off the stool to clean the mess, but Paul beat her to it. He picked up the empty bag and tossed it into the trash.
He carried the food that was left to the cabinets and refrigerator, and then took out some food for himself.
Bridget watched him curiously. “You didn’t have dinner yet?”
Paul shook his head, “I never eat dinner, really.”
“You never eat dinner?”
“Well, most nights I just taste…a lot .”
“And you didn’t tonight?” Bridget asked, curiously. She glanced at the clock. “You’re early…Is something wrong?”
Paul looked away. He didn’t want her to see the turmoil on his face or to spoil the pleasant, playful mood. “Tough night at work,” he shrugged.
“I know how that goes,” Bridget answered, soothingly.
“Do you?” Paul blinked.
Bridget was embarrassed when she realized what she’d said. “Er…no…not really, I mean, Tad’s an angel! Always! I just…”
“…have to watch out for your lecherous boss always sneaking home early and trying to steal a kiss.”
Paul made sure that his tone was teasing, but he was actually holding his breath, waiting on the edge of his seat for her response.
Bridget looked down at her hands and dared another tiny timid smile.
“Actually, that’s one of the perks.”
Chapter 10
Paul’s home life was as good as it had ever been but work was utter hell. He knew that he shouldn’t have walked out of service, but he also knew that other chefs had nights off. Plenty of the top chefs managed to have a life outside work.
His passion for good food was still strong and steady. It burned away at the very heart of who he was, but the politics of his kitchen were getting out of hand. Paul no longer wanted to go into work. He wanted to stay at home with Tad and Bridget and rediscover what it meant to be part of a normal family.
He smiled to himself when he thought of the pair of them. He couldn’t believe that he had been content to live his life without Tad in it. He felt guilty for neglecting his son in the past. He was determined to change, but work continually got in the way of his good intentions. At least Tad had Bridget for when his father still fell short. Paul’s affectionate smile gained a wolfish edge when he considered the nanny.
Bridget was a part of their oddball little family just as surely as he and Tad; she was the glue that held them together, especially in the beginning. Paul was still learning how to be a proper father, but it became a little easier every day under Bridget’s tutelage. After the night of the binge, he understood a little better why she didn’t already have a family of her own. Paul was keen to build up her shattered confidence. He was desperate not to lose Bridget in the process though. He wanted to show her that he and Tad were all that she needed.
Paul played his seduction out slowly. He allowed Bridget no room to doubt that she was a prize that he intended to claim but kept her guessing about when he would make his final move.
Paul amazed himself with his restraint. He wanted Bridget badly, but he wanted it to be perfect when he finally made her his own, and he sensed that she needed time. He loved watching her blossom under his tender attentions. Her eyes lit up with anticipation every time that she saw him. Her skin flushed and her lips parted breathlessly.
More often than not Paul rewarded her response to him with slow, probing kisses, leaving them both reeling when he pulled away from her lush, inviting curves.
It was difficult for him to concentrate on anything but Bridget, even when they were apart. He found more and more that she was even intruding on his thoughts while he was in the kitchen. That was something that couldn’t possibly go unnoticed for long.
“Oh, no! ”
“What?” Bridget let the spoon that she was using to eat her Cookie Crisp cereal clatter against the bowl at the sound of Paul’s voice. His tone was disappointed. She
He carried the food that was left to the cabinets and refrigerator, and then took out some food for himself.
Bridget watched him curiously. “You didn’t have dinner yet?”
Paul shook his head, “I never eat dinner, really.”
“You never eat dinner?”
“Well, most nights I just taste…a lot .”
“And you didn’t tonight?” Bridget asked, curiously. She glanced at the clock. “You’re early…Is something wrong?”
Paul looked away. He didn’t want her to see the turmoil on his face or to spoil the pleasant, playful mood. “Tough night at work,” he shrugged.
“I know how that goes,” Bridget answered, soothingly.
“Do you?” Paul blinked.
Bridget was embarrassed when she realized what she’d said. “Er…no…not really, I mean, Tad’s an angel! Always! I just…”
“…have to watch out for your lecherous boss always sneaking home early and trying to steal a kiss.”
Paul made sure that his tone was teasing, but he was actually holding his breath, waiting on the edge of his seat for her response.
Bridget looked down at her hands and dared another tiny timid smile.
“Actually, that’s one of the perks.”
Chapter 10
Paul’s home life was as good as it had ever been but work was utter hell. He knew that he shouldn’t have walked out of service, but he also knew that other chefs had nights off. Plenty of the top chefs managed to have a life outside work.
His passion for good food was still strong and steady. It burned away at the very heart of who he was, but the politics of his kitchen were getting out of hand. Paul no longer wanted to go into work. He wanted to stay at home with Tad and Bridget and rediscover what it meant to be part of a normal family.
He smiled to himself when he thought of the pair of them. He couldn’t believe that he had been content to live his life without Tad in it. He felt guilty for neglecting his son in the past. He was determined to change, but work continually got in the way of his good intentions. At least Tad had Bridget for when his father still fell short. Paul’s affectionate smile gained a wolfish edge when he considered the nanny.
Bridget was a part of their oddball little family just as surely as he and Tad; she was the glue that held them together, especially in the beginning. Paul was still learning how to be a proper father, but it became a little easier every day under Bridget’s tutelage. After the night of the binge, he understood a little better why she didn’t already have a family of her own. Paul was keen to build up her shattered confidence. He was desperate not to lose Bridget in the process though. He wanted to show her that he and Tad were all that she needed.
Paul played his seduction out slowly. He allowed Bridget no room to doubt that she was a prize that he intended to claim but kept her guessing about when he would make his final move.
Paul amazed himself with his restraint. He wanted Bridget badly, but he wanted it to be perfect when he finally made her his own, and he sensed that she needed time. He loved watching her blossom under his tender attentions. Her eyes lit up with anticipation every time that she saw him. Her skin flushed and her lips parted breathlessly.
More often than not Paul rewarded her response to him with slow, probing kisses, leaving them both reeling when he pulled away from her lush, inviting curves.
It was difficult for him to concentrate on anything but Bridget, even when they were apart. He found more and more that she was even intruding on his thoughts while he was in the kitchen. That was something that couldn’t possibly go unnoticed for long.
“Oh, no! ”
“What?” Bridget let the spoon that she was using to eat her Cookie Crisp cereal clatter against the bowl at the sound of Paul’s voice. His tone was disappointed. She
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