Free Pure Iron by Holly Bargo

menu to perfection. He cocked his head, watching as she consulted her cell phone for a recipe on the more challenging dishes, both of which she had freely admitted she had never tasted and one she mispronounced. He did not discount her inexperience; she was still quite young. There was more than sufficient time for her to learn and perfect her skills.
    Overall, he was pleased with her execution of his menu. He ordered her to prepare a three-course meal of her own creation to impress him. Sonia nodded and got to work, frowning in concentration. In the sixty minutes he allowed for the production of this masterpiece, her options were limited.
    Chef Kilrook glanced at the tall, tattooed man brooding in an out-of-the-way corner as he watched the chef watch his bride. The young man’s pride in his bride battled with possessiveness and concern. He badly wanted Sonia to impress Kilrook, but he also wanted to haul her back to the privacy of their hotel suite where none but he might look upon her.
    For her part, every time Sonia took a step, her tender sex reminded her of her initiation into lovemaking. The delicious ache distracted her, damn it. And she was sure she was walking weirdly.
    She wanted to do it again, too. Soon. She’d never felt pleasure like that which Mick had given her. As she beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla into a fluffy mixture, She wondered if that supreme pleasure was what drove Penny to sexual excess. But then she thought about engaging in such intimacies with anyone but Mick and her flesh recoiled.
    Sonia was sure that what she had with Mick was special, really special.
    She added flour, baking powder, and milk to the basic batter, mixing carefully. Then, in a dash of inspiration, she poured in several drops of almond extract. The heady fragrance rose from the batter and she smiled.
    “What did you just add?” Chef Kilrook asked.
    “Almond extract,” she replied.
    “Why? This is a basic recipe and it is good as it is.”
    She took a teaspoon, dipped it in the batter, and offered it to him with one word, “Taste.”
    The chef took the raw batter into his mouth and let it melt on his tongue. His eyebrows rose in surprise.
    “That is very good,” he praised.
    She nodded her thanks and poured the batter into a pan which went immediately into the oven. She turned her attention to preparing the appetizer.
    Mick watched from his corner, ignoring the curious glances from the other cooks in the kitchen who were preparing for the dinner shift. He knew some of them recognized him, but they were too intimidated by their employer to approach him on company time. He watched with pride as Sonia moved about confidently, her hands skillfully producing food that smelled and looked utterly delicious. He knew the pride was unwarranted, as he’d had nothing to do with her skill in the kitchen.
    The chef spoke quietly to one of the other cooks, who quickly assembled a plate and brought it to Mick. The older woman set it on the counter next to him with a fork and said, “Chef Kilrook suggests that you eat lunch, as you’ve been standing here for so long.”
    “Thanks,” he replied and ignored the food.
    The cook shrugged and returned to her station.
    The minutes passed slowly for Mick and Kilrook, but quickly for Sonia.
    “Time!” the chef called out.
    Sonia raised her hands off the rim of the plate she was wiping clean and took a deep, steadying breath. The chef approached her, eyeing the appetizer, entree, and dessert. Picking up a clean fork, he tasted each.
    “Adequate,” he damned the appetizer. Sonia nodded, acknowledging the hit.
    “Perfectly cooked, but a bit pedestrian,” he damned the fish entree, earning a frown from the applicant.
    His eyebrows rose to his hairline in delight as he tasted her dessert, the cake with a bourbon and cherry sauce poured over it. “This is excellent,” he complimented. He set the small plate aside and put his hands on his hips. “Young lady, you’re quite good. Work for me