Her Chef Bear Page 5

  Maybe she’ll be up for another round? Scott wondered hopefully, as he opened his eyes. And then maybe breakfast and pastries at the French pastry shop.

  He blinked and squinted, his eyes adjusting to the sudden change in light.

  The first thing that he saw was a cream colored wall, and then the nondescript painting of a beach that the hotel had hung on it. Rolling over, he found the other half of the bed empty. The sheets were cool to the touch.

  Shower? Scott thought, although he didn’t hear any water running. Rising, he went to investigate.

  The bathroom was empty, save for the heap of wadded up towels in a corner of the room, and there really wasn’t anywhere else in the room that she could be. She had left him alone in her room.

  Is this a subtle hint to get dressed and get out? Scott reflected as he made use of the facilities and the hotel’s complimentary toothbrush. Frederica had brought her own from home. Is she trying to say that last night was fun, but I’m done with you now?

  It hadn’t seemed like that last night. At the time, it had seemed like she had meant to see him again. They had even traded numbers. He had certainly meant to see her again, and the sex hadn’t changed that for him. Had it changed things for her?

  If it had, maybe that was why she was gone. But if it hadn’t… then where had she gone and why? Had something happened to her? It was a question that plagued him as he finished his morning routine and dressed in his damp clothes.

  Scott called her, but Frederica’s phone went to voicemail. It was either off or she was on the phone with someone else. Either way, he had tried. And as the minutes passed without a return call from Frederica, he found himself getting more and more annoyed with her.

  He had work. He couldn’t just hang around a stranger’s room and wait for her to deign to return to it. But he didn’t want to leave if she was in trouble either. And he’d like to see her again, if possible.

  Scott was still debating whether or not he should call her cell phone again to see if she was okay or just take a hint and go, when he yanked open the hotel room’s door… and nearly walked smack into Frederica.

  She blinked up at him, looking startled – and cute with her thick brown hair loose around her shoulders and her hazel eyes huge, noted a distant corner of Scott’s mind.

  In one hand, Frederica held a cardboard drink caddy containing two coffees, a large bottle of milk, and a couple of pastry bags from a chain coffee shop. Around the edges of the brown bags, Scott could see that the bottom of the fourth slot in the drink caddy had been filled up with a handful of coffee condiments. Balanced on her other hand was a large box of donuts from a chain donut shop. She had brought him morning after pastries!

  Frederica recovered from her surprise first. Smiling up at Scott, she said, “Thanks! I was trying to figure out how to get the door open… aside from kicking it until you answered it, that is.”

  Scott grinned. “I doubt the hotel would like that.”

  “I know! But I didn’t want to put our breakfast on the floor!”

  He laughed.

  “Here,” said Scott. “Let me.”

  He took the drink caddy from her and moved to one side, allowing Frederica back into her own hotel room. She brushed past him, so close that he could feel the heat of her body and smell both her own perfume and the hotel’s citrus-scented soap on her.

  Frederica’s hotel room was laid out along the lines of more or less any other hotel room. From the door, there was what appeared to be a short hallway into the room proper. To the immediate right of the door, there was the bathroom, and to the left a closet and then a small countertop area with a coffee maker and a little refrigerator underneath it. It was on that counter that last night’s left over pizza still resided.

  From there the little pseudo-hallway opened out into the main room, which was dominated by the bed. It had a nightstand on either side of it, and a television standing on a chest of drawers across from it.

  To the right of the bed – and directly across from the door that he was standing in front of – was an enormous window with the curtains drawn across it. Tucked into the corner between the window and the television was a small desk. Tucked into the corner between one of the bedside tables and the window was a small, round table with two chairs.

  It was to the table that Frederica took the box of donuts.

  Letting go of the door – and leaving it to swing shut under its own weight – Scott followed her to the table.

  “I wasn’t sure what you like,” said Frederica, “so I got an assortment. And also a couple of things from the coffee shop.”

