Spice It Up

by Samantha Hunter

What a horrible night. Chef Violet Turner’s liquor delivery had been late, her recipes had gone missing, but still she’d pulled it off.

After a nasty review written about her last event, it was a miracle this had gone so well. She just wanted to leave while she was ahead.

Her friend and client, Mason, had asked her to join the Halloween party when she was done. She had to at least show her face for a minute.

She went to check her hair, her make-up. Wiped some tomato from her cheek. Her chef’s uniform wasn’t exactly sexy, but it would have to do.

As she turned to leave, an acrid scent tickled her nose, and she was horrified to see flames leaping from a garbage bin, and catching fast.

With no fire extinguisher in sight, Violet grabbed her pot holders and tried to lift the bin, but the heat and flames drove her back. Frantic, she filled a pitcher with water and prepared to toss it onto the fire, when someone lifted the glass jug out of her hands.

A fireman stood there, and after setting the jug of water aside, he pulled a box of baking soda from the fridge and poured it over the fire.

Violet watched, amazed. He was gorgeous, with dark hair and eyes, and he practically oozed confidence and capability.

He turned toward her. “I didn’t think I’d need my firefighting gear for a Halloween party,” he drawled, “but I underestimated just how hot…the kitchen was.”

Cole grinned at the tiny blonde, not sure if the pink washing over her cheeks was due to the fire, embarrassment or maybe something else? Wasn’t she the cutest thing?

It had been a long time since he’d responded to that look in a woman’s eyes. The ‘oh, baby, aren’t you hot’ look.

“Thanks so much,” she said, blowing a strand of hair out of her eyes.

“The night’s been bad enough without burning the house down, too.

“My pleasure. You can pay me back by dancing with me at the party and letting me see if I can make the night any better,” Cole told her. “I have to ask, though,” he said, unable to hold back his wicked grin. “Are you really a chef or is that just a tasty costume?”

Violet blinked into her sexy stranger’s dark eyes and melted like a perfect fondue. She had the most delicious urge to… Find some of that chocolate and lick it right off him. It was the most insane, embarrassing thought that she laughed.

Nervous.

He smiled, a sexy, one dimpled smile that sent a heat wave to the lower region of her body she’d believed to be in extended hibernation.

“And getting hotter,” he assured her, his voice whiskey rich with seduction. “But you still haven’t answered my question.”

“What was the question again?”

Mason burst into the room.”Where did you want the whipped cream?”

Her sexy stranger arched an inviting brow.

Mason’s intrusion brought Violet back to sanity. She was supposed to be undoing the damage to her career.

Business before pleasure. Cinderella had to take care of the kitchen before dancing at the ball with the sexy fireman who’d put out one fire and started another.

“Over there,” Violet said, pointing at the fridge. “Whipped cream melts so easily.”

She gave Mason her best I’m On Top Of It smile.

“Save the whipped cream for me,” Mason drawled. “I’ll want some later.”

Violet nodded, not realizing how it sounded to her hot fireman.

“Not a costume,” he said, no longer smiling. Mason might get dessert, but Cole wanted an appetizer. “Cater to him after we have that dance.”

Cole should’ve known better. After being dragged through the dirt in a nasty divorce, women were bad news. Especially sweet-looking ones. Better to have no illusions, he thought.

The sexy chef made it clear she was as hot for him as he was for her. It had been a while. Too long. A quick lay with a pretty stranger was just what he needed. It was time for him to get back in the game.

He led her out to the dance floor. She looked stunned as he pulled her up close, made sure she felt his arousal.

She played her part well, blushing, lowering her eyes. Luscious lips parted, she started to say something, then stopped.

Good. He didn’t want to talk and covered her mouth with his, instead.

She stiffened for about a nano-second before Cole felt her shudder lightly and then relax into him. Her lips softened beneath his.

Lust jack-knifed through his gut. Christ, he wanted to devour her. She smelled amazing and tasted delicious, like warm honey. <.p>

Oblivious to the other dancers, Cole speared his fingers through her silky hair and deepened the kiss.

She moaned into his mouth.

