Free The Zombie Billionaire's Virgin Witch (Zombie Category Romance) by Joely Sue Burkhart

intellect and my senses any more at this point.”
    “Oh
for goodness sakes!”  She planted her hands on her hips.  “Your high
and mighty intellect was compromised the first moment you challenged Daddy and
stole his restaurant!  The whole reason you’re so grouchy is that you’re hungry . 
So shut up and eat!”
    He
shot an arctic glare, his lips tightening and his shoulders stiff with
reluctance.  “I’m not grouchy.”
    “And
I’m not chubby either.”  Turning her back on him, she went over to the
stove and checked on her pies.  “I can hear your stomach growling and
you’re as mean as an old bear woken up from hibernation too early.  I bet
you haven’t eaten all day.”
    She
refused to look at him, choosing instead to plate the apple pie ala mode. 
Hopefully the last orders had come in—otherwise she was going to run short on
dessert tonight.  It would’ve broken her father’s heart if he’d sent a
guest home without their sweet tooth satisfied.
    “Why
do you think you’re chubby?”
    She
froze in the middle of dropping a scoop of ice cream onto the warm pie. 
Her mind locked up like an overheated engine run without a single drop of
oil.  It has to be a trick question.  
    She
couldn’t think of a response.  She loved food, had always loved food, and
her body showed it.  She wouldn’t call herself fat, but by no means would
she fit into a perfect size 4 portrayed by the media.  On a good day,
she’d be thrilled to fit into a 14.
    Forcing
out a laugh, she shrugged.  “Let’s just say I’m no beauty and I never will
be.  I’m fine with that because I can cook anyone out of the
kitchen.  Well, except for Helga, and Daddy, of course.  It’s a small
price to pay for loving good food.”
    If
she wasn’t mistaken, she heard the sound of cutlery on the plate.  The
straining tension eased inside her.  If he couldn’t bring himself to eat
her food, he’d never trust her to run the kitchen and pull Remy’s back
from the brink.
    “I
admit you’re not my usual type.”
    Thank
God her back was to him.  She let the ugly sneer twist her face, but she
bit back the bitter response.  Not what your body said a few minutes
ago when you were kissing me.
    “But
I wouldn’t say you were chubby either.  That’s a word for a chunky
adolescent girl.”
    Smoothing
the hurt from her face, she managed a civil nod in his direction as she handed
off the dessert plates to the wait staff.  “How many are left in the
dining room?”
    “This
is the last,” the young man said with a weary smile.  Hopefully he’d made
some nice tips for a change.
    “Thanks
for a great service.  Tell all the servers that I’m grateful for their
help tonight.”
    He
flashed a smile and disappeared into the other room.
    “Do
you know him?” 
    She
had no idea why Michelopoulos’s voice had gone so icy again.  Silly
man.  His mercurial moods were impossible to keep up with.  “No, I
don’t.  Everyone I knew from my father’s kitchen is no longer here.”
    “I
didn’t fire them.”  He cleared his throat self-consciously, scowling when
she arched a brow at him.  “Not that I care what you think, Ms. Remy, but
I didn’t come in here and blindly fire all your father’s precious staff. 
They refused to work for me.”
    Heartache
suddenly swamped her, fond tears burning her eyes.  Daddy would have been
touched to know his staff had been so loyal.  Softly, she whispered,
“Thank you.”
    “For
what?”  Michelopoulos eyed his empty plate like he was thinking about
licking it clean.  When she didn’t answer, he raised his penetrating gaze
to her face.  His dark eyes flickered over her, head to toe, a fleeting
caress that left her trembling in their wake.  Yet nothing changed on his
face.  Not a single hint of attraction, no longing to kiss her again.
    Disappointment
warred with relief.  The kiss had been a huge mistake.  She’d never
forget the sultry heat of his mouth nor the strength of