  She set the rectangular box on the table and flipped its lid back, displaying eleven donuts and one bear claw to his astonished gaze.

  “They’re still hot. And there’s milk if you want that with your donuts,” said Frederica, when he made no immediate move to take one. He was too busy staring at her and feeling touched.

  “Do you even like donuts?” asked Frederica, maybe a trifle anxiously.

  “I love ‘em,” said Scott hoarsely.

  Frederica was human, so there was absolutely no way that she could know that it meant something to bring a were-bear pastries the morning after. Logically, Scott knew that. The more illogical parts of his brain – and general anatomy – however, wanted to carry her straight back to bed and lick sprinkles off of her belly.

  Splitting the difference, he went to kiss Frederica, who tasted like coffee and toothpaste. Under his kisses, she moaned and melted against him.

  “Oh,” she said, some time later. Her lovely brown eyes were half-lidded, and she sounded a little dazed. “I’ll bring you coffee and donuts every morning if you like them that much.”

  Scott laughed. Another kiss to the corner of her mouth, and he let her go, saying, “C’mon. Your donuts are probably getting cold.”

  “I like them cold,” said Frederica, leaning up to chase his mouth for another kiss.

  “Do you like cold coffee?” inquired Scott between kisses.

  “I’ll find the ice machine and dump some ice cubes in our cups,” mumbled Frederica distractedly. “Voila! Ice coffee!”

  Laughing, Scott let her lure him back into her bed.

  Cold or not, the donuts were still tasty when they finally got around to eating them. The same couldn’t be said for the iced coffee, however. The blend that they’d sold Frederica just wasn’t good enough for that.

  Frederica, charming and beautiful heathen that she was, didn’t seem to notice. That was okay. He’d introduce her to good coffee and then she would weep at all the crappy coffee that she must have unknowingly drunk over the years.

  Looking at his cell phone, Scott sighed.

  “I’ve got to get to work,” he said. “But if you come by after closing, I’ll make you a late dinner.”

  He was gratified by the way that Frederica’s face lit up.

  “What time should I be there?”

  “One a.m,” said Scott. “Everything will be cleaned up and cleared away by then. It’ll just be you and me.”

  Frederica nodded determinedly. “I’ll be there!”

  “Then I’ll see you then,” he promised, already thinking about what he might make her.

  A quick kiss – that turned into a longer kiss – and he was off, taking one of the coffee shop’s pastries with him for the road.

  She had bought him donuts! And pastries! And coffee!

  Whistling happily, Scott hurried home to change for work.

  Chapter 06 – Frederica

  After Scott left, a quick search on her cell phone had directed Frederica to someplace called Mall at Millenia, which had all the stores that she needed and a few more besides. On the way there, Frederica called her cousin.

  While they were apart, Brittany had kept her promise: she had made a list of all things that she felt that Frederica needed to add to her wardrobe. Thankfully, Brittany had been kind enough to keep her list short and relatively simple, despite including notes on the cu
ts and colors that she thought would best suit Frederica. Brittany denied it, but Frederica had the feeling that Brittany had been plotting against Frederica’s wardrobe for awhile now.

  Much to Frederica’s surprise, shopping for new play clothes under Brittany’s direction was less painful than Frederica had ever hoped that it could be. Due to the time difference, Brittany hadn’t been able to oversee most of Frederica’s shopping, but she had e-mailed Frederica a copy of her list, and Frederica had followed it religiously after Brittany bowed out in favor of sleep.

  All in all, it had been a very productive day.

  And now Frederica was sitting in her rental car in one of her new slinky date dresses in front of her soul mate’s restaurant. She looked great! She felt a little less than great, but that was just nerves… and tiredness. It was only nine o’clock, but Frederica was beginning to get sleepy. Frederica didn’t know how she was going to make it another four hours until her date with Scott.