He hadn’t wanted to come to the party tonight and hadn’t put any effort into a costume, wearing his firefighting uniform instead. The coat was heat resistant but in that instant, with the chef’s slim body pressed to his, Cole was in danger of spontaneously combusting.

Stunned by the power of the kiss, Violet melted like an overcooked noodle. There was nothing limp about the man pressed against her though.

She forgot where she was, who she was, even why she was there. He was the most delicious treat she’d ever tasted.

Someone whistled, a piercing sound that yanked her out of the fantasy.

Violet’s eyes flew open and she stared into the smoldering eyes. Oh god, what was she doing?

She was here to work. To defend her reputation as a chef. Not to provide a floor show.

She didn’t even know his name.

“I’ve got to go.” She pulled out of his arms.

“Why?”

“All girls know that playing with fire is dangerous.”

Cole held onto his sexy chef, not about to let her escape. Mischief swelled inside Cole as readily as desire. Hot and smoldering. “Dangerous can be exciting,” he said.

She shook her head. “I don’t do dangerous.”

A slow smile slid onto his lips. “Then don’t.”

An adorable dimple appeared between her brows. “Don’t?”she asked.

“Right,” he said, leaning close, lips pressed to her ear. “Don’t be you.”

“Tonight is about fantasy,” he whispered, inhaling a soft, cinnamon smell with arousing results. “You don’t even have to tell me your name.”

Would she do it? Would she be dangerous? He knew her name, had overheard someone call it out. But would she tell him, or would she lie?

He was all about the fantasy now that reality had kicked him in the ass, so a lie would be fine. But it would tell him so much about her.

Violet gulped hard, wishing she had more experience, but she’d buried herself in work, wanting to be good at SOMETHING.

Wanting to be safe.

But safety was an illusion, wasn’t it? Her dad had taught her that. Later, her ex had hammered it home. The car crash was icing on the cake.

Screw it.

She’d been burned before, and she’d healed.

“Violet,” she said. “Name’s Violet. Now, touch me, and don’t you dare hold back.”

Cole didn’t give her a chance to change her mind, backing her into a dark corner of the room behind a decorative Halloween display.

She didn’t seem to mind, tugging at the buckles of his coat and responding to his kisses with equal passion, her tongue rubbing along his. He let the heavy coat fall off his shoulders while he loosened her uniform, sliding his hands up underneath, seeking warm, soft flesh.

She moaned into his mouth as he palmed her small breasts, thumbing hard nipples. He moaned back, pressing his hardness against her.

Cole fought the zipper of her pants and she pushed at his, when the huge display they hid behind came crashing down toward them.

With a cry of surprise, Violet found herself on the floor beneath the display, her limbs entangled with those of her sexy fireman.

Cole muttered a curse, and Violet was dimly aware that the music had stopped and people were rushing toward them, eager to help. Her uniform top was unbuttoned, and Cole’s big, warm hand still covered her breast.

He turned his body to shield her from curious eyes. Slipping his arms free from his coat, he covered her with it, just as the display was lifted away from them.

Humor glinted in his dark eyes. “We’d better take this somewhere more private,” he murmured softly, helping her to her feet, “before we create a real spectacle.”

“I think we’re a little late for the spectacle avoidance,” Violet said. But she followed him out of the giggling roomful of people anyway.

She must have bonked her head in the fall. What else could explain her actions? Wild, half-naked spectacles with a strange man? A strange, gorgeous, deliciously kissable man.

She stared at his very fine ass, showcased so nicely now that he wasn’t wearing the jacket. Who cared about whys, though? She just wanted to get him naked and see how high hot things got.

Talk about a Halloween treat.

“Well, well, Ms. Turner. I thought I’d give you another chance. So… Is this how you repair your reputation?”

The reviewer who’d butchered her career stood inside the kitchen. Ron Allen was tall, thin, and downright wicked with his reviews.

Ron gave Violet a blatantly suggestive once over. “Mason asked me to review your cooking. He didn’t tell you’d be entertaining as well.”

