Catering to Three by Kalissa Alexander Page B

house. He saw Julie through the window. He watched her move gracefully around the kitchen talking with the staff. Her face was flushed and her eyes sparkled. He had visions of her naked with another kind of flush on her face. Taking a moment to still his fantasy, he opened the door and walked into the flurry of activity. Julie saw him immediately and walked over to where he was standing.
    “Mr. Romano, hello.”
    “Hi, Julie. I hope you don’t mind that I stopped by. I thought I would check on things. Just wanted to be sure everything was going as planned.”
    “Yes. Everything is going wonderfully. Thanks to you. You sent me a wonderful staff. I couldn’t be happier.”
    “That’s exactly what I wanted to hear,” he said with a smile.
    “Would you like a cup of coffee or something to drink?”
    “Only if you’ll take a few minutes and sit with me.”
    Julie looked around the kitchen before her eyes came back to his. “I think I could do that. The staff could probably do with a break from my hovering.”
    “A cup of coffee would be nice. We could take it outside by the pool. If that’s okay with you?”
    “I’ll pour us a couple mugs and meet you there.”
    “I take mine black, so don’t worry about cream and sugar.”
    “I take mine black, too,” she said happily.
    Mark left the kitchen through the door he had entered and headed toward the pool. He was glad that there weren’t a lot of people hanging around. He didn’t want Julie to be hauled away before he had a chance to chat with her. He knew it was silly, but he felt like a schoolboy on his first date. He hadn’t felt this nervous with a woman in a long time.
    Julie didn’t make him wait long. She walked toward him with a tray holding their coffee and some muffins. He eyed them more closely when she placed the tray on the table. Chocolate chip were his favorite. How had she known?
    “I hope you like muffins. I took a chance that you might like the chocolate chip.”
    “Good choice. Thank you.”
    Julie sat down and handed Mark his coffee and a plate for his muffin. “Do you make it a habit of checking on all your new clients?”
    “No, I don’t. You’re an exception.”
    “I am? Why’s that?”
    “Well,” he began, “besides the fact that your client is one of my best friends, I thought since this was the first time you’ve used my services, it would be a nice show of support if the staff knew I was here.”
    “That was very thoughtful of you, Mr. Romano. But rest assured, the staff you handpicked are excellent. I would say that’s a reflection on your skills for hiring the right people.”
    “I do have a knack for picking the good ones. I know a bad apple when I see it and I know the perfect peach when I see it, too.”
    Julie looked down at her coffee. He knew he was staring at her, but he couldn’t help himself. She was perfect. Even though her hair was pulled back and she was wearing a uniform, it did nothing to detract from her beauty. He felt his groin tighten. Damn, all he wanted was to take her in his arms. Instead, he took a bite of his muffin.
    Following the delicious mouthful with a swig of his coffee, he said, “Tell me about the dinner tonight.” He needed to put her at ease. “I’m looking forward to it.”
    Julie smiled. “I hope you’ll find it to your liking.”
    She explained the menu while he sat and enjoyed the sound of her voice explain what was in store for his palate. She was like a child who wanted him to be pleased with every detail, and he was very pleased. The more she talked, the more he wanted her. Tonight, he thought hopefully, was going to be an evening to remember in more ways than she could imagine.

Chapter Seven
     
    “Noah asked me to put the dresses for you to choose from in your bedroom,” Jackie told her.
    Julie stopped fussing with the table linens and tilted her head back toward Noah’s assistant. “I’m sorry, Jackie, did you say dresses?”
    “Yes. You know, for