  Well, she had one idea. That was why she had gotten dressed and come down to the beach so early in the evening. Frederica’s cunning plan was to set an alarm and take a nap in her car. Then all she would have to do was wake up, toddle into Scott’s restaurant, and try to look alert, like she definitely hadn’t been sleeping in the parking lot.

  It was a good plan… provided that she didn’t oversleep. Late nights weren’t Frederica’s strong suit. Early mornings were more her style. But she was determined!

  I can do this! Frederica thought determinedly, as she set the alarm on her cell phone. She also set a second, third, and fourth alarm too, just in case. This was important.

  Then she put her chair back, wadded up her new sweater to use as a pillow, and closed her eyes.

  Falling asleep was easy.

  Be-Beep-Beep-BEEP! Be-Beep-Beep-BEEP! Be-Beep-Beep-BEEP!

  Frederica woke with a jolt. Bewildered, she looked around, trying to figure out where she was and what was beeping at her. She was sitting in a car, and it was dark, and –

  Oh, thought Frederica, as she fumbled in the seat next to her for her cell phone, yes, I remember.

  She had fallen asleep while waiting for her date with Scott, but that was okay because she was awake now.

  Frederica turned off the alarm – and all three of the other alarms – and checked the time.

  Nope, she thought, relieved. Not late yet.

  Hauling herself out of the car, Frederica wasted precious minutes smoothing out her skirt, fluffing her hair, and hoping that her makeup still looked okay. When she was satisfied, Frederica locked the car and began her hike across the mostly empty parking lot.

  There was a figure waiting for her next to the restaurant’s back door. He was standing with the light behind him, rendering him nothing more than a tall silhouette with broad shoulders, but from the shiver in her belly, Frederica knew that it was Scott waiting for her there.

  As she got closer, Scott moved to meet her.

  “Hey there,” he said, as he helped close the distance between them. “I wasn’t sure if you would make it.”

  “Of course, I made it! I love late nights!”

  That was a blatant lie. Before Frederica could think better of it though, Scott was there in front of her and kissing her senseless. By the time he was done, she could barely remember her name, never mind what she had been about to say.

  “C’mon,” said Scott, his arm finding its way around her waist. “I’m gonna cook you dinner.”

  “You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting to hear that,” Frederica sighed, as Scott led her inside the building.

  The kitchen was large, brightly lit, and filled with stainless steel that had been scrubbed until it gleamed. Frederica blinked hard, willing her eyes to adjust more quickly to the sudden light.

  “It’s very… shiny,” said Frederica. “And clean.”

  “Thank you,” said Scott, laughter in his voice.

  Letting go of Frederica, he moved to stand in front of her in his chef’s whites. Under his scrutiny, Frederica felt herself flush.

  “You look nice,” he said. “Very pretty. And clean.”

  That last startled a laugh out of Frederica.

  “Thank you,” she said, her breath catching in her throat as Scott reached out to stroke a gentle thumb across her cheek.

  “Were you sleeping in the parking lot?” he asked, sounding almost… fond.

  “Maybe,” said Frederica warily. She found herself unwilling to admit to anything. “Why?”

  “You’ve got sleep creases on your cheek,” he said, and then laughed when Frederica’s hand flew up to cover the damning evidence, inadvertently trapping his hand against her cheek. “Don’t be embarrassed. It’s cute. Late nights not your thing?”

  “Maybe… not,” Frederica confessed.

  “Then it’s especially amazing that you’re here now,” said Scott warmly. He pressed a kiss against her forehead. “I can show you where the bathroom is, if you want to freshen up.”

  “Yes, please,” said Frederica.

  In the bathroom, Frederica splashed cold water on her face and patted it dry. She rubbed at the faint creases on her cheek, trying to soothe away the worst of the marks. It didn’t actually work, but Frederica told herself that it did. She also told herself that she definitely wasn’t sleepy.

  Frederica was a terrible liar.

  When Frederica emerged from the bathroom, Scott was already cooking at one of the center island stations. There were a couple of tall stools nearby, occupying the space in front of a clear bit of countertop. Frederica claimed the one closest to Scott.