Violet gasped and her sexy fireman glanced down at her. “Give me one reason not to entertain his ass right out the door?”

“If Violet wants a good review,” Ron said. “She’ll kick you to the curb and allow me to sample…her work.”

Indignation rose in Violet. Before she could stop herself,she’d grabbed the cake on the counter, marched to Ron, and gave him a sample.By smashing it in his face.

There was more to Violet than Cole had anticipated. Despite the urge to follow through on his threat, he couldn’t take his gaze off her.

Shouting about wrecked careers and dry-cleaning bills, the obnoxious man stormed out, leaving them alone. Which is how Cole liked it.

What have I done?” She blinked as if bringing him into focus.

Her tongue flicked over her lips, drawing his attention to the giveaway sign.

Cole was adept at putting out fires, but while his Class A reaction to the sexy chef may have been easily extinguished earlier, well, now he had the feeling that it was going to take much much more than a simple, single roll in the hay to take care of this fire!

“What you did was stand up for yourself big time. I admire that,” Cole said, stepping closer. “Was he an ex?” He could relate to lousy exes.

“No. He’s a reviewer who trashed me for not sleeping with him. I can’t wait to see what he puts in the paper tomorrow,” she said miserably.

Cole winced. Ouch. He was more interested than ever, but by the sound of it, the last thing Violet needed was anther guy coming on to her.

She came close, slid her hands up his chest. “I can tell you’re a good guy, Cole. I really need something good to happen,” she said huskily.

Cole was sure he’d heard wrong. She took his hand, led him to a storeroom out back. “Are you sure?” he asked, hoping as well as doubting.

Violet had never been more sure of anything in her entire life. “Oh, yes,” she breathed, closing the door and pushing Cole up against it.

She sighed in pleasure as he swept the coat from her shoulders and gathered her close, his hands stroking over her back to her bottom.

He cupped her cheeks, fitting himself to her and letting her feel how aroused he was.

Violet moaned softly, loving the feel of him. His mouth covered hers, and she welcomed the hot stroke of his tongue against her own.

Her fingers swiftly worked his belt buckle. As her fingers closed around Cole’s hard, heated length, Violet realized this wasn’t just going to be good; it was going to be great.

Cole groaned, barely holding onto the edges of control. She was amazing! Her mouth. Her body. What her hand was doing. So delicious! Needing to reciprocate the magic she was giving him, he slid his fingers under her waistband and down the silky smooth warmth of her thigh. He desperately wanted to rip off her clothes and drive into her welcoming body. Her fingers tightened, her teeth nipping at his lip. His fingers slid into her wet, welcoming body. She wrapped her leg around his thigh. Desperate, Cole shifted, tugging her pants free. With one swift thrust, he gave them both what they wanted. Crazy, desperate passion, with only a thin storeroom door for privacy.

The bliss of release rolled over Violet with sweet, buttery perfect. Sudden and then, “Oh my….I” She shattered.

Cole buried his face in Violet’s the silky vanilla scented hair and thrust hard one last, amazing time, before he shuddered to release.

“Violet!” The sound of Mason’s voice calling her name jolted Violet into the dreaded moment of truth where she had to face her actions.

Cole quickly righted Violet’s clothes,pulling away from her. “I’ll sneak out back,” he said, telling himself that was the right thing to do.

“Right,” Violet whispered, her stomach knotting. “You should leave. We’re finished here. Fun. Party and fantasy. Done. Over.”

He kissed her.

“You’ve never done this before, have you?”

“No.” She hated admitting to her safe, mundane life.

Cole’s expression became intense. “Why now?”

“You made the risk worthwhile…and I’d do it again,” Violet said.

Cole grinned. “I’d let you.”

Mason opened the store room door. “What the…?”

“There was a…fire in the store room,” Violet said innocently.

Mason lifted his eyebrows, amused. “I see. Did you put it out?”

Cole pulled Violet to his side. “For now, but you know how fires are. To be safe, I’ll have to keep an eye on the embers for a long time.”

Violet let her hand slide down to her fireman’s fine ass, loving how he made her feel, inside and out. “Yes. A long, long time.”