of the weekend to finish getting settled in and unpack. You can work with Alicia in the kitchen if you feel like it and if you don't, that's all right too."
"Thanks Cole, I am actually anxious to get started. I won't need more than a few hours today to get unpacked and set up. I'd like to help out with supper tonight, if Alicia won't mind." Claire spoke with such enthusiasm and sincerity, it surprised him.
"That should be just fine. I'm sure she’ll appreciate the help," Cole said, looking down for a moment at the list of interview questions that he had come up with. He realized he had only asked a couple of them so far.
"So Claire, what made you want to become a chef?" as the words came out of his mouth, he realized how amateur it sounded.
"Well, it's all I've ever wanted to do actually, since I was a little girl," she smiled thinking about her passion for cooking. "I love creating something new. I love the smells, the textures, the tastes. I love the feeling of washing fruits and vegetables under a rush of water, the sounds of chopping and bubbling liquids and sizzling pans. Most of all, I love making something carefully, paying attention to every little detail, and then seeing other people derive pleasure from experiencing the flavours and textures that I wanted them to enjoy..." she trailed off, suddenly feeling as exposed as she had in her bikini the night before. She felt like she had said too much and sounded strange. She looked at Cole, trying to see if he was put off by her. Instead, he seemed riveted, unable to look away.
"Wow," he said quietly, "that was some answer. I almost feel like I've just watched you make an entire meal." His voice was low and sounded thick with desire. He couldn't help but notice how her shirt was just a bit see through, showing the outline of her bra, and how her hair was done up with a few pieces falling around her face. An image of her taking her hair down and ripping her shirt open flashed in his brain.
Shit! Focus, Cole
!
“Sorry, I think I went on a bit. I sound like an artsy nutball.”
"Not at all, Claire. You sound like someone who loves what you do. It's rare to find people with such passion about their work. That's how I feel about the ranch. I could talk about it for hours if anyone wanted to listen."
I would listen,
she thought
. I would listen to you read the phone book with that low, sexy voice coming out of those gorgeous lips of yours.
"I would love to hear about it sometime. I need to learn more about what you do here if I'm going to be a part of it all."
"I'd like that very much," he replied, with his eyes still locked on hers. In his peripheral vision, he took in the sight of her legs as she crossed them. A flash of him sliding his hands up under that skirt overtook his brain for a moment.
Get it together
, he reprimanded himself, looking down at his paper again.
As he scanned his other questions, he realized that they all sounded lame, "You know, I think that just about covers it, unless you have any questions for me."
Claire paused for a moment, feeling a little disappointed that her time with him was over so soon, "Nothing I can think of. If I think of something later, I'll know where to find you." Her lips suddenly felt dry and she licked them.
"Right," he said, watching her mouth, "Okay then. Good. I'll let you get settled in," he said, looking down again.
Claire was just about to get up to leave when Cole said, "Oh Claire, there's something else. I know it's none of my business, but I'm wondering if you are planning to stay long."
Claire looked at him with confusion, "I wouldn't have come all this way if I intended to leave." She tried to hide the annoyance she was feeling.
Cole looked at her, "I've offended you. I'm sorry. I only meant that for me, it's important to find a chef that will be here for the long haul while we get things up and running. It’ll take a couple of years for that to happen and although I know that I can't ask you to commit right now for that length of time, I need to know if there might be something or someone waiting for you back in Seattle that you might have to go home for suddenly."
Claire sat and stared at him, not sure what to say. On the one hand she understood his concern and on the other, this felt somewhat like an invasion of her privacy. She sighed trying not to get emotional, "Seattle isn't actually my home. I have lived there for the past eight years, but there is nothing there for me to go back to. I grew up in upstate New York and went to college there. My parents have both passed away and I have a sister who lives in England, but that's it."
Cole felt a stab of regret for making her answer such a personal question. For a moment he didn't know what to say. He could see she was upset by this conversation and knew there was something more to it when she said there was nothing for her to go back to in Seattle. The way she had packed and left town in such a hurry, throwing her clothes and shoes in garbage bags and how she managed to get here only a few days after their first phone call. He knew better than to push it though. He still wasn't 100% sure that she wouldn't leave to go back to whoever she was running from, but he had to try to trust her. For him that was a tough thing to do.
"I'm sorry about your parents and I'm sorry that I've upset you by asking you to explain your situation. I just really want this to work out and the thought of having to start over to find a new chef is just too much for my brain right now." He wished he could offer a more eloquent apology.
"That's all right. I understand why you need to know. It's all just a little raw for me right now. But I am really excited to get started here and to move on with a new chapter of my life," Claire managed a tight smile.
"Thanks Claire. I'm really pleased to have you aboard. I want you to feel comfortable and to come to me with any concerns or questions you have, especially as you are getting used to things around here."
Cole stood up and walked around his desk offering her his hand. Claire stood and shook his hand, feeling the electricity pulse through her as their skin connected again. She wondered if he felt it too or if it was just wishful thinking on her part. She had been lonely for a long time without really realizing it.
She let go and as she turned to leave Cole called out, "Oh and Claire, I don't want you to feel like you have to dress up, unless you feel more comfortable this way. Not that you don't look good - you look great - but you can just dress however you like."
Claire gave him a flirty smile, knowing he was the one feeling nervous now, "Thanks boss. I'll keep that in mind."
"Great. Welcome aboard, Claire."