  Briefly looking away from whatever he was doing to the rice in the rice maker, Scott smiled at her. Happy, Frederica smiled back at him.

  “There you are. You look more awake.”

  “I feel more awake too,” Frederica admitted. “So what are we having?”

  “Tonight’s menu for two is ginger glazed salmon with seasonal vegetables, jasmine rice topped with slivers of fresh mango, and green tea sorbet with fresh cut strawberries for desert,” said Scott with obvious pride.

  “That all sounds amazing!”

  Scott looked up from his work to flash another smile at her, this one almost shy.

  “So how was your day?” he asked, his eyes returning to vegetables that he was preparing. “Did you do any sightseeing?”

  “Shopping mostly,” admitted Frederica. “Have you ever been to the Mall at Millenia? That place is huge.”

  Scott laughed.

  “I can’t say that I have,” he said. “I’m a simple man with simple shopping needs. Anything else?”

  “And I talked to my cousin Brittany. She’s teaching in Sri Lanka at the moment.”

  “That sounds exciting,” said Scott. His eyes flicked towards her again. “Do you like to travel?”

  “Yes, very much, but who has the time? I work a lot – practically all the time, really,” said Frederica. “But I love my job, so it’s not that bad. What about you? How’d you end up with a restaurant?”

  “I was in the army,” said Scott. The vegetables went into some sort of bamboo steamer thing. “When I took early retirement, I got a payout, which I put towards this restaurant.”

  “You must be really proud of it.”

  “I am!” Scott looked around them, his expression distant as if he was taking stock of the whole restaurant and not just the kitchen. “I think it’s coming along nicely.”

  “I bet it is, if dinner is anything to go by,” said Frederica. “Everything smells delicious.”

  “Flatterer,” accused Scott, but he looked pleased by her compliment.

  “Did you like the army?” inquired Frederica.

  “Yes,” said Scott. “For a long time, it was my life. I joined right after high school. I might not have gotten my bachelor’s degree if my sergeant at the time hadn’t been all over me about it. The army gave me friends, took me around the world, and gave me a purpose. Retiring was hard.”

  “But it looks like
you’ve made a good life for yourself since then,” said Frederica gently. “Did you learn to cook while you were active duty?”

  “Sort of,” said Scott. “I used to take cooking lessons off base wherever I was stationed. I thought it would give me a better appreciation for the local flair.”

  “Did it?”

  “I think so. And then later, I took what I’d learned and opened up this place.”

  “It’s a nice place.”

  “You haven’t even seen the front of the house.”

  “Well, no,” admitted Frederica. “But the parking lot was packed. It was hard finding a parking spot.”

  Scott laughed. “I can’t believe you napped in the parking lot.”

  “I didn’t want to be late,” said Frederica with all the poise at her command, which was quite a bit.

  Still grinning, Scott swooped in for a quick kiss.

  Dinner was fantastic, and afterwards Frederica put on an apron and helped Scott to tidy up.

  “You don’t have to do that,” said Scott as she dried a plate.

  “Nonsense! In the absence of maids and dish washers, it’s the responsibility of the person who didn’t cook to do clean up for the person who did. I just wish I knew where any of these things go.”

  And also, she suspected that with two pairs of hands working to tidy up, they might get to bed that much faster. Frederica was full of good food, and she was dog tired from the late hour and her long day shopping. The sooner everything was back in its proper place, the sooner she could go back to sleep. Maybe she could even persuade Scott to come to bed with her.

  “Hey, after this, would you maybe like to come back to the hotel?” asked Frederica. “If we sleep there, we don’t have to make the bed in the morning.”

  “Well, I’m sold,” said Scott as he put the last cup away. “Do you want to ride with me? If you do, we’ll come back and get your car in the morning.”

  “That sounds perfect. Let’s do that.”

  By then, their cars were the only two in the entire parking lot. Hers was a rental, but his…