Australian Affairs: Tempted: Tempted by Dr. Morales. Carol Marinelli

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       CHAPTER ELEVEN

      JUAN KEPT A very neat kitchen. All evidence was removed—he even tied up her halterneck for her—and then he parked Cate on a bar stool and threw her expensive knickers in the bin. He handed a glass of wine to her.

      ‘Better?’ Juan said.

      ‘Better.’

      She couldn’t believe it. Five minutes in his house and she’d had the best orgasm she had ever had. She felt a little stunned, a little breathless but enjoying the view. She was sipping her wine as if it was normal to watch him cook and see the scratches on his back that had come from her.

      ‘Can I help?’ Cate offered, because wasn’t that what you were supposed to say?

      ‘Relax,’ was Juan’s response.

      It was bizarre that, for the first time around him, she could relax properly.

      Juan picked up the knife that had sliced her panties and with a smile that was returned he carried on chopping the salad.

      He could chop too.

      Fast, tiny, thin slices.

      ‘You’ve done that before.’

      ‘I helped in the family business,’ Juan said. ‘After school and during medical school. My family have a…’ he hesitated for a moment, perhaps choosing the right word ‘…café.’ He moved and took the fish steaks out of the fridge and she heard the sizzle as they were added to the pan.

      ‘They smell fantastic,’ Cate said. ‘What was the marinade?’

      ‘Chimichurri,’ Juan said. ‘It is Argentinian. There are many variations but this is my mother’s recipe that I make for you tonight.’

      It was soon ready and they took the food outside to the table that had been laid. There was even a candle and, as she took the seat looking out to the ocean, Cate blinked a little when he put a plate in front of her. It looked amazing.

      ‘You can cook too!’

      ‘You haven’t tasted it yet.’

      ‘Ah, but it’s all in the presentation.’

      ‘No.’ Juan smiled as he sat opposite her. ‘It is no good to look beautiful and taste of nothing, or, worse, when you do bite into it, to find out it is off.’

      ‘Well, it’s a treat to have someone cook for me,’ Cate said. ‘It’s beans on toast more often than not at mine.’

      Cate loaded her fork. Of course she was going to say it was lovely, of course she would be polite, she meant what she had said, it was nice to be cooked for, but, more than that, it could taste like cardboard and the night would still be divine.

      ‘Oh!’ She forgot her manners completely, spoke with her mouth still full as she took her first taste. ‘It’s amazing.’

      It was. The fish was mild and so fresh it might just as well have jumped out of the ocean and landed on her plate, yet the marinade…Cate was not particularly into food unless it was called ice cream, but there was a riot happening on her tongue.

      ‘It is very fresh…’ Juan took a bite ‘…and my mother’s chimichurri is the best.’

      ‘I think I’m having another orgasm,’ Cate said.

      ‘Oh, you will later,’ Juan said. ‘And you won’t think, you’ll know.’

      But there was only so much you could say about fish and, with sex out of the way, conversation turned a touch awkward at first. They knew little about each other, and it was supposed to be that way, Cate told herself, but she couldn’t help asking about his homeland when he spoke briefly about it.

      ‘Do you miss it?’

      ‘No,’ Juan admitted. ‘I speak to my family a lot and to my friends, of course.’

      ‘What made you decide to travel?’

      ‘The woman who rings…’ There was a tight swallow in Cate’s throat as she found out a little about the man. ‘Martina. We were engaged but it didn’t work out. I think when any relationship ends you start to question things,’ Juan said. ‘Don’t you?’

      ‘I guess.’ СКАЧАТЬ