Samhain Publishing

Luc had cheated and made his dessert earlier that day. He took the two ramekins out of the fridge and used a butter knife around the edge of each before inverting the dishes over plates. Out slithered two perfectly formed pumpkin crème caramels. Luc drizzled the remaining sauce over both and then garnished each plate with a sprig of redcurrants. He had not made this dish for a while, but was confident it would be enjoyed.

He stood looking down in satisfaction at the two plates. Antoine nodded in approval. “You’ve outdone yourself,” he said, seeming to have forgotten his earlier outburst over Luc’s unscheduled absence.

“I think so,” Luc agreed with characteristic lack of humility. “We’ll see. Do feel free to push his face into it if he shows no signs of wanting to finish it all.”

“Of course.”

Luc couldn’t stop himself peeping from the hatch as Antoine served the sweet. He saw Daniel’s companion lift his spoon and start eating eagerly while Daniel took his time, sitting staring at the plate as though it offended him before, bizarrely, taking out a mobile phone and snapping a photo of the dessert.

Luc almost smiled in amusement. Then Daniel’s eyes flicked to his, holding his gaze. Luc was pinned in place by the intensity of the critic’s stare. Once more he needed to know what colour those eyes were. Daniel lifted his champagne flute and inclined it to Luc. A mocking smile curled around the edges of his sensual mouth. Luc’s stomach plummeted. Oh, he hated the food, he thought. He was going to write his most acerbic piece yet, and Luc would be ruined. Luc would have to kill him or something to keep the critic’s big mouth shut. Either that or screw him so soundly that Daniel would be his sex slave forever and would write a piece about how he was giving up eating food for a living and instead was going to worship Luc for the rest of his life. That sounded like a plan.

He drew away from the serving hatch and threw himself onto the stool by the back door, gesturing to Raoul with his empty glass. Raoul slipped out to the bar, and Luc stayed where he was, brooding.

“Tell me,” he asked his head waiter twenty minutes later. “Did his greedy little friend eat the leftovers, or did our critic polish off the lot himself?”

“Every bite,” Antoine confirmed.

Luc allowed himself a small smile. “So, he has a sweet tooth,” he remarked and decided it would be okay to allow Daniel to eat chocolate off his naked body.

“He’s asking when you’re going to come out and meet him,” Antoine said.

Luc nodded, and his stomach churned with anticipation. “Serve the coffee and petit fours. Ask him if he wants a liqueur. I’ll be out directly.”

He untied his apron and tossed it and his tunic into the dirty linen. Then he went into the bathroom at the back and washed his face at the sink, running his wet hands through his closely cropped dark hair, leaving it a little damp and spiky, knowing it looked sexy. He took a clean tunic off the back of the door and used a squirt of deodorant before he put it on. He regarded his reflection a moment, then he went out on legs which were surprisingly unsteady and pushed through the door.

Daniel Sheridan was lifting a coffee cup to his lips as Luc strode across the restaurant, attracting attention from every table. He fielded offers from people he knew and some he didn’t, murmuring apologies, stopping here and there, finally reaching his target.

Daniel, politeness personified, pushed his chair back from the table and stood. “Monsieur Tessier,” he said gracefully, holding out a slender hand.

“Mr. Sheridan,” Luc replied, a slight hint of mockery in his thick accent. “A pleasure to meet you finally. I feel like we’re old friends.” He grasped Daniel’s hand firmly, squeezing it, finding it cool and soft, and stared the critic hard in the eyes. Daniel’s eyes were an astonishing violet. Luc was not disappointed.

“As do I,” Daniel smiled, showing perfect teeth. “Please join us.”

Luc glanced at his companion a moment. The blond man was attractive, but Luc wasn’t remotely interested. Unless Daniel particularly wanted a three-way, which would be fine. “I regret to say I have to get on with the business of cleaning up,” he said. “It’s been a busy night. Perhaps later?”

Daniel’s eyes remained fixed on his. He sat. “I’ll hold you to that,” he remarked.

Luc smiled. Was the critic flirting with him? He certainly seemed interested. His balls ached. He inclined his head politely at both Daniel and his companion and turned away. Back in the kitchen, he resisted the urge to jerk off again. The plan was to get the kitchen into a decent state with the rest of his staff, shower and then change into something smart prior to possessing the food critic.

Luc stood before the full-length mirror assessing himself in the black pants and black shirt. He looked good, maybe good enough to eat, hopefully, and he smelled even better. He finished his third vodka and left the kitchen.

Daniel smiled up at him as Luc dragged a chair across and placed it between him and his companion. “So,” he began, attention fixed unblinkingly on the food critic. “Thank you for coming all this way to sample my cuisine.”

Daniel inclined his head graciously. “The pleasure was all mine,” he replied, the smile still curling his sensual mouth. “Forgive my manners. This is Sebastien Reno.” He indicated the blond man.

Luc shook his hand. “Bonsoir, Monsieur,” he said, intrigued that Sebastien was French.

“Bonsoir, Monsieur Tessier, my compliments on the food.”

Luc smiled.

“Why don’t you go and wait for me in the limo, Sebastien?” Daniel suggested so Luc’s gaze moved to him in surprise.

Sebastien pouted prettily, stood and left the table.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Daniel said calmly to the chef. “He doesn’t care. He gets paid either way.”

Luc was astonished.

“He’s an escort,” Daniel clarified. “So I didn’t look like a sad bastard eating on my own.”

Luc smiled in amusement. “I wouldn’t have thought a man of your obvious…charms would need to pay for it,” he remarked.

Daniel smiled in return. A slight blush over his pale skin made him even more attractive. “Well, I like you more and more, Monsieur Tessier,” he replied. “Who knew you were so charming yourself? Certainly not me.”

Luc’s smile turned wry at the rather backhanded compliment. “Luc,” he said smoothly, “please.”

“Very well, then, Luc. And please call me Daniel.”

“So you have no need for your, er, friend anymore, Daniel?” Luc enquired nonchalantly.

Daniel shook his head. “I don’t want him taking your attention from me.”

Something blossomed in the centre of Luc’s chest. A delicious ache which wasn’t just about the lust he felt for this man. It was something a little more. It was both exciting and unsettling, and it made him blush like a teenager. “I don’t think there’s much danger of anyone doing that,” he said in a low voice.