A Place to Rest Part 22

"Well, that might take some of the sting out." Sawyer vacillated between feeling accountable to Erica and defi ant.

She'd been left in charge. Didn't that mean she should be able to manage the place without constantly checking with her? Even as she asked the question, she knew what Erica's answer would be.

But she couldn't do anything about the brunch if she didn't fi nd out about it until after the fact.

Friday morning, the Drake's kitchen was active earlier than usual. The kitchen was fully staffed and Sawyer had scheduled enough servers to cover the tables. The aroma of baking pastries competed with the smoky smell of frying bacon. Jori carefully folded fresh blueberries into m.u.f.fi n batter.

"I need two cheese omelets and four ginger scones." Jori * 183 *

barely glanced up as the order was called out by an incoming server.

"Five minutes," Chuck said as he expertly fl ipped the contents of one of the omelet pans in front of him.

"I need ten minutes on the scones," Jori shot back.

"How about eight," he suggested with a wink.

"I'll race you." Jori smiled and looked at Brady. "And you can't help him."

Minutes later, she and Chuck slid their plates onto the service counter at the same time. Sawyer hurried through the kitchen door just as the waitress spun toward it with her tray, narrowly missing a collision.

"Whoa." Sawyer danced around the other woman and turned to Brady. "The CEO wants to compliment the chef."

Brady nodded and untied his ap.r.o.n. "Schmoozing is my least favorite part of this job."

"I thought complaints were your least favorite."

"They are. But this is up there, too."

"Be nice," Sawyer warned.

"Yes, ma'am," he called over his shoulder just before he disappeared through the door.

Sawyer grinned and crossed to Jori. "How's it going in here?"

"We're keeping up." Jori forced herself to turn away, washing her hands in an effort to keep them occupied when what she really wanted was to grab Sawyer and kiss that s.e.xy smile off her face. She'd been fi ghting those urges every time she got within a few feet of Sawyer.

"Sawyer, will you grab that tray of m.u.f.fi ns out of the oven?"

Jori asked as she turned off the water and dried her hands on the towel tucked into the ap.r.o.n at her waist.

Sawyer nodded, slid on an oven mitt, and stooped to pull the m.u.f.fi ns out. Jori glanced at Chuck and suddenly wished she and Sawyer were alone. She would cross to Sawyer and bend her over the counter and- * 184 *

"Jori?" Sawyer's tone penetrated her fantasy.

She jerked her eyes from Sawyer's backside. Sawyer was looking over her shoulder, and Jori smothered a gasp at the stark longing in her expression. Her gaze said she knew exactly what Jori was thinking about.

"Where do you want these?" Sawyer lifted the m.u.f.fi n tray but it slipped and refl exively she grabbed it with her unprotected hand. "s.h.i.t," she hissed loudly enough to turn heads. She dropped the tray on the counter and stuck her burned fi ngers in her mouth.

"Come here."

Jori pulled her over to the sink and held her hand under the cool stream while Sawyer continued to curse under her breath.

"I thought you were tougher than this," Jori teased, trying to ignore the sick feeling in her stomach at Sawyer's obvious pain.

"It really hurts. And it's your fault anyway."

"My fault?" When Sawyer tried to pull her hand back, Jori held on fi rmly. "Just a minute longer."

"Yeah. If you hadn't been looking at me like you wanted to sling me up on the counter and have your way with me, I wouldn't have been so distracted."

Jori fl ushed, knowing Sawyer wasn't far off.

"Well, maybe I'll have to think of a way to make it up to you." She stepped in front of Sawyer, turning her back to the other occupants of the kitchen to hide her purposely fl irtatious expression.

"That sounds promising."

Mindful of Sawyer's injury, Jori carefully patted a towel against her hand. "Any suggestions?"

Sawyer slowly raised one eyebrow. "Maybe. You could actually sling me up on the counter and-"

"As interesting as that sounds," Jori gently examined her injured hand, "I think that might make Chuck uncomfortable."

Sawyer frowned. "Hmm, I guess I'll have to wait. But you * 185 *

know I do have a key to this place so, after hours if you wanted to-"

Jori laughed. "You're obsessed."

"I'm just saying. We could even do it on Chuck's counter."

"Sawyer!"

"What? He'll never know."

"Okay, I think you need to get back to work." She steered Sawyer in the direction of the door, but before she pushed her away she leaned close and whispered, "And I will consider it and get back to you."

"Long day, huh?" Brady asked as he took off his chef jacket, leaving only a navy T-shirt tucked into the loose cotton pants. He picked up his wallet and keys from the counter.

Jori nodded. "But the brunch went well, don't you think?"

"When I talked to the CEO he raved about Sawyer and talked about bringing his people back again. Can I walk you out?"

"I think I'll check in on Sawyer before I go." She and Sawyer hadn't made any plans, but they seemed to gravitate toward each other at closing time. When Jori glanced at Brady she found a knowing smile and looked away quickly.

"She's been in the offi ce for over an hour," he said and held the kitchen door open for her. "She should be about ready to wrap up." Again, the smug grin.

As they stepped into the hallway, Sawyer emerged from the offi ce. Jori warmed as Sawyer's lips pulled into a s.e.xy grin.

"Hey there. You ready to go upstairs and-" She bit off the rest of her words when she noticed Brady.

"Hey, Sawyer," Brady greeted her with a touch of teasing in his voice. "I'll see you ladies tomorrow."

He headed for the back door, leaving them standing in the hallway. Jori searched Sawyer's face, but found her expression unreadable. She was nervous about how Sawyer would react to * 186 *

her family knowing what was going on between them. Wonderful, Jori. You already know she can't commit. So why are you worrying about her family? She'd been reminding herself that no matter how much it seemed Sawyer was taking things in stride, their relationship would inevitably end. Apparently Sawyer was built that way, and she hadn't indicated to Jori that this was any different. So she'd forbidden herself to have any expectations.

"I guess it's safe to a.s.sume Brady knows," Sawyer said quietly, as if to herself.

"I think so."

"And if Brady knows that means Paige knows."

"Maybe he didn't tell-"

"If he didn't, he will. He and Paige don't have any secrets.

Besides, he knows Paige will love this."

"Why?"

Sawyer shrugged. Because she wants me to be with someone.

She wants me to be happy. And you make me so happy. But she couldn't say that, so instead she sighed and said, "I guess I'll have to tell Erica. Brady won't keep it from her for long." She rested a hand between Jori's shoulder blades. "Are you heading home? Or do you-want to come upstairs?"

Jori carefully took Sawyer's left hand in hers and tenderly kissed the still-red skin. "I still need to make this up to you, so I better come up." Mindful of the injury, Jori led her toward the stairs.

Sawyer followed willingly, and closely, allowing her free hand to roam down Jori's hip and over her shapely a.s.s. She was already imagining what she would do to Jori when, halfway up the stairs, Jori pushed her against the wall and devoured her mouth.

Sawyer's legs tingled and if Jori's body hadn't pinned hers, she doubted her knees would have held her upright. These moments of aggression, so at odds with Jori's normally shy demeanor, still pleasantly surprised her.

"Jori. Upstairs." Jori's thigh was between hers, pressed fi rmly into her crotch.

* 187 *

"Here." Jori braced her foot against a higher step, gaining leverage, and pushed her leg up.

"Oh, Jesus." Sawyer wanted to let Jori take her right there on the stairs. They were alone in the building, and with Jori's thigh thrusting against her distended c.l.i.toris, it wouldn't take long.

"Only a few more steps. I want you in bed."

"Then hurry."

They stumbled together up the remaining steps. Sawyer struggled with the lock, but, with Jori between her and the door, she couldn't see what she was doing, and Jori's mouth on her neck was making it hard to concentrate.

"Hurry," Jori said, her words a low vibration against Sawyer's skin.

She fumbled with the key once more before it slid into place and she swung the door open. Jori's arms tightened around Sawyer and her mouth found Sawyer's ear.

"Jori, I have to get my keys," she protested when Jori pushed her through the foyer toward the living room. Her keys dangled from the k.n.o.b of the still-open door.

"What are you worried about, there's no one else in-" As Jori spun them into the room, she stopped so suddenly they both almost toppled over. Struggling to keep them upright, Sawyer glanced up and found Erica reclining on the sofa.

Erica stood slowly.

"You're early," Sawyer said. She hadn't been expecting Erica to move back until late the next day.

"I missed being in my own place. I would have come downstairs, but Taylor was sleeping and I didn't want to risk waking her." Her tone was controlled, but Sawyer could tell she was angry. "It looks like I came back just in time."

Jori released Sawyer and quickly moved away. Her face was fl ushed and her eyes downcast.

"How are you feeling?" Sawyer stepped slightly in front of Jori, shielding her from the irritation in Erica's eyes. She hoped * 188 *

Erica would accept the subject change, if only in deference to Jori's presence.

"Fine. How was the brunch?"

"You knew?"

"I lived with Brady. You didn't think I would notice when he left for work seven hours early?"

"I was going to tell you tomorrow." Sawyer shifted uncomfortably, wishing she could fi gure out how to get Jori out of the room before Erica's anger boiled over.

Apparently, though, Erica was too mad to care who else was there. "d.a.m.n it, Sawyer. I asked you not to do this."

"Actually, if I recall, you told me not to. Look, you don't need to worry about it. If things don't work out, I'll leave Drake's."

"You're d.a.m.n right you will."

"I know-what?"

"What?" Jori echoed as she stepped around Sawyer. She'd recognized Sawyer's attempt to protect her. But she didn't need anyone to take a bullet for her.

Erica's attention didn't waver from Sawyer. "I'm not losing my pastry chef because you couldn't keep it in your pants."

"That's not fair. You know I'm not like that."

"Do I? How many women have you dated in, say, the last two years?"

"What difference does that make?" The fi re behind Sawyer's argument was fading.

"How long can you keep convincing yourself that it's their fault it hasn't worked out? At some point you need to entertain the idea that maybe it's you."

"Oh, that's nice, Erica." Sawyer's expression went cold.